A NEAT GIVEAWAY

Connie over at Smockity Frocks is having a giveaway. Digital Room has offered to give away another 16x20 poster print to one of their readers! (Shipping is free in U.S. and Canada only.)


I can see one of my flower photos framed and up on my wall! Or I could use it for a study for a painting. I might use the one I posted on Charley's Plant back at the end of March. It is a closeup of a beautiful orange flower from the plant on our back fence. It was in full bloom all during February, March and into April. Alas, it has gone to seed now, but it was so beautiful that we had people stopping to ask the name of the plant. We don't know the name of the plant, but call it Charley's Plant because it came from cuttings I got from Charley's plant in Corpus Christi.



Here is the picture I was thinking about for the poster!

CHARLEY'S PLANT

About five years ago we visited friends in Corpus Christi in January and they had a GORGEOUS plant all along their fence in full bloom with orange flowers. I asked if I could have a cutting or two from their plant and they told me to take what I wanted. I brought home five cuttings and put them in two separate pots. I don't know the real name of our plant, but we have always called it "Charley's Plant" because he is the friend who gave us the plant.

The first spring the cuttings began to grow and send out runners. We kept them in the shade and protected them in the winter but the plants never bloomed. Finally, last summer my husband said that we had to take them out of the pots and plant them in the sun, so he planted them near our fence and put up chicken wire for the plants to climb. They climbed up the chicken wire nicely but never did bloom, even though my husband has watered them faithfully through our drought.

This past February I noticed a touch of orange at the top of Charley's Plant and ran out there. Sure enough, the vine had two gorgeous blooms. Over the past 3-4 weeks the blooms have grown and multiplied beautifully.

I don't think our plants will ever be as beautiful as the ones along our friend's fence line, but I am mighty proud of our plants--and the flowers!

Thanks, Charley--and Gwen!