Small Triangular bed just beside the stairway to the bottom pond. Usually I have cannas here, but this year '04 it's caladium.

Hardy Hibiscus (Rose Mallow)

A must have plant in the sun garden.

My baby brother sent me a birthday surprise. Red is my favorite color and hibiscus are so fun. The blossoms may be as large as dinner plates.

They come up really late in the spring. Just about the time you give up & think they didn't survive the winter they poke up through the ground.

Once established they are truly a low maintenance perennial plant. They thrive in heat & drought. Even though what I read says they like wet / even bog growing conditions. Mine don't get it and grow in heavy clay soil just fine.

They bloom in late summer when other things are winding down. Once hibiscus start blooming it's a non-stop flowering extravaganza.

There are tall, tall hardy hibiscus plants & bush types. Personally I like the bush ones the best. But the sight of the tall ones in other people's gardens / yards hold me is awe!

The only maintenance they require is being cut back in late winter or very early spring. Division by root is easily done. I've shared my original plant with many friends. May also be started from seed but I've never had the opportunity to try it yet.

http://my.pclink.com/~harley/hibiscus.htm

http://www.naturehills.com/new/articles/why_hardy_hibiscus.aspx

http://www.paghat.com/rosemallow-discored.html

Spring 2007

Hardy Hibiscus is so late to emerge in spring. About the time you give up on her; she comes up to do her late summer thing. I thought I would fill-in with red salvia this year. I learned that salvia, do their thing in late summer too. About the time the red salvia got big & pretty, the hibiscus got real big and took over the show, blooming its foolhead off for weeks & weeks all through August, September, October. What an absolutely wonderful plant. It loves heat, scoffs at drought, (once established) and needs no special care or fertilizer. All this hibiscus requires is to be cut back in the early spring / late winter to allow new shoots to emerge to dazzle the garden in late summer. And in early spring you can take root cuttings to start brand new plants to share with your garden friends! It's a good thing!

Girls just want to have fun!