Acidanthera murielae

I love these, but seem to get any blooms since I moved!

Great shot of a lovely flower.

I've noever grown this variety before, that's about to change...lol. It's so pretty, has a very graceful quality.

I just love them... recently got a new bulb catalogue in the mail...and I think I'm going to get another package of 50 or 60... I can see a vista in my imagination...my new garden....with islands of acidanthera, aromatic and beautiful!~ Here's a combo for you... how about these and asparagus? like stars in the milky way...when the asp. ferns are covered with dew!

Ooohhh Lori, that sounds delightful. You're kicking my imagination into high gear now...;-)

: - )) !!!

Lori:

Beautiful flower...it looks like an orchids flower.

Yes, D1! their common names are many...one is Peacock Orchid! or Abyssinian Glad...they originate in Africa. (Ethiopia) They would probably be a perennial in your garden...but they have to be lifted every autumn up here. The corms are tiny compared to the size and height of plant that emerges from it! sort of like windflowers in that regard. . they will grown in just about any soil....but like a nice loam best. They always get lots of water here in my garden...so I don't really know if they would do well in a dry area... you could check that out pretty easily as there's lots of patter about them on the web.

Lori:

We just lazily call perennials: evergreen. lol! : > )

Yes, they probably are an evergreen plants here.

I surprisingly found out a couple of months ago that Lemon Verbena (Aloysia citrodora) are deciduous in colder climates. I've never lived where they loose their leaves. My plant grows all year here.

Here in the UK, a lemon Verbana is a house plant!

Meanie:

It doesn't grow as a deciduous tree-like shrub in the ground there?

The wood is supposedly hardy to about -10C/ 14F. -- of course, I cannot confirm this...as we'd never ever get anywhere near this cold here.

Lemon verbena is an annual here...or as Meanie says "a houseplant"...lol... For Lemon scent in the northern garden we have Melissa officinalis... or Lemon Balm. It is the most strenuous colonizer I've ever seen...it will choke out other plants and run rampant if a gardener doesn't weed them out conscientiously. They self-seed all over the place! ...but if you have a dry spot, or a spot with poor soil... or an area with too much shade...this plant will be completely at home. It's complete hardiness reminds me of the dandelion.

Lori:

Here for lemon scent and taste...we just get lemons from the neighbors. lol! : > ) My neighbor gave me 2 big bags of lemons off their Pink Lemonade tree a couple of months ago. I get lots of lemons from my neighbors all year.

Can you use Melissa officinalis in cooking?

I've never used it to flavour something like a lemon meringue pie..as far as I'm concerned it is best used as a strewing herb....if you like scent underfoot, or in a sachet with other herbs and spices. . But it is used primarily in "tea" mixtures. I like it brewed with thyme, and spearmint. The officinalis designation usually indicates a culinary or folk medicine usage.