Thunbergia alata 'Blushing Susie' seedlings are thriving!

Seven of the ten black-eyed Susan vine (suzanne aux yeux noirs) seeds I planted sprouted. Weirdly, on many of the seedlings the cotyledons emerged practically underground so the first I saw of the plants was the true leaves. It's gratifying to see them doing so well.

Sansevieria trifasciata

Sansevieria trifasciata, aka "snake plant" or "mother-in-law's tongue" in English, plante serpent or langue de belle-mère in French, is a west African perennial commonly grown as a houseplant. It's unusual to see a specimen as large and healthy as this in a mall—this one is in Brookfield Place. (I believe the underplantings are Rhododendron simsii (Indian azalea, azalé de l'Inde) and Hedera helix (English ivy, lierre grimpante). The latter is an invasive plant here in Toronto, which should be confined to indoor plantings like this rather than planted in the garden).

I briefly had a sansevieria, which I picked up half-dead at Canadian Tire because I felt sorry for it. I thought that the leaves would be too tough and unappetizing for my cats to nibble, but I was wrong. There is some debate over how toxic sansevieria is, but according to Plants are the Strangest People's Houseplant Toxicity Series, Sansevieria trifasciata can kill a cat. I've composted mine.

I should mention that I dislike the common names "mother-in-law's tongue" and langue de belle-mère for this plant, since they are a dig at mothers-in-law (the sharp leaves of the plant are supposed to be like the sharp tongues of mothers-in-law). I have had two mothers-in-law and they both are lovely people whom I am grateful to have known.

Lobelia erinus 'Sapphire Pendula' seedlings

I didn't see seeds for that gorgeous sky blue lobelia for sale, but hopefully these will provide a good approximation! (And I'm still hoping I can get my native Lobelia siphilitica seeds to sprout; I recently had a dream about it!)

Hypoestes phyllostachya 'Splash Select White' seedlings!

Polka dot plant (plante aux éphélides) is sometimes recommended as a good plant for children to grow from seed because it is easy. I can confirm that is the case! Here are my lovely healthy seedlings, about a week after sowing. No markings yet, but I expect they will come with the first true leaves.

Hypoestes phyllostachya 'Splash Select White' seeds

Hypoestes phyllostachya, known in English as "polka dot plant" or "freckle face" and in French as plante aux éphélides, is a tender perennial native to Madagascar grown for its attractive foliage, which is dark green densely covered with spots of pink, white, or red.

Usually in polka dot plant is sold as a houseplant in Toronto, however, a neighbour had a very pretty planting under a tree which impressed me last summer.

Plants are the Strangest People reports that polka dot plant is invasive in various warm parts of the world (Australia, Costa Rica, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Zimbabwe, and India), so if you live there, please don't plant this in your garden. However it doesn't seem likely to go wild in Toronto. (PATSP also reports that polka dot plants are potentially dangerous to dogs and cats.)

I bought these seeds at Parks, who also sell a pink variety.

Thunbergia alata 'Blushing Susie' seeds

Thunbergia alata (black-eyed Susan vine, suzanne aux yeux noirs, oeil de suzanne) is a perennial vine native to eastern Africa, grown as an annual here in Toronto.

Despite the similarity of the common names, thunbergia should not be confused with our native black-eyed Susan, Rudbeckia hirta (rudbeckie dressée). Unlike rudbeckia, thunbergia is not a composite flower; rather it has trumpet-shaped flowers with five petals and an almost black throat. The species has light yellow-orange petals, however cultivars are available in yellow, white, and in the case of 'Blushing Susie', peachy-pink.

I got these seeds from Park Seed.

Veseys claims this plant attracts hummingbirds, however I haven't been able to find any photos of hummingbirds visiting T. alata so I'm a bit sceptical.

Dahlia 'Pooh'

The Dahlias are a genus of perennials native to Mexico, central America, and Colombia. Unfortunately they are not hardy here in Toronto, which is why I haven't tried growing them (I avoid plants that require coddling). But this beauty, 'Pooh', is sorely tempting me.

Photographed at Toronto Botanical Garden.

Calibrachoa

Calibrachoa, known in English as "million bells" and in French by the genus name is a genus of tender perennials native to tropical South America, especially Brazil, treated as annuals in Toronto gardens. They look similar to their relatives, petunias, but have smaller flowers. A wide range of cultivars is available.

Impatiens walleriana 'Accent Lavender Blue'

Impatiens walleriana, known in English as "busy Lizzie" or "balsam" and in French as impatience, is a tender perennial native to east Africa, treated as an annual in Toronto gardens.

Although this cultivar is called 'Accent Lavender Blue', it doesn't look blue or even lavender to me, but pink. Stokes lists sixteen different colours in the 'Accent Series', so maybe they were just running out of names. (Although Stokes sells many varieties of impatiens seeds, I don't feel ready to try starting impatiens from seed yet. Somehow I've got the impression that it's very complicated. I got this plant at Mimi's Convenience, 1686 Danforth.)

Scaevola aemula

Scaevola aemula, known in English as "fairy fan-flower" or "common fan-flower" and in French as scaevola émuleis a tender perennial native to southeast Australia, treated as an annual in Toronto.

I found these plants growing outside at the Hospital for Sick Children.

Viola flowers

Viola hybrids are small annuals grown for their flowers, which are like small pansies. Like pansies, violas are available in a wide range of colours: purple, yellow, blue, mauve, pink, rusty red, orange, and white. These pale yellow violas are 'Penny Primrose'. You can see more violas in the 'Penny' series at Stokes.

Viola 'Sorbet Lemon Chiffon' is from the extensive 'Sorbet' series of violas. I couldn't find the name of this bright purple cultivar.

All violas in this post were photographed at Mimi's Convenience, 1686 Danforth.

Viola x wittrockiana: flowers

Viola x wittrockiana, known in English as "pansy" and in French as pensée des jardins, is a short-lived tender perennial grown as an annual in Toronto gardens. Pansies come in a huge variety of colours, though unfortunately no "true" red, only a dark rusty red like in this cultivar, 'Matrix Red and Yellow'. The five-petalled flowers often have a central blotch and/or are bicoloured.

This is not the best picture, but it does show what a pretty blue 'Matrix Ocean' is. I am regretting not starting some pansy seeds myself. 'Matrix Morpheus' has pretty blue and yellow flowers with whiskers rather than a blotch. There are many other colourways in the 'Matrix' series; you can see many more 'Matrix' varieties at Stokes.

This pansy is 'Delta Premium White Blotch'. I think this is the cultivar Nicky chose last year. (Since Nicky generally hates anything to do with plants and gardening, when he actually likes a plant I usually get it.)

Here's another so-called "red" pansy, 'Delta Premium Red Blotch'. I love truly red flowers like Monarda didyma and Aquilegia canadensis, so I'm always a bit annoyed when nurseries call merely reddish flowers "red". To me this is more of an oxblood colour.

This beauty, 'Delta Premium Neon Violet' is really tempting me. I love the neon glow around the blotch, which you can really see on the flower in the back.

I love the way that the purple blotch on 'Delta Premium Beaconsfield' softly blurs into the white, as though painted in watercolours. There are many other colourways in the 'Delta' series; I especially love this unusual pink and purple pansy from the 'Delta Pink Shades' mix.

All the flowers in this post were photographed at Mimi's Convenience, 1686 Danforth.

Solenostemon scutellaroides 'Wizard Mix': seedlings

What a difference in just a week or two! (See earlier photo of baby seedlings.) So much bigger, and the colours are getting more and more distinct. I have 45 coleus seedlings now. I find it interesting that the seedlings with pink and green leaves are by far the most vigorous; I would have expected the mostly green-leaved plants to have the edge. It seems to me that the seeds started in starter mix (Home Gardener Organic Starter Mix, to be precise) are growing faster than those started in peat pellets.

Solenostemon scutellaroides 'Wizard Mix': seeds

Solenostemon scutellaroides, known in English as "coleus" and in French as coléus or coliole, is a tender perennial native to southeast Asia widely grown for its colourful foliage. Cultivars are available with various patterns of white, pink, red, yellow, brown, black, and green leaves.

I last grew coleus back when I was in high school, from seed. It was a lot of fun since the seedlings show their colours from an early stage. (Of course, back then I actually had big windows with lots of sunlight streaming in, and this time around I'm in a dingy basement apartment with fluorescent light...) I'm hoping these babies will liven up the drab shady front yard this summer.

Lycianthes rantonnetii

Lycianthes rantonnetii, known in English as blue potato bush, Paraguay nightshade, or blue lycianthes, and in French as arbre à gentiane, is a shrub native to Paraguay and Argentina, with small (2-3 cm) blue-violet flowers.

In Toronto, it must be grown indoors, like this standard at Allan Gardens.

Abutilon megapotamicum

Abutilon megapotamicum, known in English as trailing abutilon or Chinese lanterns, and in French as abutilon du grand fleuve or abutilon grimpant is a shrub native to Brazil with nifty bright red and yellow flowers.

These Chinese lanterns are not cold-hardy and (in Toronto) have to be grown indoors, unlike another plant also known as Chinese lanterns, Physalis alkekengi. I photographed this Abutilon megapotamicum at Allan Gardens.

Pachystachys lutea

Pachystachys lutea, known in English as golden shrimp plant or lollipop plant and in French as panache d'officier or pachystachys jaune, is a tender evergreen shrub with spikes of white flowers emerging from bright yellow bracts.

Here in Toronto, this tropical flower must be grown indoors. I photographed this specimen at Allan Gardens.

Solanum pseudocapsicum

Solanum pseudocapsicum, known in English as Jerusalem cherry or Madeira winter cherry and in French as pommier d'amour, is a tropical perennial related to tomatoes. Unlike tomatoes, its fruit are strictly ornamental; they are poisonous for humans, cats, dogs, and birds.

In Toronto, Jerusalem cherry must be grown indoors during the cold seasons. These plants were photographed at Allan Gardens.

Adiantum aethiopicum

Adiantum aethiopicum spp, known in English as common maidenhair fern is a tropical perennial fern native to Africa, New Zealand and Australia. The fronds have delicate fan-shaped leaflets on black, hair-like stems.

In Toronto, this maidenhair can be grown only indoors (I photographed this speciment at Allan Gardens); however, there is another beautiful maidenhair fern, Adiantum pedatum, which is a Canadian native growing across the country from Newfoundland and Labrador to British Columbia.

Agave multifilifera

Agave multifilifera, known in English and French as chahuiqui, is a succulent with a rosette of dark green spiky leaves ornamented with curly white hairs on the edges. Like all agaves, it dies after flowering and producing fruit.

This is another hot-climate plant that Torontonians must grow indoors. The plants above were photographed in the succulent and cactus greenhouse at Allan Gardens.