Are you feeling this?  Won't you join me...in the purple rain?  As the above image hints...something vivid...something vibrant is making itself known.  Question.  Are you experienced?  Well, if not, welcome to the lush and luxurious world of Cobaea scandens,  commonly referred to as the Cup-And-Saucer Vine or Cathedral Bells Vine.  Here is a case of a plant that I absolutely love to grow.  Why?  Well, for me, it has been one of the easiest plants to grow and it really delivers what a plant-a-holic, such as myself, craves.  It's got it all!

The foliage of Cobaea scandens forms on whip-like vining tendrils and stems of jungle green, with some bits steeped in rich warm color.  The foliage, itself, emerges in pistachio and rich pinot noir hues.  As the foliage matures, it settles on a sophisticated elliptical form that radiates a luxuriously rich palette of soothing green combinations.

In midsummer, papery lantern-like flower buds emerge from the fabric of its foliage signaling a forecast for an opulent outpouring of fantastical-floral-lusciousness .  The sepals of the flower open to form a saucer-like shape from which strong petals make themselves known and iris open to form a cup-like floret to accompany its saucer.

The results are stunning and can satiate even the finickiest of floral appetites!  The flowers are sizable, 4-5 inches, but not too big.  At first, as flowers open, they appear void of any color.  But in the day to follow the petals will blush in colors of pink and soft lilac. Then, usually, on day two after opening, the flowers are a flood of rich, vibrant purple color.  The color is so true and so affecting that you'll be hard pressed to not fall under its spell of tropical allure.

Cobaea scandens can be treated as an annual vine in areas where temps fall below 25 degrees fahrenheit/-3 degrees celsius.  In temperate areas it will remain perennial. Vines can grow up to 25 feet long.  It can engulf a fence or trellis in one season and kick out an amazing display of flowers from summer through late autumn.  It likes full sun to part shade conditions, regular to fertile, well-draining soil, average water, and the occasional feeding of fertilizer.  In areas where it remains perennial, cutting back vines at the start of the following growing season can encourage bushier, lush growth.

I originally got a 4" container start of Cobaea scandens from the amazing Annies Annuals.  Later on, I found that Botanical Interest have seed for it.  I also, hope to have a nice crop of it for sale next spring at The Plant Provocateur shop.  It is so well worth planting! Wait, what?  The Plant Provocateur shop.  What is he on about now?

This just in...Whatcha' doin' next Thursday?  Will you be in the SoCal area? Pasadena?  San Marino?  If so, check this out.  The Plant Provocateur will be live and in concert, so-to-speak, next Thursday, June 12th, giving a talk and demonstration about designing deliciously dynamic container gardens at The Huntington Botanical Gardens as part of their 2nd Thursday Garden Talk and Sale series!  Click here for more info.  I'm super excited to be a featured speaker at The Huntington Botanical Gardens.  The event is free and oh yeah, what's a Plant Provocateur event without a few surprises?!  Come on down and find out.  So come one, come all, feast your eyes and be tantalized by new ideas for super stylish container gardens!

The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens are located at: 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino, CA 91108.  The garden talk and sale is taking place in the Ahmanson Room, Brody Botanical Center.  Start time is 2:30pm.  No reservations required.  Contact number for the event is 626-405-2100.  If you've never been to The Huntington you should definitely make a day of it.  There is so much to see and do!

I read a quote today..."There are as many styles of beauty as there are visions of happiness."  Before your eyes lies a type of beauty that lies way beyond visions of happiness, in my honest opinion.  It's almost unattainable, but oh so mysteriously real. What could be so black and almost metallic, making my flora loving heart skip not one, but two beats?

Welcome to the sensual world of an orchid hybrid known as Fredclarkeara After Dark 'SVO Black Pearl'.  I discovered this beauty at the Huntington Botanical Gardens Orchid Show last year.  Growing this plant and watching it produce these mind-bogglingly beautiful and beguiling black flowers has made me a confirmed flora futurist.  I've never seen anything like it.  Have you?  Well, the horticulturalists at Sunset Valley Orchids in Vista, California have definitely blinded me with some serious science. Fredclarkeara After Dark 'SVO Black Pearl' is a masterpiece.  It was love at first sight!

Fredclarkeara After Dark 'SVO Black Pearl' is a hybrid cross between genus of the orchids Catasetum, Clowesia, and Mormodes.  It produces interesting thick bamboo shoot-like pseudobulbs that produce large pleated straps of tropical foliage.  The foliage is deciduous and begins to drop off as late autumn/early winter dormancy sets in.  This hybrid is fairly easy to grow as long as you follow some strict rules. When the plants begin to shed their leaves, STOP ALL WATERING.  The decrease in water will encourage mature pseudobulbs to extend 2 to 4 pendant inflorescences with as many as 15 to 22 flowers on each of them!

And as you can see the flowers are spectacular!  They'll last up to 6 or 7 weeks before falling off in a beautiful black shower of rich robust blossoms.  I grow mine in a mix of fine bark, sphagnum moss, and perlite.  It prefers bright light and warm indoor conditions.  Does great on the mantel of my living room.  When it breaks dormancy and new growth occurs in spring, resume watering and fertilize regularly. 1 tablespoon of fertilizer per gallon of water should create the right mix.  These plants can die easily if overwatered so take care to keep moisture fairly even during growth periods and let them dry out when foliage begins to yellow and drop.  If pseudobulbs get really shriveled during dormancy, give them a teeny tiny sip of water once or twice a month to sustain their vitality.  Remember the lack of water encourages remarkable flowering. So if you have an appetite for something excitingly exotic, treat yourself to the mystical magnificence of Fredclarkeara After Dark 'SVO Black Pearl'.  Tell Sunset Valley Orchids The Plant Provocateur sent ya!

It's time for The Plant Provocateur to fess up.  So, I must admit, I strayed waaaaayyy off my usually healthy regimen this past holiday season and my body paid the price. How was I to know that the coconut cake, the key lime pies, the peppermint meringues, I made, would all taste so good?!  I also curse the Trader's Joe grocery chain for introducing me to their truly outrageous tin of treats known as Jingle Jangle.  So now, it's time for The Plant Provocateur to pay up and get in to a healthy frame of mind again.

So January 2nd, I pulled myself together and began a 14 day long dietary cleanse. It's day 7 and things are positively shaping up!  I didn't have to go far for the produce required for my cleanse.  Just out my backdoor, in fact, and into my garden.  Every year I plant for spring, summer, autumn, and winter.  Living and growing in California can be awesome.  For now, with the world's climate changing, I don't have to deal with any 'Polar Vortexes' or 'Arctic Expresses'.  As a result, this winter's harvest has been a bountiful one.  Oceans of arugula, lanes of luscious little gem lettuces, plumes of piquant parsley, all from organic seed, have created a tasty tapestry in my winter garden beds.

The Plant Provocateur has a serious hankerin' (get it?)  for dandelion greens.  The more the bitter the better.  Italiko Rosso is one of my favorites with its rich wine red ribs and pleated greens.  One cool benefit about all of this amazing food, grown from organic seed, in my organically prepared garden beds, is that as far as pests are concerned, they pretty much leave most of it alone and, as a result, it looks pristinely delicious as well as magazine spread ready.  The other benefit is that it fits the bill for my cleanse.  The bitter dandelion is great for cleaning up the liver.  The kale is nutrient rich.  The lettuces are sweet and the parsley is refreshingly aromatic.  Throw them all in a bowl (washed beforehand, of course), add a little lime scented flax dressing with garlic (lemme know if you want the recipe), and prepare for a delectable taste explosion.  So good!

Growing your own leafy greens is so easy and so satisfying.  There are a lot of great seed companies out there like High Mowing Organic Seeds in Vermont - www.highmowingseeds.com, Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company in Missouri -  www.rareseeds.com, and Territorial Seed Company in Oregon - www.territorialseed.com.  The other cool thing about growing your own greens is that there are so many delicious, colorful varieties available out there.  Foliage color in reds, purples, golds, bronzes and greens will give your garden some serious stylin'-profilin' gourmet glam!  And right now, 'tis the season for ordering seeds. Many of the aforementioned seed companies have brilliant catalogs on-line and a treasure trove of offerings.  Oh, and if you talk to them, tell 'em The Plant Provocateur sent ya!

What on earth?!  Does that look like a plant to you?  Me neither, but The Plant Provocateur thought it might be time to change things up a bit.  Happy New Year to all of you out there in TPP land!  I'm quite happy to wave bye bye to the year past and am feeling electrified for today and the year future to follow.

To kick things off, I thought I might try revealing a bit more about my Plant Provocateur self to the world.  As a result of looking back at The Plant Provocateur blog of the past year, it's time to evolve.   I've received a lot of feedback about what I should do, where I should take things, how to approach you, and spread more of The Plant Provocateur magic.  Well, I've planted all of these seeds, so to speak, let them germinate, and voilà, things are sprouting in an electric way.

So first, let me say thank you for all of your ongoing support!  The snap above, I can't quite bring myself to say 'selfie', is of yours truly.  Hank.  The Plant Provocateur.  Now you can put a name with a face.  How do you do?

Moving forward, I have lots of cool things to show you and share.  This year is not only, of course, about featuring amazing plants, but also one of bringing even more of my world to you through cool provocateur product offerings through the new shop, resources, collaborations, events and other surprises.  Oh, and did I mention The Plant Provocateur blog is getting a serious upgrade?  So, stay tuned!

Update: Alert!  Due to weather conditions KraftLab Holiday Pop Up has been postponed until tomorrow, Sunday, Dec. 8, same time, same place!  Pass it on!

The Plant Provocateur is super excited to say that Ilan Dei Venice has provided a venue for the hosting of KraftLab Holiday Pop Up!  A couple of vendors have been added to the roster and I'm excited to say that this is gonna be HUGE!  Come on down to Venice to check out the holiday offerings of The Plant Provocateur and friends.  It's gonna be a great time because not only is the Pop Up going on, but also The Abbot Kinney Annual Holiday Stroll will be happening.  So come on down and show your holiday love.

Lots of handmade magic to see and buy!  The Plant Provocateur will be selling super chic holiday wreaths, cool designer plants, and featuring the amazing holiday cookies of L.A.'s caterer to the stars Darren The Chef.  Also, on hand will be the beyond delicious confections of Confectionally Yours, the chic and unique holiday decor of CushStudio, the visually fresh artistic awesomeness of JoryLab, the purifying perfection of The Potion Shoppe organic apothecary products for men and women, and the design deliciousness of Ilan Dei Venice featuring the california cool fashion of Sundry.  If you're in the L.A. area on Saturday come on over to Venice and experience KraftLab.  Hope to see you there!

Some of you have been asking about The Plant Provocateur Wreaths Project.  Here are the results.  I've worked to find unique or 'different' plant material to create mod updated versions of the holiday wreath.  I like the idea of both living, transitioning, and dried results.  Some are for hanging and others are for tabletop decor.  The Plant Provocateur is all about aspiring creativity and inspiring natural luxury through the rich world of plants. So many colors and shapes are out there…you just have to find them and craft.  Here is what The Plant Provocateur has to offer.  What do you think?

As I mentioned in a previous post, The Plant Provocateur wreaths are all handmade and one of kind due to the differences in the detailing.  Wreaths are priced between $65 and $140 usd not including shipping and supplies are limited due to the seasonal availability of some plant materials.  Wreaths are available through the blog at the moment.  If you have any interest please send any inquiries to [email protected].

EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED...

Check out The Plant Provocateur!  The weekend after Thanksgiving I'm putting on a holiday pop up event as part of my new entrepreneurial endeavor.Event Postponed.Pop Ups seem to be a hot thing in Los Angeles, so I figure why not give it a shot.  As a result, I've created a new project called KraftLab.  KraftLab is a marketplace event where budding (pun intended) entrepreneurs, like myself, can experiment with their craft, products, and ideas in a marketplace setting bringing what they do to the public.  The goal of KraftLab is to become a biannual event taking place in the spring and autumn in Los Angeles, as well as having a continual presence as an online store featuring products of KraftLab participants.  So stay tuned as The Plant Provocateur blog evolves and introduces the world to the KraftLab store.

This year The Plant Provocateur is featuring holiday wreaths like no other.  Wreaths can truly be works of art as well as beauty.  The Plant Provocateur wreaths are all handmade and are truly one of a kind in that each one always has one detail different than the other.  Wreaths run anywhere between $65 - $140 usd not including shipping. Wreaths will be available for order on Etsy and Kraftlab 11/29/13 - 12/15/13 or if you are in the Los Angeles area check them out at next weekend's KraftLab Holiday Pop Up in Silver Lake.

Also joining KraftLab holiday are Confectionally Yours.  I'm a chocolate connoisseur and if you want to taste supremely awesome confection, run….don't walk to KraftLab next weekend or check out confectionallyyours.com and get yourself some now…seriously….now!  Then, if you're into chic + unique holiday decor like cool, hip, glam christmas stockings (no, we're not talking with mustaches on them…we're talking truly cool and clever motifs), check out CushStudio.  This is a flagship launch for CushStudio who will debuting their super groovy handmade pet beds in spring.  Last but not least, there is the amazing Spice Station Silver Lake.  The most amazing gourmet spices you will find in the culinary world and beyond.  Check them out at spicestationsilverlake.com.

Stay tuned for updates.

Kickin' it for you and yours,

The Plant Provocateur

Here's one for the fashionable floranista lovers out there.  Nothing says power-color like orange.  Orange stimulates our feelings for adventure, exoticism, and pleasure. It induces a passion for excitement.  Such is the case of Juanulloa mexicana commonly referred to as simply... The Goldfinger Plant.  Very James Bond wouldn't you say?  Well, here we have a tropical 'twiner' that definitely has the midas touch. Check out that flower!  So provocative.  So mysterious.  The bud, a brilliant 1 1/2 - 2 inch bell-shaped calyx, inflates to a point and bursts at its seams to reveal an emphatically exciting tubular flower.  Together, calyx and tube create a vibrant vision of electrical voluptuousness that both hypnotizes and arouses the senses.

Juanulloa mexicana is an evergreen/deciduous, vining, epiphytic shrub that comes to us from Central and South America.  Its primary point of origin is Peru.  It's not the kind of plant you see everyday.  It is mostly cultivated at Botanical Gardens and in private conservatories.  However, if you, dear reader are up for it...you could grow one too.  Think of this plant as summer wardrobe for the garden.  The kind you could grow in a container, have outside during the warm seasons, and bring indoors in the winter.  If you live in a warmer climate, you could have it outside year-round as long as you are vigilant and give it what it needs to thrive.

Juanulloa mexicana can grow up to 6 feet tall and wide.  It likes full sun with midday shade or part sun conditions, well-draining, fertile soil, regular water, medium to low humidity, and is hardy down to 35 degrees fahrenheit/2 degrees celsius.  It ideally thrives and remains evergreen in temperatures above 50 degrees fahrenheit/10 degrees celsius.  In cooler temperatures, it tends to go deciduous until warm weather returns.

Juanulloa mexicana outfits itself in leathery luxurious leaves that shimmer with a sleek sheen.  This tropical wonder is in the nightshade family and all parts are toxic if ingested so plant it responsibly.  If you have a sense for adventure and dare to venture botanically into an exhilarating world of exciting exotica, find yourself some Juanulloa mexicana a.k.a. Goldfinger.  Your rewards will be luxurious!

I don't think you're even ready.... Have you ever seen such mysterious skin before? Well, something deliciously wicked this way comes.  Let me introduce you to the beguilingly beautiful and tasty new variety of tomato known as the Tomato 'Bosque Blue'.  This tomato is a combination of heirloom-tomato-flavor-awesomeness with a color as rich in antioxidants as blueberries!  Never in my life have I seen such a purplish-black tomato.  So cool!

The color of Tomato 'Bosque Blue' is extraordinary and alluring.  It tends to darken in cooler weather or in full sun situations.  This is what the Plant Provocateur would call an ADULT tomato.  Not super sugary but not super tart.  The flavor is lusciously savory and screams "Tomato!"  I haven't seen it yet, but I expect to see these fruits de fantasie showing up in salads and on other plates at super hip foodie 'restos' in 5, 4, 3, 2...

Why not avoid the frustration of not getting in at your local 'resto' and grow some for yourself?  That's what the Plant Provocateur did.  Tomato 'Bosque Blue' plants grow up to 6-7 feet tall and require some staking or trellising.  Plants kick out green, almost velvety foliage that is sometimes tinged with purple tones and when brushed, emits an intoxicating tomato plant perfume.  The scent conjures up that fresh growing garden vibe.  It's one of those strange garden smells I can't get enough of. Grow plants in a sunny location. Water regularly in growth.  When fruit begins to form cut back on watering to prevent fruit from splitting and further enhance flavor. When fruit begins to ripen, prune away unnecessary foliage to expose clusters to sunlight. This will deepen their mind-blowing blueberry-black coloring and give you an alluring addition to your palette.  Who knew that a tomato could be so beguilingly beauticious?!  Gotta get you some.