Query from our guest book...
"I'm looking for a plant that has trumpet like flowers 5 inches long I think it's called angel trumpet also do you know of a gaint lily that gets 6 feet"
melody alvin, tx bazoria

maggie's ans ...
The Datura and Brugmansia both have that size trumpet flower and are both casually called 'angel trumpet', but they are different in many ways. Here is a pic of my peach colored Brug from last year.

It is now 6' tall and just now in bud with its first blooms of the year, since coming out of the greenhouse.

The Daturas live in the garden, and come back from roots each spring. The white ones re-seeds horribly, if not deadheaded. There is also a double purple that is not hardy enough to come back perennial from roots in my region. There is white datura pic on my site
here at the bottom of this page.
While there, also, hit the 'next' button for a partial pic of the shrub.

About the 6' tall lily question ,,, you might be looking for Lilium giganteum - now named Cardiocrinum giganteum . I have ordered it and failed with it a few times. Prob due to my heavy clay soil. I should try again in the best drained piece of raised bed, or it might be failing to the heat - they are native to cooler Asian climes. British Gertie Jekyll planted hers with a dead rabbit at the bottom of the hole. Maybe I should try planting it where the pets are buried. Lilies and death used to be traditional. Oh dear, didn't mean to get morbid, but it does indicate that they require very rich soil. This is one for the patient gardener. The plant dies after flowering leaving 2 to 4 offsets which take about 4 years to flower.

Come to think of it Melody, baby plants from my peach Brugmansia, above, will be for sale at the Arlington Organic garden show this weekend.
Here is a link to more details
There will about 50 other types of plants for sale too, many of which are rarely found locally in retail. As always, David Barnett has done an excellent job of growing them for the show.

He has raised the huge Casa Blanca white bulbous lily in pots for the sale and they should be about ready to bloom. It can get to 4' tall or more and will multiply each year. This might be a better choice for you than the gigantium. Casa Blancas have lived for years in my Ft. Worth garden with morn sun, afternoon shade, in rich loose, well drained soil.

Oh, and I've written an article on the above garden show - will be in this Sat's Star Telegram on cover of the Home section.

....and Yes, I have the before mentioned plants at the sale Saturday.....but, better get there early.......and good luck with you plant wantings........Some plants are in limited supply......

See ya there today David

AH..........All over till next year!!!! Thanks Maggie....

It was great David. There was so much energy in the hall from everyone's enthusiasm - camaraderie abounded. It was the best ever! And your plant sale was awesome. I planted all of my new herbs already and hope to get the shade plants and bulbs in this week.

About my Brugmansia above, I put it in the ground last week and will take cuttings in fall, in case we have enough winter to do it in. It was so rootbound that I was having to water it twice a day this year. And if I had moved it to a larger pot, it would have been impossible to move into the greenhouse-shed without breaking its stems anyway. Have you noticed how any and every plant-eating bug finds it first. Brugs must be very tasty.

could you please let me know how I go about taking cuttings from my angels trumpet?

8-10" long pieces of stem will root quickly when set 1/3 to 1/2 way down in moist soil, or water. Heck, they will even produce roots if wrapped in wet paper towels inside a plastic bag and long forgotten - right David ?
Also,,, keeping them at room temp or warmer, with bright indirect light and 30% or more humidity are the other ideals. Really easy to root up lots of younguns from just one plant.

Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush

A poet after my own heart.
oxox

Considering this weeks record breaking temps of over 100 today in Fort Worth, your sentiments move my muse:

Oh, to have a shoe full of mud in spring.

(They promise us some rain and cooler temps in the last half of the week. One can only hope)