A New Pup variety at Logee's

Last week, we talked about banana pups, which are little banana plants forming along side their mother plant. This week our new variety is a pup but not a banana pup. It is a real live puppy which belongs to our 12 year-old daughter, Angel. The puppy is a Zuchon (Shih-tzu/Bichon), her name is Bella Rose and she is our newest addition to Logee's. Take a look!


Angel is ready to go to school and Bella Rose is going to work with me at Logee's. Notice the Ficus 'Chicago Hardy' fig behind Angel's head and in the lower left corner is one of my favorite fall-blooming Salvia's called Salvia van houttii 'Dancing Flame.' It is just coming into flower.

Today was a bit rainy but Bella made her rounds. She started in the tray of Pelargoniums. The red flower is Pelargonium 'Balcon Royal Red' and the pink flower is Pelargonium 'Desrumeaux'. These Pelargoniums bloom from spring to fall and make excellent hanging baskets. They can be grown inside during the winter.

Next, she posed with the 4-inch Buddleia davidii 'Peacock'. These Buddleias are still in bloom and attract lots of butterflies on a sunny day.

She has plenty of room in a 14-inch pot.

This wet pooch is ready to go inside to our retail store.

Surprise, Tiffany wasn't expecting a soggy puppy kiss.

Amy, our retail supervisor with the frisky, Bella Rose.

Bella and Amy working on Open House Fliers.

Well, sitting on Open House Fliers.

Our Annual Open House is Nov. 5-7th. We will start with a book launch party (Growing Tasty Tropical Plants in any home, any where) Nov. 5th and then all weekend long we will be giving tours, lectures and great sale prices. Plus don't forget to stop by for a complimentary taste of our famous Logee's Lemonade, made with our Ponderosa Lemons.

Next, Bella visiting Penny in shipping.

And, Sabina our shipping supervisor taking a camera break. She and Penny just finished packing 120 boxes of plants. As long as the weather is above freezing the plants can travel by mail for 3-4 days and be in good shape by the time they reach their destination.

Bella stays in the office most of the day. She has her crate and her rug. Here is Kim, one of our Customer Service Representatives in the background.

Bella was brushed for this picture.

Next, Bella explored Kim's desk.

Ashley, our customer service supervisor, holding Bella.

In the back row from (left to right) Deb, our new bookkeeper, Kim and Margaret both customer service reps. They have all taken on the "Auntie" role quite well.

Marie-Claire, our financial supervisor.

At the end of the day, Bella sleeping on Ashley's desk!

Another picture of Bella resting in the office, but it looks like she is getting ready to get up and go again. Oh No!

July Heat Wave at Logee's

Like most of the country, this past week and a half has been humid and hot. How do tropical plants do in this weather? Mostly the plants, as long as they are kept well-watered, do well and in fact, is a time that our plants rapidly grow. The workers on the other hand get here at 7 am to water plants and get their "hot" work done before the heat of the day is upon them. However, the greenhouses can reach temperatures up to 105 degrees and our staff needs to keep well-hydrated to complete their daily tasks. This year, we are in the middle of building an energy efficient greenhouse so many of our plants are growing outside this summer. Take a look.

Two Angel's Trumpet standards with colorful hanging baskets on either side of our front entrance.

Pelargoniums adding a relief of color to the outside oppressive humidity.


Rows of Bananas growing fast in the heat. Musa 'Dwarf Lady Finger' and Musa 'Double Mahoi' are growing here in 4-inch pots.

A "Hardy Banana" Musa basjoo is rapidly growing in a 10 gallon pot.

Trays of Buddleia davidii 'Peacock'. Some of the flower bracts have gone by and will be groomed before they are shipped.

Solanum quitoense "Naranjilla" a new variety with heart-shaped purple leaves is an unusual plant that produces small orange edible fruit.

Healthy looking "Chocolate plants" or Theobroma cacao are on a cart getting ready to find a growing spot for the holiday season.

A large specimen "clown fig" Ficus aspera grown for its variegated fruit.

"Angel's Summer Dream" Brugmansia is known for its ability to grow and flower at less than a foot. Pictured here it is grown as a standard and is about 6 feet tall.

Papaya's love the heat and can create fruit this size in less than a year. This Carica papaya 'T.R. Hovey' is about 6 feet tall and is a three-year old specimen.

Little papayas shown growing in 4-inch pots.

The new greenhouse structure on the left and hibiscus growing on the right.

Here's a close-up of Hibiscus 'Estelle K'. Its orange blossom is large and magnificent and glows the fiery heat of the sun.

A new colocasia to be released this fall called 'Thai Giant.' It has happily grown in our test gardens for two years. The leaf span will reach 4 feet across by the end of the summer.

Finally, this hardy perennial "Bouncing Bet" Saponaria officinalis 'Flore Pleno'- is growing outside of Logee's retail store and is perky as ever on this 95 degree day.