All I Want Is a 'Party Doll'

A couple of years ago, I purchased some plants from Logee's Greenhouse online. Their greenhouse is in Connecticut and is featured on Martha Stewart's daily show now and then. They carry many exotic and unusual houseplants and tropicals that you're not likely to find in most garden centers.



My first purchase from them was a passion flower - Passiflora 'Lady Margaret' - and despite my being able to grow 'Clear Sky' and grow it well, with no effort, I managed to kill 'Lady Margaret.' Twice. The first one I got didn't do well right off the bat and I talked with customer service at Logee's and they sent another one right out. It lived for a few weeks, then went the way of its predecessor.

I spoke once again with Logee's and I can't remember exactly how the conversation went, but they gave me store credit after the second one died. I felt like that was more than fair, since they had no way of knowing what the conditions were, once it left their greenhouse, except for what I told them. I honestly can't think of a thing that I did that would have caused it to die either time, but I don't blame Logee's either.

It was some time before I got around to ordering again, because I generally don't think about buying house plants in the summer, and to have tender plants shipped in the winter can be difficult. But I finally called about a month ago, ordered a couple of things and they told me they wouldn't ship until the weather was suitable.

My order arrived on Friday, just before we left for a weekend in the Chicago area. They had e-mailed me to let me know they'd shipped it, so I called our post office to let them know it was coming and to hold the box there. That way, I could pick it up and avoid the plants getting frozen. They arrived in excellent condition, and I refreshed them with a bit of water and sat them on a small plate to deal with after we got home.


Each time I'd see Streptocarpus 'Party Doll' in their catalog, I'd want it. Now I have it and I hope it lives up to Logee's description:

Shades of pink, lavender and purple create a festive yet soft expression within this multiflora hybrid. The flowers shift in color as they age, making a stunning addition to any collection. Best of all, this Dibley hybrid flowers easily, even in moderate light.

The other plant I got is an Epiphyllum anguliger, also known as Ric-Rac Cactus:

An orchid cactus with many virtues, its unique foliage, freeness to bloom, and evening fragrance are outstanding. The leaves comprised of a series of deeply cut lobes create a saw tooth effect giving it the common name "Ric Rac" Cactus. Flowers arrive effortlessly from late summer through fall and best of all it's one species that doesn't need a winter chill to flower. The pure white 3½" blooms, backed by orange-bronze sepals and petals, open over many weeks. It makes an excellent subject for hanging containers. Easy grower! Fragrant!

I've never grown this one before, or any other kind of Epiphyllum. Though its bloom is gorgeous, I find the foliage on it to be sufficiently interesting that I'll love the plant even if it never blooms.

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*Photo of 'Lady Margaret' is from a larger vine of it that I purchased at a local garden center.