I also love passion flowers, but as a terrace gardener I don't have too much room. I also have a magnolia in a large container, and hope it will last the winter with protection. Can't wait for spring flowers; until then it's lots and lots of houseplants . . . .

Jim

Sorry for the long wait, I've been off the forum for a while. Yes, I bought a mag. x loebnerii 'Lilliputian' in hopes that it will last a couple of years in a container. I was late in getting it repotted, so I'm anxious about it surviving the winter, particularly if we get wet/then cold conditions, but we'll see.

I can think of a bunch of great, four-season larger shrubs and small trees, but which one you want is up to you, and it definitely makes sense to check 'em out before you buy -- the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, of course, is a great place to examine them in site.

In no particular order, I'd look at:

Amelanchier hybrids
Stewartia cultivars and hybrids
cornus florida and c. kousa cultivars
Cercis candensis cultivars
Chionanthus virginica and retusa
Hammemelis x intermedia cultivars, or h. virginiana or h. vernalis
Styrax species

All of these will look great in flower and foliage, many are fragrant, and all should deal with a hot, sunny site, given regular watering. You can find pics of many of these at Fairweather Gardens, Roslyn nurseries, and other online websites.

Take a look at Linda Chang's City and Town Gardener and the BBG handbook 'Intimate Gardens' for other choices.

Have fun planning for spring, it's what obsessed gardeners do in winter!

Jim

Hope this helps!

Jim

Nice to hear from some Brooklyn gardeners! yeshwant91, where did you get your Darlow's Enigma? And how is it doing? I have been wanting one but the only place I know that has it (Heirloom) sends very tiny bands and I want something bigger.

Good luck with the passion flowers--I haven't tried them but they're gorgeous. I've been wondering about cup and saucer vine. Has anyone tried those?

Brooklynrose

P. incarnata and its hybrid, Incense, are root hardy, but will die back in winter and send out new growth in late spring, so don't dispair if they don't come up sooner! I've heard Incense is prone to death by virus, and they're working on new crosses like Allspice and Blue Eyed Susan, that are resistant.

Finally, Brooklynrose, I'm growing cup and saucer vine from seed this spring -- Gowanus nursery had 'em last year, and the purple-green foliage had me from hello!

Will post pics when they come up . . .

Jim

I assume that the "cup and saucer" vine is a cobea? I grew those by seed last year, and they did great.

Jimshy, were you able to get your p. caerulas to bloom? Like I mentioned before, I did keep one living each winter, and it's simple to root a cutting...so if I could get a bloom, maybe I'll try again. Meanwhile, I'm waiting for my p. incarnata seeds to germinate.

I've had two alato-caeruleas, never the straight species, which is smaller and not as fragrant -- both bloomed in waves during the summer, and one even bloomed indoors in winter in a pot, though most passies are hard indoors.

If you ever get up to Wave Hill in the summer, check out their huge pergola garden --

I may try a new variety from Logee's if I can afford to order one . . .

Jim

I just planted a yellow magnolia tree, developed by BBG: Yellowbird brooklynensis. IT's about a 4 foot twig, but came shipped with 5 or 6 buds.

Passionflowers did great in my garden, but I cut them back and took them in during winter.

Cup and saucers are terrific. They need a lot of sun to produce lots of flowers & bloom. They bloomed in late summer and september.

happy brooklyn gardening !