Sun Lovers

Hell-o!  So, our weather forecasters are predicting rain for my neck of the woods over the next few days.  I hope they've got it right this time!  I'm watering so much and feeling like I'm just keeping plants alive, but they're not as stunning as they would be with a normal rain pattern.  The hardy, sun lovers, like daylilies, agapanthus, coneflowers, and firebush aren't batting an eye at this weather, but some others are not at their best. These photos were taken during this week in my full sun front gardens.  Desert Roses love both the heat and the sun.  It's hard to capture the intensity of the red in their  blooms..

I've had both these Desert Roses for several years and have repotted them a few times, but these pots will be their permanent home.

The canes are normally very erect, but this one is bowed down from the weight of its blooms.

Lovely white Crinum Lily blooms only last a few weeks and are often destroyed by lubbers.  We've been vigilantly watching over them this year.

Firebush  is unfazed by our high temps.  I have some that are Florida-native shrubs and some non-native.  Hummingbirds and butterflies love both kinds.

Another hummingbird favorite, Pagoda Flower.  If you have one, for sure you'll have many more because she's a spreader.  They bloom throughout the summer when most plants have given up, so I don't mind pulling their offspring.

Thryallis, yellow daylilies  and Agapanthus...must haves for a summer garden.

Hands down, my favorite border is by the front porch.  Tithonia, coneflowers, salvias and volunteer zinnias to name a few...

One more great summer bloomer, Natchez, Crepe Mrytle.  This one shades the entry to my vegetable garden - smells delightful, light refreshing scent.

Gingers in the shade gardens will be blooming soon.  Until then...happy gardening.

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day ~ March 2016 ~ Central Florida

Spring is wondrous!  Even though we're still five days away from the official first day of spring, my garden is awakening from it's winter slumber. 

Pink Crinum Lily

My roses were pruned very hard four weeks ago, so most are just setting buds now.  Belinda's Dream is one of the few that are blooming now, she's to the left in photo...

Yangtze Daylilies have already begun, they're an early season bloomer - too early, as I haven't gotten all the foliage cleaned up yet.

This past Saturday was the Master Gardener's Spring festival for our area.  My daughter bought me this lovely Passion Vine, I'm hoping it hosts lots of butterflies.

Here's a couple other roses just beginning to bloom, first , Iceberg Climber on top of the gazebo...

Next, a little drift rose.  I believe next month will be the 'WOW' time for the roses in my gardens. 

First Gerbera Daisy of the year.

Also, the first Desert Rose bloom.

I have a six Saucer Magnolias (M. x soulangeana) on the property,  most blooming right now.  Two are a different variety and are just beginning to color up.

These begonias are a favorite of mine, the flowers will eventually be carried on stems ranging from 12 to 18 inches.  

Lots of Impatiens roaming around the shade beds.

Plans for tomorrow are to finish planting the vegetable garden and plant a cutting garden - mostly Zinnias, Tithonia, and Coneflower.  I wish you all beautiful blooms, and a wondrous spring.  To enjoy blooms from around the world, visit Carol at May Dreams Gardens.

Signs Of Spring

Hell-o everyone!  You're probably a gardener if you're reading this, so I'll make it short and sweet, because there's always one more thing to get done this time of year.  Spring is the busiest, but most enchanting time of the year, in the garden.  Love it, love it, love it!  I've got just a few things popping up and coming out...

Crinum,  this pink is always he first one to bloom.

Saucer Magnolias are just starting to show off...

I have this in several areas in the garden, but I need a plant ID.

Azaleas have been the slowpoke of the garden this year...

Serissa foetida, when I bought her years ago...now renamed Serissa japonica.  She's not one of those 'in your face' beauties, but she's a favorite shrub of mine.

Dahlberg Daisy thrives on neglect, reseeds everywhere.

'Belinda's Dream' rose is getting ready to pop...

Sage is just starting...

Turks cap has bloomed for what seems like forever...fine with me!

Toad Lily is reappearing in all the shade gardens, signs of spring.

Eastern Bluebirds are choosing their birdhouse now for their first brood.  This birdhouse has been used by them for several years.

Bluebirds typically have two or three broods a year.  Survival rate must be good, because we have an abundance of them...

This is not a great picture, but they're beauties nonetheless.  Cedar Waxwings love the berries from our 'East Palatka' Holly tree, but our resident Mockingbirds don't share well.

Cardinals are content to just sit...I could not be a Cardinal!

Marion County Master Gardeners' spring festival is happening this weekend.  There's always a great selection of plants that you'll never see in the big box stores, some homegrown.   Last year I passed up some 'Wendy's Wish' Salvia, and it was gone when I went back to the booth - this year, I'm grabbing it first time around.  I hope you're all enjoying your gardens and anticipating great things for spring.

Passing Along Memories...

Daylilies have always been among the pass along plants of the south.  My yellows, which I think are 'lemon' daylilies, have moved with me twice over the last 40 years.  They came to me by way of a co-worker not long after my Honey and I were married.   Most of my other lilies have been with me 20+ years.  I prefer the older, taller lilies over the hybrids, even though they sometimes need dividing every three years or so.  I don't know of many other plants that give so much for so little, neglect them and they still show up.  Feed and water them, they'll thrive.  Here are some of mine that are blooming now...







'Kwanso' double.



'Lemon' daylily.



Sometimes called 'Tawny' or 'Ditch Lily'.

Far as I know, this is 'Challenger'.

Not sure of this ones' name, but it's a very good lily in my garden.

Don't love this one, but guess I don't hate it either,  Pandora's Box.



Some of them roaming around together.

I'm crazy for the oranges!

Lilies and Agapanthus by the road.

Again.



I, like most of you, have memories connected to my plants.  The Crinum Lily below, not a daylily, but a good pass along plant, came from a sister-in-law.   Always a giver, when I admired her plant one day, she grabbed a shovel and immediately set about digging me up a piece.  If you've ever separated a full grown crinum, you know that's not an easy task.  My Honey  stepped in and dug me out a few good bulbs and he's  been separating it ever since for the past 15 years that it's been in our garden.   My sister-in-law, now deceased, is so often brought to mind when I see this crinum.