Spring, please stay a little longer!

Seems just not long ago, I was longing for the Spring's coming to wake up my garden.  Now it finally came, but why I almost felt it is summer already?  (The highest reported today is 87 F here in South Florida!)

Only when sun went down, we still have some cool breeze in the air to enjoy.   Okay, I guess we still can call it "Spring" :)

Let me show you some of my spring foliage/blooms in my garden.

I planted this African Iris last year after I moved to my house, and now it finally opened its first bloom.

African Iris (Fortnight lily, Dietes iridioides)

Orange Marmalade Crossandra is in full bloom again after experiencing the severe frost bite in the winter.

Orange Marmalade Crossandra and Diamond Frost

I did not expect this "Brazilian Red Hots" could recover after frozen to the ground back in January.  What could be a better way to have something this colorful back to the life to celebrate the spring?

Brazilian Red Hots (Alternanthera dentata)

This Bird's Nest Fern is the new addition to my garden.  After seeing so many beautiful pictures in different bloggers' posts, I just had to have it...  It is still a very young plant now.  Waiting for it growing to a nice impressive garden staple for me...

Bird's Nest Fern

Marigolds are one of my favorite spring/summer annuals.  I bought the yellow one from nursery, and the bi-color one is what I started from the seed (Dwarf Bolero, Ferry-Morse).  The picture on the seed package shows the bi-color double layered, not sure why I got the single layer bloom only.  The color did not disappoint me though.

I love this purple fountain grass,  and the way how all those soft arching purple plums gracefully waiving in the breeze. It is cold-hardy, and heat/drought tolerant, which makes it a perfect ornamental grass for Florida.

Purple Fountain Grass (Pennisetumsetaceum 'Rubrum')

Newly planted Ground Orchids are gradually adapting to its environment, and setting the second round of the blooms.

Ground Orchids (Spathoglottis)

Even the Tillandsias is stretching its flower bud out to feel the spring...

Tillandsias

Snapdragon is considered as winter annuals here in Florida.  This is the second set of blooms, more beautiful than ever.  These all started from two little plants in 3 inch pots.  Wondering if it can hold long enough to give me the third round of flowers before it melts away in Florida's heat?

Snapdragon (Antirrhinum)

Gazanias continue growing bigger and stronger, and it not only adds bright color for my winter garden, but also seems loving the warm weather as well.

Gazanias

Lantana yellow trailing finally started blooming following Lantana lavender trailing and Lantana camara.

Lantana Yellow Trailing

This colorful bush is one of those I inherited from the previous owner.  It lost all the leaves after the freeze, and now they also bounce back nicely.  Anybody knows the name?  I see the same kind of plants planted in some public landscaping as well, just have not found the name yet.

Even the sedum blooms out of my surprise! In the cold weather, this plant has reddish/brown color of leaves and grows low and hugs the soil tightly, trying to hold as much warmth as possible close to the body.  Now they change back to that chartreuse-gold color again, and they are all stretching talller and opening the little yellow flowers for the first time! I am so amzed by how plants change their appearance to different weather.

Sedum hybrid Florida Friendly Gold

Oh, how I am loving this spring!  Spring, please stay a little longer with us before that long hot humid summer comes!

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Update:

FloridaGirl at Peace in the Valley has identified the unknow plant with colorful foliage above is: Acalypha wilkesiana, or copperleaf or Joseph's coat.  Thanks, FloridaGirl!

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My first garden experience with the cold weather

This is my first post ever. I am supposed to talk about my garden evolvement, but I think I will put that in another posting. I would like to record some lesson learned from the impacts that recent weather had in my garden before I forgot.

The recent unusual florida near-freeze weather caused some damages to my garden although I did bring most of pots either in the garage, or under the patio cover. I also covered some in ground plants that I think can not stand the freeze. However, it turned out I either covered some of them too late, or not enough. Here are some before after pictures of my damaged plants for my own record, so that I know what to do next time if the cold front ever decides to hit south florida again.

Agave (update: Agave desmettiana 'Variegata'): This is one of the housewarming gifts from my good friend Lily who shares the same love of gardening with me. Fortunately, I think the center is still not damaged. Even if I ever lose it, I still have quite a few pups hidden under the mother plant.


One of my Bromeliads (I am still learning the names. Can somebody tell me what is this called? Neo?)

One of my container combination: Diamond Frost, ornamental potato leaves ('Blackie' with dark purple, nearly black foliage; 'Margarita' with chartreuse leaves), and Orange Marmalade Crossandra. I loved the color combination, and hope they can all bounce back once the weather warms up.

Other plants suffered damages are:

Ornamental potato leaves 'Margarita', which is totally fried regardless the various locations they are.

Allamanda Neriifolia. This has been blooming the showy yellow flowers for me for months. I do think it will come back in the spring.Papaya trees. They are located on the south side of my house, outside the fence along the lake. There are absolutely no protection for them.

Braizilian Red Hots. I found this one is extremely frost sensitive. I have them under a tree, and even covered them after I saw the first sign of damage. You still can see the once beautiful foliage all turn brown.

Okay, enough of sad pictures, let's look at the bright side. Here are some of plants in my garden still show off their beautiful flower or foliages.
Dipladenia pink

Golden shrimp plant
Hibiscus
Lily of the Nile (Agapanthus africanus)
Gardenia is about to bloom
Newly purchased dragon wing begonia, just planted in the container before the freeze, and was brought into the garage during those cold days.

Bulbine Orange

Sedum Hybrid Florida Friendly Gold
Jasmine

That is all for the first post. Wow, I so envy all your garden bloggers out there whom I have been following for quite a while now. You all made the blogs so pretty and easy to follow, and the reader would think it is as easy to write as reading one. Only when I started writing, I KNOW now how much efforts you guys have put into it!

Thanks so much for taking so much time to share. I surely learned a lot from all of you!