Early blooming of Daylilies and Other Things in the Garden

Since this is my first post of the year, let me first say "Happy New Year" to you all !!! Wish you have all the fun of the gardening in this new year!

Every year, from early Spring through the summer, I admire those beautiful pictures of Daylilies from other people's blog, wondering when I can own some of these beauties in my garden.

For some reasons, Daylilies are hard to find in South Florida.  Occasionally, the big box stores have some for sale.  I brought two home in two different times, and both died after the initial blooming.  I did some researches, and found out that among thousands of Daylilies, there are three foliage types: Dormant, Semi-evergreen, and Evergreen.  For people live deep South like me, Evergreen is the one that will survive our long-lasting hot weather.  No wonder I failed twice since those two were all Domant types! Then why they even sold them in the store since Daylilies are not supposed to be a one-time thing in the garden?!

Anyway, since I did not find any local nurseries to buy Evergreen Daylilies, I looked over the Internet.  I ordered 5 bareroot Evergreen double-fans from http://smokeysdaylilygardens.com/, and they arrived at the end of last October.

This week, two of them are already blooming! I am not sure if it is only because they are the early bloomers ( 'Lavender Silence' is labled as "Extra-early", and "Whooperee' is labled as "Early-mid" ), or also because of the mild winter we are having in South Florida.  Nevertheless, I am excited to see these beauties are finally finding a home in my garden!  If they all perform well after this summer, I think I will order more this fall.  With a small garden, Daylilies are the ones I can find some space to squeeze in.

Whooperee
Evergreen, early-mid, rebloomer, 6.5" flower, 24" scape height,  fragrant, recurved

Lavender Silence
Evergreen, extra-early, 6.5" flower, 22" scape height,  ruffled, fragrant, recurved

Other things going on in the garden...

This Rex Begonia is in a shady area, and recently started shooting up the flower scapes.  I bought it last year.  After one year, it has been growing nicely.  I have separated it into four plants.  I think after a couple of years, I can expand them to the whole border that surrounds the air conditioner area.  Even when it is not blooming, I love the texture of this plant.

Begonia

Love this combo in this part of flower bed.  White Vincas,  Orange Indian Blanket flowers, pink Pentas. That purple leaf plant with white dotted flowers is Alternanthera dentata 'Purple Knight'.  Some says 'Purple Knight' is kind of invasive, but I have not found it is a big problem for me.  It does have some seedlings, but only a handful I found so far.  I can easily pulled them out, or give them to the friends.  In the winter, they are full of those tiny white flowers, brighten the winter garden, and give us Floridians some snowy touch :)

Another combo I like:  White Angelonia angustifolia, colorful coleus, and blue Lobelia erinus Techno Heat.  This Lobelia is supposed to withstand the hottest summer temperatures while blooming nonstop.  I will see if it holds true to Florida heat as well.

My front entry is quite colorful this winter.  I removed some copperleaf bushes in the front, and put two cast iron cranes statues there together with some bromeliads.

This philodendron 'moonlight' behind the cranes statues started as a 3-in house plant from the big box store.  Oh boy, how much it has grown!  Wonder how much bigger it will get if I put it in the ground.

philodendron 'moonlight'

and I did not know it blooms as well!!!

philodendron 'moonlight'  bloom

Snapdragon flower is one of my favorite winter annuals...

Pertunia is perfect for containers.  Red is used to combo the white.

Purple petunia is in this container I have just redone, together with Flax lily and purple Verbenas.

Red and  white petunias are in this pot with 'Red Star'.

My most favorite red-white stripe petunia is in this container.

Orchids that are currently blooming...

The first is a Cattleya orchid gifted from my friend this Christmas.  Love this soft yellow.

This Moth orchid is reblooming the second time for me since I bought it one year ago.  I have special thing for any orchid flowers with dots. 

I recently purchased this Mini Oncidium Equitant from a big box store.  It has five flower spikes.  

It looks so pretty and fits well in the pot that my husband brought for me from China last year.

I am really enjoying my winter garden.  I have to say I am spoiled by this year's Florida winter.

Blogger Challenge and Hooray for the Rain

I have been having issues with commenting certain blogger sites for a couple of weeks now.  I could not leave any comments on those blogs that use "Embedded below post" as Comments setting.  I read over the Internet that lots of people are having the same issue, and seems it is an issue of Blogger.  I still can leave comment if you have the comments setting as "Full page" or "Pop-up window".

Today, I finally had time to try using Google Chrome to visit those sites with "embedded below post" setting, and was able to leave comments!  Unfortunately, not every computer I use outside of the home has Google Chrome installed.  I really have missed leaving comments on my favorite blogs.  

South Florida has been in drought condition for quite a while now.  I had to hand water my garden almost everyday to keep it happy.  With a busy schedule and hot hot summer temperature, dragging the hose all over the garden really becomes chore for me.  I almost do not have much time left to actually enjoy the garden.

For the last a couple of days, finally we got some rain, not enough, but better than nothing.  Hooray for the rain!!!

Before I end this quick post, I thought I can share some of flowers in my summer garden that I have not got time to share. I did not take much pictures recently, and hope with more rain coming, my garden could look more beautiful, and I will have the desire to take lots of pictures again.

portulaca double with Red star, Caladium in containers

caladiums and ornamental sweet potato vines

Lemon Lime Warneckii

Datura metel
(Devil's trumpet)

Arabian Jasmine

Miss Muffet caladium

Sun flower

allamanda

Mealycup sage and purple fountain grass

I wish more rain will come my way!

End of March Garden

Can not believe it is the last day of March already!  I have not got much time to post recently, but everyday I can find something new blooming in my garden. 

Let me give you a quick tour in my March garden without much words...

This Catteleya bloomed almost the same time as last year.

Catteleya Orchid
Sophrolaeliocattleya Jewel Box 'Scheherazade' AM/AOS

When I bought this moth orchid, it was in a bad state, so I got it at a bargain price.  Now after some tender loving care, it rewarded me its beautiful flowers.  Love the unique pattern of the flower.

This white moth orchid also blooms the second time for me.

Some of my favorite container combinations...

Mona Lavendar

This Seemannia sylvatica 'Bolivian Sunset' has been non-stopping blooming since last November.  It will be interesting to see if it can tolerate Florida heat and humidity as well.

Seemannia sylvatica 'Bolivian Sunset'

I recently bought two blue containers, and this is one of them.  The plants I have chosen to put in are:  One Cordyline baurei 'Red Star' , verbena (white and pink stripe) and another unknown plant (orange flowers).

A close look...  I lost the tag of this small orange flower.  Anybody who recognizes the plant please share the name with me.

We got lots of much needed rain on past Tuesday and Wednesday.  Bromeliads always look extra fresh and beautiful after the rain.

I cut back this Cat Whiskers to almost half before the winter, now it is growing like wild again.  The red leave coleus is one of my favorite coleus plants.  I planted it last summer, and it still remians its beautiful color even it has grown much bigger.  I also have rooted several cuttings successfully. 



Just love the hot pink of this Hawaii Ti leaves!

First several caladiums emerged from the ground.  I move them into this new side garden border, next to the air conditioner unit.   This spot used to be an eye sore, now it  has some much needed colors added.

Three of my ground orchids have started blooming again.  Ground orchids have long blooming period in South Florida, and they have become one of my favorite collections.

More Dietes bicolor flowers have opened since they opened the first flower about three weeks ago.

This Dipladenia pink certainly knows the spring is coming.  It has been climbing up against the fence, and peeking over neighbour's gackyard. 

I am also submitting this post to participate Noel's "Hot, Loud and Proud" meme, and Katarina's Blooming Friday -- 'On the ground' meme.  For more beautiful flowers around the world, please also follow the link to visit their sites.

Have a nice weekend!