It’s another stormy Sunday in South Florida. Hurricane Harvey hit the Gulf Coast of Texas on Friday and is still pummeling the Greater Houston area. Our blog friend, the Automatic Gardner, is there. According to her latest post, so far, so good. Best wishes and luck to her.
The Atlantic Hurricane Season is in full swing, peaking on September 10. So far, our area has avoided any truly stormy weather. The flowers in my vase today are all native to the area and at their best during the height of Hurricane season.
All of the materials in this vase just appeared in my garden with the exception of one. Beautyberry . The purple berries come from the Beautyberry (Calliocarpa americana) I bought a few of these shrubs from a local nursery going out of business. The rest of the flowers just came up and me being me, I left these unknown plants to see what interest they brought to the garden. The orange tubular flowers are Firebush (Hamelia patens var patens), the yellow flowers are Chapman’s Goldenrod (Solidago odora), the blue flowers are Porterweed (still not sure exactly which one).
The white flowers and foliage in back of the arrangement are from our native Hymenocallis latifolia (or a friend) These are sometimes called Alligator Lilies and have a lovely scent at night. I found a huge clump of these in the front garden years ago, mistook them for Amaryllis, divided them and have an enormous border of Alligator Lilies in my back garden. Soon to be spectacular, October last year we had Hurricane Matthew here and then the Alligator Lilies flowered. I was surprised, humbled and happy I had divided all of them.
I think of the components of this arrangement as a gift from Mother Nature to remind us of the good things she provides.
Hurricane season notwithstanding.
Happy Gardening.
The Shrub Queen 
Do show us a photograph when all the white Hemerocallis are flowering; The one in the vase is lovely. The rest of the arrangement is rather beautiful too.
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thanks, Christina, I will take pictures if they decide to put on a show. The lilies are perverse.
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You and Mother Nature work well together–nice vase. Alligator Lilies en masse must be an amazing sight.
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I will share if it is amazing!
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Those of us that live in Florida, pay particular interest to Hurricanes. Good luck to your fellow blogger in Houston. Thanks for the lovely pictures as well.
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Exotic and beautiful and I especially loved to see Goldenrod in your vase! It seems to grow everywhere….
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Thank you, the Goldenrod is new this year.
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Those alligator lilies are amazing!!
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Thank you.
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Beautiful Florida flowers. I have some of the same porterweed. It came as a cutting from a friend’s garden, so I’m not sure what the proper name is either. Love your arrangements.
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Thank you, there is a native and non native Porterweed. I can’t tell the difference.
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How wonderful that Mother Nature planted your garden so well! As best as I’m able to determine, all she brings me is weeds and an endless supply of lizards. The alligator lilies are wonderful and so very tropical. I agree with Christina – you’ll need to show them off when they’re blooming en masse. I hope the hurricane season brings you only rain in measured doses.
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Thanks, Kris, I also have an endless supply of lizards and weeds. I hope the Lilies bloom at the same time sometimes they are sporadic.
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Your arrangement makes me think of dancing a salsa for some reason – spicy! The Alligator lilies are spectacular – how fortuitous that you divided them. 🙂
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Thanks, the native colors are spicy! Usually high colors, maybe the heat? It was not very fortuitous for a few years after I divided the Lilies!
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Its as if you have taken a walk through an enchanted glasshouse and picked the best of blooms. Stunning.
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Noelle, that sounds so romantic! It is more like some weird things I did not recognize came up amongst the weeds and I did not pull them out. Thank you,I do love the flowers.
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Yes, indeed, Amy. Mother Nature is generous – except when she’s not! (Hurricanes). I love the Alligator Lilies best of all the lovely flowers you shared. They’re splendid.
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Thank you, I think the Lilies are splendid as well.
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I really love the white flowers. I do hope they don’t get spoilt in a storm for you,
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