Oftentimes when I start my vase I have to decide between tropical and well, non tropical seeming flowers. This week’s decision was in favor of the non tropical which are in fact somewhat tropical. For some reason, even though I live in a frost free area populated with Mangoes and Birds of Paradise the climate is considered subtropical. My favorite Florida plant material author, Frederick Stresau, calls this area Tropic Florida. No one else does. I like the title.
Tropic Florida is home to some amazing wildflowers, so amazing in fact they will take over. Last week I think Chloris was featuring Bidens, on her blog not the B. alba from my garden-a relative. ACK, I have Bidens running out of my ears and can only hope I have pulled enough out. The onset of cooler weather brings the reseeding annuals out of their slumber and starts a new season of flowers.
The components of this vase are either native to Florida or something that just appeared in my garden. The hat is hardly necessary this time of year, but hand pruners are a must..
The white flowers are Spanish Needles (Bidens alba) cute but annoying. The yellow daisies Beach Sunflowers (Helianthus debilis); red and yellow daisies, Native Gallardias; deep blues, native Porterweed; red spikes, Tropical Red Salvia (Salvia coccinea); the grasses flowing in the background, Muhly Grass (Muhlbergia capillaris).
The vase? A Portmerion canister I received as a wedding gift. Thinking I would complete the set I held onto it for almost 25 years.. The canister remains alone in my mother’s china cabinet, awaiting flour and sugar containers with similarly abandoned Botanic Garden pieces.
The first harvest from the garden, 12 green beans with a cherry tomato (one,very tasty)
Happy Monday!
The Shrub Queen 
They may be quite simple native flowers but they are quite exotic for this time of year!
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I have an unrelated question – do you grow Dahlias in composted irrigated beds? I seem to remember you have sandy soil.
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I have very free draining stones soil (volcanic rock) I add as much organic matter as I can and the beds are irrigated by pours hose.
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What is pours hose and do you use acidifying fertilizer?
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“Pours” nose is predictive text! What I wanted to say was ‘porous’. It is a type of hose that is covered in tiny holes which allow water to seep out slowly. Actually sometimes it’s called seep hose.
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Oh, we call that soaker hose here, thought you had a new French system!
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What a beautiful vase of winter wildflowers. Mine are all seedheads now. I love hearing when annuals reseed and rebloom, and for you that is more often than for me….I have several wildflowers that tend to take over too.
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Thank you, I am getting scared about the Gallardia
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Oh so that us what your bidens looks like. Very pretty and as you say very useful for a vase. Your vase has quite a different feel to it today. I love it, it is so cheery and colourful and reminds me of far off summer. And your first beans, what a treat.
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Someone ventured it looks English! Do you grow the Tropical Red Salvia (S. coccinea)
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‘Non tropical which are in fact somewhat tropical….’!!! 🙂 Well I suppose I know what you mean… 😉 What great wildflowers to have – UK wild flowers tend to be more delicate whereas yours are solid and stout, but as with your bidens you probably feel you can have too much of a good thing. Why would you be harvesting beans now – is it too hot to grow them earlier in the year?
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Our vegetable growing season is winter to spring, there are tropical vegetables that can be grown in the summer but I am not a fan. It is too hot here during the summer for the plants to pollinate. I will probably have tomatoes until May or so. The winter corn and tomatoes have just started to come into our grocery stores as well as citrus fruit and avocados.
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Thanks for explaining that
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I just planted Zinnias and Italian Sunflowers as well (inspired by you and IAVOM) Powderpuff Asters soon.
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Your first tomato – always exciting (and yummy)! I have a cruet set that matches your ‘vase,’ also a wedding gift. Must have been the thing back then, eh? 😉
I remember seeing Bidens on my travels through Central and S. America, nearly everywhere. Seeing your arrangement made me realize that we’ll be depending on you to keep summer going through winter here IAVOM – balm for our souls. 🙂
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Eliza, I hope it will be soothing! I have been married almost 25 years, though I love the Portmerion. The Bidens, not so much. The tomato was , as always, divine – the first. Now fungus and hornworms are creeping up.
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Even with blight resistant tomatoes, it’s hard to get a good crop without spraying bordeaux mix or other fungicide. At least hornworms are easy to pick off (if you can find them first!).
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I have been traumatized to find there are also Papaya hornworms (bigger) right next to the tomatoes!
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Yikes, they must be huge. Not fun to deal with, I imagine.
The one thing about a cold climate is that we get a break in the insect cycle, at least.
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I knew about tomato hornworms, a special one for Papayas was a surprise. After smashing it to bits I found out is was a Sphinx Moth. Will relocate the next one. All Dahlias are up and I fertilized them a little.
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Yes, I relocate hornworms, too. Except the ones I found on my honeysuckle I let be, which was straggly and at the end of the season. Figured they couldn’t do much damage. Good news about Voodoo, I hope they do well for you.
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It’s a cheerful vase! I love the beach sunflowers. It seems as though they bloom all year for you – do they? The wedding gift canister is wonderful too. If its companion pieces are still available, maybe you need to put them on your gift wish list – I bet they’d all make great vases.
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Yes, the Beach Sunflowers are always there and beat the weeds, a favorite. Will send seeds. I have an absurd amount of Portmerion already!
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This is a lovely mix of wild flowers, and somehow they don’t look tropical, or even sub-tropical. Although I doubt they would like our weather here in Europe, your use of the Portmeirion vase gives it a very English feel!
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This arrangement is so jolly and your secateurs are wonderfully clean – mine are filthy from a muddy English November.
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Thanks, we have no mud! only dreadful infertile sand and I am a compulsive cleaner!
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