This morning I found myself, on hands and knees, installing stepping stones for a crushed shell walkway through my newly planted Bromeliad garden. It occurred to me – I had never done anything like this before, much less while wearing black socks and obnoxious red sneakers. Black socks are better if you tend to run around with the greyhounds without shoes, fashion notwithstanding. I have, really and truly, gone native. My polite mother, in the great beyond, is laughing. She knew it would come to this. My walk, under construction.
The orange flags mark the stepping stones and the black fabric, hopefully cuts the prolific weeds down – there is black plastic edging on both sides to hold the crushed shells in place. The Bromeliad garden is a green, pink, silver and purple garden with Shell Ginger and Pink Dombeya as a background.
A close up of my entirely native vase:
The blue stems are Blue Porterweed, ( Stachytarpheta-jamaicensis), orangey flowers, Firebush (Hamelia Patens and friends); yellow daisies are Beach Sunflowers (helianthus debilis) . The vase, a thrift store find, undoubtedly made by a foreign potter and left behind in Florida.
All plants in the vase are native.
Me, not so much. Our county enthusiastically endorsed our current president. My husband and I attended our local “March for our Lives” organized by the kids from our local school system in support of the kids from Parkland (about 80 miles south-where 17 were murdered at school in February) to protest gun violence in the US.
Standing, watching the crowd gather – I noted the crowd was oddly reminiscent of gardeners – an amazing cross section of humanity, old, young, all sizes and colors with a common interest. Not saving flowers of the garden, but flowers of another kind, human.
Our local flowers are nothing short of amazing. One teenaged girl, tasked to sing the Star Spangled Banner, cried through most of her performance and we did as well. The balance of the speakers, mostly high school students, put the politicians on the podium to shame.
The Shrub Queen 
Is it Monday already? It is five hours away here.
That arrangement from the rim of the vase up looks like one of those fancy hats that well dressed ladies wore a long time ago. The contrasts of both form and color are so nicely striking. I know it is just a little bit of blue, but it is enough to contrast with the orangish yellow (or purple and yellow). The spiky form is so opposite of the round daisies.
Well, I am certainly no floral designer, so should not get so critical.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well, I think you have some design theory floating around in your head. Greenwich Mean Time !
LikeLiked by 2 people
Okay, I will just stick with growing them, and leave the design to those who actually know something about it. I tend to get carried away.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love that round vase (is it green or gray? both photos look different). The daisies always cheer me up (still snowy here, but it is melting!) and the orange firebush contrast nicely with the purple.
Your walkway is looking well – not bad for your first time! I can’t get over how you garden in largely sand – no problem being well-drained. 🙂 What do you use for organic matter, is there a local source?
I was quite heartened by the outpouring of support and participation in Saturday’s march. Enough really is enough! Let’s hope the message gets across to lawmakers.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Eliza, The daisies always cheer me up, too. The walkway is coming together and I think will be great. I have short legs and the stones are spaced for me! My husband says he will stumble.The sand is endless and sucks up organic matter like you wouldn’t believe, irrigation is a must – Floridians really don’t compost much and what is sold is granular, weird stuff. This year I am adding pine bark mini nuggets and waiting to see what happens over the summer! The march and kids were inspiring.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Is there seaweed on the beach? When I lived on the coast, I used to gather the dried stuff above the high tide line. Really good source of trace minerals, too.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well,sometimes the tourists are offended by it and they tend to get rid of it. But what a great idea! I was just reading about it in biodiverse gardening. It seems odd to me the lack of compost given the vast quantity of clippings, though most is green and brown is DIY!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Landscapers are another source of organic matter. If they haul that stuff to a landfill, it might be put to better use as compost.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I may need to send you a picture of the pile in my backyard!
LikeLiked by 2 people
I LOVE compost, I really am crazy about it! 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love the form of your round vase, sort of fat and comfortable in a very good way. The sunflowers are always the ones able to make everybody smile. I was supporting the march in my head. I do hope that this time those in government or wanting to be will listen and know they won’t be voted in unless they are strong enough to ignore the gun lobby.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you – the vase is rotund and cheerful in its own way. Hopefully someone is listening who can bring a change for the better.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Let’s hope!
LikeLiked by 1 person
The vase is perfect….so many beautiful natives….and I adore sunflowers of all kinds. And your new garden is wonderful. I love the idea of a walk. I have been contemplating adding a few as I redo beds….and adding black plastic to cut down weeds would be great too.
As for the March, it is wonderful to see so many supporting the students who are leading us in the right direction finally, and I am glad they put the politicians to shame.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Perfect? not so much. Thank you, I enjoy more and more natives (usually plants) every year. I think the students are going to lead us in a better direction. Fingers crossed.
LikeLike
Aren’t these high school kids amazing? The future is looking good.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Indeed.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The new path is going to be lovely. So glad you attended an event in your area. I was not feeling well and stayed home but my husband went and took hundreds of photos. I watched a youtube video of an 11-year-old girl speaking at the Washington, D.C. rally who was just amazing. Somehow these kids got the country to start waking up about this issue. I don’t ever recall a nationwide event on gun issues like this before. I only hope it leads to some sensible legislation.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you, Linda. Parkland hit a note that nothing else has and I hope some positive change evolves from this dreadful event. The poise and calm from these kids just blows me away. The kids at our event were the same way.
LikeLike
I find native flowers quite enchanting….when we are on holiday I love to see what is growing wild. In my garden I seem to have flowers and plants from all over the World!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Me,too! All sorts of plants from all over the world.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Attractive natives–they work well together. Glad you got to join in the march–it’s so sad there needs to be one.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you and I agree wholeheartedly. Teenagers should have better things to do.
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a moving event that must have been – I do so hope something beneficial comes out of these tragedies soon.
I was so pleased to get a peek at your project (I am keeping mine under wraps) and look forward to seeing the finished path. In the meantime, your native flowers in your gorgeous new acquisition are a lovely way to start the week and I like you way you were able to link it with the March
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Cathy.It is so disappointing to realize how little those in power care and see that teenagers find it necessary to take them on. Inspiring is what those kids are.
LikeLike
One of my friends has a brother who has lived many years in the US and the whole family (children too) talk about guns in a completely blase way, he says, and it sounds so completely irrational to our UK ears. How can those in power NOT care?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Maybe I have UK ears!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Beautiful arrangement–I particularly love its low, round shape and how it complements the shape of the vase. I like your analogy of marchers as gardeners of humanity. Thank you for marching and posting.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, I am all in for gardeners and kids safety.
LikeLike
Lovely arrangement, best of luck with the walkway! And nice to see those Marches making their voices heard!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Benjamin. The hardscape in my garden is finally coming together..slowly but surely,
LikeLiked by 1 person
A lovely vase. I can just see you in black socks and red sneakers working in your garden.
LikeLike
Thank you, my footwear is atrocious.
LikeLike
You seem to be doing a LOT of larger projects in the garden these days, Amelia. I applaud the effort and your energy and I look forward to seeing the completed path. I was pleased to see you attended a march on Saturday too. I found I was much more emotional during this march than the Women’s March last year but the kids made me very hopeful that action will come as more and more of them become voters.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Kris, this garden needed some hardscape and structure and was overrun with garbage plant material. It took five years to get rid of all of it. I have been slowly building the walks for the past two years…I cry everytime I see these kids and I am not a crier at all. Fortunately, I am nearsighted and no one could tell!
LikeLike
You are working hard but when your garden is all in place, you will certainly be rewarded with a lovely yard.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I hope so!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
So encouraging to hear of all these young people hoping for a better, safer future.
I love your flowers and was fascinated to see your new project. There is nothing more exciting than working on a new project in the garden. Black socks and red sneakers? Well why not? You should see some of my gardening outfits.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi LIz, I am encouraged as well. Thank you the walkway is coming along. I wore red sneakers with white and blue socks today. My husband was enchanted.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love the look of the walk you are making. Getting stuck into a gardening project is always such fun! The vase you have used this week is so lovely – I see several people have commented on it. Glad you could participate in the march and see that there is hope, and let’s hope some of those youngsters become future politicians. 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you,I would vote for this group of kids. Amazing.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Well the vase arrangement is delightful, and congrats to you on your developing walkway. You are brave! The last part of your post brought a lump to my throat. I very much admire these young people in particular.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you, Cynthia! I admire the young people with you.
LikeLiked by 2 people