I am aware I have been, well, complaining about the extreme subtlety of seasonal change in South Florida. As I was putting this arrangement together today, I realized this really reflects the seasonal change in my garden. As the weather cools, a few more plants produce berries – other plants flower. With the exception of the varigated foliage (which is year round and (I know, weird) a foundation plant. The balance of the arrangement is what comprises fall color in South Florida.
The red flowers anchoring the arrangement are Turks Cap (Malvaviscus penduliflorus); the berries are from the Firebush (Hamelia patens); the off white flowers are Wireweed (Neverlearnedthe latin); yellow and red lobsterclaws, Bromeliad Aechmea blanchetiana flowers; dark foliage is from Copper Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare ‘Purpurea); amazingly still living after supporting several generations of Swallowtail Butterflies and my flower arrangements; varigated foliage is from Mammey Croton (Codieum ‘Mammey’)
Last weeks vase is still holding up and displays more of Florida’s actual fall colors.
Not bad for Desperately Seeking Seasons.
The Shrub Queen 
Very pretty and exotic – Florida style.
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Thank you.
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Desperately Seeking Seasons – love it! 😀 As always one of the joys of IAVOM is seeing season blooms from different places, so tganjs again for sharing your Floridian (?) one
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It is a joy and Floridian is the proper term.
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Amelia, your designs are more and more creative and professional-looking every week. This is just amazing.
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Thank you, four decades of Landscape Architecture helps!
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Monday again? I wish we could talk. Message me when you can. Two blogs and a book is about to break me. Rose is home on break. Crack, crack, crack!
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It does look like Fall. You have made me look around my garden for some Fall colors. Your Turks Caps are really big.
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Just keep looking! The Turks Caps I nearly ripped out, but have grown to love them.
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Gorgeous autumn colors in this arrangement and it works really well with last week’s purples. Oh the wonder of growing crotons outside year round.
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Thank you! Crotons are a double edged sword. Beautiful,yes, but ant magnets and infested with scale. My exterminator hates them.
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I think you manage to replicate fall quite well in your tropical climate. Like Florida, SoCal produces it’s own fall flowers, like the plumes on Pennisetum and the delicate lavender flowers of my Plectranthus. We don’t have good mimics for fall leaves, though. Sadly, we’re just to dry for Croton.
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I was out plant shopping today, surprise..looking at all the Copperleaf and Mahoe varieties…Crotons are actually kind of a pain in the neck ants love them then scale then other bugs.
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Nice! It’s like a flowing fountain of color. I really like the wireweed, it makes a great accent.
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Eliza, thanks!! the dang Dahlias came up again!?
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Did they really? Do you think they might actually do something this winter?
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I am going to dig down and add some organic matter, fertilize, mulch and water, see what happens. The ones in pots are coming up as well. Weird.
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Maybe this will be their pattern – dormant in summer and growing in winter?
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I don’t know, the temps are mid 80s now ,maybe that is it. Chloris mentioned how much she watered hers and these are in sand, so I think water and compost or something would help them grow more. I am amazed at their determination and staying power.
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Very autumn-like indeed. The colours are the same as we get – orange, pink and red – but your plants are exotics for me! Those beautyberries are still looking great too. 🙂
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Thanks, I am certain it is more like fall where you are. Beautyberries are now shriveling..
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Desperately seeking fall, I can certainly relate to that. 😀 You did a great job…now if we could only have the weather turn cool.
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Thank you, September still frustrates me. I feel much better in October.
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