SOS time again! Six items of interest to share with fellow gardeners from all over. To see other SOS posts, follow this link http://gardenruminations.co.uk
Warm and cold weather fronts crashing together from the Atlantic Ocean and elsewhere caused some mad weather in my South Florida garden this week. Neighbors were saying a mini hurricane hit our area, evidenced by 85 mph wind gusts and flying lawn furniture. The rain brought about some welcome changes to the garden.
Schomburgkia Orchids burst into flower and managed to stay attached to the Gumbo Limbo tree.
Blue Daze Evolvulus finally in full flower. These have been in the garden for years and rarely look like this. I have been wondering what to do with them and I am thinking lots of water is the answer.
Native Purslane popping up in the flower border. A weed I like, I am told it is edible – but haven’t tried it.
‘Bossa Nova’ Neoregelia enjoys the sunshine following the storms. I recently discovered these are supposed to grow in full sun. I moved them and we will see. I am not sure why it just seems odd to grow bromeliads in full sun. To me, anyway.
Another bromeliad basking in the sunshine. ‘Fireball’ Neoregeli; usually grown as groundcover for their foliage colors – varying from green to red depending on light conditions. These are in a container with Brown Eyed Girl Sunflowers.
‘White Flame’ Salvia with a Red Cypress Vine growing up the side. I suppose I should separate these two. Black and Bloom Salvia in the background. The butterflies are starting to enjoy all of these flowers.
That is it for this week. Next week’s weather is looking good for gardening. I am hoping the dragonflies show up soon to eat the mosquitoes that came along with the rain.
Happy Gardening!!
The Shrub Queen 
Happy that both you and the orchids survived your storms! The Blue Daze looks so similar to the Veronica ‘Whitley’s Speedwell’ that I have as a groundcover in a few places – such beautiful tiny blue flowers!
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Thanks, I love that Veronica…
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Sometimes bad weather is good. Many of my plants come back strong after a freeze. I watched someone eat Purslane, but I never tried it. I think she said it was peppery.
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Yes, all the rain has been good, up to this it has been very dry here. A tornado touchdown and 85 mph winds in the space of a few weeks is a bit weird. I am not sure why I don’t want to eat weeds, I just don’t.
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I think we have gotten a break from the bad weather since 2017 and Harvey hit our community. We had a tornado this spring about 40 miles away and all the bad storms this spring have been to the north. Yeah, I don’t eat weeds either.
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More crazy weather today! I will be interested to see what happens with El Nino.
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We are supposed to get more rain, but it is all tracking north.
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Arggh, frustrating to watch it go by.
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Blue Daze Evolvulus has such a powerful color! I love it ! I’m glad the storm spared the orchids and all other plants of course.
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It does! It is just shy. Or something.
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Hurrah for all the rain for your plants. I’m glad that the orchids hung on tightly.
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Yes, me, too. They blew out of the tree last year.
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Black and Bloom Salvia just might be the first thing you’ve put in a six that I grow in my garden. Mine is is just starting to come up from winter dormancy, about an inch high, but at least it survived and looks healthy. Of course it’s the orchids I’m really coveting, and a gumbo limbo tree to grow them in. Another to look up.
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The range Salvias will grow in continues to amaze me. I think everybody grows them. Those orchids are an odd thing.
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Lovely bromeliads and salvia.
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Purslane is overrated. At least the common sort that is an invasive weed here is. It is all watery and tastes about what it looks like.
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This purslane is a spring ephemeral of sorts. Pretty benign though prolific.
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It is related to portulaca, which is much prettier if it performs well.
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We have native portulaca too. They call it kiss me quick!
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People who come up with these names must think it is funny.
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Those blue flowers are such a vivid blue – wonderful!
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Yes, one of those things worth keeping around because when they do flower it is magical.
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Mosquitos. I forgot about those little buggers, but I’m sure they’ll be out up here in another few weeks. Hope the latest round of weather is taking it easy on you. Love the closeup of the salvia, and maybe when I dare to put my neoregeli out it will work its way to full sun!
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The dragonflies just showed up in force. Thank goodness. The light requirements of the Neoregelia continue to be trial and error for me.
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