Since I have been complaining about the lack of rain – we have had the complete opposite this week. South Florida’s classic humidity skyrocketed again followed by daily showers and thunderstorms have been the weather theme this week. I have made some progress on my new beds, they are well watered and establishing, but it is slow going due to the weather.
The lawn replacement is installed and I am hopeful this works. It is hard to express how done I am with St. Augustine turfgrass. Ugh. There is a bit next to the edge of this paver parking pad that needs planting to keep the soil from washing and undermining the pavers. It was turfgrass for several years, we tried two different kinds, then weeds and now I have installed a new groundcover..Tada!
Samantha Liriope, an Liriope muscari variety that has pink flowers, stays low and reportedly grows in Zone 10 in full sun. That remains to be seen. Most Liriope is not good this far south or in the full sun of South Florida. This looks shady now, but gets full fry at mid-day.
The front bed is under renovation. I planted New Gold Lantana and Ice Plant (Delosperma cooperi) in the mulch and am planning to add Goldstrum Rudbeckia behind the rocks in the Salvia border. I have killed every last Rudbeckia I have tried here. They usually succumb to white mold of some sort. My hope is these will be winter annuals at least.
A few surprises appeared in the garden this week. Semi progress. The yellow Pitaya or Dragonfruit finally flowered and started to set fruit. I wish I had seen the flower, this is a spectacular night blooming cactus. Unfortunately, the whole thing disappeared. The yellow Dragonfruit is supposed to be very good.
I have been trying for years to get this Coral Vine (Antigonon leptopus) to climb the fence. It sulked, slowly creeping on the ground. Imagine my surprise when it was inspired to reach the fence.
A new color of Tropical Red Salvia (Salvia coccinea) appeared in the garden this week. I like this color and hope it hangs around. These can have seedling varieties from white to red, orange, coral and pink.
More to go:
Hopefully the rain will slow a bit next week and I can get the rest of the plants in the ground.
Thanks to Jim at http://gardenruminations.co.uk for hosting Six on Saturday. To see progress in gardens across the world follow the link.
The Shrub Queen 
It looks like your garden is coming along. I saw Florida was to get rain. We did not have much luck with rain here. I am having the opposite problem with Coral Vine as it is crawling in my roses. I had cut it and it must have grown 3 feet in a few weeks. The Dragonfruit is interesting. I don’t think I have ever heard of it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
inch by inch, it seems and then there are the creeping weeds..foot by foot. We have been inundated here, I hope it stops raining. The summer weeds are coming back up. The coral vine is supposedly invasive here. I think it has grown 4 feet in 7 or 8 years. Weird. Dragonfruit is kind of like kiwi in taste.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The new ground cover looks good.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Rosie
LikeLike
Wow, I’ve never seen a dragonfruit forming on the plant before! Bummer you didn’t see the flower but the fruit is pretty impressive on its own.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Crazy looking thing! And there are no more buds.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s a shame you didn’t see this open dragonfruit flower. Do you know what the pollinators are ? Bats ? Moths? Ideal would have been to install a night camera…I hope your new beds will withstand your climate. There is no reason to complain because you must have made a very reasoned choice
LikeLiked by 1 person
I didn’t even see the bud! Bats, bees and moths pollinate the fruit. Some are self pollinating and this one has been around so long I don’t remember what it is except yellow which is a bit unusual as they are usually pink fruit here. The mystery continues.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Everything is looking great, Amy! Send us the rain.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Susie. You can have the rain! A coastal flood advisory has just been issued.
LikeLike
Ugh! That’s the worst. Feast or famine.
LikeLike
Sounds like your fall/winter season is off to a good start, the rain will ease the transplant shock I hope!
LikeLiked by 1 person
So far. Hopefully no fungus!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Feel free to send your excess rain north, skipping over New England though; it seems they have enough already. Love the Salvia and would love to see how the Ice Plant does. It won’t survive the winter in our soggy freezing clay soil, sadly.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am waiting to see what the ice plant does, too. I think it will melt in August, but we will see. The sand in the garden won’t do it in, but the humidity might. I would be happy to send the rain your way.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You have been busy, and I’m glad the rain is helping… even if it might be helping too much…
I hope your coral vine continues to climb. I’m not always a fan of pink but always love to see the coral vines. There’s nothing similar for Northern climates sadly.
Funny you should struggle to grow the rudbeckia. It must be that you’re at the Southern limits for it to be perennial.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, the coral vine is one of those things that never really thrived, maybe it finally found its niche. There are some native Rudbeckias here but they don’t like my space for some reason.
LikeLike
Good to finish with that box full of small plants. I seem to have to urge to propagate plants beyond what I need, but old plants need refreshing, and hopefully homes can be found for the excess.
LikeLiked by 1 person
yes, but then I will have a lot of little pots to grow things in…
LikeLike
No way! I hate it when someone takes the first or only fruit! I do not grow a yellow cultivar yet, but will eventually. I got the common red and white cultivars, although I do not know what cultivar the red one is. My single white angel’s trumpet is about to bloom (now that its season is about done), and a rat took the first flower bud. It grew from cuttings after last winter.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks so much for sharing!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have seen dragonfruit in our supermarkets… it is pink, so will yours turn pink too? Intriguing to hear it flowers so secretively! And what does it taste like? Good luck with the liriope. It will also be interesting to see how your Rudbeckia does. The light in your photos is lovely – we always get softer light in the autumn, so is that the same for you?
LikeLiked by 1 person
That was a yellow dragonfruit. Supposedly a better variety than pink. The varmints ate it! It tastes like kiwi and has a more crunchy texture. The light is different in the fall. Not like the pale golds in the UK, but softer. Summer light is pretty harsh.
LikeLiked by 1 person