I have lived in South Florida for almost 12 years. The things I find growing in the garden this time of year still seem odd to me. I planted dahlias in October and gave the other perennials the Chelsea chop in November and now most of it is thriving. Then, I find myself wondering what to do with the orchids in the trees and cycad seeds. A blog friend calls my garden another planet. Sometimes I think she is right.
To visit other gardens around the world and see six items of interest, follow the link to Jim’s blog http://gardenruminations.co.uk
Dahlias in December!? Here they are. I bought 9 tubers at an end of the season sale, stored them in the refrigerator and then planted them. Some varmint dug up several and ate at least one. This one appeared after a few weeks and more are poking through. When I will have flowers is anyone’s guess.
White Flame Salvia after the Chelsea chop. These survived the summer heat by making much smaller leaves and flowers. They are now full and lush again.
Red Velvet plant or Purple Aerva. Native to Africa, this seems to like winter better than summer.
This Schomburgkia orchid has finally rooted into the trunk of the Gumbo Limbo tree. It’s time to take the bindings off.
This is a Cattleya orchid, it has purple flowers and is hanging on by a thread (jute twine) in the boots of a Dwarf Pygmy Date Palm (Phoenix roebellini) – I need to tie this in more securely in hopes of the roots anchoring to the palm.
Fruit of a Coontie cycad (Zamia integrefolia). This is the female cone, I must have some male plants as there are several of these cycads in the garden. They are pollinated by beetles. I would like to have a colony of Coonties as they host a rare butterfly.
That is all from my garden this sunny Saturday morning.
Happy Holidays!!
The Shrub Queen 
Ah, it must be lovely to garden year-round! I’m in N. CA and strung Christmas lights on some tender plants yesterday as we were getting close to freezing last night. I wish we were enjoying the same temps as you!
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Year round gardening means year round weeding too! Though winter is much more pleasant than summer for working outside.
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The salvia are something else. Mine just went through a new bloom cycle. I have felt like I was from another planet ever since I moved to East Texas from the far cold north. Most plants I grow I had never seen before. Yours are even more foreign and tropical. Today is going to be close to 80f and tomorrow night will be in the low 30’s. I won’t start on the personalities and cultural differences.
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I agree. The Tropical Reds are looking great too. Roman Red and Black and Bloom didn’t make it through the summer. Once I crossed into Zone 10 most of my plant knowledge went out the window except for houseplants! I am not sure which place is weirder culturally – Texas or Florida?? Do you have Angel Trumpets? I just bought one.
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I spend a lot of time studying plants when I moved to zone 9ish. I took a class at the arboretum and they focused on what only grew in this area of Texas. You could possibly win on characters, such as Florida Man. Yes, I can and do grow Angel Trumpets. They have even taken freezes. They are very poisonous, so watch your dogs.
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It surprises me what you can grow that I consider too tropical for Houston. Florida man lives next door! I have never seen an Angel Trumpet here and I don’t know why. As usual, finding out the hard way! I am putting it well away from the dog.
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Have you recently presented a photo of the Zamia integrifolia? I’d be curious to see what it looks like because it’s a pretty plant… Dahlias in bloom for Christmas 😅? You would be able to do it !
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Yes, there was a picture fairly recently. These are pretty but deadly poisonous. Somehow the native Americans figured out how to make flour from the roots. The dahlias that are up are supposed to be big (36-48 inches) so maybe Valentines Day dahlias? Unless they really start growing.
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You always have something very different for us to see. Another planet feels about right for an explanation, but no to those living locally to you.
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It seems strange seeing people wearing jackets and pants, too.
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Exactly, it just depends on what part of the world we are in.
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I have had to buy a jacket at the airport because I forgot about cold!
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Wondering what you do with your orchids if we get a cold spell this winter? Karen (Back Road Journal)
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They stay in the trees. We do nothing. The Cattleyas have been around our neighborhood since the 60s. There are probably some masses that are five feet wide. It is a little colder where you are, I have an orchid growing friend in Sebastian who covers hers with frost cloth and Christmas lights when it gets cold.
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Looking promising for the winter season!
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so far..dahlias are still a mystery to me.
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It’s certainly like another planet to me. Dahlias in December, indeed! The fruit of a Coontie cycad was a revelation. I’d never even thought about their reproduction 😉
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certainly feels like another planet for people at our “end” but then this in turn might feel strange to you ;). what counts is that we enjoy and make most of what we have. hope your trip went well, we missed you at our zoom meeting, take care x
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Thank you, Annette. I would have liked to have been with you all on Zoom. The range of plants you can grow in your very northern seeming garden seems like another planet to me.
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Yes, it is like another planet. That is sort of what Brent says about my garden relative to his, although he has learned more about the climates here since we were in school.
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Yes.
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I can imagine it was hard when you first got to Florida, wondering what to plant and how to care for things. But you have an amazing variety of plants now!
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Yes, I have killed a lot of plants…things I thought would be indestructible.
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