Spring plant shopping is irresistible for most gardeners. Buying a few new things for containers, resupplying herbs and shopping around my own garden for new finds was on the SOS agenda for the week. Here is what I found around the garden this Saturday morning.

The updated herb container on my front porch. I have been looking for thyme this winter and finally found some English thyme. I can’t recall having English, but it probably won’t last the summer. The pink Dianthus won’t either, but I will enjoy them while they last and hopefully the rosemary in the back of the container will take over, if we don’t eat it all first.

A new mixed container. This is purple agastache, white calibracoa, silver helichrysum, and chartreuse coleus (or whatever they call it nowadays) I am not sure which is the thriller or filler – the agastache or coleus.

One of the orchids from last week is just opening.

At long last, flowers on the Catalina Avocado! Seven years in the garden.

I haven’t seen these in a while. Flowers on the Aechmea ‘burgundy’ Bromeliad. I can never figure out what inspires bromeliads to flower.

The big Begonia nelumbiifolia in flower. The flower spikes are about three feet tall. This is an impressive Begonia and forms tubers like potatoes.
That is it from my garden this Saturday. For more spring tours or maybe a fall tour from the Southern Hemisphere – visit Jim’s blog, gardenruminations and follow the links in the comments section.
Happy Spring!!

The aechmea flower is truly a beauty! This week, I also found beautiful the mix of colors in the pot (and the very pretty coleus foliage is interesting). Thumb up also for the pretty pink dianthus
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Thanks, Fred.
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Love your containers, hope they last for you, but worth planting regardless. Exciting about the avocado!
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Thanks, Eliza. I am not sure how long they will last. I have to keep up with the watering.
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Exciiting things happening in your garden. So that’s what avocado flowers look like. I love the orchid and the Aechmea. And the foliage contrast of the big begonia leaves with the fern. You don’t need flowers with that..
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I think the avocado flowers will get bigger. The tree is covered in flowers. We will see if I get a mountain of guacamole. There is something prehistoric about that Begonia with flowers.
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You are ready for spring. The pink is eye catching. My big begonia is just coming back from the freeze. I bought it because it said it was hardy which has proven true.
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What Begonia do you have? B. grandis?
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I only remember it said Hardy Begonia. Before I blogged I didn’t pay that much attention. It looks like yours.
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🤔 white flowers?
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Yes
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The new leaves have dark red veins on them. I think that’s when it’s the prettiest.
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Sounds wonderful.
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Love the orchid flower and plant shopping is fun.
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Thanks, Rosie. I am impatient to see it open.
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I just can’t get enough of your tropical beauties, I just love seeing species that are so different to those in my own garden. That aechmea is a real stunner!
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Thanks, I am still surprised by the beauties.
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Are these the same dianthus you had in a vase last Monday, Amelia? I must see if I can find them in a nursery here; I have a whole row of the low-growing variety but would love to grow taller blooms too. Our plant nurseries never seem to be without something interesting to buy, in fact, I am learning how spoilt I am with my warm climate, as so many blogging friends yearn for spring during the cooler weather.
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Yes, this is the Dianthus. It may be called giant. who knows in Australia? We are definitely spoiled for winter, not so sure about summer.
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Helichrysum does not look like it should be related to strawflower.
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I agree. the botanists will probably change it.
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“Spring plant shopping is irresistible for most gardeners.” Yep, it is addictive!
On the the topic of thyme have you tried growing lemon thyme?
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I love lemon thyme and usually grow that, just could not find it this year and did not realize how long it takes from seed.
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The Coleus is gorgeous! In fact that entire container is lovely! A shame the Thyme won’t last for you. It does well here in our dry summers. But growing things as annuals is something I also do more and more. You’re right about the plant shopping – spring is the best time and a lot of fun!
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Thanks, Cathy. I am not sure about the English thyme, I usually have lemon. It seems English would not like Florida summers though!
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