It’s that time of year – the holidays are approaching and the red flowers and berries are making their annual appearances. This vase is a good reflection of what is going on in the garden – the odd dichotomy of South Florida landscapes. Some plants go to seed in the fall and others celebrate the cooler season with flowers and growth. I realize there are cool season plants in other climates, but these are a little different..a bit more oomph.
South Florida is home to some fantastic native and acquired plants. I let everything come up and edit- a lot. It’s truly amazing what just appears. I am very opposed to lawn chemicals and plant for pollinators. I believe if you think that way birds and butterflies follow and proliferate, a good thing. My older brother, a lifelong gardener, was somewhat mystified by my enchantment with the caterpillars eating my plants. I have countless butterflies to enjoy and I suppose he is still worrying about how to get rid of the caterpillars.
Closer views:
The hanging red flowers are Turks Cap Hibiscus (Malvaviscus something). The older I get, the less interest I have in botanical name drama. Off white flowers are Juba Bush (Iresine diffusa). Both of these plants just appeared in my garden to my delight. I do nothing and they carry on.
The berries are from a Christmas Palm (Adonidia merrillii), grown from seed by my friend Eddie. My husband refers to this tree as the Eddie Palm. This was planted by me. The ferns in the back are Boston Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata) They are native here and just appeared. What they have to do with Boston is a mystery to me.
Follow this link to visit Cathy’s blog and view vases from gardens around the world. RamblingintheGarden
The Shrub Queen 
Bright and ready for the coming holiday, which will be upon us in NY minute! My enthusiasm for decorating wanes by the year. I’m becoming a minimalist!
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I laughed when I read this!! Same here tiny fresh tree and wreath..done!
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👍🏼
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I am always amazed at how big your Turks Caps are. It was always interesting to see what flowers came out in the fall at my former home. I will be working on trying to extend blooms.
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I think there are two kinds..I guess I have the bigger ones. Is it too cold for pansies where you are?
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I just don’t know. There is so much to do with this move. I have driven by some nurseries with shoppers, but I don’t know what they are selling. Mums are the flowers everyone has in the fall here.
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Mums last for 3 weeks I would guess. Keep reading.
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I have so many plants in my gardens that we gifts from Mother Nature…mostly palms. Your Turks Cap Hibiscus are perfect for the season.
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Same here! I love to cut the palm seedlings for arrangements.
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Christmas palm ‘can’ grow here ‘supposedly’, but I have refrained from trying it. I think that if it actually performed well here, that I would have seen it somewhere before.
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I can send you some seed!
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Do you think that I should try? I have considered procuring some seed, but am doubtful that they will perform well without adequate humidity. If so, I would prefer to get them from your garden than from eBay.
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They are supposed to be very easy to grow from seed. I guess they need to be dried? Any idea?
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I know nothing about them other than they are easy to grow from seed. I do not doubt that I can grow them. I am just concerned that they may not be happy here. The climate here is a bit more coastal than directly in the Santa Clara Valley though.
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How intriguing that some of these plants just turn up – and pretty ones rather than weeds! I have a Boston fern in the Coop. Your deep blue bowl/mug/cup was a great contrasting choice for the reds and greens
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Laughing!!!! you haven’t seen the weeds!
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The Turk’s Cap Hibiscus and the red palm berries are vibrant but I may be most impressed by the prolific Iresine flowers – they’re such a perfect filler flower!
https://krispgarden.blogspot.com/
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Thanks, Kris I’m trying to figure out how to propagate the Iresine.
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I love seeing these flowers and berries that are unfamiliar to me. I agree with the ‘just letting things come up’ philosophy’, the older I get! Last year I seeded tidy rows of flower annuals for cutting but I think this coming spring I shall just see what comes up! It might be a colourful meadow or not! Another experiment.
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Great! I hope you post the experiment. I threw out a zillion wildflower seeds in a dry area of my garden and..nothing happened at all. Experiment #987.
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You have some wonderful holiday colour there Amelia. Most of our winter colour is berries, but by Christmas they are either brown or have already been eaten! I am 100% with you on not spraying. I may get annoyed at caterpillars eating my basil, but I can’t fight all the bugs, so I just enjoy watching the birds foraging in my flower beds! I love the Turks caps – they have such a great common name that describes them so perfectly that they don’t need a botanical one! 😁
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Thanks, Cathy. For some reason I have an army of small snails in my basil. I can’t quite bring myself to eat it. The birds and butterflies make it worthwhile.
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What an arresting vase! Wonderful reds against the contrasting Juba Bush and fern. Your ‘let grow and edit’ process is clearly working. Love that the palm has been given a name!!
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Thank you. I am often taken aback by what grows in my garden. Eddie got a good laugh about the palm name.
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A little more oomph is a great way to describe it! Wow, those Turk’s Cap Hibiscus flowers are so vibrant! I know what you mean about the botanical names; sometimes I try to find ways around naming them all. The blooms, with the ferns and the seedheads and the vase, are lovely!
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Thank you, Beth. I think I used to enjoy botanical names more.
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