Category Archives: gardening

In a Vase on Monday – Southwestern

I decided on a Southwest theme for my vase this week. I live surrounded by bits of the desert aesthetic. The architectural style of our house might be called Pseudo Southwestern Florida as it has some elements of all three. My husband and I fell in love with the sort of funky Adobe style of the house. I have succulents and some desert palms in the garden, but it is difficult to get past the humidity and make a true desert garden, though I do love the look.

The vase is an heirloom from my mother made by the Ute tribe in Arizona. Succulents and salvia would likely grow in a desert garden. The fern is an unlikely survivor of desert conditions. I’m thinking of it as a nice bronze accent.

The palette:

The fern is a Autumn Fern (Dryopteris erythrosara). This is probably my favorite fern with bronze new foliage and is realistically not likely to survive in my garden. I have it on my front porch in a pot surrounded by small bromeliads. The fern should be growing much further north and is probably wondering what happened and how it ended up in such an odd place. My salvias are making a repeat appearance this week, White Flame and Mystic Spires. I am finding these love to be cut and it makes them flower more.

The succulents:

Hanging over the edge of the vase is a Sedum – S. adolphii, I think, though it seems there is a new botanical name for Sedum. The grey rosette was a gift from a friend who calls it Graptosedum. Having attempted to figure out what it is, I am not sure at all! This will grow just about anywhere a bit gets dropped and is kind of crunchy, they fall off here and there in the garden so I am constantly finding them. Here are two I lost track of while arranging a vase not too long ago.

I think this means Graptosedum (or whatever it is) will grow on rock dust in my foyer. More surprises from the garden.

That is all from my garden this Monday. To see more vases drop by Cathy’s blog and say hello.

Six on Saturday – Succulent Things

It’s finally a sunny, warm blue sky Saturday morning in South Florida. Not to worry about perfect weather, tomorrow’s forecast predicts a 90 percent chance of thunderstorms. So today, I planted sunflower and zinnia seeds. I discovered on my weekly tour my succulent plants are doing well and fruit growing in the garden looks promising for succulent treats. Join other garden tours by visiting Jim’s blog and following the links in the comments section.

I cut my first Rangpur lime this week. It was very juicy, but I did not get quite enough juice for a pie so I froze it until the other lime was ripe and picked it this week. There is a lime pie in my future.

The next lime and my first tomato of the season! I think it is a Lost Marbles tomato.

The mango trees are loaded with flowers and setting fruit. This is a Glenn Mango and the fruit is delicious. This is early for mangoes to set fruit, so I am hoping it all works out.

Baby mangoes are visible on the Thai dessert mango, Nam Doc Mai. This variety reportedly can set fruit four times a year. It has been in the garden for about 8 years and I have never seen more than one crop, last year being the best ever. I was vigilant about fertilizing and we had a lot of rain, so this may be the result of water and food.

Senecio barbertonicus is starting to flower. This is about all you get for flowers, soon there will be dandelion like seedheads.

The indestructible Graptosedum. I dropped a leaf in my bookcase and it sprouted. I use these as pseudoroses in flower arrangements. This one lives in a pot with Fireball Neoregelia Bromeliads and a Desert Rose. Never watered and rarely fertilized.

That’s all from my garden this Saturday. Happy February to everyone.

In a Vase on Monday – Plunder and Plonk

Mid-winter in Florida brings its share of garden surprises. I never know what I might find and decided to clip a little bit of treasure here and there and plonk my plunder into an old florist vase that was hanging around. My husband informed me this is similar to the way I cook, which is true. I look in the fridge and freezer and make a dish from whatever I find. It usually works out. I have never thought of creating food as a plunder and plonk before!

My garden treasures this Monday:

The top of the vase is sporting, in orange with green tips, Soap Aloe (Aloe saponaria). These do too well in my garden and I need to thin them. The reddish flowers next to them are China Hat (Holmskioldia sanguinea). Small blue flowers are Variegated Flax Lilies (Dianella tasmanica), an unbelievably hardy plant – I just unearthed it from overgrown vines and it was so happy it flowered luxuriously. Boston Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata) is in the background.

The salvias continue to thrive, in blue, Mystic Spires and the white is White Flame. Yellow daisies are from Beach Sunflowers (Helianthus debilis), the white ones are Bidens alba, both are natives.

Visit the blog of our weekly meme hostess Cathy to see more garden treasures in vases.

Happy Gardening!!

Six on Saturday – Winter Treats

Since it has been an unusually rainy winter I have been baking a lot of winter treats. Now that the weather has (sort of) cleared up I am finding treats in the garden. I’m joining fellow SOS’s sharing my garden treats this Saturday, to see other treasures, visit Jim’s blog and follow the links.

The salvias have been relishing the rain and are showing their appreciation. This bed has ‘White Flame’ Salvia, Golden Dewdrop Duranta (Duranta repens), Soap Aloe (Aloe saponaria), ‘Mystic Spires’ Salvia, and Dwarf Red Ixora (Ixora ‘Maui Red’) in background. These salvias are short lived perennials here.

An unnamed Neoregelia Bromeliad variety showing winter color. These are green and white in summer.

New to me and the garden – ‘Apricot Queen’ Angel Trumpet. This is a rooted cutting I planted in December. It is taking very well and has already produced a side shoot. I have never seen an Angel Trumpet in my neighborhood, so I am wondering about this one and keeping my fingers crossed.

Another treat unearthed when clearing out the garden. A Vriesea ospinae ‘Gruberii’ Bromeliad. Something has been trying to eat the leaves (notice the shredding). It is a rare animal that can eat these.

The tomatoes are finally making some progress. I planted all the cherry varieties as I have no luck with big tomatoes. Oddly, these are the biggest cherry tomatoes I have ever seen. Kind of wondering about the seeds!

The first sign of recovery on what I suppose was a tactical error. This is Miss Alice Bougainvillea. Apparently, she resents being cut back hard and left out in the cold. Usually, the Bougs are indestructible. Alice has been naked for at least a month and I was fearing her prognosis. I’m planning on buying some special Bougainvillea fertilizer now that the leaves are reappearing.

That’s all from my garden. Wishing everyone Happy Gardening, armchair or otherwise.

In a Vase on Monday – Flames, Pie and Lady Di

The sun finally reappeared over the weekend. I spent Saturday and Sunday morning in the garden, drinking in solar energy and clearing out wanton vegetation and debris. There has been a lot of wind and rain this winter that has left behind soggy branches, leaves and overgrown weedy degenerates. I managed to find some jewels amongst the wanton and weedy in the garden and put together a vase.

The Flame is ‘White Flame’ Salvia, the Pie is Pie Crust Croton and Lady Di is the cultivar of the Heliconia in the vase. The vase is an olive oil jar inherited from my mother. She was a drizzler.

More on the plants:

Red and yellow flowers are “Lady Di” Heliconias (Heliconia psittacorum); white spikes are “White Flame” Salvia; variegated leaves (note the rolled edges) are Pie Crust Croton (Codieum variegatum); Asparagus fern adds the greenery. I have been using a lot of Pie Crust Croton lately as it is overgrown and needs pruning!

At the base of the arrangement is a pair of aptly named Coral Plants (Jatropha multifida). A weird and interesting novelty plant that grows in a narrow place in my front garden.

Here’s hoping everyone sees sunshine this week! To see what other gardeners are up to and view more vases visit Cathy’s blog.

Six on Saturday – Sun!

It’s a great Saturday morning in South Florida. The drearies have been conquered for the moment and the sun is shining. The flowers perked up and I am finding new blooms in the garden to share this Saturday. Visit Jim’s blog to join Six on Saturday tours of gardens around the world.

Here’s a mad flower from Bromeliadland. This is a Quesnelia testudo. I am not sure of the common name. These do well in my garden and are reliable winter color.

Another mad bromeliad in flower. This is a native Tillandsia, a relative of Spanish Moss, the flowers are brown. This is called Ball Moss (Tillandsia recurvata). It is growing on the trunk of a Bougainvillea.

I finally snagged a Rangpur lime before the vampire rats sucked the juice out. I need a few more for pie.

The mango trees are setting buds. This does not bode well, I think. They usually flower in March and we get fruit in June.

Heliconia psittacorum “Lady Di” expressed her appreciation for all the rain.

Google identified this as Golden Stonecrop (Sedum adolphi Firestorm). This has been in a pot for a few years and has not flowered before.

A question ?? Does anyone know if this is a Dahlia? I planted some tubers of a Dwarf Dahlia in October in this spot and this is coming up. I have found that Dahlias have a mind of their own when deciding to grow.

Thanks for the input and thanks to Jim for hosting.

That’s all from my garden this Saturday. Happy Gardening!!

In a Vase on Monday – Bromo-Seltzer

If there was ever a cure for winter garden blahs, it’s finding a few bromeliads in bloom. Bromo-Seltzer was actually widely considered a hangover cure and was sold in the US until the mid 70s, when it was determined to be poisonous (sort of). I have this feeling my father took it and then moved over to Alka-Seltzer.

It has been grey, overcast and rainy for most of the past week. We have had to wear pants (gasp!), long sleeves and the occasional sweatshirt. The true native Floridians have broken out down jackets (it’s 65F). I finally got out in the garden to do some pruning this morning and stumbled over these beauties. The rain has given many plants a growth spurt and they are growing when they usually don’t, requiring more pruning.

The cast of the cure:

Some call these the tulips of South Florida. They usually bloom a bit later, similar to early tulips. These seem more like fruity drumstick candy for Barbie to me. They are Quesnelia testudo bromeliads, the foliage has such sharp tips I would be hesitant to plant any more.

Purple flowers are Portea ‘Candy’ bromeliads; the foliage behind them is Aechmea blanchetiana, showing winter coloration (foliage is usually chartreuse). Green foliage is from Asparagus Fern (Asparagus aethiopicus). This is considered invasive here and I find them once in a blue moon. The vase was a gift from my brother. It is heavy enough to hold these weighty flowers.

Hoping for blue skies and fair weather.

Thanks to Cathy for hosting this weekly meme. Visit her at http://ramblinginthegarden.wordpress.com for links to vases from other gardeners around the world.

Six on Saturday – New Colors and Textures

It’s time once again for the Saturday garden tour. Six current events from the garden. It is a stormy day in South Florida. There is a lightning storm about 10 miles away that is about to descend on us – seems odd for January, but that is Florida weather for you.

I think Fiona had the right idea about how to deal with the weather. On the other hand – the foolish human went out and snapped a few pictures of new colors and textures in the garden she is enjoying. The underside of the sofa can wait until the storm gets here.

Flapjack Kalanchoes are peeking out of a strawberry pot.

Pot of mixed succulents is coloring up for winter.

I love grey foliage. This is Bath’s Pink Dianthus (Dianthus gratianopolitanus ‘Bath’s Pink’. Such a wonderful texture.

Autumn Fern (Dryopteris erythrosora) finally showing some new fall toned foliage.

These are Blushing Bromeliads (Neoregelia carolinae). The centers turn red in winter.

That’s my six for this Saturday. For a world of Six on Saturday visit Jim at http://gardenruminations.co.uk and follow the links to other gardens.

Happy Gardening!!

In a Vase on Monday – Cheers to 2024

I decided some fireworks from the garden and a quote were necessary to celebrate this first Monday of 2024. Having read dozens of quotes, I chose the one that made me laugh. I like Irish blessings and this is my favorite. My temple bells from last week have reappeared to assist ringing in the New Year.

“As you slide down the banister of life, may the splinters never point the wrong way”

I feel like I ran over a few splinters last year, so hopefully this will ease any future damage.

The oversized wine glass assisting the toast was a gift from a dear friend – the back side says ‘Girlfriends are Forever’.

The floral fireworks:

The orange flower front and center is a ‘Choconiana’ Heliconia (Heliconia psittacorum); ephemeral pink grasses at back are Muhly Grass (Muhlenbergia capallaris); purple fuzzies are from Red Velvet Aerva (Aerva sanguinolenta); yellow daisies are Beach Sunflowers (Helianthus debilis); white daisies are Bidens alba.

Orange tubular flowers are Firebush (Hamelia patens); red flowers are ‘Maui Red’ Ixora. There are a few ‘White Flame’ and ‘Mystic Spires’ Salvia lurking in the glass.

Thanks to Cathy for hosting IAVOM for all these years. Follow the link to visit Cathy’s blog and view more vases. http://ramblinginthegarden.wordpress.com

It’s surprising how many flowers can be stuffed into a wine glass.

Cheers to 2024!!

Six on Saturday – Ups and Downs

It’s time, once again, for SOS – sharing six items of interest from my South Florida garden with gardeners from around the world. Follow the link to visit Jim and see his garden and many others –http://gardenruminations.co.uk

The garden and the weather has had its ups and downs this week. It has been cold (for South Florida – temperatures in the 40s F, 4 C) so the locals are freezing, but the garden is enjoying it for the most part.

Winter is citrus season and I finally have some fruit on my Rangpur lime tree. My neighbor grew the tree from a seed and gave it to me about 7 years ago. It has 5 ! limes. I was thrilled to cut the first one, beautiful and fully ripe.

And then, I turned it over.

Something, or someone had beaten me to it and sucked all the juice out. Vampire rats? Arghh.

Not to worry, there are a few left. Rangpur limes are not actually limes, but sour oranges, probably a cross between lemons and mandarin oranges. They make great pies and are the basis for mojo marinades in Cuban cuisine. Here’s one still ripening. Fingers crossed.

I started tomatoes from seeds in October. As soon as I planted the seedlings the weather was cold and damp. These plants have had everything tomatoes get, I think. I finally have my first fruit. I think it is a Lost Marbles cherry tomato.

Long Island Mammoth dill is the recommended variety for Florida as it goes to seed more slowly than others. I have had it for a few years and concur. These plants have been enjoying the weather and I have enjoyed the dill.

I did my first late fall Chelsea chop this year and the perennials have bounced back beautifully. This Mystic Spires Salvia is just starting to flower again.

That is all from my garden this year!

Happy New Year to all and thank you to Jim for hosting Six on Saturday this year.