Category Archives: treasure coast gardening

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.

In a Vase on Monday – Christmas Bells

A little vase from my garden to celebrate Christmas. Here’s to bells ringing in a peaceful holiday season and much gardening success!

The bells are a strong holiday memory for me. As a child, the bells were always at my eye level hung from a wreath of cedar branches and Burfordii holly berries created by my mother. I was fascinated by them as Indian temple bells were not a common sight in the Deep South in the 1960s. My father brought the bells back from India, where he was stationed during World War II.

A closer view:

The red flowers are from the China Hat shrub (Holmskioldia sanguinea) – another native of India; white flowers are White Flame Salvia; a few stems of Boston Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata) complete the vase.

Thanks to Cathy for hosting this Christmas day. Follow the link to visit her blog and see more vases ramblinginthegarden.wordpress.com

Merry Christmas to all!!

Six on Saturday – Holiday Gale Gardening Fun

I am joining the SOS gang again this week featuring six items of interest from my garden. Most of this week our weather has been dominated by gale warnings. The skies are overcast, the wind has been gusting to 45 mph with downpours of rain sometimes blowing sideways. Floridians crave sunny blue skies and they were few and far between this week. My holiday gardening adventures have been indoors or on the porch this week. To see more SOS posts visit Jim at http://gardeningruminations.co.uk

The front door received a holiday makeover with a bromeliad cutting wreath. I was gratified to read that hoop wreaths are currently in style as I didn’t want to spend too much time in the wind hunting bromeliad cuttings (the hoop part is covered with winding gold and green ribbon) Red bromeliads are Fireball Neoregelia and the bigger green and red one is Super Fireball Neoregelia. Gold accents are fronds from Cabbage Palm trimmed to size.

Front porch pots were replanted. I am trying some more northern favorites mixed with tropicals for the winter. The grey plants are an old favorite ‘Bath’s Pink’ Dianthus. I have never seen one around here, but will be thrilled if it flowers. The bromeliads are mixed Neoregelias, garage sale finds, no one remembers the names but they always thrive, so I am happy to have them. The fern is an Autumn Fern (Dryopteris erythrosora), again way too far south, so I am hoping for some nice coloration with bronze new growth.

Porch propagation. Another batch of Turkeytangle Frogfruit (Phyla nodiflora) to replace my former St. Augustine lawn.

I found a tiny Noble Fir tree, slightly crooked, so the angel overseeing things is dancing on top. The scent from the tree alone is worth the effort to me.

Decorating Fiona didn’t go so well. She doesn’t want to be a reindog.

Oral sustenance is required to get through the holidays and the dreary, haunting calls of the gale. Rum cake baking became necessary.

I am wishing everyone a happy holiday season. I think the garden will be a better place next week!

In a Vase on Monday – Chasing Christmas

Suddenly it is about two weeks until Christmas. How did that happen? Cards have not been sent and I probably have missed the opportunity to buy a live Christmas tree. Sigh. Well, I will check and see if I can get a crunchy, nearly free tree this week. I am still indulging my distaste for fake plants, Christmas trees included. Tree lots are set up in baking South Florida parking lots in December that are not conducive to live plants of any kind. I am seriously considering making a bromeliad cutting Christmas tree.

I have managed to unearth a bit of holiday cheer in the form of a Christmas gift I received long ago from my mother. The holiday chocolate pot. She gave me this the year my husband and I moved to the suburbs of Atlanta. Seemingly (from her perspective) I was going to morph into a 1950s housewife and invite the neighbor ladies in for holiday hot chocolate and cookies (there are matching mugs). This is the first time the chocolate pot has ever been used. I think my mother would have approved its use as a vase.

The plant palette:

Red flowers draping over the side are Nodding Hibiscus (Malvaviscus arboreus); berries are from the native Firebush (Igiveupon properbotanicalname) – these are beginning stage berries, they eventually form juicy black fruit the birds love.

Chartreuse foliage is from Golden Dewdrop (Duranta repens); white spikes are ‘White Flame’ Salvia; red and yellow flowers are ‘Lady Di’ Heliconias (Heliconia psittacorum); foliage is from ‘Mammey’ Croton (Codieum varigatum).

Thanks to Cathy at http://ramblinginthegarden.wordpress.com for hosting this weekly garden meme. Follow the link to see more vases.

Happy Holidays from South Florida.

In a Vase on Monday – November Candy

November in South Florida brings some sweet and unusual treats to the garden. When living further north I doubt I could have dreamed of finding something like this in flower this time of year. Actually, I am not sure I could have dreamed up the flower at all!

The purple flowers in the vase are ‘Candy’ Portea Bromeliads. I’m thinking they resemble Good & Plenty licorice candies, just not quite the right color. This is a good one to cut as for unknown reasons it flowers on the backside of the plant and can barely be seen. A pair of loppers accessorized with a suit of armor is a good ensemble for cutting these as the foliage is very sharp. The older I get, the less appreciation for thorns I have.

After some puzzling and tromping through the slightly storm ravaged garden (we had 50 mph wind gusts and I had not realized the volume of branches down, a task for another day) Here are the components of the vase:

Fan shaped foliage in the back is a trimmed frond of Cabbage Palm (Palmetto sabal); pink flowers are courtesy of the storm, Rain Lilies (Zephyranthes spp.); purple flowers are ‘Candy’ Portea Bromeliads; foliage is from Asparagus Fern (Asparagus sprengeri).

Dark purple foliage is Purple Queen (Setcreasea pallida) – I have a feeling some botanists changed this name, but am getting over it. The grey roses are Graptosedum succulents.

That’s all from my garden this week. I will be planting tomatoes and herbs I started from seed this week and starting seed for a few new varieties of cut flowers. And picking up branches.

Thanks to Cathy for hosting. Please follow the link to visit her blog and see more vases: http://ramblinginthegarden.wordpress.com

Six on Saturday – Indian Summer

I am joining the SOS crowd celebrating Indian Summer in South Florida. I did not realize it was possible to have Indian Summer in my garden, yet here we are. It is dry (not raining), humid and a high of 86 F (30 C) is predicted today. This weather brings on a mix of summer and fall colors. To visit gardeners around the world with less humidity – follow this link to Jim’s blog http://gardenruminations.co.uk

I finally saw and captured an image of the rare Atala butterfly that has been hosting on my Coontie cycads. This butterfly is listed as endangered due to loss of habitat. It is native to the Caribbean, the Bahamas and South Florida. I am at the northern end of its range.

I was excited to see some actual fall color. This is Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia). I think this vine grows everywhere and some people actually buy it!

Fall berries do happen in my garden. These are on the native Firebush (Hamelia – now I am not sure of the last name!, the botanists have been at it again) These eventually turn into a juicy black fruit that the birds covet.

Fruit on the White Geiger tree (Cordia boissieri) I like these and use them in flower arrangements sometimes.

A native Portulaca pilosa, common name Kiss Me Quick. No idea why. I like these, but they are stubborn and will only grow where they want to grow.

Another November flowering plant, the Esperanza (Tecoma stans). These were once considered native and now they have been vilified as invasive?! It seems someone discovered a sea captain brought these from the Caribbean to Key West a few hundred years ago. I like them and have had no seeds germinating from the plant.

That’s all for this Saturday. I’m hoping for some precipitation and cooler days.

Happy Gardening!!

Six on Saturday – Experimental Fall Greens

I am joining the SOS gang once again this Saturday. My morning discoveries on my garden tour are mostly green. No vegetables, although the tomatoes I grew from seed are ready to be transplanted. Follow this link gardenruminations.co.uk to visit Jim and connect with more gardeners worldwide in the comments zone.

South Florida’s gardening season is the flip side of most of the Northern Hemisphere. We grow summer vegetables in winter and many summer perennials thrive here during the cooler weather that would wilt in the heat during their “normal” flowering season. I am thrilled to find my first Dahlia tuber emerging from the ground. Nine tubers were planted in the garden, three in pots, I know one was eaten, so the rest???? I bought the tubers at an end of season sale, then wrapped and refrigerated them until October, planting time here. All Dahlias were red, for what reason I have no clue.

It is strange to me that Rudbeckias are difficult to grow here. The summer humidity molds them, quite literally. These are Goldstrum Rudbeckias taking hold in the garden.

Another garden stalwart further north, Moonbeam Coreopsis, is bravely making a stand.

The ultimate experiment, a mass of Ice Plants (Delospermum cooperii). I am fairly certain these will melt next summer, though I have run across gardeners who have success with them in South Florida.

Another experiment, seemingly successful. I decided to try the Chelsea chop on Tropical Red Salvia (Salvia coccinea) – a reseeding annual. It seems to have worked.

I have not tried any of these plants in winter previously. In the great words of Tom Petty “the waiting is the hardest part”

Will they flower??? Time will tell.

A more typical green from me. The greys are Aechmea fasciata Bromeliads, the dark one is ‘Luca’ Neoregelia. Smaller red broms are ‘Fireball’ Neoregelia. Bromeliad moving and propagating season runs November through March. There is usually movement in the garden this time of year.

Happy Gardening!

In a Vase on Monday – Muhly & Juba Dance

I love a little Muhly Grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris) in the fall. The mix of Juba Bush (Iresine diffusa) and Muhly swaying in the ocean breeze gives me gardening goosebumps. Our very rainy September gave all the wildflowers a boost and the garden is enjoying a late season extravaganza with very happy pollinators cruising the flowers. As these things go we are having a very dry October and now I am hoping for rain!

The Muhly and Juba:

Muhly Grass is in pink in the background joined by off white Juba Bush. The word Juba is a dance move in the Caribbean that involves swaying hips. The Juba Bush is a native wildflower that appears and plants itself where happy. I have found it impossible to propagate, and am happy to find it when it decides to make an appearance. It is perennial and can grow 3 or 4 feet tall. I suppose birds are responsible for the Juba. Another gardening mystery to ponder. The Muhly has a similar modus operandi and I have some odd drifts in the garden.

Other flowers in the photo:

The deep blue flowers with coarse stems are Porterweed (Stachytarpheta jamaicaensis); the pale blue spikes with lavendar foliage are Vitex trifolia, some call this California Lilac. It is remarkably hardy. Darker purple foliage is Purple Queen (Transcandentia pallida) another great indestructible.

The lower level:

The lower levels in this vase are the wallflowers, the kind that don’t dance. Front and center is the last Purple Prince Zinnia of the season; viney pink flowers are from the Coral Love Vine (Antigonon leptopus); white spikes are Tropical Red Salvia (Salvia coccinea). The vase is a family heirloom made by the Ute Indian tribe.

I am hoping to dance a lot of weeds out of the garden this week. The rains provided nourishment for a tangle of Muscandines and Inch Plants. I am not sure we have ever had as much rain in late summer and was surprised by the volume of unwelcome growth in the garden. I have determined Muscandines are offensive!

Thanks to Cathy for hosting, visit her at ramblinginthegarden.wordpress.com to visit other gardens via vase.

Happy Gardening!!

Six on Saturday – Clear Sunny Days

My garden tour this Saturday morning was punctuated with an overgrowth of weeds, some plants attaining a size I did not know was possible, fall fruits and wild flowers …and, at long last, clear blue sunny skies with low humidity. Ahh. To join other SOSers on garden tours around the world visit our host, Jim at this link http://gardenruminations.co.uk

One of my fall favorites, Muhly Grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris) is just starting to flower. These usually bloom around the first week of September, so they are late this year. The flowering schedule for a lot of plants was off this year, some sooner than normal, some later.

Another fall fav is the Juba Bush (Iresine diffusa). This wildflower is named after a Caribbean dance called the Juba because of the way they sway in the wind.

The birds are enjoying the berries in the garden. This is called Wild Coffee (Psychotria nervosa) – it is a Florida native shrub, great for butterflies and pollinators. The berries look like coffee, but do not have caffeine.

More late color in the garden. I usually have Beautyberry (Calliocarpa americana) by the first week of September and here it is finally showing some purple.

October is optimal Dahlia planting season in South Florida. For fun, I bought some end of season, cheap tubers, having had virtually no luck with Dahlias in the past. The tubers were wrapped in plastic and kept in the refrigerator for a couple of months and released into the garden this week. I planted the tubers and went out the following morning to find a varmint had dug them up, ate one, and left the others beside the holes they were planted in?! A gourmet, Dahlia intolerant varmint?

I replanted the tubers and added another found slung in front of bed (I am not sure if I forgot to plant it, or the varmints were at it again). Then, I covered the whole thing with a hardware cloth barrier. Take that, varmints!

The experiment continues. I found a bit of tuber on the front porch this morning. I am sure this time it was not me.

That is all from South Florida this sunny Saturday. The Dahlia adventure will be updated. I am now dithering about watering the tubers, though rot is unlikely in the sand.

Happy Gardening!!!

Six on Saturday – Hoomid

The most outstanding feature of my weekly garden tour – extreme humidity. The plants, house and even the doors and windows are dripping rivulets of water. Not a good gardening day. Next week is predicted to bring blessed relief from the soggy environment I keep finding myself in. To see other, less sweaty garden tours visit Jim at http://gardenruminations.co.uk

Reflections and the view outside this morning. The humidity was 80%, it is creeping downward through as the day goes on.

Some plants are enjoying the onslaught. This is a ‘Jill’ Neoregelia Bromeliad pup climbing a palm trunk.

‘Bridal Bouquet’ Frangipani (Plumeria pudica) is soaking up the moisture and still flowering. These are unusual in that they are considered semi evergreen and the shape of the foliage is different from other Frangipani.

Yellow Allamanda (Allamanda catharitica) is running rampant. Vines can be a little scary in South Florida.

My first tomato seedling. The weather has been good for seed germination, although I did get a bit of dog vomit fungus in some of the pots.

Buds on the Soap Aloe (Aloe saponaria). These succulents seem almost architectural to me. One would think they would rot with all the moisture, but they are reveling in it and flowering like mad. I think this shows how sharp the drainage is in sugar sand.

That’s all from the swamp this Saturday. Wishing everyone some crisp Autumnal days. I am awaiting the end of soggy.

Happy Gardening!!