Category Archives: Tropical gardening

In a Vase on Monday – Posey Sink Shooters

I wouldn’t think of drinking a shot of tequila. But I love to keep a shot glass filled with flowers by the kitchen sink. This glass is from my niece’s wedding. Its intended use is a tequila vessel, however, it has been used frequently as a vase. I have been told on more than one occasion I would like tequila if only I had some good tequila. I tried and it still tastes like dirt to me. Maybe it’s horticulturally related – I am not too fond of Agaves and they are the source of tequila. The same goes for Juniper and gin.

The crystals are Fools Gold – Pyrite. Another good luck crystal vibe for the New Year. Heirloom rocks from my father the geologist.

A closer view:

In pink, the Zinnia I was complaining about recently. I have grown to love it. In blue, Plumbago (Plumbago auriculata), the Hydrangea of the tropics. The purple foliage is Aerva, a weed from Africa. I like it despite its origins. White and coral spikes are Tropical Red Salvia (Salvia coccinea). Fluffy seedheads are from Muhly Grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris – I hope I didn’t make that botanical name up)

Here’s another sink posey from last week. Zinnias and Heirloom Pentas.

That’s all from my kitchen sink this week. To see more vases from the world over, follow the link to visit Cathy at RamblingintheGarden

Six on Saturday – Winter Gardening Adventures in South Florida

I have recovered from my SOS slump and got it together to take some photos of South Florida winter gardening fun. To see more potential examples of winter gardening fun, visit Jim at GardenRuminations.

I had a little surprise encounter while picking Rangpur limes. This is a corn snake, non venomous and a good snake to have in the garden. They eat rats and other things you don’t want around. Unfortunately, this one is a very similar color to the fruit. They usually don’t bite, unless, say you try to pick them. Fortunately, I realized what it was before I tried to pick it!

The Rangpur limes are having a good year. We have had Rangpur pie, chicken marinated with garlic, black pepper and fresh oregano and limeade. I am going to channel my Southern old lady and make some Lime Sour bar cookies (I had to find the biscuit pan first). I have frozen juice and zest for pies, given limes to friends and neighbors and still have a few left on the tree. I stopped picking them before I almost picked the corn snake.

More of the weird and wonderful in my garden. This is a Strangler Fig (Ficus aurea) seedling seeking ground from the top of a Sabal Palm. The fruit from the Strangler Fig is left by wild life in the crown of the palm. It sprouts and eventually sends a tree back down to the ground. The tree roots and grows up around the palm and “strangles” it. Very Harry Potter.

Flowers of the China Hat (Holmskioldia sanguinea) sometimes called Chinaman’s Hat. These are native to the Himalayas, seems strange to me they grow here.

This is a Mona Lavendar Plectranthus. These are fairly common around here, generally used as annuals. I use them in containers. They last a year or two and are very hardy. This container has Licorice plant (Helichhrysum petiolare), a charteuse coleus, and Starry Night Petunias.

The container next to the Mona Lavendar is planted with Wishbone flowers (Torenia fournieri). I am not sure which named variety this is – it is my first time trying these. So far, so good. I am enjoying the color.

There, slacking off did not happen this week. I am wishing everyone good gardening surprises. No snakes in the lime tree.

In a Vase on Monday – Celebrating New Beginnings

My vase this week was created to celebrate new beginnings in 2025. My latest batch of zinnias is finally flowering and providing some much needed color in my garden. South Florida has been unusually rainy and overcast for the past week. The sun-starved Floridians are getting restless. I have included a amethyst and clear quartz crystal for healing and positive energy.

The happy color hunt started with the zinnia discovery. I must have planted some Green Envy seed – because there it is! I rooted around in the garden, dodging rain showers and found that the Tropical Red Salvia had gained new life from all the rain. I plucked a few other happy rain-sated flowers from the garden and concocted my vase.

The close up:

In the back, dark and ferny, are sprigs of Copper Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare). The purple flowers are ‘Mona’ Lavendar Plectranthus. The pink stars are Heirloom Pentas (Penta lanceolata). Leaves in the foreground are from Sweet Begonia (Begonia odorata). The tubular orange flowers are Firebush (Hamelia patens). The coral and white spikes are Tropical Red Salvia (Salvia coccinea). The vase is a crystal rose bowl that belonged to my mother.

That’s all from less than sunny South Florida. I’m wishing everyone a happy, healthy and colorful 2025!

To see more vases, visit Cathy at RamblingintheGarden.

In a Vase on Monday – It’s Back

The Christmas spirit finally caught up with me and I decorated my tree and filled the holiday bus with flowers. The Walkers shortbread tin is making its eighth holiday appearance, I think. This year I was scrambling to find red flowers – then spied the Nodding Hibiscus in full bloom. Santa provided some other appropriate colored plants from the garden and a full holiday bus was created.

Closer views:

In red, Nodding Hibiscus (Malvaviscus arboreum) are the star of the show. In white, ‘Big White Green Leaf Begonia’. I hope these root as I would love a few more and the nursery is sold out..Christmas dreams.

The backdrop is provided by Bronze Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) and Piecrust Croton (Codieum variegatum). Sounds like dinner ideas!

Rob the Greyhound is questioning my decision about wearing the reindeer antlers..looking for a treat.

Happy Holidays to all and here’s hoping Santa brought Cathy an internet connection. To see more vases, follow this link RamblingintheGarden

Six on Saturday – Solstice Colors

Despite living in South Florida for a decade, I am still surprised by what grows where and flowers when. Today is no exception. Flowers on tomatoes and zinnias on the Winter Solstice still bend my mind. I do love the clear light this time of year. The tilt of the earth softens the strength of the sun. This effect renders nicely in photos.

It is Saturday and I have been slacking off on my SOS posts, but am back. To see other solstice posts, visit Jim at GardenRuminations.

The cactus zinnias just started to flower. I planted these in the ground rather than pots and will be interested in how they fare. So far, so good.

There seem to be several of these. I am wondering if I planted a batch of Envy zinnias. The rain washed away the labels..

Heirloom Pentas (Penta lanceolata). These are big Pentas – they can reach four feet. I have not seen these anywhere else. Sold here for butterfly gardens.

First flowers on the cherry tomatoes. It seems to take much longer this time of year to get fruit.

Autumn Fern (Dryopteris erythrosa) in full color. These are my favorites from my garden further north. I am surprised I have managed to get it to grow here. A very pampered pot on my front porch. Doused twice daily with dog bowl water.

Rangpur limes nearing ripeness. I baked a pie this week. Ginger snap crust with toasted coconut and Rangpur lime filling. It is gone.

Happy Holidays to all and Cheers to longer days.

Thanks to Jim for hosting.

In a Vase on Monday – Salute to the Solstice

While looking around the garden for vase materials I found myself not quite ready to break out the holiday reds, so I concentrated on the colors of the Winter Solstice. Kind of late fall tapestry colors. The Solstice is December 21, a cause for celebration as the days get longer.

There are not many flowers in the garden, so I try to appreciate what I have. I will admit to being disappointed in the somewhat insipid pink zinnia. This is my first flower of a batch of cactus zinnia seed planted in October. It is much prettier upon closer inspection. I am hopeful with more sunlight in the coming days I will get bigger flowers.

The other components of the vase include: in purple spikes, ‘Mona’ Lavendar Plectranthus, a wonderful plant that lasts a couple of years here. Purple berries are from the native Beautyberry (Calliocarpa americana); deep red flowers are Chinese Hats (Holmskioldia sanguinea); white flowers are from the White Geiger tree (Cordia boissieri); dark, ferny foliage is Bronze Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare); fluffy seedhead in back are Muhly Grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris). The vase is a hefty candlestick from the 70s.

Visit Cathy’s weekly meme at RamblingintheGarden to see vases from other gardeners.

Happy Solstice Week and cheers to brighter days.

In a Vase on Monday – A Little Tropical

Maybe I should call this Big Tropical! It is too big for the house, so I left it on the porch.

At least once a year I attempt to arrange the Blanchetiana Bromeliad flowers. These are the red and yellow things that look like crab claws in the vase. The flowers are 4 or 5 feet tall this year and last forever. I think they started blooming in June. I sometimes make Christmas wreaths with the flowers.

We are enjoying a spell of ‘why people come to South Florida in winter’ weather. It makes for great gardening, but the winter flowers aren’t quite going yet to cut a bouquet. So cutting crab claws in the yard seemed like a good idea. Here are the close ups:

The crab claws, in red and yellow, are Aechmea blanchetiana Bromeliad flowers; in yellow, Yellow Bells (Tecoma stans); in red, Nodding Hibiscus (Malvaviscus arboreum). Foliage is a White Bird of Paradise leaf (Strelitzia nicolai), a Cabbage Palm (Palmetto sabal) frond and a leaf from a Split Leaf Philodendron (Philodendron selloum)

Here is the flower of a Lemonade Blanchetiana Bromeliad. The one in the vase is from the red version, Red Raspberry. The foliage on that one is red.

That’s all from my garden this Monday. Thanks to Cathy at RamblingintheGarden for hosting. Follow the link to see more vases.

Six on Saturday – Winter Color

I am joining SOS sharing my new winter flowers and vegetables. The cool season in Florida is the best time of year for gardening. Late in the year I plant vegetables and update annual flowers in my containers. I am trying some new flowers this winter. Gardening is a constant experiment for me.

To tour other winter gardens visit Jim at GardenRuminations.

I think these are Splash Dance Violet Vogue petunias. I did not realize how many different types of the dark spotted petunias there are and recycled the tag. I also did not realize petunias are not toxic to dogs but Callibrachoa is. Sure enough, I left the Callibrachoa out of the dog reach and later observed him trying to take a bite out of the petunias! Details.

The new Callibrachoa the dog did not get to try. I have varying luck with these. They seem to look great for a short period of time and then poof! no more.

This is a new variety of Begonia called Big Pink (Begonia x benariensis). They are said to thrive in shade or sun and can grow up to 28″ tall, which seems unlikely. Has anyone tried them? Below is Big White with Fireball Neoregelia Bromeliads in a container.

The Cherry Tomato and Zinnia seedlings (in bud!) are more than ready to be planted. I am waiting until tomorrow as warmer weather returns next week.

My first Cuban or Catalina Avocado was a bust. It fell off the tree before it was big enough, there is usually twice as much fruit around the seed. I gifted the seed to a friend – in ten years or so, she might have an avocado. I am hoping for some Christmas 2025.

I am getting back in the garden this sunny Saturday morning. It is 67 degrees F/19 C, good gardening weather.

Happy December to all!

A Week of Flowers, Day Five

I am joining Cathy’s A Week in Flowers garden meme again today with more tropical madness. This is a Schlomburgkia Orchid that grows in my Gumbo Limbo tree. This particular orchid is native to the Caribbean coast of Mexico and grows in Mangrove swamps along the shore. It has very long stems. It is a mystery how it ended up on the east coast of Florida in some nearby oaks. It seems to be flourishing in the Gumbo Limbo and has multiplied and grown completely attached to a crotch in the tree. I am looking forward to the next spring show.

To see more flowery posts follow this link to Words and Herbs.

A Week of Flowers, Day Four

I am joining Cathy at Words and Herbs again today – providing a blast of tropical warmth from my South Florida garden. Above is the flower of a Dragonfruit or Pitaya. This is a night blooming cactus that bears fruit in the summer in the tropics. Early morning photography is necessary as these flowers are very ephemeral.

Follow this link Words and Herbs to see more flowery goodness.