Tag Archives: Amelia Grant

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.

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 – Prayer for Sun

The past few weeks have been so un-Floridalike and dreary I went in search of a “spring wildflower bouquet” to cheer things up. Fortunately, with the dreary comes the precipitation and that brings salvia, lots of salvia. The Tropical Red Salvia is having a banner year, so I have flowers in almost all possible colors – just missing the neon orange version, though I rarely see that color. The backdrop for the vase is a Prayer Plant, as in, praying for blue skies and sunshine!

The vase is a repurposed olive oil bottle. One of those upgraded olive oils for drizzling that I usually forget about until it goes rancid and it turns up as a vase on Monday. I have four different salvias in the vase – White Flame and Mystic Spires in blue and white, along the white and coral versions of Tropical Red Salvia (Salvia coccinea); a few Bidens alba white daisies for a wildflower touch. The foliage is a twist of Mammy Croton and Asian Sword Ferns. The Prayer Plant is a Pink Star, that has seemingly lost its pink. A neighbor gave me this plant last Christmas and I am still amazed I haven’t killed it – just made it silver.

That is all from overcast South Florida. I will be wishing on a Pink Star for a reprieve in the clouds and hope everyone is staying warm and enjoying winter garden introspection.

To find more vases, go to Cathy’s page at ramblinginthegarden.wordpress.com

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!!

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 – Gifts from the Garden

I am joining SOS this Christmas weekend with a grateful heart. I take so much pleasure in interacting with my fellow garden bloggers weekly and thank Jim for his stewardship of SOS. To see more SOS posts, visit Jim at http://gardenruminations.co.uk.

Winter in a South Florida garden always brings enjoyable gifts. Some expected, some not so much. But all make me appreciate what is possible and how much I have learned. A little touch of Christmas color is appreciated in the tropical setting.

Meet Neoreglia McWilliamsii, a member of a group sometimes called Blushing Bromeliads. These show color in winter and are green in summer. This one colored up just in time.

Bromeliad Alcanterea odorata finally showing its grey stripes. This one produces grass pups rather than offsets. A friend sent me several pups a few years ago. They are somewhat difficult to grow and start out plain grey green and finally develop variation and then a nearly powdery grey coloration. Grown primarily for a foliage accent they last about 5 years, get about 3 feet wide, have a spectacular flower and die.

Another pup success, the ‘Purple Haze’ Billbergia, from the rock n’ roll series. There is one called ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ I must get. These flower in winter, but are not old enough.

Bay leaf, finally recovering from near defoliation by me in pursuit of soups and pasta sauces. I love fresh bay leaves a little too much.

Another favorite herb, always in a pot on the front porch. In my opinion, Giant of Italy parsley has the best flavor and I eat it nearly daily with fresh vegetables in vinaigrette.

A surprise and wonderful gift – two more dahlias are coming up. I planted the tubers in October and now have seen 3 out of 9 emerge. I am not sure what inspired the emergence, cooler weather and rain, the solstice?? I suspect removing the spotty leaves would be a good idea.

That is all of my surprises for this week.

Happy Holidays to all!

In a Vase on Monday – Catching the Christmas Bus

Last week we caught up on our holiday tasks. Cards were mailed – Happy Holidays cards in case they did not make it in time for Christmas. Holiday baking is almost complete, treats for Fiona the greyhound, Christmas nuts and cheese cookies for snacks have been baked and my husband smoked two kinds of pork. A wreath was made and hung on the front door, a Christmas tree found and decorated – the one remaining holiday tradition has now been attended to…the bus.

This is the seventh appearance of the IAVOM holiday shortbread bus. A client of my husband’s brought a tin of shortbread from the UK, we ate every cookie and then it was filled with flowers for the holidays. Again and again.

This years bus details:

Varigated foliage is from ‘Java White’ Copperleaf (Acalypha wilkesiana); grey “rose” is Graptosedum succulent; red berries are from the evil invasive, Brazilian Pepper (Schinus terebinthifilia); small bell shaped flowers are Firecracker Plant (Russelia equisetum); red flowers are Nodding Hibiscus (Malvaviscus arboreum).

White spikes are Tropical Red Salvia (Salvia coccinea); white banded foliage is from ‘Bossa Nova’ Bromeliad (Neoregelia ‘Bossa Nova’)

Whew! I am ready to relax, have a snack and enjoy some peace on earth and good will towards men. I hope the world finds both.

Happy Holidays to all and thank you to Cathy at http://ramblinginthegarden.wordpress.com for hosting this weekly meme. Follow the link to see more vases.

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.