Tag Archives: South Florida Gardening

In a Vase on Monday – Sage Thoughts

If wisdom is being sought from my vase, it is time to look elsewhere. The sage here is Salvia, I noticed its wonderful sage herbal scent as I was cutting this bunch to fill a crystal pitcher. The crystal pitcher is a wedding gift. I would hazard a guess Tiffany’s would recommend its use to serve orange juice for Mimosas at a fancy brunch — not serving as a receptacle for a native bunch. The native wildflowers in my garden are flourishing from abundant rain in the past weeks. I picked all native wildflowers today.

Closer views:

Red and pink spikes are Tropical Red Salvia (Salvia coccinea) these reseed prolifically and are everywhere. Cutting the flowers saves me some seedling removal chores. The same goes for the white daisies, Bidens alba, incredibly prolific – the pollinators love them so much I almost hate to cut them.

The airy plant in the foreground is native Witchgrass (Dichantthelium spp). These are small grasses that pop up in the garden. They are reminiscent of Panicum. They are not too aggressive so I leave them be.

I’m dreaming of a cold front, realistically, we are a month out from that first delightfully cool day. One can dream. Pop over to Cathy’s blog to view some more vaseage…

Six on Saturday – Summer is Back

After a short lived, but meaningful, cool front respite the humidity and heat has bounced back in the form of heat advisories. The heat has produced a tremendous amount of rain. The garden has vacuumed up the copious water and is producing some nice flowers for a celebration of precipitation. To see some likely cooler gardens celebrating a different seasonal vibe follow the link to Jim’s blog –GardenRuminations

After a dry spell rest, the Sweet Almond Bush (Aloysia virgata) grew about five feet and is flowering prolifically. I will need to cut it back after it slows down. This is planted by my screen porch so I enjoy the fragrance and the bees stay outside.

The Sunshine Mimosa (Mimosa strigillosa) has escaped it’s boundaries and is growing in the shell walkway.

Dendrobium orchids are establishing in the crotch of the Cuban Avocado tree. Note the fat roots.

I have been trying to get this Coral Vine (Antigonon leptopus) to grow up the wood fence for years! I mean Years! Finally it has. These have a reputation of being hard to get rid of – not in my garden.

Blue Porterweed (Stachytarpheta jamaicensis) it may wane, but always bounces back with rain.

I have been planting a little winter color. Seeds of Gallardia, Rudbeckia and Forget Me Nots went directly into the garden to take advantage of the rain. Fingers crossed, I have never had any luck with Rudbeckia. The new plant is a Gill-inspired purchase from last week. A Blue Eye Fuchsia. I tried Fuchsia last year and it flowered once and promptly fried. It is still too hot to put it outside, though I think I need to pot it up.

That is all from my garden this week. Here’s to Happy Gardening and cooler days.

Six on Saturday – Mad Shrubbery

The title sounds like a Monty Python skit! It’s not. I walked into the garden this morning and realized I had become accustomed to the wild, colorful shrubs common in South Florida. I decided to share a few. To see more SOS garden posts follow this link to Jim’s blog.

The larger, very colorful shrub is ‘Piecrust’ Croton (Codiaeum variegatum). The edges of the leaves look like a crimped pie crust. The flowering shrub in the foreground is Dwarf Red Ixora, butterflies love this plant and it blooms frequently to the point I almost get tired of it. Almost.

A stalwart shrub in the garden, Thyrallis (Galphimia glauca). I have wondered what Thyrallis means, it seems such a strange thing to call a plant. The only reference I could find said it is Greek for wick. Further confusing me. It is a bulletproof shrub in my garden, living in an unirrigated area and living off of mostly rainwater. It blooms late summer to fall.

This is a Spinach Tree, also called Chaya (Cnidoscolus aconitifolius) A tree full of spinach! Only in South Florida. Actually, it is from Mexico and a tropical vegetable. It is poisonous unless you know how to cook it. I am told it tastes like spinach and reacts badly (toxic badly) with copper bottomed pans (like I use) so I have never tried it. I planted it for butterflies and they love the flowers.

Another Croton. This one is called ‘Mammey’ and is reliably dwarf at about three feet. Making it great for foundation planting. I have seen this planted in front of a house painted orange. It was a bit much.

The very tasteful ‘Java White’ Copperleaf (Acalphya wilkesiana) backdrop for my concrete greyhound. This shrub grows like mad. I would estimate I cut about eight feet a year off. How tall it would get without pruning is anyone’s guess.

Last, but not least, the ‘no gardening’ zone next to my compost heap. Ironically, probably the prettiest grouping of reseeded Tropical Red Salvia (Salvia coccinea) in the garden.

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

Six on Saturday – Seasonal Hints

Fall is something that must be searched for in my garden. The clues are fruits, berries and weeds going to seed. If a wider net is cast the mullet run can be seen in nearby waters. The mullet run happens when baitfish (mullet) start coming south for the winter, the predator fish go crazy and a lot of action can be seen in the water – fish jumping out the water by the hundreds. This has just started, but I always enjoy the sight.

I am joining the SOS crowd with six sights from my garden. To see what other gardeners have spied follow this link to Jim’s blog.

This is a ‘Lemonade’ Aechmea bromeliad (Aechmea blanchetiana) The Blanchetiana is available in several fruity colors – raspberry, lemon, orange that reflect the color of the foliage. This is planted in front of a six foot fence. These are common in South Florida, I was startled by them at first sight.

Fruit on the Beautyberry (Calliocarpa Americana). The range of this plant always surprises me. It is native from South Florida to New England in the US.

Fruit on the Gumbo Limbo (Bursera simaruba). Birds enjoy the fruit and there are many seedlings around the garden emphasizing how much.

A few Rangpur limes are ripening. These are deep orange when ripe and usually aren’t ready until December. I think the tree is thinning its crop.

Coleus tree is looking a bit better.

Another bromeliad showing fall colors – Aechmea rubens. These have the same texture as straw flowers and last for months in the garden.

That’s all from my garden this Saturday.

Happy gardening!!

In a Vase on Monday – Spider Dancing

It’s the end of summer hot in South Florida. We had a cold front (ha!) come through with Hurricane Ernesto passing by – bringing the daily high down to a bone chilling 88 degrees F/ 31C. I cut flowers early Sunday morning taking advantage of a brief respite from humidity while simultaneously importing a number of green garden spiders into the house. I enjoyed watching the spiders go up and down the sides of the flowers like tiny window washers on a high rise. I am hoping these spiders eat ants as they have tired of the heat as well and are coming inside.

Spider hanging on for dear life.

My Zin Master Zinnias are still going great guns; sadly brown spots are setting in on the foliage. I think this is Mother Nature’s way of telling me to start some new seeds. Now is when seeds are started for winter herbs and veg. After jealously looking at summer tomatoes on other blogs I am looking forward to fresh herbs and vegetables. My favorite parsley collapsed last week.

Survivors of the summer – Zin Master Zinnias and Beach Daisies (Helianthus debilis).

More heat lovers. Red bells are Firecracker Plant (Russelia equisetiformis); white daisies, Bidens alba; Asian Sword Ferns and a few sprigs of white native salvia (Salvia coccinea). The extremely rustic blue mug has the handle glued on – it’s one of those things I wonder why I keep, then I fill it with flowers and spiders and enjoy the color.

Thanks to Cathy for hosting. To see more vases follow the link RamblingintheGarden and check out the comments.

Happy Gardening!!

In a Vase on Monday – Light My Fire

I must have been inspired by Cathy’s “Hunk of Burning Love” vase a couple of weeks ago when the title popped into my brain. I admit to loving The Doors and their iconic song “Light My Fire” from (gasp) 1967. This song has been haunting my consciousness for decades. I guess it’s the organ solo. My garden seems to be reflecting the mood, producing fiery flowers as summer winds down.

Some close ups, sans Jim Morrison.

I have been enjoying cutting Heliconias (Heliconia psittacorum) this summer in all their flaming glory; two varieties here – ‘Lady Di’ in red and yellow and ‘Choconiana’ in orange. The big leaf in the background is a Split Leaf Philodendron (Philodendron selloum).

Orange tubular flowers are, appropriately, Firebush (Hamelia patens var patens); red flowers with blue tips are Aechmea miniata bromeliads. The blue vase was a gift I have enjoyed tremendously over the years.

That’s all this Monday morning from scorching South Florida. Follow this link RamblingintheGarden to visit Cathy and peruse vases via comment links.

In a Vase on Monday – New Summer Favorite

I am a fairly recent convert to Zinnia lover. It all started with a pack of Green Envy seed planted a few years ago to satisfy my desire for chartreuse cut flowers. I let the Envy go to seed and ended up with a new generation of greenish beige zinnias no one would envy so I bought some new seed. These are Zin Master Zinnias. They are living proof open pollinated seeds are what they are. These were advertised as a mixture of sizes, shapes and colors. The plants are prolific, all about three feet tall, and produce enough flowers that I cut a Vase every other day. The colors and flower size are the only things that are mixed.

My feelings are not mixed. These zinnias are my new summer favorites. For some reason, I have never grown zinnias in summer. I have them in containers – the ones that get the full brunt of South Florida summer sun are producing the most flowers. I am in awe and fully intend to grow more. Stay tuned.

A closer view:

The flowers are Zin Master Zinnias; purple foliage is Purple Prince Alternanthera; A bit of chartreuse coleus and some Asian Sword Ferns complete the vase. The crystal vase was a gift from my dearly departed brother.

I just found a few bags of seed starting potting mix on my front porch….fall zinnias should be appearing in a couple of months. And a few other things.

Thanks to Cathy for hosting IAVOM. Follow this link RamblingintheGarden to her blog to see more vases.

Six on Saturday – Formations

Tropical Depression Four formed over Cuba this week, my phone tells me it is 365 miles away. I could feel the wind and caught the scent of the ocean in the air first thing this morning. The storm is headed for the West coast of Florida, so here on the East coast we should get ‘some rain’. It is already pouring down and the weather guessers are madly issuing proclamations. A social media search for the Weather Channel host is usually the best indicator of where the storm will hit. The Jim Cantore effect. I haven’t seen him yet.

I think a dragonfruit formed in my garden this week. This is much more exciting than a tropical storm. For more SOS garden tours, follow this link to Jim’s blog.

The dragonfruit bud. These are a night blooming cactus native to Central America. They are also called Pitaya. This one has been sort of languishing in the garden for several years. Last year I had one flower and no fruit. This year, three flowers and perhaps one fruit!

The flower. These last for one night and must be viewed early in the morning.

The (fingers crossed) fruit. The others turned completely yellow or brown.

One that didn’t make it.

More local avocados:

I’m still enjoying zinnias daily. This red one is a favorite.

Happy Saturday gardening to all!

In a Vase on Monday – BananaRama

A simple summertime vase of tropical flowers. Step back and it looks like bunches of bananas. Or, depending on your flight of fancy, a flock of parrots. This is a mason jar filled with Heliconia psittacorum, common name, Parrotflowers. A favorite perennial in tropical gardens, these can run rampant when in their happy place – at my house beside the front porch suits them perfectly.

A closer view of the Heliconias accented with their own foliage. I covered the rim of the mason jar with a band of varigated bromeliad foliage – channeling my mother “because it just looked tacky.”

That’s all from the doldrums of summer dog days in South Florida. To view more temperate vases follow this link to Cathy’s garden.

Happy Gardening!

Six on Saturday – Discoveries

My Saturday morning garden tours always bring a few surprises, happy and sad. I discovered my first Avocado! And I missed some bromeliad flowers. Oops. I found a few other things along the way to share with my fellow SOSers. Follow this link GardenRuminations to visit Jim’s blog for a Saturday morning world garden tour.

TaDa, the avocado. This is a Cuban or Catalina Avocado, a pebble textured, green skinned avocado. It should be the size and shape of a football (the American kind) when ripe towards the end of the year. Fingers crossed I get to eat it.. A friend grew this from seed and bought the seedling to me in 2016 – it takes a while to get fruit. A rare self pollinating, true to seed avocado, these are native to Cuba.

These are summer Florida avocados my neighbor picked at a friend’s house. This type is the result of many crosses between Central American avocados and available in several skin colors. The black ones are especially good. Guacamole is in my future. Food forests do exist!

Fruit on the White Geiger tree, These eventually turn white and are enjoyed by wildlife. Supposedly edible, but not tasty.

Another invasive lizard. The red headed Agama. UGH.

The Bridal Bouquet Plumeria (Plumeria pudica) hedge is flowering.

One of the most reliable summer flowering perennials in my garden. The Firecracker plant (Russelia equisetiformis)

That’s all from South Florida. Rain dances shall begin shortly.