The Late Winter Garden

Last time I checked the calendar, it's definitely late winter even though it feels like the end of spring going on summer. We really didn't have much of a winter this year at all, and that means less spring clean up in the garden. That's a good thing!

There's lots of Milkweed in the garden and it's all abloom. It has reseeded itself everywhere, and for the most part I leave it where it comes up.  Sometimes, I'll move it to create fuller bushes inside the borders of the flowerbeds. Even the Monarchs are visiting and laying eggs. That puts a smile on my face for sure! 

I've seen this solitary Robin at the fountain a couple of times in the past week. 

The large flocks were through in early January foraging the Camphor berries. He seems to be staying a bit longer to enjoy the sunshine and warmth. 

I've been enjoying a steady supply of tomatoes and kale all winter thanks to temperatures staying above the freezing mark.

The two bushes are so large that they are falling forward, so I've had to tie the plant to the post with, yes, that's an old pair of panty hose - lol! Works like a charm every time! 

New tomato plants went into the ground and planting tower today. Hopefully, it won't get too hot too fast, so that I can keep the tomatoes going for a few months. Very thankful for a mild winter!

Winter Happenings!

 On the warm days between recent cold snaps, I've been relocating plants to better locations. Better to catch these mishaps sooner, than later, while I can still make the adjustments easily.

Even with two steady months of chilly weather, Old Man Winter has been good to us this year. There were a few mornings in the mid-30's with light frost, but fortunately they did not damage my tropicals. Hopefully, we'll get some bananas this year. 

Luckily, the tomato bush, Bella Rosa, was able to escape damage from the frost. Another day or two and I'll be enjoying the first fruit of the season.  

Louis Philippe has grown so large that he's intermingling with the red pentas and the milkweed. Soon, I'll need to get in there and tame him back a bit.

It has been a joy to watch the large flocks of Robins that visited our Camphor tree twice in the last 2 months to feast on the berries. I pulled up a chair to watch them snatch a berry and dart back to a neighboring tree to eat it. The tree canopy was alive with action, berries were falling to the ground, and I decided I better take cover to avoid being splattered with bird poop in all the mad frenzy.

I know that "the experts" say that Camphor trees are invasive - and, yes they are prolific, but they feed large flocks of visiting birds in winter. I keep reminding myself of that, as I pluck up every berry that pops from the ground. 

 My daughter and I visited Harry P. Leu gardens this past October and then again a few weeks ago on a beautiful Saturday. This area captured my attention. It was a mix of green and white with some bronze foliage thrown in the mix. There's just something about a super large Live Oak with different leaf sizes and textures beneath it. It's definitely a winning combination!

I'm glad that we'll soon be closing the door on winter, and that it was a mild one. Now that I've cut the ornamental grasses back, I'm eager to get started on the roses and plant a few new additions to the garden. And, I'm looking forward to watching the plants and trees in my young garden grow taller and wider in their 2nd year. 

Putting Down Roots

Four months after moving into our new home, we are truly putting down roots. We are loving our little community, and with each and every passing month we are feeling at home. I've been on a planting marathon the last 2 months and our empty canvas is filling in very quickly.

 The 125 plants that I brought with me have almost all been planted and countless numbers of other plants have been purchased and added to our ever evolving little piece of paradise as evidenced by this growing stack of plastic pots. I've got to get them cleaned up and deliver them to the master gardeners.

Thanks to a mild winter that has brought steady rations of rain, my plants are noticeably putting down roots, too. No, I can't see their roots, but the plants are filling in and new growth is visible everywhere.

Just a couple more weeks . . . and I'll feel safe enough to plant some of my favorite tropical beauties. I can hardly wait until the end of summer to see how much the garden has grown and changed. Talk about impatience . . .I know . . . it's all about the journey . . .  yada, yada, yada! But, I still can't wait to see the plan begin to come together. So, while I wait, I take pleasure in the small signs of bigger things to come like the small baby leaves on the Red Buckeye tree that was started from a seed from my sister's tree. This tree is very slow to grow from a seed, and I'm excited to see that it likes its new location.

Who Would Have Thought...

After the past few winters who would have thought we'd have these in early February:

Hibiscus flowers...not until late summer the past few years

Impatiens...mushy plants at this time last year

Angel Trumpets...NEVER in February!

I could definitely get used to winters like this.

February at a Glance

~~ Notes on the February 2011 Garden ~~

You never know what kind of weather to expect in February. While, it's still officially wintertime for us, spring can show up early...as it has this year. Hurray! With a low temp of 38 degrees in early February, the last two weeks of the month have produced unseasonally warm temps into the upper 80's. 

But, unlike January, it's been a dry month...having received only a scant 1.36 inches of rain for the whole month...a total of 5.61 inches for the year so far.

There's lots of cleanup work to do this month...and, of course tons and tons (or so it seems) of Oak leaves to rake into the beds.

The warm weather is waking up plants and trees, as well as our local wildlife...who are enjoying soaking up all that warm sunshine.

I know exactly how they feel...as I enjoy feeling the warmth on my face, too.

The cool season flowers are still going strong adding lots of color to the garden. But everyday our traditional spring flowers are making their presence known as they burst into bloom one by one. A BIG thanks to Meems at Hoe & Shovel for writing about the Paperwhites  in her neighbor's garden. I planted a few bulbs and voila'...gorgeous (not so great smelling though) blossoms (lower right photo) for the past six weeks. I hope they will make a return appearance next winter. 

I noticed the paper whites have seed pods developing. 

Does anyone know if the seeds develop into bulbs once planted?

 

I planted this new variety of South African daisy (sorry, but I failed to keep the tag...so I don't have the exact  name) in my island bed. The center is such a dark purple that it almost looks black. I debated whether to buy it because, while I liked the bright white daisy the dark center...well, wasn't that pretty. But, I needed something next to the purple stokesia, so I thought I'd give it a try, and I haven't been disappointed by the end result.

Either the center looks more colorful in the bright sun or the purple stokesia has helped the dark purple center of the daisy look more purplely...I know that's not a "real" word, but my daughter would love it! :-)

Now on to those traditional Southern spring varieties. The Japonica camellias are taking center stage with their large and exquisite flowers. Over the last couple of years of  "very cold" winters I've planted more and more of these beauties and their cousins...the sasanquas...in my garden. The pink beauty below makes for a "lucky" 13 camellias bushes in all.

A garden wouldn't have that true southern feeling without azaleas. When they start to bloom I always want MORE of them, but I do have to remind myself that their bloom period is short. Spring would not be spring without a good smathering of them in the garden though. Three dwarf White Ruffles (check out the large white bud in the photo below - it's located in the lower right corner) and 4 Duc de Rohan were added beneath our young Live oak as it continues to expand its reach.

Pictured below: Purple formosa, George L. Tabor and White Ruffles

And, a new spring bloomer that was added last year was the Loropetalum chinense...fringe flower.  This plant plays a dual role in the garden...interesting dark burgundy foliage year round, and tons of breathtaking dark pink flowers in spring. Gorgeous!

The orange blossoms are filling the air with a sweet fragrance. Everytime I'm in the garden I get a whiff of them, and I automatically move closer and linger a bit to enjoy this memorable scent from my childhood. I can't wait until the nearby groves are covered with flowers, and the scent hangs heavy in the evening air. Wonderful!




The orchids are happy (and so am I) that they are back outdoors enjoying the warmth. And, speaking of warmth...this sunny yellow cattleya is looking very "spring-like." At first, I thought the yellow cat that bloomed in December had another stalk coming into bloom, but after closer inspection (and a quick glance back at my photos) I realized the other orchid didn't have the red-dotted center.

New Discoveries

Two pleasant discoveries were made in the garden this month. Earlier in February I moved four roses to a better location. The first discovery was that a branch touching the ground of a knock-out rose had rooted. After digging up the rose and severing the branch to the mother plant, I had a free knock-out rose to plant. 

Another free rose was discovered when I moved Sea Foam...a vintage rose...to a better location. The next week I returned to its old spot and discovered this perfect little baby rose growing there.

The same thing happened last year when a low branch on the Louis Philippe rose rooted and produced a new plant. So, if you want a free vintage rose (not sure how it works on hybrids) place a brick over a low hanging branch...forget about it for awhile...then check back later for your new rose (this works for azaleas, too).

Life's Simple Pleasures

Ripe tomatoes in February!

This tomato bush spent a good deal of time in the garage this past winter...and, while the tomatoes continued to grow they didn't turn red. Apparently, a little bit of warm weather was all they needed.

The new spring gardening season...the best time of the year...is well under way. For the next couple of months...you can find me in the garden. I'll worry about cleaning the house later! :-)

Anticipation

Kalanchoe

Clivia

Allium

Nun's Orchid

Belinda's Dream


Impatiently...waiting!

A Month Later...

It's been about a month since we experienced the two weeks of frost and freezing temperatures in the 20's  that took its toll on my zone 9 yard. When it comes to brown dead stuff in the yard... I have no patience. I know they say to wait until middle or late February to cut back plants... but that doesn't work for me. The first part of the yard to get cleaned up is what I see directly out my windows.

So, I thinned some plants out...clipped some dead stuff off...stuffed as much as I could into the composter.

As, I walk around my yard, I notice that the Fashion azaleas are back in bloom...their first round of flowers having been burned by the frost. And, the grass is greening up again...hurray! Things are already looking up.

Frozen plants are already sprouting from the base of the plants. 

I learned a couple of important lessons...or should I say, remembered from previous freezes that I had long since forgotten.

#1 - Trees make a BIG difference. My bromeliads and other tender plants fared much better under the canopy of the trees where frost was unable to reach them.

#2 - Create a good structure of basic, cold-hardy green plants - good bones, if you will.  That way when the less hardy plants succumb to freezing temperatures, the garden will still look good. This is especially true in the front yard.

#3 - Plant pockets of tropical plants. I'll plant my favorite tropicals as little pockets of color in areas throughout the basic green plants. That way I can add color and interest to my landscape without leaving it vulnerable to a devastating freeze. It's kinda like having your cake and eating it, too! :-)

Once again the garden is humming along with the expectancy of spring.

A Valentine Bouquet

A bouquet of camellia blossoms to celebrate one of the sweetest holidays of the year.

Click on the photo to enlarge it for better viewing

February Orchids

Most people use their patio furniture to dine outdoors but I use mine to display my orchids. This outside deck sits a little higher than our patio and I get a great shot of these orchids from my kitchen window. I get a chance to enjoy them and they are able to stay outside where they prefer it.
I didn't even know we had this little cutie. It has such a cheerful bloom in the midst of winter.

Here's one of my favorites - a green orchid. I love this orchid for its unusual green-colored flower and the frilly edge of the bloom. Green flowers are not all that common. I am lucky that this orchid blooms several times a year.

I found this orchid at Home Depot. It grows in regular garden soil and wants full sun. The more sun it gets, the more bloom spikes it produces. Down here it can bloom for 9 months out of the year.

This orchid is a good producer. As a matter of fact it bloomed just a couple of months ago, and has now put out a new spike of blossoms.

The First Signs of Spring

Here at latitude 27 and longitude 88, spring creeps in slowly way before the official vernal equinox on the 21st of March.


The first sign of its arrival is in early February. It slips in between occasional cold snaps, and is evidenced by the colorful blooms of azaleas. Like the bulbs of the north, these pink, fuschia, white and red flowers bring cheer and hope to yards dotted with the frozen remnants of tropical plants.



Around the middle of February the moment of dawn arrives sooner and dusk stretches out minutes later each day, giving us more time to enjoy the increasingly pleasant temperatures. A small group of Purple Martins arrive ahead of the pack to scout out the territory where they will migrate to next on their journey northward.

The oaks begin their amazing transformation. One by one, handfuls of dry brown leaves float to the ground. The giants are shedding their old leaves and quietly gearing up for the start of a new season.
About the third week of this month, the first trees in my yard to complete this transformation and herald the spring is the laurel oak, followed by the maples, sweetgums and lastly, the live oak. With trees adorned in their fresh green canopy of leaves and azaleas looking like bouquets of flowers, my mood is lifted and once again the hope and promise of a new gardening season springs alive. I become obsessed with ideas and plans for the garden.

The Osprey also come back to life as they begin to rebuild their nests for the next brood of young 'uns. They soar through the air, happily chattering away as they collect branches in their strong talons and carry them back to their gargantuan nests perched atop cypress trees.
With congenial temperatures in the 70's, I can hardly resist being drawn outdoors with a rake in one hand and clippers in the other. I no longer can wait until February 28 -the last expected frost date for our region- to begin cutting away the dead reminders of winter.

As I begin cutting back plants, I notice tiny leaflets emerging from the bare branches. Once again the plants are quietly and mostly unnoticed, undergoing the process of recovery from the harsh breath dealt them by old man winter. Hope does spring eternal, even in plants!