One Last Perfect Weekend

This past weekend the weather felt more like "early spring." It felt wonderful and was most welcome, as our endless summer is right around the corner. We still have a couple of amaryllis' blooming in the garden. This particular variety comes from Mrs. Flora's garden. She was one of our neighbors when I was a kid. It's nice to have reminders of people, from my past, in the garden.

The sunny perennial bed has enjoyed our mild winter and warm spring, despite the lack of rain. The black-eyed Susan's, snapdragons and pentas are in full bloom. This garden bed puts a smile on my face and joy in my heart every time I look at it.  

I just love the carefree nature of the Black-eyed Susan's. 

They keep reminding me to let go and let nature do its thing in the garden. 

The snapdragons did very little through the winter, but once spring arrived they shot up like little rockets, and have been showering me with pretty pink blossoms for months. I will be sad to see them go.

The black-eyed Susan's are all volunteers and they are without a doubt, one of the happiest plants I've ever seen. They're not needy, always look great and the bees love them!

 There were lots of little bees humming from flower to flower. The underbelly of his little body is absolutely drenched in pollen. They just can't seem to get enough!

A close up view shows all that wonderful yellow pollen that this flower contains. They are without a doubt, the gift that keeps on giving. I bet the bees would agree with me!

The Best Things about Summer - June

Even though a Florida summer is long and never short on heat and humidity, there are lots of good things about our summer and here are a few of them ~ ~

Eastern Black Swallowtail on heirloom red pentas

Monarch on heirloom red pentas 

You can't beat the old fashioned red pentas as a nectar source in the garden. Plus, it seems to LOVE the heat!!

Zebra Longwings on Passion vine.

I believe this is Horace's Duskywing on the native Tropical Salvia. This is an exciting discovery because I don't think I've ever seen this butterfly in my yard before. Love new discoveries like this!

 The  little mosquito-eating machines are back in full force these days. Dragonflies are one of the best insects in a Florida garden, especially if you have bromeliads in the garden.  

Sometimes when I catch a dragonfly in a certain position such as this one, it looks like a little fairy. Perhaps that is how stories of fairies in the garden originated.  

I do not know the names of these dashing fellows, but I love the color variations and their paper thin wings. I can't imagine that the wind doesn't obliterate those fragile-looking, cellophane wings.

Now that I've photographed a few dragonflies and noticed how beautiful they are, I'm really smitten with them. I always thought a dragonfly was a dragonfly, but these little guys are just stunning! I had no idea that I had so many different species of dragonflies in the garden. How awesome is that! This one looks like another fairy, although I have to say they also look like stained-glass helicopters hovering in the air.

A young Red Cardinal hanging out in the trees. His parents must have shown him where the feeder is because I catch him there many times during the day. 

Plenty of pollinators taking advantage of all the wonderful summer blooms - like this purple pentas (my second favorite pentas) - in my garden.

Bees are lovin' the Agastache

Here's a close up of the chubby little bugger!

This little guy is loaded down with pollen on his feet and underbelly

And, I am thankful for Swallowtail butterflies in the making as they devour my parsley.

Now, this little guy - - definitely not thankful for him!!! He is probably one of the worst things about summer, with the exception of a devastating hurricane or having your house struck by lightning! He creates his own kind of devastation.

Don Juan roses still in bloom are a definite plus, especially when they're mingled with palm fronds.

The 'Kwanso' daylily is one from my late aunt and a real beauty on its super tall and super beefy stalks.

Love, love an abundance of blooms in the June garden.

And, last but not least, is the return of the crape myrtle. This one is 'Dynamite' and I would agree that that is the perfect name for it. What would a Florida summer be like without crape myrtles? I, for one, can't even imagine!

September at a Glance

~ ~Notes on the September Garden~ ~

What a joy it is to discover that autumn has finally arrived...totally invigorating! The flowers on the native bee balm (a/k/a dotted horsemint) were also a joy to discover.

Lots of critters. . .besides bees. . .seem to like this beauty, too.

The Mexican Bush Sage is back in all its autumn splendor. It  was such a stunning specimen in the island bed last autumn that I decided to. . .

add a second bush on the other side of the bed. 
Now, I get "double the pleasure" when I look at them. 

September days filled the meadow area with drifts of goldenrod,

while the purple fountain grass adds a "fall-ish" feel to the front yard.

Fluttering visitors frolicked happily among all the purple. 

The butterflies, including this Cloudless Sulphur, NEVER pass on the Mexican petunias (sterile variety).

And, the Monarchs are still munching away on the Milkweed.

The vanda orchids seem to love autumn, too. 
Even their color says "autumn."

The Autumn Joy Sedum ~ ~ a passalong plant from my sister-in-law is sporting its autumn crown of flowers that eventually will change to a deeper russet color.  

What a wonderful gardening season is ahead of us now that summer is fading away. 

Bee Heaven

A little slice of "bee heaven"

I couldn't help but notice that the bees were lovin the  Gaillardia Indian Blanket Flower...

Not just one...but many! There's two bees in this photo...

Each photo is of a different bee...

Here's a pretty green bee...

There are lots of other flowers in the garden...but all the bees are here..

I wonder if the blanket flower's sweet nectar is to bees what chocolate is to me...irresistably good!

If so...it must be the best tasting in the garden.

By the way, I love these hardworking flowers as much as the bees do...for other reasons though! :-)

P.S. Don't you think Indian blanket flowers are photogenic? They're so easy to photograph...even for an amateur like me... and they always...always...look beautiful!