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!

Looking Back at June

Well, June has come and gone and here it is the middle of July. Vacation time and catching up has set me behind, but I'm finally getting caught up.

June can be summed up in one word - - H O T!

How unusual to have temps of 99 and 100 plus degrees. At least this energy-sapping weather didn't persist for long before some much needed rain arrived.

This cluster of perennials...pink coneflower, red pentas, white angelonia and yellow black-eyed Susans don't seem to mind the temps at all.

You know a gardener named Susan has to have black-eyed Susan's in her garden...right? Well, you might wonder where the black eyes are. This variety is called Irish eyes and they have pretty green eyes. I thought these would be appropriate since I have a wee bit of Irish in me.

Here's some more perennials taking the heat in stride...so long as they get a drink or two or three of water each week.

Half of this garden bed is in the shade while the other half is in sunlight. Impatiens and ferns flourish in the shade, while the red cuphea, purple angelonia and milkweed bask in the sunlight. 

Looking especially dapper in the June heat is Louis Philippe who's covered in smaller summer blossoms. A succulent groundcover(ice plant)...given to me by my neighbor Nancy is sporting miniature fluffy pink flowers. This little jewel of a plant is wonderful...it's pretty and it DOES NOT freeze!

Lamb's ear --- I love this soft, fuzzy, pale grey plant...and what a pleasant surprise that it produces a bloom, too. Thanks to Sherry at If Only Sweat were Irrigation I didn't pull my snapdragons out. She said they would bloom in the summer...and guess what...she's right! I'm grateful for all the wonderful things I learn from other gardeners.

And the bright white cosmos are just getting started. It's next to one of my favorite plants in the veggie garden...the Thai basil which has been pumping out spikes of purple flowers since April.

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The tropicals love the heat!

 Here's a super-sized caladium splashed with two of my favorite colors...green and pink, along with some bromeliads basking in the late afternoon sunlight.

Lack of rain hasn't stopped this passalong plant...from my sister...from growing into a giant specimen. Proof positive that six inches of oak leaf mulch helps keep the soil moist. She received her plant from a friend, and no one knows the name of it. The butterflies and hummers love it and it doesn't freeze.

And, here's a new find from my favorite local  nursery...a red yarrow. She seemed right at home when I planted her. Yarrow is one of the toughest plants in my garden. I don't care how dry it gets it never hangs its head...plus, it does well in both shade and sun. It does bloom better in sun though, but the pretty fern-like foliage makes having this plant worthwhile alone.

Thankfully, July has brought much needed rain and lots of blooms to the garden. Now, I need to get outside and get caught up there, too!

My Favorites...this month!

Summertime is here and the heat is on, but there's still lots of color in the garden. I noticed this month that most of my favorites are in shades of pink and purple...the cool colors.

I love the large cluster of bluish purple flowers that tower above the Lily of the Nile...also called agapanthus. I just recently found a white variety and can't wait for it to multiply. Caladiums...I can't get enough of them in any variety. Pictured here is a caladium in watermelon colors - sorry that I don't know the name of this particular variety. I'm finally having luck with hydrangeas...this one is planted under a large Live oak in ground that remains damp a good portion of the year. Peacock ginger with its multi-colored foliage and simple pretty purple flower returns every summer

(Click to enlarge for better viewing)

The thryallis with its bold yellow color is really loving the summer heat. Among the crape myrtle family, the rich purple color of the Catawba is one of my favorites. And, finally, my last favorite might seem like a strange choice, but it's not only beautiful but fascinating, as well. The mottled-gray trunk of the Natchez crape myrtle cracks and peels off revealing a beautiful cinnamon color.

Simple Summer Pleasures

Rain...Sitting on the front porch enjoying a late afternoon shower...minus the thunder & lightning, of course. Can you hear the plants sighing with relief?

A super ice-cold glass of water flavored with lemon and mint (from the garden) along with a bowl of crisp watermelon...a refreshing treat in June.

Here's a close-up view to really wet your appetite. Don't you just feel cooler already?

What are your favorites this month? If you'd like to join me in posting your favorites for the month, please do...they don't have to be in collage form...but do leave a comment, so I can drop by and see your favorites. I won't be able to drop by for a few days, but I'll catch up with everyone late next week.

PINK-a-licious

To a self-confessed "girly-girl," pink really is a delicious color. And, the combination of pink and green is my all time favorite. When I see the two colors together, my heart goes pitter-patter and my soul sighs with satisfaction. While my living room is awash in pink floral and green foliage fabric, my garden is not. That revelation even surprises me, but the truth is that there are so many beautiful colors of flowers that I just "must have" (you understand that notion, don't you?) all of them in my garden. Nevertheless, during a recent stroll through my garden I was able to capture some of the "magic of pink" at work.

Moss Rose is a summer favorite, and this HOT pink color is a real standout! Everyday this drought-tolerant plant is covered with new blossoms...a great container plant for summer!

And, then there's the soft pink color of impatiens lounging in the shade. Lucky for them they get to live beneath the canopy of the Live oaks and out of the hot summer sun...we all know what happens to them in direct sunlight. ;-)

You might think this is a coleus leaf, but guess again. It's actually a begonia, and a very colorful one at that. I've never seen this plant bloom, and with foliage like this who cares about a bloom.

Ahhh, a dainty Lacecap hydrangea brings a smile to my face. You can tell by the pink color that my soil is on the alkaline side. How so? This plant with two personalities blooms blue in acid soil and pink in neutral to alkaline. But the mysterious part is that you can change the color to blue by adding lime or aluminum sulfate...I do believe azalea fertilizer will do the trick, too. I'll never understand how that works, but I find it utterly amazing.

The caladiums are popping up everywhere. Their large colorful leaves add a whole new dimension to the summer shade garden, and I truly believe that one can never plant too many caladiums. This soft pink variety (name unknown) is tucked between a spider plant...that by the way did not freeze...and some Peacock ginger.

This super-large leaf is a variety (name unknown) that is very unusual.

This caladium (name unknown) is basking in some dappled sunlight.

Oh, even a pink flower pot can be found in the garden. I have no idea where this ornately decorated pot came from...probably a purchase I couldn't resist.

Can you guess what this plant is? Generally, it's well known for it's beautiful tropical flowers. Do you recognize it? Give up? Okay...it's a hibiscus. A very pretty variegated variety whose leaves outperform its small and less than spectacular flower.

I'm sorry I have forgotten the name of this lovely succulent that sports a pink stem and pink edging on its creamy green and white leaves. It's really pretty!

I can't forget about the roses. If given a choice, I would prefer a gift of pink roses over red anyday. This is Belinda's Dream and it reminds me of all the beautiful china tea cups decorated with soft pink roses. To be so pretty and have a wonderful scent is the sign of one great flower.

A stem of pink and white gladiolas in the summer garden is a real treat. When half the flowers are open I cut the stem and place it in a vase so I can enjoy it indoors. They last a long time and remind me of orchid flowers. Looks like the Love bug couple clinging to the petal loves this flower, too.

Here is a Double pink Knock-out rose looking real pretty tucked between the Mexican petunia 'Purple showers' and white yarrow. A great color and texture combo.

And, last but not least, I found this delicate-looking cluster of pink angel wing begonia blossoms. So sweet!

I've really worked up a thirst walking around the garden in search of "pinkalicious" flowers, so I think I'll  sit for a spell and have a cold glass of pink lemonade. Then I'm going to head on over to How Sweet the Sound (where pink is not just a color, but an attitude) for Pink Saturdays to see the pink posts by other bloggers who also love pink!