Am I the Only One Who Grows Tomatoes in the Front Yard?

Due to lack of sun in my backyard, I'm forced to plant some of my tomato bushes in the front yard. I know in Europe they have beautiful little kitchen gardens in their front yards. So, in order to plant a few more varieties, I planted two tomato bushes and a couple of green bean plants amongst the landscaping, and I don't think they are too noticeable. Of course, when the fruit turns red, the neighbors may wonder what kind of flower it is! :-)

An Elusive Bloomer

Oh, how lucky I was this morning to get a good look at this elusive cactus flower. This particular cactus (don't know the name of it) blooms only at night. I noticed the bud looked ready to burst into bloom yesterday evening, and told my husband to remind me to go outside after dark to see it. Naturally, we both forgot! But, this morning as I was backing the car out of the garage, my daughter said, "Look mom, your flower!" I got so excited that I put the car in park, jumped out and ran inside to get the camera. I knew that if I didn't snap it right then and there, it would be closing up before I returned home.

As you can see by the second photo, the flower was half-way closed when I returned home. Whew, so glad I didn't miss it!

Time for Ti!

This is a snapshot of a flowerbed in my neighbor's backyard. He is quite good at using colorful foliage plants for adding color. In fact, he has a minimum amount of flowers. Most of the color comes from this hot pink stand of ti (pronounced like "tea") plants and crotons around his yard. He creates huge displays of one type of plant (such as this one), which definitely makes a statement in the garden. When the late afternoon sun hits these plants, the color is outstanding.

One FIERY Bromeliad!

This bromeliad is one of my favorites. With a couple of pups from my mother's garden, I planted it right off the back deck. At this time of year the center flares up into a fiery red/orange color whch is striking against the crisp green apple-colored leaves. You can't walk down the garden path and miss this hot tamale - she refuses to be ignored!

The Flamingos are Back....

I just mentioned in a post or two ago, that it just isn't proper to have a garden in Florida that doesn't include a "flamingo sp. plastic" or two, and how I had forgotten that the two I had, faded and cracked some time ago. Well, what do you know, "ask and you shall receive."

I was eager to attend today's annual plant show in the park downtown so that I could purchase a rain barrel and 'lo and behold, the first one I laid my eyes on was this one. I knew it was a message from above. So the decision of which one to purchase was an easy one!

A Vanilla Surprise!

This beautiful fuschia-color flower is dangling from - believe it or not - an orchid plant. This Malaysian orchid, Medinilla sp., is a member of the vanilla family.
It is growing in a pot in my mom's garden and is quite large. I didn't think about it at the time, but I should have smelled the flower or the large leaves (you can see them pictured above the flower) to see if they have a scent of vanilla.
Hey mom, Smell them for me and post the results on my blog. Thanks!!!

Little Backyard Oasis

This little oasis is in my mom's backyard. It's a small pond surrounded by bromeliads, cast-iron plants, orchids, irises and, of course, a couple of plastic pink flamingos. You can't live in Florida without having a couple of pink flamingos in your garden. It just wouldn't be proper!! Now that I think about it, I lost my pink flamingos a couple of years back - guess I better head to the store and buy some new ones!

Spring Seed Starting

This weekend I'll be busy planting these tomato seedlings in my garden. We'll be testing these heirloom tomato varieties: black cherry, white tomesol, Paul Robeson purple and Dr. Wyches yellow.
They sounded interesting in the catalog and I'm anxious to get them in the ground.

My Winter Garden

Okay, don't laugh! Most of my yard is covered in shade and there is very little space for a "real" garden, so I must (at least for now) be content with placing a few vegetables here and there. But these Georgia collard greens planted around my daughter's swing set did very well this winter. I've been enjoying them very much, and as my step-dad Charlie said they did taste even better after a few cold snaps.

I have much more ambitious plans for my spring garden. Since I read "The Art of the Kitchen Garden" by the Gertley's, I am planning on planting 7 tomato plants, melon, green onions, bush beans, ground cherries and cukes in various spots in my front and side yard. I'll keep you posted on how my unconventional garden grows.

As you can see by the first photo, the spring tulips are blooming in my zone 9 garden:-)!

Brrrr... It's Cold Outside!

There's always one night when we feel the frosty breath of Old Man Winter, and this year was no exception. With temperatures dipping to 31 degrees on Saturday morning, a few plants were burned. The very top layers of leaves on the angel trumpet crumbled at the feel of his icy touch, and a few leaves on the Jewels of Opar turned black when the blanket covering one plant was blown off. All-in-all, we lucked out as many other tropical plants and our staghorn ferns escaped his wintery wrath!

All Bundled Up for the Cold Weather

With our first freeze of the winter projected tonight, my Jewels of Opar plants are bundled tightly beneath some old blankets. These sun-loving plants do not like cold weather. They won't freeze to the ground but their tender tips will shrivel back a few inches. As usual, we get at least one cold and frosty night each winter - just long enough (2 to 6 hours of freezing temps expected) to have a few plants hanging their heads by morning. This photo shows the contrasts of a Florida winter - plants bundled up for freezing weather, while azaleas and iris bloom in the background. Hopefully, the weatherman will be wrong and the temps will stay right above 32 degrees. One can always hope!

A Blooming Bromeliad

This soft-colored salmon and yellow bromeliad has a show stopping bloom. The plant itself is quite tall (about 3 feet) and it produces this beautiful large bloom.

It's Lunch Time!

I was looking at this Anhinga (also known as the water turkey or snake bird) and couldn't figure out why he looked so odd. When I zoomed in on him with the camera I realized he had a fish in his mouth. He held the fish for quite awhile, shaking it from time to time. Eventually he held his neck straight up and swallowed the fish hole. Pleased with his full stomach, he held 0ut his wings and basked in the warm sun rays.

The Art of Aggravation

This tiny little gray squirrel is well versed in the art of aggravation when it comes to cats in his domain. He takes great pleasure in barking incessantly at Mocha when she's out in the garden. He even sits on the roof and barks at her whle she's lounging in the window seat indoors. What he doesn't know is that he provides her with endless hours of entertainment, and as you can see by the photo she is not in the least disturbed by his commotion.

Cracker Rose - A Southern Favorite

This rose is Louis Phillippe a/k/a the Cracker Rose. It is an antique rose that performs well in a partially shaded area in my yard. It's flowers are larger during the milder winter days and it is wonderfully fragrant and covered in roses right now. Malcolm Manners writes about this beauty in his Ultimate Easy Old Roses article on the American Rose Society's website.

It's a Wild Life!

As I was out enjoying the temperate weather this past weekend in my backyard, I couldn't help but notice that I wasn't the only one. No, there wasn't a neighbor to be seen, but there was a lot of wildlife friends enjoying the day as well. Everything from sunbathing turtles on a log, busy little birds in the trees, a huge turtle floating lazily on the water's surface and a solitary duck soaking in the bliss of the day.

It Feels Like Summer!!

The calendar says it's winter, but it sure feels like summer. With temps stretching into the upper 80's and humidity higher than normal, one can only wonder where winter is. Although I'm not complaining - it beats hauling plants indoors and worrying about the tropicals freezing back - a little touch of cooler weather would be a welcome relief.

Our orchids are definitely enjoying the feel of tropical warm breezes. They are basking in the rays of sunlight and blooming their little hearts out.

A Christmas Bromeliad

According to my mom, who gave me this bromeliad from her garden, it blooms at Christmas each year. Well as usual, mom is right! These fuschia pink, dangling bromeliad flowers add their own touch of holiday decoration to the garden.

I was fortunate enough to catch their beautiful but short-lived blossoms during the busy month of December.

Pleasantly Fall

This past Monday was the first "official" day of fall in my zone 9 garden. I was pleasantly surprised to feel the refreshingly cool air (63 degrees) dancing around me as I walked my daughter to her classroom. As I inhaled the fresh air, I seemed to stand a little taller with an added spring in my step. Even the cats felt it as they darted back in forth from the patio to the house. The cooler temps make them feel younger than their years. Gus my "old fella" (who is 20 years old) stuck his nose out the door and decided to venture outside and curl up on the patio for his normal 8 hour nap.














This pleasant fall weather signals the start of our second gardening season. It is the perfect time to enjoy the weather at its best, once again become a part of nature and get my hands back into the dirt. And it's happened just in the knick of time as my overgrown jungle will attest too.

Happy Orchids

We moved the orchids off the sunny patio to the back deck where they now sit beneath the shade of a live oak tree. Judging by the healthy growth they experienced this summer, as well as the parade of blooms they rewarded us with, I would say they are indeed very happy in their newfound spot. This is the best they have looked since we bought them!

Mocha - My Garden Companion

Well, well, I'm out here working and sweating while Miss Mocha takes a break in the shade. I can't say that I blame her as it is a very warm day. She is, however, a great garden companion as she follows me wherever I go, taking an occassional break to pounce on a lizard or leaf moving in the breeze.

Endless Summer Days

The long, hot weather of summer is ever so slowly releasing its grip on the days of August. It’s barely noticeable at this time of year in a zone 9 garden unless you are very observant or a native, unschooled in the dramatic changes of the seasons. The leaves on the sycamore and elm (pictured here) trees have taken on a soft golden hue, as though they are in need of a dose of fertilizer. Squirrels are busy devouring the green holly berries that are just beginning to take on a slight blush. And while the afternoon temps continue to stretch into the 90’s, there is a different note in the morning air. A subtle coolness that permeates the first air of the day, a lighter feel that is not burdened by the heavy blanket of humidity. A freshness that encourages you to stand a little taller and take a deeper breath. Deep inside a spark of anticipation is ignited at the premise of the long-awaited fall season in the garden.

In the Village of Wee

Once upon a time in a secret garden nestled between the gnarly roots of an old oak tree sat a small village where the wee people dwell. Fairies and sprites - invisible spirits so tiny they can only be heard and not seen by the eye. A fair maiden and a gray-haired crone tend their village garden. Together they water, weed and plant the much-loved flowers.



As these elusive beings flutter around and dart back in forth, the gentle breeze of their gossamer wings is heard through the play of the chimes that hang from the tree. The only noticeable sign of their visit is a trail of shimmering fairy dust left behind from the previous night’s festivities. They lead a carefree life filled with song and dance.



At the stroke of midnight they drape themselves in luminous jewel-colored necklaces, don their flower hats and dance around the giant mushrooms as the moon and stars perform their celestial symphony. They are joined by an assembly of night creatures – white iridescent moths performing their dance of pollination, a background chorus of croaking frogs and owls who join in from high above with their harmonious hoots. It is a blissful village surrounded by a stone wall, a bevy of colorful flowers and a trustworthy gnome who keeps watch for evil spirits.

Lounging Lizard

Here’s a heavy-eyed lizard enjoying an afternoon siesta on a palm frond. Warmed by the sun, he dozes off and on, keeping an eye out for predators and the occasional nosy human in search of a garden photo. When I was a kid, these brilliant-colored green lizards were plentiful. These days they seem to be rare, having been replaced by the dinosaur-looking brown anoles. Seeing one now is always a real treat!

When my sister was little she took to calling every lizard she saw by the name of Charlie. I’m not sure whether she thought it was always the same lizard or not. Eventually, everyone in the family would say, “there goes another Charlie,” every time one scampered across the patio.

Blazing Crotons

Crotons remind me of a wild and colorful painting. One in which an unrestrained painter used every color imaginable to create a masterpiece. Their colorful waxy leaves seem almost plastic and artificial. Talk about making a statement - these kaleidoscope-like plants are a colorful and lively addition to the garden. A masterpiece created by Mother Nature herself!

The Flowers of Summer

It seems the hotter it gets, the more these tropical beauties take it all in stride. There are no delicate debutantes or wilting impatiens among this group. These sunworshippers can take the heat. As a matter of fact, the hotter it gets, the better they like it!

The Fragrant Gardenia - Can You Smell it?

My nose catches the sweet fragrance of gardenia as I walk to the mailbox each day. Without even thinking, I am irresistably drawn to place my nose right up close to this flower for another wift of its potent scent. A few cut flowers placed in a bowl will soon envelope the entire room in fragrance. This pretty plant has a commanding presence in the garden when it is in bloom. She makes it difficult to ignore her.

I Love a Rainy Day!

These days I am very thankful for even the smallest shower to quench the thirst of my garden, and provide me with a break from my watering routine. A day when the rain pours steadily all day is purely an invitation from Mother Nature to toss my usual routine out the door and relax. When one of these deliciously lazy days comes my way, I treat myself to a cup of cinnamon-flavored coffee, a sweet treat and a good book.

The impending dark clouds, the soft sound of rain falling on the roof and my purring cat curled up next to me create a feeling of warmth and gratitude for this special day spent snuggled up inside my dry cocoon. While others may feel pampered from a day at the spa, I feel rested and recharged from my time spent indoors on a rainy day. You might say, I’m as happy as the ducks splashing in the puddles outside.

Squirrel Antics

This befuddled squirrel has discovered a resting place on the back of this heron garden statute. It looks like he has taken to new heights in trying to figure out how to get around the squirrel baffle on the birdfeeder located next to the heron. Perhaps this is his thinking chair, or maybe he's trying to sweet-talk the heron into lifiting him onto the birdfeeder.

A Bouquet of Hollyhocks

The hollyhock is outdoing itself. It is adorned in clusters of beautiful flowers and continuing to reach for the stars.

A First!

This is the first time I have ever grown hollyhocks. Until a couple of years ago I didn't even know it was possible to grow them in Florida. I learned it was possible when I spotted them in a garden club's flowerbed at the local library. I was so taken by this towering beauty that I wrote down the name of the variety and set out to grow some of my own.

The first year I planted the seeds in September and watched them through the winter, but when spring came they didn't do anything. Soon summer arrived and the plants died out. Last summer, I planted seeds (summer carnival) a little earlier in August and planted them outdoors when the plants were a good size. In January I purchased a 4-pack of small plants and planted them in the garden as well. To my total delight the plants flourised and began to grow tall and set buds in early April. They have now been flowering for about two weeks.

Both the seeds that I planted and the plants I purchased at the nursery were the variety summer carnival. However, as you can see by the photos they are two very different varieties. The plant I grew from seeds is also different from these two. While it is the same pink color it is a single flower like the yellow one. When I think back to the one I saw at the library I seem to recall that it had several different shades of pink on one stalk???? I don't know which varieties these are, but I am enjoying their beautiful flowers immensely.