March at a Glance

Sombreuil

~~ Notes on the March Garden ~~   
    

If I had to choose a favorite month out of the year it would...without a doubt...be March!

Warm days...cool nights...and a RIOT of non-stop flowering plants. There's so much blooming at this time of year that I barely have time to catch my breath between the waves of spring blooms.

MARCH MADNESS

You could call it March Madness...not that boring basketball stuff (no offense :-) to all you basketball fans), but the wonderful madness of a garden exploding with spring flowers in all shades of the rainbow.

And it all started with the azaleas in soft shades of pink and purple.

Followed by the bright yellow Tabebuia tempered somewhat by the blue (Blue Sage) and white (Indian hawthorne) beneath her. But she definitely takes center stage.

Along with the warm weather comes the beautiful  winged creatures. Their return to the garden is a most welcome sight as they drift from one flower to the next drinking up all that first sweet nectar of spring.

And, then the roses!
After a short rest period and a trim in late February they're back in full swing.
Just look at all those eager buds.

Planted last year...this Double pink Knock-out has won my heart with its phenomenal flush of beautiful flowers. I can count over 65 blooms just on this one side...definitely one of the best bloomers in my garden. It must be very happy with its location...and all those sweet words of praise I keep lavishing on it.

It's an amazing transition from the reddish new leaf growth...to the first early blossoms...and then that "wonderful madness" of blooms!

Something New!

I like ground orchids...but I don't like the fact that they need protection from the cold weather, so this year I decided to try the Chinese ground orchid more commonly called the hardy ground orchid Bletilla striata. This orchid can be planted in the garden without fear of freezing. Its foliage disappears in late fall (similar to the peacock ginger and caladiums), and returns in late February for a March bloom.

I ordered a plant from an online nursery that quickly developed buds and bloomed. The funny thing is that I was visiting my neighbor Nancy, and noticed several clumps of this jewel in her backyard. I asked her about it, and she eagerly shared that this was the plant that got her hooked on gardening. She also insisted on giving me a nice-sized clump to take home with me. I split the clump...kept half of it and shared the other half with my mother, who also likes ground orchids. I look forward to dividing clumps of it in the future and spreading it around the garden.

Another newbie and first-time plant in my garden is the delphinium. I've admired them in other people's gardens, and this year I bought 3 and planted them in a sunny location in late January. They did not disappoint! Next year I'll plant a few more.

Don't you just love it when you discover you can grow plants you never thought you could?

 A little more blue and white

Left to right: Virginia sweetspire (wonderful fragrance), along with two natives:  Blue-eyed grass and Flag iris.

And, the WONDERFUL MARCH MADNESS continues...  

Is it obvious that I like color...all colors?

In the upper right photo you can see that delphinium towering up in the air.

Four Reasons to Plant a Bottlebrush Tree

This small tree was alive with polllinators...so much so that it sounded like the tree was buzzing.

Life's Simple Pleasures

So much sweet juicy goodness in one small berry!

As the month of March winds down...one by one...the amaryllis bulbs are joining in on the blooming madness of a Florida spring garden,

And the English Dogwoods are joining in, too. This airy, free-flowing plant will soon be covered in these simple but adorable bright white flowers.

This cold-tolerant plant...located in the shade...loses some of its leaves in winter, but spring brings a new flush of fresh green and pretty flowers, too.

It very slowly multiplies in size, and new plants can easily be separated from the mother plant.




But not all was pleasant about March. The last day of the month brought a scary storm...with winds over 60 mph...that left a lot of damage in its wake and a deluge of rain...so far 3.5 inches.

A large oak branch toppled many orchids on the back deck.


As well as knocking over a stand of hanging orchid pots.

Our back and both side yards are littered with small and large oak branches. The poor oak over the deck took a real beating.

I do hope that no one experienced devastating damage to their gardens from our uninvited visitor. Another bit of March Madness...but definitely not the good kind. We are fortunate that we don't often have such damaging spring storms. It looks like I've...and probably most of you, too...got a little clean up work to do. :-)

I have enjoyed seeing the many blooms in all my Florida garden blogger friend's garden's this month, and find it fascinating watching as spring spreads northward week by week.

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!

Love is in the Air!

Valentine's Day is almost here, and love is definitely in the air around our house.

An afternoon walk on a gray, overcast day was all the proof we needed...as we watched our neighbors preparing for the big day.

 :-)   :-)   :-)   :-)   :-)

~~ Let's dance~~

Happy Faces

We're so fortunate to have plenty of sunshine during the winter months here in Florida, but occasionally we do get some gloomy, white overcast skies. And, when that happens there's nothing more cheerier in the garden than the sweet, happy faces of pansies.  

From single colors to ornately decorated multi-colored varieties...each one as pretty as the next.

You can see that I was smitten by...what looks like every color and combo imaginable.

I plant them in containers...

This one was planted in November with the pretty coleus for autumn color. When the coleus later froze, the pansies filled in the container. They're worth the cost and the time to plant them as they'll last for many, many months.

I plant them in the ground...

because I know I can depend on them throughout the winter months to add some much needed color to the island bed in the frontyard. They make a nice cold-hardy combination centered between ornamental kale and some good-ole Georgia collard greens. Even if you don't like to eat collards...they make a great looking (quite large and showy) addition to any flowerbed...front- or backyard.

I'm always amazed when people ask me why I'm planting flowers in winter. Yes, they look tender...but these magical little "bundles of cheer" love winter, and they bring plenty of joy and warmth to my heart with their sunny, happy faces.

Definitely worth it!



January at a Glance

                 ~~ Notes on the January 2011 garden~~

The weather pattern of consistently cold weather continues...as it has for the past three winters. Our lowest temp. for the month was 28 degrees. The Florida Gold Mound Sedum has been a good addition to the garden, and I'll definitely be planting more of it. And, the Indian blanket flowers are another proven year round winner.

The good news is that the rain has returned. We received a generous 4.25 inches in the last two weeks of the month. The grass is slowly recovering from December's heavy frost, and I'm itchin to cut back roses, fertilize and get things going again. I have to keep reminding myself that winter is not over yet.

While I wait...new "cold-hardy" additions have been added to spots in need of a little bit of color.

From left to right...

Two Burford hollies were added as a food source for the birds and for their dark green glossy leaves.

More Nandinas (Heavenly Bamboo) were added for their berries and their vibrant winter color.

Two Abelia 'Kaleidoscope' were added for their colorful foliage which is more vibrant if planted in the sun. These guys can take the cold, so I'm anxious to see if they can stand the heat.

A Gardenia was added for its shiny light green leaves and wonderful scent.  

Also, added was another rosemary plant for scent and gorgeous texture.

Another new plant to my garden is this Japanese privet 'Jack Frost' for its pretty variegated foliage.

A couple of new camellias were added...the bright white Mine-No-Yuki  (below) and Northern Lights (a white flower with delicate pink edging). Once the flowers of the Mine-No-Yuki are fully opened you can't see the delicate yellow stamens in the center.

A second bottlbrush tree and a Louis Phillipe (Cracker rose) were added for the hummingbirds.

Already setting buds...it will soon be blooming.

A pleasant surprise was this matchstick bromeliad with variegated leaves from my aunt's garden. I have the solid green variety, but didn't know there was also a variegated one. It looks great even when it's not blooming.This bromeliad is also very cold-hardy.

One of my favorite winter flowers is the Fashion azalea. It's a small bush, but it blooms for several months beginning in December, and adds much needed color in the winter garden. The frost killed the first flowers in December, but she's back in flowering mode. (A note to myself to plant some pretty white alyssum in from of them.)

In the vegetable garden the snow peas are growing taller, and have begun to bloom again...they took a short break during the coldest weather. The first strawberry bud is emerging, and is a welcome sight. And, the broccoli planted in September continues to produce new side shoots. In the next week and a half, they'll be pulled out to make way for a potato crop.

January's Simple Pleasures

The weather has been more moderate, and this week promises a jump into the upper 70's...possibly even 80, and that has brought me out of hibernation and back into the garden for some necessary cleanup...mostly pulling weeds, shrub trimming, and my favorite...planting new plants. The plants hurt by frost and freezing temps have new shoots at their base and look eager for spring.

Winter Visitors

Butterflies are not as prolific in winter as they are the rest of the year, but this little native Tropical Checkered-Skipper was enjoying a snack from the Stokes' Aster on a sunny day this month. I also saw him sipping a little nectar from the pansies, as well.

The Stokes' Aster 'Stokesia laevis' is native to the Southeast. It's planted in between a couple of frozen pentas, and almost looks like an artificial plant with its green foliage and pretty flowers. Apparently, it doesn't seem to mind the cold weather one little bit. The plant has multiplied nicely since I planted it in late summer, and soon I'll divide this low growing perennial and plant more along the edge of the island bed.

The American Goldfinches have found the feeder with nyger seeds that's tucked into the tabebuia tree. These little "winter visitors" are so adorable, and fun to watch. They also seem to enjoy the seeds from the crape mrytle trees.

This close-up shot shows two little birds (lower left and upper right) waiting patiently for their turn at the feeder. They are well protected deep within the branches, and actually quite camoflaged, as well.

The large populations of birds that winter in Florida...if I was a bird I would definitely winter here, too...are one of the nicest aspects of winter.

A Note to those of you who participate in My Favorites each month: I've decided not to continue with these posts this year, but thank each of you who chose to join me each month.

Winter Veggies

The winter vegetable garden is humming along...seeming to enjoy the chilly weather. While the broccoli planted in late September is finishing up...

 the seedlings planted in late November are growing nicely. Next winter I will make a note to plant the second round of broccoli a little earlier...in late October or early November to keep the harvest closer together. Last week we planted a few more Cherry Belle radish seeds to keep them going.

One single, solitary tomato bush planted in a container is now setting fruit after having spent a big part of December in the garage instead of the garden. It won't be long before we can enjoy these Sweet 100 cherry tomatoes on our salad.

New tomato seeds have been planted in anticipation of planting in late February.

Here's a good pic of the 1st round of broccoli and the most recently planted in front of it. Leaf lettuce is filling up the salad bowl, while the recently planted romaine is gaining a foothold in the garden.

Don't you just love the varying colors of vegetables? The broccoli is such a pretty color blue and the chartreuse-colored lettuce...just as pretty as any landscape plants in my opinion.

The green onions, leeks and carrots are thriving. More Petite Sweet carrot seeds were put into the ground last week, and I need to pull some leeks and cook up a batch of potato and leek soup.

Growing vegetables in winter seems so much easier to me than any other time. There's less bugs...less disease...and the plants just laugh at frost and freezing temps.

And, in addition...there's a large variety of veggies to choose from...certainly more than I planted. We planted our favorites: broccoli, carrots, collards, radishes, snow peas, lettuce, green onions, spinach, tomatoes in a container, dill, parsley, onion chives, thyme and potatoes.

And, speaking of potatoes...A bag of red, purple and yellow small potatoes...purchased from the supermarket...will be planted on February 14th. Our first crop last year was super easy...and so yummy that we're gonna do it again this year.

As the garden continues to produce...we are enjoying plates of crisp salad straight from the garden, and bowls of hearty soups to warm us up on a cold night.

Winter Jewels

Among the burned foliage, and what seems like a sea of monotonous green...lies a few winter jewels that sparkle in the sunlight and brighten my day.

Simply spectacular

As pretty as any flower in the garden!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

A Ray of Sunshine on a dreary day

Pansies always make me smile!

Thank God for winter flowers and the much needed rain showers we're having today.