My First Blog

This is my first official blog. I am a native midwesterner who relocated to the sunny Treasure Coast of Southeast Florida almost 5 years ago. I've always enjoyed gardening and have been somewhat successful, not because of any expertise or official training mind you. It's just that being raised in the midwest and being accustomed to the native plants and climate made it easy for me to succeed at a hobby I enjoyed. After relocating to a dramatically different climate, I'm finding it extremely fulfilling and fun to learn to garden all over again.

As there is a never-ending list of tropical plants and trees, and as I have only a small piece of paradise to exhibit my garden spaces, I must pick my favorites and plant wisely to maximize the limited space and sun/shade exposure. I must also be aware of growth habit due to our pool...nothing messy is ever to be planted in the backyard near the pool unless I wish to assume pool duty. I also have two dogs and two children who have little to no regard to sensitive or fragile plants. Everything in my yard must be able to support itself one way or another.

With that said, I went about creating spaces, choosing specimens, and filling in the overly stark yard we'd purchased. It's been a learning experience filled with both successes and failures...one that is not even close to ending.

My first purchase was a beautiful red hibiscus that is still thriving in the northeast corner of my fenced lot. It was uprooted a couple of years ago by tropical storm winds, but settled back nicely in it's corner of paradise. I've since added to this lone shrub, but am far from finished with my ever-changing space! The list of plants, trees and shrubs include:

• Palms - cabbage, bottle, ponytail, pygmy date, coconut, majesty, and areca
• Hibiscus - Presidential, Fort Meyers, El Capitola, and a red-with-yellow-streaks hibiscus (I obviously don't know the name but really like the bloom!)
• Fruits - Ponderosa Lemon, Meyer Lemon, Navel Orange, Muscadine Grape, Brown Turkey Fig, Mango, Sunshine Blue blueberry, and Bananas

• Excellent Foliage / Bushes / Shrubs - Eugenia bushes / topiaries, Hawaiian Ti, arbovitae, firebush, dwarf powderpuff, dragon plant, elephant ear, ixora, arboricola, Orange Jasmine, and lantana (both mounding and creeping)
• Tropical flowers / perennials / ground cover - White Bird of Paradise, Orange Bird of Paradise, Mexican Petunia, Pink Cone Flower, Gaillardia, Kalanchoe, agave americana, Canna Lily (including dwarf), Crinum lily (Queen Emma), moss rose, pentas, oyster plants, ground orchid, heliconia, plumeria / frangipani, Vinca, orchid, firecracker plant, ferns, etc.
• Misc. - Purple Fountain Grass, Papyrus Grass, Succulents and cacti, mother of 1000s, corn plant, air plants, and Shamrock Charmed Wine

• Vines / Climbers - Carolina Jasmine, Star Jasmine, Bougainvillea, Honeysuckle, Pothos and Mandavilla

I THINK this list is all-inclusive, for the moment anyway...until I purchase or obtain my next specimen(s). At any rate, this blog will serve as my official garden journal as I continue on my path of tropical gardening! I'm looking forward to watching my blog, and my garden, grow!!