July Already!

Is it July already?  I guess I've been busy, like everyone else.  Most of my gardening at this point has been watering, weeding and composting the sand...I mean soil.  When the ground you're trying to grow in is pure sand, it takes a lot of work...more than I'd originally counted on.  Thankfully I enjoy it!  So, a brief show of what's been going on...

The Beauty Berry has been flowering

I hope to see bright purple berries this year,

before the birds and squirrels get them!

We watched a black and blue pipevine butterfly

lay eggs, although she was not happy to be photographed. 

However, her eggs successfully hatched!

The Dutchman's pipevine is the host plant to these caterpillars.

Here's a pipe getting ready to open...such an interesting bloom!

Meanwhile, my daughter, Sophia, exhibited her cheer talents for the first time.

I can't help being a proud mom!

Meanwhile, my Mini Me ginger bloomed for the very first time!!!

One of my Hoya pots was blooming non-stop!

I usually post macros of these bouquets

but it's nice to see several clusters in one shot.

The Pagoda Flower, Clarodendrum paniculatum,

is intoxicatingly beautiful in my opinion.

Here's the roadside view...

Purple Showers decorate the fencrow as well.

One of my favorites,

Clematis crispa (swamp leatherflower),

bloomed along the fencerow. 

I hope it successfully reseeded

so I can enjoy more of these beautiful little bells!

Although considered a weed,

I let the Duck Potato grow next to the pond. 

I think it's pretty.

My two young dendrobiums from the Phillipines

are showing great promise. 

I'm excited for them to mature and bloom!

I purchased both from Max's Orchids

at an orchid society meeting/sale. 

The stalks hang down from the trees

and produce magnificent cascading blooms.

I missed my cactus in bloom due to vacation.

But it was worth it! 

We enjoyed a trip to the midwest to visit family.

The Ohio River Valley is beautiful this time of year. 

Loved some hiking at Clifty Falls State Park,

although the falls were just a trickle during this dry season.

Of course I had to stop for some fungus...so cool!

Then back to hiking the limestone cliffs.

Not every day was filled with hiking, though. 

I found this sweet antique sink posing as a planter

outside a cafe in Nashville, IN.

Vacation doesn't last forever though.  Back in paradise...

The Hibiscus are in beautiful bloom.

The giant orange bromeliad blooms are almost ready to burst open!

And the Crinum lilies look like a battered flag after war...

the lubbers are chewing them to shreds!

So we had no choice but to just go fishing!

Bonita isn't as tasty as it is beautiful so we practiced catch and release.

More to come...the summer's just begun. 

Happy 4th of July!

May Flowers Finally!

Although I am blessed with blooms and green foliage all year in South Florida,

the early rains this year have brought on some fabulous blooms!

I have several Frangipani in my yard, all young starters.

This one bloomed for the first time and is spectacular!

The bromeliads are in bloom.

The blooms are easily missed

They're like little gardens inside a garden!

The Hibiscus are also in bloom.

This pure yellow is always a show stopper!

This peachy Hibiscus reminds me of the northern Peonies that I miss so much!

I'm always intrigued by the Stapelia Giganta bloom. I looks like a starfish on land!

My passionvine is in full swing again, and is decorating the fencerow.

I planted 24 more bulbs last fall to help fill in the Caladium garden 

underneath the Saw Palmetto stand in the front yard. 

They're popping up beautifully!

The Easter Lilies are better late than never!

The Powderpuff blooms look like the tips light up with fiberoptics!

Rudbeckia is always cheerful!

I'm so excited that my little native coffee starter has blooms!

Both of my Hoyas are in bloom with multiple bouquets gracefully waving in the breeze!

Although not a bloom, I must show off my new Colocasia that is thriving next to the dock.  I found it in a rubish pile.  I planted it in a space that will be underwater by the end of the season, so I will probably relocate it.  However, the roots were wet with moss on them, so I wanted to plant it in a familiar setting.  I think it was a good choice.

I have brand new Dendrobium blooms. 

I don't know the name of this one, but I LOVE it!

The vegetable garden is in full swing! First pepper of the season!

I've recently been given a cutting of a vine, but I do not know what it is.

Any suggestions?

And since we're always working on a project, here's the latest...

This is the rough remains of a friend's much used party pontoon boat.  

After some rehabilitation, the boat will be given a new life as the "Pond Tiki",

residing on our lovely pond. 

The slide and side rails have already come off,

and the deck was painted yesterday. 

Now onto constructing the tiki! 

Stay tuned for project updates! 

Orchid Cache!

Recently I was the oh-so-blessed finder

of an amazing orchid cache. 

Five orchids of various types

had been neglected and discarded to the curb

for the bi-weekly refuse team to collect and destroy. 

Fortunately for me and the orchids,

I happened by and came to the rescue.

These poor, pathetic plants need so much help! 

Their potting medium is all but gone

and the roots cling desperately

to the sides of the clay pots they’re housed in

extracting any moisture they can. 

They are scraggly and gangly,

reaching for a better place to live. 

However, I’m amazed at the resiliency

of these so-called “delicate” and “fussy” plants. 

In spite of the obvious neglect,

each of these orchids appear remarkably healthy! 

I didn’t say they are pretty in their current state,

but they are certainly in good condition. 

Of course they live in South Florida

and not in an icy tundra, but still! 

So many people believe orchids are difficult to grow. 

This is just another example of the

“Right Plant, Right Place” rule.

Taking a closer look, I have obtained some Cattleya species.

I checked with my local orchid society

on repotting advise. 

I will need to soak the roots to soften them

and slowly try to lift them off the clay pot. 

If I’m not successful,

I can break the pots and leave small pieces

of clay attached to the root.

I also acquired a Dendrobium...

Check out these roots!

And this tangled mess of Vanda:

Here's a new one growing out the top with it's own set of roots...

I must admit that I am excited

to untangle this beauty and

divide it into numerous plants! 

Who doesn’t love a Vanda?!?!

This Cattleya is in bloom. 

Wow! 

Can you believe someone discarded

a blooming orchid? 

I will wait for the blooms to fade

before repotting this one. 

Of course I’m wondering about the specific identity

of each orchid variety.

I’ll have to wait for those not in bloom

 to show themselves,

but I should be able to find the name

of the one in bloom, shouldn’t I?

After all, you can find anything via Google, right?

Not so.

After perusing endless photos of orchids,

I still have not found the identity of mine.

Certainly it is a Cattleya.

Or is it?

Perhaps it’s a Potinara

which is a hybrid of Cattleya

involving four different genus…

Brassavola x Cattleya x Laelia x Sophronitis to be exact.

I know about this because

I have a Potinara Hoku Gem named ‘Freckles’.

Since Potinara could be a possibility,

I researched some more only to find that

Potinaras really aren’t Potinaras anymore. 

It’s so confusing! 

Apparently the “Orchid Naming Committee” got together

and reclassified a bunch of the parent species

that created the Potinara,

thus changing the name of the Potinara. 

Just when I start to get a small grip on this orchid thing,

something or someone decides to stir the pot…

like the “Orchid Naming Committee.” 

You can read about it by clicking here.  

In short, my Potinara Hoku Gem ‘Freckles’ is now

a Brassocattleya Hoku Gem.

Seriously, I can’t keep up.

Back from my tangent,

I simply want to find the identity

of my pretty, peachy orchid.

If anyone has an idea, please let me know!