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!

Hoyas and Waterlogged!

I have been asked many times about growing Hoyas. 

I've often wanted to blog about them, so here's my chance! 

Hoya is a genus comprised of some 200-300 species of tropical vines or climbing plants.  The species differ in many ways from waxy and shiny to hairy foliage and inflorescence.  The colors vary widely as well, ranging from pure white to electrifying red.  Many are grown as house plants in more temperate regions.  Considering the extensive number of species, I must assume I know relatively little about the Hoya genus.  My primary experience is with the common Hoya carnosa.  I currently own two of this species which live outdoors year round.

However common, I understand why the Hoya carnosa is so popular.  It has beautiful thick green leaves on long, reaching vines that make a lovely specimen in and of itself.  The real prize, though, is the amazing bouquet of blooms, called umbels, produced on the hanging vines.  The plant seems to understand that due to it's climbing habit, most people will display it in a hanging basket where it's long limbs can hang and sway in the breeze or on a trellis where it can climb to its hearts desire.  When the cluster of blooms burst from the hanging or climbing vines, the bouquet grows upside down in an umbrella style to be admired from below.  I love smart plants!

The flower buds are a bit inconspicious at first.  Upon closer inspection, the small nodules are curiously unattractive.  In fact, they look similar to a knotty clump or disease on the vine.  As they mature, the individual buds become more visible and defined.  

Finally, the umbels burst open to form a lovely cluster of star shaped, waxy blooms that produce sweet nectar. Many varieties exude a sweet fragrance as well.  I find the inflorescence fascinatingly beautiful!

Personally, I currently have two Hoya plants, both H. carnosa.  I purchased one plant from an estate sale.  It came in a large black kettle.  Knowing that Hoyas do not like to be disturbed unless absolutely necessary, I did not repot it.  Since the plant had lived quite nicely on a pool deck in direct sun, I decided to put it in an area where it receives direct sun most of the day with dappled light in the hot mid-to-late afternoon.  This goes against common Hoya growing requirements of bright but not direct light.  However, I'm a firm believer in mimicing the original environment, as long as the plant is thriving.  This particular plant blooms quite regularly.

The other plant is smaller, obtained from a cutting, and lives in a clay pot underneath mature slash pines.  It receives dappled light and shade throughout the day.  This plant has not bloomed to date, and has a medium growth habit.  It is currently making its way up one of the tree trunks.  I tried to force it as a ground cover, but it really does insist on climbing.  The lack of blooms could be due to its immature age and/or inefficient light.  For now, since the foliage is beautifully green and healthy, I will leave it alone, hoping for blooms in good time.

Since I live in tropical zone 10a, my outdoor Hoyas require little care.  I make sure they are watered, albeit sparingly, during the dry winter months.  Being tropical plants, they are accustomed to wet/dry seasons.  I also feed them lightly twice a year and provide protection during frosty nights.  Plants grown outside tropical areas have some basic requirements:

• Provide some source of humidity during dry periods.  Mist with a spray bottle or keep in a humid space such as the bathroom or kitchen. 
• Do not disturb the plant once buds appear.
• Do not remove spent flowers.
• Do not repot unless absolutely necessary.
• Provide bright light, permitting some direct sun, avoiding hot afternoon sun.
• If a plant has not bloomed in several years, I might try relocating it to a sunnier location, assuming it is mature enough to produce blooms.  Feed lightly with a salt free fertilizer and avoid filtered water containing salt. 
• Keep Hoyas in temperatures above 55-60 degrees.  Remember, they are native to tropical India.

Good Luck!

 

Changing the subject a bit, I'm a firm believer in the "right place, right plant" method of gardening.  Care in planning and planting the landscape go a long way when it comes to the amount of regular maintenance later on.  However, unforeseen and unusual conditions force unplanned maintenance sometimes.  Many areas of Florida have experienced an extremely wet rainy season, especially lately.  In my garden, the pond is overflowing its banks and the surrounding ground is completely saturated leaving the water with no escape. 

Dry Season, Dry Dock

Pond overflowing it's banks.

Many of my well-planned garden spaces are covered in 3-4 inches of water, leaving my plants to soak in a pool of water.  Most of the higher elevations are slowly drying out (I thought I'd never be thankful for the sand we call soil!) but some areas are death traps for my cherished vegetation.  I had no choice but to dig up a few specimens.

This Bromeliad might as well have been in a bucket of water!

My new Rosella cutting was in dire need of rescue.  This is a poor photo taken at dusk and in the rain during my emergency rescue.  This fence row is usually hot and dry. 

The Cape Honey Suckle is extremely unhappy.  It's lower branches are turning brown.  However, since this area seems to be drying somewhat quickly, I've decided to leave it alone and wait it out, hoping for signs of resilience.

(Update: since this photo about a week ago, the honeysuckle has continued to brown leaving only the green tops. The green tops look healthy, though.)

I'm hoping for the best for my waterlogged garden, and have decided to permanently relocate my new Rosella and Bromeliads, just in case!  I'll plant a water-friendly specimen in the areas surrounding the pond.  Live and learn, I suppose!

Fall in Paradise

Although it's been 3 month's since my last blog post, and my blogging had slowed considerably prior to that post, I'm happy that I have spent my time outside in my lovely garden in paradise.  Since the move to our new property almost a year ago, it's been fun (and sweaty) creating our new paradise and watching it take hold.  The new additions are still small and dwarfed by the mature landscape, but in time it will all blend beautifully!

Some of the new additions have bloomed for the first time.  The two Dwarf Poincianas, Caesalpinia Pulcherrima actually, struggled through the dry season but have tripled their size since the rains came and are now in glorious bloom!

The exotic blooms hypnotize me!  They're still just 2-1/2 to 3' tall and the blooms are heavy on the tips of the thin branches.  The giant Royal Poinciana can reach 30' in hieght with a 50' spread, so my dwarf versions are perfect for my yard that already has its fair share of mature trees and shade.

The bromiliads made a spectacular display this summer.  One is still in bloom.

Various orchids are in brilliant bloom right now!

Potinara Hoku Gem 'Freckles' has turned out to be a real prize.  This guy requires little attention and has been in constant bloom since early summer.  More bloom spikes continue to appear.  I moved the pot to a premium spot at the front entry in order to enjoy the show when it first went into bloom.  'Freckles' seems to thrive in this space, and has earned its position at the front door!

The non-native but naturalized Monk Orchids, Oeceoclades maculata,  have been blooming for a couple of months now.  They have very sweet, small flowers that are best admired up close.  Since many argue that this orchid is invasive, I keep two in pots and dispose of the seed pods.  I do not worry about the couple that grow wild in my yard as some critter seems to favor their flavor, munching the leaves down to the ground. My friend Prem Subrahmanyam authors a fantastic website featuring Florida's native and naturalized orchids, as well as his own photography.  You can read more about the Monk Orchid on Prem's site here.   

This fantastic specimen, Miltassia Charles M. Fitch 'Izumi', was a raffle prize won by my daughter at our local orchid society meeting one evening.  Beautiful, isn't it?  The hybrid was made by crossing Miltonia spectabilis to Brassia verrucosa. The Miltonia imparts the purple colouring, the Brassia imparts the long narrow tepals.  Interesting heritage, but really, I just like the pretty flowers.  And, to boot, this orchid has attractive foliage!  I must admit that I'm not a huge orchid lover when they are not in bloom.  Kind of a fair weather fan, I suppose.  

I've written about this gem before, and it's definitely one of my favorite orchids.  Christiera Sharifa Alsagoff is a vanda hybrid.  Its permanent home is among the palms in my front tropical Bromiliad and Orchid island.  When in bloom, the cheerful purple blossoms stand out amidst the lush green foliage beautifully!  I only wish it would stay in bloom all year round! 

And finally, the orchid I wait for all year is my prized Dendrobium.  Its stalks grow bigger every year, producing huge, beautiful flower spikes.  This year, I have 4 spikes blooming at the same time, boasting 12 blooms each.  I would love to show it off at a show or something, but the plant itself is really not a site for public admiration.  However, I prize this beauty and look forward to it's spectacular display every year! 

The Heliconia FINALLY sprouted new shoots and blooms.

This is one that I brought with me when we moved last year.  Recently, at our local Master Gardener Fall Plant Sale, my daughter spotted some lobster claw Heliconia (rostrata).  Of course, I couldn't pass it up.  I wonder how long it will take to establish and bloom? 

Speaking of the MG Plant Sale, I found some other goodies I couldn't pass up either.  My favorite purchase of the day was a Rosella, or Hibiscus sabdariffa.  The burgandy color and maple leaf shape caught my eye immediately!

Apparently well known for it's numerous medicinal purposes, the shrub grows 7-8' tall, produces large blooms similar to it's cousin, Hibiscus cannabinus, and bright red fruit used to make tea and food coloring.  The leaves are edible, consumed as a spicy spinach, and the stem is used to produce a bast fibre.  In my landscape, this colorful addition is simply an ornamental next to my pond, although I may give the tea a try.

This Buddha Belly Jatropha, or Jatropha Podagrica, peaked my interest, since I'd never seen one before.  Hmmmm....unusual, strange and full of interest...I must have it!  Once I brought it home, I did some research, praying it wouldn't grow to a crazy 50' or something.  No fear.  This little pot bellied wonder should remain on the smaller size, growing to 2-3' tall.  The bulbous stem produces a cluster of bright orange and yellow flowers along with a crown of fun and attractive lobed leaves.  It prefers moderately fertile soil which means it will remain potted in my landscape. 

My final purchase at the MG plant sale was a native Wild Coffee plant, or Psychotria nervosa.  This shrub will tolerate shade or sun, growing to 10' tall with an 8' spread in the shade while full sun keeps it smaller and more compact.   Wild Coffe produces shiny green leaves, fragrant white flowers that attract butterflies and bright red fruits that attract birds.  Perfect!! 

Speaking of fragrant white blooms, I found this lovely vine growing along the fence. Most of what I find along the fence row is not permitted to stay (ie poison ivy).  However, this White Twine Vine produces an intoxicatingly lovely fragrance and sweet little bouquets of white flowers so it's OK to  stay!

Other blooms creating a fall paradise right now include the pretty Jatropha integerrima...

the exotic Hoya...

The waxy Hoya blooms are so interesting they deserve a closer look...

the Clerodendrum paniculatum, or Pagoda plant....

the pretty Desert Rose...

and this dainty succulent display.  I love the bell shaped bloom with green tips and orange base...such fall colors!

Finally, the dock my husband built during the dry season...

has been christened by this seasons rains!! 

Our latest project is not finished yet, but we've started creating the front walkway.  My husband's muscles come in handy!  The path, unfinished at this time, will continue down to the entry drive. 

This photo was taken before we added the stromanthe in between the grassy liriope.

The choice of variegated liriope with the bright colors of stromanthe create light, color and interest to the border.  Now that the cooler weather is upon us, we'll be able to do more work outside without fear of heat stroke!

Finally, some wildlife photos. 

The beauty of having such a variety of plants ("weeds" included)

is the variety of wildlife that we are able to experience!

These "twin" Zebra Longwings seemingly hatched from this single chrysalis!!

The Peacock Butterflies are primarily attracted to wild flowers in the lawn and along the pond bank.

The Fritillaries enjoy the butterfly garden (Pagoda blooms in this photo) and Lantana.

I was fortunate to catch this Swallowtail shortly after emerging from its chrysalis.  It was fun to watch his wings grow before he flew away to nourishing Pentas.  The hungry lizard I saved him from wasn't as happy with me!

Hopefully I won't take as long between blogs,

but on the flip side,

that means I'm out in the garden

where we all like to be! 

Happy Fall Everyone!!!