"YELLO!"

This month's HOT! LOUD! and PROUD! features

the blazing color of YELLOW!

Do you remember the movie, "Secret of My Success"

starring Michael J. Foxx? Here's the famous limousine scene...

Yes, this video is blazing hot, as is the Swiss band "Yello"  who recorded the tune in 1985 on their "Stella" album (yes, it was an album back then).  The song is more widely known for it's role in the cult hit "Ferris Beuhler's Day Off" (fantastic production filmed in my home base of Chicago starring the adorable Matthew Broderick).

Yellow is by far my favorite color in the garden. 
It brightens every corner, even the smallest.

Bulbine is best appreciated up close.

No need for binoculars to spot this proud Allamanda vine!

The butterflies spot the Tropical Milkweed from miles away!

Maui Yellow Ixora proudly exhibits it's blooms in large clusters!

Beach sunflowers (Helianthus debilis) 

are not only Hot, Loud and Proud, they're hardy as well!

The Chrysopsis stands up to the sand and salt!

This little Tickseed makes a bold statement with it's

symetrically sculptured petals!

The Lantana Gold Mound is bright, cheerful and hardy also!

This Yellow Hibiscus with it's Rosey center is the spotlight of my

HOT yellow garden!

But, selfishly, I cannot in good conscience discuss  HOT YELLOW
without including my HOT! VERY LOUD! and PROUD garden companion, LOLA! 

Notice her blazing yellow underside.  She's brilliant!

What?!  Your HOT! LOUD! and PROUD appetite isn't filled?!  You crave MORE?! 
Well, then, I suggest you hop right over to
Neol's monthly HOT! LOUD! and PROUD meme
to digest more blazing hot posts!!!
(Noel's meme is the last day of every month if you'd like to join in!)

It Ain't Easy Being Green!

It's not easy being green...just ask Kermit! It was so difficult for him, he sang about it!

We're used to our foliage being green, or variegated, red, silver, or whatever color it's supposed to be.  But consider all the factors that change the color of foliage...temperature, light conditions, moisture levels, air pollution, shock, disease, etc.  No, it's not easy being green, my friends!

My young little mango tree experienced such a struggle recently.  It was the victim of something Terrible.  Something GROSS and DiStUrBiNg.  But first, let me take you back to a happier, greener time...days when the fledgling mango was cheerful and healthy.

January 2010 - healthy and uneffected by the record cold temps!

New GREEN growth and buds formed.

And produced fruit for the first time!

Notice the beautiful GREEN color of the leaves and branches?

My sweet, precious, innocent mango tree became the victim of

Do you see the nasty black layer?

This photo is blurry, but you can see the black residue on the leaves and branches.

I don't like dirty, black residue. 

However, I do know that this icky fungus is not typically problematic to my little tree.  Although, if permitted to cover the plant, it could disturb the photosynthesis process, weakening the plant and leaving it exposed to more aggressive assailants.  The more urgent issue is typically what causes the black sooty mold, which is primarily a sucking insect.  Sucking insects produce a sugary excrement called honeydew that the mold grows on.  That sucks!!!!  Sorry...HAD to say it!

Most honeydew producing suckers include

aphids, scale, mealybugs, whiteflies, and leafhoppers. 

So, by reasonable deduction,

to control the mold, one must control the pest.

I prepare myself for what needs to be done.

courtesy of www.insidesocial.com

I ready my weapons...

...a gallon bucket of soap and water

applied with a soft nail brush will do the trick.

I go in for the kill!

In hind sight, I should've worn gloves.

I start scrubbing away.  Not too hard, though.

Leaf by leaf...branch by branch.

If I haven't been named the CRAZY GARDEN LADY before,

I've certainly earned the title now.

At least I wasn't wearing my usual garden decor...LOLA

(who likes to perch on my head)

My son came out to see what I was doing and

ABRUPTLY turned around without saying a word.

I'm certain he thinks I'm NUTS!!!

courtesy www.wikipedia.com

After much elbow grease, patience, and strange looks,

my mango is now mold and scale free!

No, it ain't easy being green!!!

August Favorites

So much has happened in my little garden this month that's it's not easy picking my favorites.  But, Susan at Simply Susan says I have to choose in order to participate in her Monthly Favorites meme, so I did my best.  Most all of my blooms are among my faves...I suppose that's why they have a place in my landscape. But this time I listed them by color category.  I found there's a large number of reds and only one white...hmmmm.  White is obviously  not a favorite of mine in the garden, but perhaps I need to incorporate a little more.  At any rate, August has been hot so it's only natural that the color of the month is red!

Red Hot Hibiscus

El Capitolio - double blooom with white striping

Red bloom with yellow striping

Traditional Presidential

For the Bees and Butterflies

Tropical Milkweed is a favorite of the Monarch Butterfly,

and an important larvae host plant.

Red Porterweed (also comes in Blue)

Little fluffy Chenille plant is finally ready to leave the nursery!

Dwarf Powderpuff Bush

Bromelaids

This one is showing some beautiful color!

This one just recently turned red - only the tips were red previously.

See how green it was?

I especially love the variegation in these.

I don't know the various names. 

I'm hoping Steve from The Rainforest Gardener can give me a hand.

Tropical Reds

Caladium Cluster -

proudly stands alone while all my other Caladiums inter-mingle with other plants.

Heliconia Lady Di - first bloom!! Love it!!

Crown of Thorns

Red hot?  Let's cool off...

Purple berries of the American Beauty Berry are stunning!

Light Lavender shades of Liriope

Volunteer blooms of the Portulaca groundcover

The purple Pentas are a butterfly magnet! (as are the red ones!)

The pretty bluish purple bloom of the aquatic Pickerel Weed... another butterfly button!

Just a few Shy Pinks...

The Dwarf Pink Ruellia is pretty with it's fuschia "tongue".

Cheerful Tillandsia

Yellow is probably my favorite garden color!

Yellow Allamanda

Yellow Ixora looks like a bridal bouquet!

Happy little Zinnias grow throughout my garden!

I love this Yellow/Red Hibiscus so much, I have two bushes!

One Lonely White Bloom!

The Duck Potato looks more like a dancing angel, to me!

Another aquatic plant, the Duck Potato (surprise) is a popular

food source for DUCKS and other aquatic creatures.

I keep this plant and the Pickerel Weed in muck filled pots...they thrive!

There's FRUIT, too!

My MANGO tree produced its first harvest this month!

Thanks to my friend Deborah at The Consumate Gardener for helping

 me ID this yummy variety!

Non-fibrous and juicy!  YUMMY!!

The Brown Turkey Figs look like they'll be ripe soon too!

And for Good Measure...

I couldn't resist this little guy napping in the crown of a young ponytail palm!