Starting Fresh!

Starting all over again in a deeper zone means learning all over again, too.  In 2005, my family and I relocated from our Midwestern home in USDA hardiness zone 5a to southeast coastal zone 9b.  We were in tropical heaven!  But I soon learned the major gardening differences between the two drastically different zones.  In fact, most everything I planted within my first 6-8 months experienced something similar to spontaneous combustion!  Thankfully I'm a quick study and learned about the heat zones as well as irrigation and soil differences.  When I finally felt I had a handle on the situation, we decided to relocate. 

The new house!

That's, OK, though...we just moved a little south to beautiful, tropical zone 10a. 

Unusual architecture, but what did you expect from me?!?!

No big deal, right?  WRONG!!!!

I've noticed two major differences so far...

I'm closer to the coast now so my "soil" is sand...seriously. 

And because of that, any type of irrigation seems fruitless. 

The water just flows straight through to the water table 

only a foot or two below. 

This has made gardening quite the challenge,

but all the more important to follow

"Florida Friendly" rules of engagement.

My new plantings take so much water with the sandy soil...

I've had to put the breaks on new additions.

On the bright side...

I was worried that after dividing, transplanting, and freezing temperatures,

some of the plants I brought from my previous home

would not make it.

However, I've seen signs of HOPE!!!

Back in December, the frost hit the newly divided and transplanted

bananas really hard.  They all shriveld to brown stalks.
I thought the shock was too much for them.

3 months later, they're popping their tropical heads up again!

 The Epidendrom orchids I received from my friend,
Adina at Manure Depot,
is sending up new shoots and seems to be thriving!

The Costus Ginger I planted here was really sad...but...

They're popping up from the ground...

As well as from the stalk!

My Slipper Plant, or Devil's Backbone, Jacob's Ladder,

Red Bird Cactus or officially Pedilanthus tithymaloides,

has lost all its leaves exposing it's crooked spine.

However, the leaves are starting to return and

BEHOLD.....

It's blooming for the very first time!!! 

The flowers resemble small slippers or bird beaks.

However, approximately 30 feet away,

a couple of crinum lilies struggle in their new home.

While another crinum planted within 10 feet

is showing remarkable resilience!

You can see the struggling crinums to the left in this photo.

My Mother of Thousands,

or Kalanchoe crenato-daigremontiana,

is in BEAUTIFUL bloom!

They actually adore the sandy soil!!

The show is definitely from below...

Another surprise is the Heliconia.

I sincerely thought it was lost.

Both the larger form as well as the

 dwarf version, Mini Me, have survived!

Finally, the bloom that currently puts a smile on my face every day

is my amazingly beautiful Christieara orchid!

I purchased this prize at an orchid sale last year.

It's official name is Chtra. Sharifa Alsagoff.

Chtra. is the accepted abbreviation for the genus Christieara,

a cross of three genera: Aeridies x Ascocentrum x Vanda.

There's no way to stifle a smile when greeted by such velvety cheer!

I'm excited to see how the new Garden in Paradise will evolve!