The Welcome Mat

Welcome!  Come this way.  Enjoy the surrounding paradise!

This is what I want my entry and garden paths to say to everyone as they enter, pass through, and meander about.  Hopefully I am achieving this goal as the landscape changes and takes shape.  I'm pleased with the front entry to date.  Initially nonexistent...

The day we moved in, December 2010

 

...the entry, or lack of, was completely undefined

and left visitors wondering which way to go. 

We created a pathway that fit our style and that of the surrounding landscape.

 

 

The rustic steps match the home and organic feel of the property. 

Informal structure, if you will. 

We cut out garden space surrounding the steps

to add interest and soften the edges. 

Since this area receives dappled sun throughout the day,

I wanted to brighten the space with year-round color.  

I decided on low maintenance variegated Liriope. 

 

 

Stromanthe sanguinea adds color as it alternates with the Liriope.

 

 

The dappled light displays the colors nicely without overwhelming.

 

 

Copperleaf, or Acalypha godseffiana,

was added to the top of the path on both sides

to accentuate the actual entrance of our home.

 

 

The bright colors and oddly shaped leaves create

additional interest and an airy, zen feeling.

 

 

Queen Emma Crinum Lily was added at the base

of an existing Slash Pine tree to add balance and beauty.

 

 

The finished entry as it looks today.

 

 

The view from the front patio is beautiful and peaceful

as the morning light dances about the garden.

 

Stay tuned as more spaces take shape and mature into places of peace and tranquility.

 

Flourishing Efflorescence for GBBD and FF

Happy Garden Bloggers Bloom Day and Fertilizer Friday / Flaunt Your Flowers!!  This is my first time participating in Fertiziler Friday, so I'm excited to join the group! 

I'm happy to report many Flourishing Efflorescence this month.  It's been really hot and humid, even more so than usual in sunny South Florida.  However, many of my landscape residents apparently love it!  You be the judge...

The Dwarf Powderpuff is a favorite for all things that buzz,

especially this busy bumble bee!

This is a roadside special I picked up but am unsure what it is. The foliage is iris-like, but the bloom doesn't look like an iris to me.

Any takers?

This is another bloom from the same plant.  It likes very wet soil so I keep it in a pot.

The Tillandsia (airplants) are really loving the rainforest environment!

This is my son's air plant. Last year, it only sent out one bloom stalk...this year two!

The purple Angelonia sing their angelic praises!

Pretty, native Cassia.

Another bright, cheerful native, the American Beauty Berry. 

The purple peaking out of the lush green foliage is very striking!

This peachy dwarf Canna decorates my front entry garden.

This little peachy bromelaid planted in a white bird of paradise stump also adourns the front entry garden.  It kindof blends with the mulch in this photo!

All of the Lantana enjoy the heat and wet conditions, just like this L. Bandana Orange Sunrise,

Lantana Trailing Purple,

Lantana Gold Mound,

and Lantana Trailing Pure White. 

The butterflies can't get enough of these little bouquets!

On the flip side, the Firecracker plant has produced its blooms very sparingly this season.  I don't mind...I really like the delicate foliage.

The grassy Liriope is happy and sharing some pretty lavendar spikes.

The rainforest conditions are heavenly for this moss covered tree trunk that is also hosting an air plant.

Moisture begets mushrooms!

Here's the culprit that keeps chewing my daylilies down to the ground.

I wonder if this Monarch butterfly is laying eggs on the milkweed?!

Had to share this pretty bromelaid covered in fallen purple bougainvillea blooms.

The atmosphere is the perfect companion for the heliconia - first bud!

I can't wait for it to open!

I'm so happy to report the new Chenille plants given to me by my friend Adina, aka the Manure Maven, are over their transplant shock, rooting well and sending out little baby chenille blooms!!

And this awesome little Portulaca variety volunteered itself this year.  My neighbors tell me it's a weed but I won't pull it...it's really a lovely ground cover!

There's more blooms and color in my garden, but you won't have time to check them all out if you plan on heading over to Carol's May Dreams Gardens and TootsieTime's Fertilizer Friday / Flaunt Your Flowers to see what else is blooming !

New Poolside Garden Phase I

When I relocated to South Florida 5 years ago, my landscape goal was to create a tropical paradise...something my native midwestern family had never been able to enjoy unless on vacation!  In doing so, I've created a mowing nightmare in my backyard.  Thus, toward the end of last year, I decided to begin filling in more of my dwindling backyard so the difficult areas to mow could maintain themselves.  During the cold snap, I identified a perfect place to create a tropical garden space...along a narrow strip of grass between the pool deck and the privacy fence.  After a VERY successful visit to the local retail garden shop, I couldn't wait to get started!

At this point, I really must pause to give some credit where credit is due.  I don't usually prefer to promote the large retail garden centers over the local nursery, BUT, this weekend's clearance rack at Lowes made it possible for me to begin my poolside garden.  I happened to be in the right place at the right time!!

I used some of the plants to fill in where the cold had left some empty spots in my front landscape.  But the rest was used to begin Phase I of the poolside garden!!  Here's the space BEFORE with only two Queen Emma Crinum lilies.

 

The plan is to clear the entire fence row, but I only had time / plants for a portion of the space (Phase 1!). Here's Phase 1 cleared of grass (and weeds!) with plants laid out (note the poor Queen Emmas have been drastically cut back from the cold...but they'll be fine).

I divided pots of plants, creating two and three individuals out of the one...making the most of my money!  These plants will spread by the end of summer, filling in the space very nicely!

After a long day's work and a sore back, Phase I is complete!

But there's still more to do!  The strip will be cleared all the way to the house.  While the Cannas and Crinums are the focus next to the pool, I'll plant a Ponytail Palm, Firecracker Plant (maybe) and some dwarf Mondo Grass in the Phase II space.

So what specifically is planted in this little space?  First, of course my favorite, the Queen Emma Crinum Lilies.

The complimentary flowers consist of cannas...two kinds were divided from my front yard...  the dwarf peach canna...

and the Tropicanna Phaison with it's gorgeous foliage and bright orange blooms. 

The new addition is the stunning Tropicanna Gold!  (I had to add some of this out front too...I couldn't resist)

The ground cover consists of Liriope,

Ferns

Sedum

and Dianthus for some temporary color!

Stay tuned for Phase II.  For now, I have the job of keeping the dogs out of the newly planted space and providing my back with some Advil!!