Central Florida has been so hot and dry! Predictions of rain over the next few days don't have me all that excited...kind of reminds me of the boy that cried wolf. The 10 day forecast has us in the 80's every day, with little chance of rain showers. I hope your gardens are receiving some liquid sunshine. It could be much worse, so I'll just keep watering what's wilting, and enjoy summer in November. This morning's heavy fog turned the garden into something magical...
Have you noticed how the fog insulates your world, and it seems to say 'hush', to everything around you?
As I was taking these photos, I was thinking how beautiful the Knockout roses have become this fall. I'll be perfectly honest, even though I grow them, I've made some derogatory remarks about Knockouts over the years. Perhaps, my next post will be in defense of them.
Clerodendrum 'Ugandense', common name, 'blue butterfly bush'.
Flower of the blue butterfly bush...
Coleus are still beautiful, and will be, until a frost or freeze.
The dew on these rose leaves, almost looked like ice (shudder).
Petal drop from a camellia.
Sasanqua camellias begin blooming in Central Florida, in October, and continue for a couple of months. They too, like Knockout roses, are often maligned. Some growers of camellias
prefer only the larger flowered, Japonica camellias. I have both, but I prefer the Sasanquas because they can take more sun, and bloom early enough to avoid freeze damage. It's frustrating to have a Japonica shrub, heavy with blooms, suffer freeze damage in January. Sasanquas that are blooming in my garden now...
In closing, this photo was taken Halloween eve. My husband was just coming back from the vegetable garden, when he saw something moving around in the duck box. We have a couple boxes on the property that Wood Ducks have used for the last several years, but they only nest in the spring. Anyway, he got a pole and opened the clean out door...
This photo looks a lot cuter than the possum was...we left the door open, and it disappeared. I hope you all are having a lovely weekend.
Oh, your foggy morning pictures do look so magical. Gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about sasanquas. They are my favorite camellias. I think they often have a more elegant shape than japonicas. (I like to prune mine into trees.) The foliage is really beautiful too (shiny and dark green and finer-textured)--and yes, it is great that they bloom early before there's any chance of freeze.
Your possum is really, really cute. What a great picture!
Oh, your foggy morning pictures do look so magical. Gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about sasanquas. They are my favorite camellias. I think they often have a more elegant shape than japonicas. (I like to prune mine into trees.) The foliage is really beautiful too (shiny and dark green and finer-textured)--and yes, it is great that they bloom early before there's any chance of freeze.
Your possum is really, really cute. What a great picture!
Fog is like a gift for us and our gardens. Not nice to drive in, but nice to be at home in. That is a lovely, foggy photo.
ReplyDeleteI love your camellias. Don't know if they will grow this far south or not. I don't remember seeing any around for sale.
No rain here either and what doesn't get watered by my moving the sprinkler around, or by hand watering, is parched and brown. Although, we did have a little rain yesterday morning, but not long enough to really give everything a good soaking.
I don't like possums or raccoons, raccoons the least! Cute picture though.
Have a lovely Sunday ~ FlowerLady
Hi Janice! I loved your beautiful misty photos! Everything looks so pretty and soft in that lovely light. I thought we might have rain too.... It's certainly humid enough, but I guess not. The knockouts you have are gorgeous as are the sasanquas. The picture of the possum was amazing! It looks so cute snuggled up in the duck box but when they are out and about they give me the creeps...I think it's their mouths as they always look like they are snarling!!
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely week in your beautiful garden.
-Kate
A garden looks so peaceful and quiet when shrouded in fog. You have a nice selection of camellias. I agree with you on the sassanquas. They are always dependable and not fussy. It's been very hot down my way but we did get some nice rain last night. Hope you get some, too.
ReplyDeleteThat fog is certainly magical. The butterfly bush is stunning! We are SO ready for some fall temperatures. I just hope that fall doesn't pass us by and only winter shows up!
ReplyDeleteThat critter must have been quite a fright!
Hi Janice! I love that you have duck boxes! I've been wanting to put up some owl roosting boxes, but haven't got the hubby to help me out with that yet. Maybe I can do it myself - how about that, lol! I think your opossum is adorable! And I too have said a few rather less than stellar words about knockout roses - but in the end, they're showy from the road and really pretty. Love your foggy morning photos! Here's hoping we'll get some cooler weather - it is dangdable hot down this way! :) Pretty sure dangdable is not a word...
ReplyDeleteHi Janice! I love that you have duck boxes! I've been wanting to put up some owl roosting boxes, but haven't got the hubby to help me out with that yet. Maybe I can do it myself - how about that, lol! I think your opossum is adorable! And I too have said a few rather less than stellar words about knockout roses - but in the end, they're showy from the road and really pretty. Love your foggy morning photos! Here's hoping we'll get some cooler weather - it is dangdable hot down this way! :) Pretty sure dangdable is not a word...
ReplyDelete