A Store To Love...

I found a fabulous seed store Thursday!  We had spent Wednesday indoors watching the rain, and was ready to get out of the house.  I found the store while googling nurseries, in my never ending  quest to shop somewhere other than the big box stores.  Turned out it was only 30 minutes from my house, in downtown Leesburg.  

They have a counter where they still sell seed by the ounce.  Tons of little drawers filled with every kind of pea, bean, and seed imaginable.  I haven't seen this in years, since our Seminole stores stopped doing it.  I used to love going in with my MIL, and buying a 1/4 ounce of this and that.

The store is filled with old world charm.  Along the left side of the store, running full length of the building, is a wide porch.  Loads of plants, for indoor and outdoor!  Of course, there's a resident dog sleeping on a rug by the door.  We didn't see a cat, but I'm sure there was one napping in a corner somewhere.  Also on the porch,  a cage with parrots, and another with doves.  You can walk off this porch to enter the outside nursery, which we did, even though it was drizzling rain.  My husband saw them first...camellias.  Well, here's the one he picked.  This photo was taken in the truck...

'Dr. Tinsley' Camellia Japonica

I chose 'Pink Perfection'.  her bloom was a little frazzled,  but you get the idea.

They still sell caladium bulbs singly, out of  cardboard boxes.  I have most of the varieties they were selling, but 'White Queen' is one I can always use a few more of.  Nice, large bulbs for 69 cents is a bargain.  This photo is 'White Queen', in my garden last summer.

I took a few photos today while working outside.  It was a glorious day to be in the garden!  We weeded, mulched, moved plants, and  so forth.  My body now feels every hour of it. 

New Zealand Tea Tree in forefront, with 'Desire', Japonica Camellia in background.

'Desire'

'Desire'

'Yuletide' Sasanqua Camellia

The vegetable garden is still producing broccoli, collard greens, and cabbage.  I filled one raised bed with sweet onion slips a few weeks ago.

This bed has red onions, broccoli, and cabbage at the far end.

My 'Honey' has started me a new flower bed, all that's left to do is till in some compost.  Oh, and of course, plant it in spring...what fun!

I hope all is well with you and your gardens.

  

Jack Frost In Central Florida

Yes, the inevitable has happened, 'Jack Frost' visited my garden last night.  This morning I woke to what looked like a sugar coated landscape.

Agapanthus and daylilies, a little frosted.

Roses, too.

Soon after, the lovely sunshine began to chase the frost away.  

Under the protection of the oaks, the shade garden was unharmed.  The bird baths under the trees did have a thin layer of ice...

 

All is well, winter just ran behind schedule a little this season.  My Hostas will appreciate some cold weather, and the frost will make spring cleanup easier.  Here are a few photos I took yesterday...

First bloom on 'Lady Clare', Camellia Japonica.

   

Ground Orchids popping up in the shade beds.

My tiniest 'Louis Phillippe' rose is blooming.

If you'll remember, this cutting was started in July.  I had planned to keep them potted until spring, but they rooted so quickly that I planted them in December.

This is a cutting from a pink OGR taken at the same time.  All the cuttings survived, so you'll see more of them in spring.

'Mother' of the pink cutting.

I hope that your garden is bringing you joy.  If your weather is inclement, wishes for happy spring planning.

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day~January 2016~Central Florida

Cool days, the bluest of skies overhead, and the sun shining in all it's splendor...that's Central Florida in January.  A few dreary days are quickly forgotten, when another perfect day is always just around the corner.  This past week was the closest we've come to winter weather though,  I actually wore real shoes for a couple of days, instead of flip-flops.  A few tender plants, mostly annuals, are beginning to look the worse for wear, but roses are still blooming freely...

'Don Juan' Rose

Knockouts

'Louis Philippe' Rose

'Iceberg, Cl.'  on the gazebo.

Against the sky...

Gloriosa Lilies 

Tibouchina

One last bloom around the gazebo, a lovely, fragrant gardenia.

My largest Japonica Camellia is just beginning to bloom.  I believe this is 'Desire'.

Out front a Sasanqua Camellia, 'Cotton Candy'.

Hibiscus blooms always look like 'summer' to me...

Pentas are blooming everywhere, and still attracting an array of butterflies.

'Yangtze' daylily, confused by our weather.

'Black and Blue' Sage.

My last bloom, the tiniest...Purple Queen.

Happy Bloggers Bloom Day!  To enjoy blooms from around the world, visit Carol at May Dreams Gardens.

Missing my sunshine...

Today finds Central Florida, sunless, wet and cool.  Showers are expected throughout the day, temperatures in the low 50's.  It would be a perfect day to binge-watch gardening shows on television, but no, they've all been replaced with drivel.  Do you remember "A Gardener's Diary", hosted by Erica Glasener?  My all time favorite, because she visited gardens of everyday people, across the U.S.  When gardening shows were on the way out, they moved "A Gardener's Diary" to the ungodly hour of 6:00AM.  During that time, I taped the show on my VCR, but alas, no more VCR.  I need to round up my tapes and have them transferred to disc.  So, my fellow bloggers, now I get my gardening 'fix' by visiting your gardens.  

Blooms are still plentiful, as we've had no cold weather to speak of, but I'm just going to post a few new things.  This bicycle planter was a Christmas gift from my daughter, along with other garden accessories.  Before spring arrives, I have to decide what plants will adorn it.

Sasanqua Camellia, 'Yuletide' 

Something I've never seen on my Night-blooming Jasmine, shiny, white berries... 

A couple crazy things due to the warm weather, Caladiums popping up...

...and Lacecap Hydrangeas blooming.

In closing, photos from my garden, spring and summer, 2015...to brighten a dreary day.

I won't wish you 'happy gardening', but 'happy planning and dreaming' for next year's garden.