Summer Blooms ~ Central Florida

Ah, summer.  Love it or hate it?  I love summer!  Summer means Daylilies are blooming their heads off and there's nothing more cheerful than yellow blooms in the garden.  Yellow mixed with blue Agapanthus just make me smile.

And Coneflowers...my first success with them.  I finally gave up on buying plants and started these from seed and they've rewarded my efforts.

Especially pretty with an under planting of Joseph's Coat.  I believe this is 'Purple Knight'.

My entire garden is created with common plants, more so this year than ever before.  I have failed with roses so often that now I stick with a few 'old garden' varieties and Knockout roses.  I'm finding my garden much more enjoyable and just as lovely without the labor intensive, fussy flowers.  Pagoda flowers are super simple to grow, but as with many easy to grow plants you have to stay on top of the seedlings or you'll be quickly overrun.  

The flower heads of these plants are easily over a foot tall.

Thryallis  shrubs are another easy-peasy plant for Florida gardens.

All my daylilies are common, old sorts too.  Nothing fancy, but they all bloom and rebloom, lasting a good part of the summer.

I can't talk about plants that are carefree without giving Firebush praise.  Attracting both butterflies and hummingbirds...this plant's a winner.

Tibouchina shrubs have intense purple blooms that I've never been quite able to capture in a photo.  They bloom in shade or sun, perhaps a little heavier in sun.  This one is in full bloom while my other two are just beginning to bloom.

The shade garden Tibouchina is beginning to show color.  The large 'Disney' ginger on the left will be blooming soon - she's worth waiting for.   Since the summer rains have begun, the shade garden is a little on the wild side.

I hope you are having a great summer...happy gardening.