Mostly Summer, With A Dash Of Fall

There's a period of time, quite early in the morning, when I sense fall in the air.  All too soon, the temperatures ascend to the mid 80's and fall is forgotten.  Summer blooms are still numerous in my gardens, like this Pagoda Plant with a lovely visitor...

    

This Clematis had been cut down a few weeks ago and has returned to flower once more...

Thryallis shrubs have been blooming since spring and show no signs of letting up.

Butterfly Bushes, Clerodendrum 'Ugandense',  have been in bloom since April.

'Louis Philippe' is a favorite rose among Florida gardeners.  It's one of the few roses that will thrive in our sandy soils and accept our constant high humidity without being defoliated by black spot.

Tithonia, Zinnias, and Salvias are putting on their final show of the season...

Tibouchinas in the shade garden.

Out front in full sun...

Turk's Cap blooms from early summer until frost in my garden.  These shrubs get by on only rainfall, so they're not looking their best - as we've had little rain lately.

Now for what's looking a little like fall!  The leaves on this Oakleaf Hydrangea look quite fallish...

Blue Ginger

Tractor Seat is sending up some strong buds for fall...

And too soon...I say this because it's still too hot...camellias are bursting with blooms!  One of my favorite tree Sasanquas, 'Kanjiro'.  I took this photo in the morning fog today.  I would prefer that they waited for cooler temps., so the blooms would not fade so quickly.

'Setsugekka', also a Sasanqua Camellia.

Shade gardens still have a lot of color...

I'll be back soon with more Camellia photos...I know this post has been a little long.  I'll close with a picture of Lucy, one of my favorites.  She's an 'Easter Egger' - lays lovely green eggs.

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day ~ June 2016 ~ Central Florida

June is prime time for blooms, as long as you're growing hardy perennials.  Central Florida's heat index has reached triple digits several days and even our afternoon showers are not having much of a cooling affect.  

This morning a lovely fog lay upon the gardens and with it came a quietness that you always wish could last a little longer.  It encloses one as a cocoon, obscuring an entire neighborhood.  Agapanthus, daylilies and roses all looked refreshed after last evening's rain... 

It didn't take long for Florida's sun to burn off the fog, and soon to feel as though I were in a sauna.  Thankfully, daylilies love the sun.

My daylilies are older varieties, all repeat bloomers.  They will outlast the blue Agapanthus, but not the yellow Thryallis shrub, nor the red Knockout rose.

Thryallis bloom.

The afternoon rains have caused rampant growth in my sun gardens, loving it.

When the blue Agapanthus are gone, I'll still have the beautiful blue of this Clerodendrum ugandense, or blue butterfly bush.  It's an easy care shrub, like the Thryallis.

 This shrub will bloom all summer until frost.

Daylilies that are blooming now, 'Kwanso'...

'Lemon'

'Pandora's Box'

 Two  reds...

 Crepe Mrytle blooms were hanging low this morning, weighted down from last night's shower.  This is a 'Natchez',  mildew resistant. easy care.

Not only is the bloom of these trees beautiful, but their fall foliage is a handsome red-orange.  The bark of this tree is also a winning attribute...peeling to reveal a rich, cinnamon brown.

Another wonderful shrub for Florida, Hamelia patens or firebush, is a magnet for butterflies and hummingbirds.  In the background, Clerodendrum paniculatum, Pagoda Flower...one of my favorites!

I'll close with a shade plant bloom, Tricyrtis, Toad Lily...

Blooms from around the world are being shared over at May Dreams Gardens.  Happy Gardening!

Best Of Both Worlds

If weather was something you could eat, Florida has prepared us a feast!  It's been cool enough in the mornings to enjoy my coffee outside on the porch, yet, warming quickly to shorts and flip-flop temperatures.  I can barely stand to stay indoors in this gorgeous weather.
We fished yesterday for a little while, no catching, just fishing.  The small lake we live on has not cooled enough for the speckled perch (crappie to some), to begin biting very well.  We did enjoy our boat ride though.  I took a picture of what looks like the last water lily of the season...

Reflection...

We also saw a group of Ibis enjoying the day...

Back on dry land, there's a lot of color still happening in the gardens.  My first Japonica Camellia bloom, 'Laura Walker'.

  

My hedgerow of Sasanqua Camellias were planted three years ago.  They were tiny, maybe a foot tall, so even though they're still small, they have grown quite fast for camellias.

'Cotton Candy'

'Snow-on-the-Mountain'

'Stephanie Golden'

Roses are responding to this wonderful fall weather also.  Out on the front fence, 'Louis Philippe' is still blooming.

My two 'Red Cascades' are in bloom also, although, almost barren of leaves.

My pink, 'unidentified' OGR , is also in flower...

'Belinda's Dream' rose is the only hybrid tea rose that I would ever buy again.  She's truly an outstanding rose in my garden, completely carefree.  This is the only hybrid tea rose that I've grown that doesn't get black spot.  In Florida, that's quite remarkable. 

The 'Black- Eyed Susan' vine, growing by our entry, still says summer.

I've posted pictures of this hibiscus many times, but it's changed colors for the fall.  It used to be bright yellow, now more orange.

Clerodendrum 'paniculatum', or pagoda flower, is still blooming also...

 Clerodendrum 'ugandense', or butterfly bush...

Clerodenrums are certainly a diverse group of plants, as this vine also belongs to that genus.  Clerodendrum 'thomsoniae'...

I also grow the red and white bleeding heart vine, but I prefer this color.  I have it running along fences and trellised.

Long after the red flower drops off, the purple calyxes remain, making for a long show of color.

You know me by now, I can't close without a couple photos of the shade gardens.

Thank you for visiting.  I hope you all have a perfect weekend.