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.

Central Florida Garden~A Typical Day

We've had a mix of sun and clouds this morning, clouds finally won out.  I was outside early, trying to get a list of things done that I've been working on the last few weeks, but this thing called life, keeps drawing me away.  Thankfully, fall weather is just around the corner, and the gardens will need less of me.  I had just finished thinning the mustard and turnip greens when the sky opened, no more work for today...

I got a nice bowl of greens that I'll mix in with the collards that I thinned yesterday.  I wanted to get some pics of the vegetable garden, but the rain looks like it's set in for a while.

Earlier today, I walked the front yard and found this Autumn Sunset rose full of blooms, in different stages...

She's under planted with Angelonia.

Louis Philippe, on the fence, is a good rose for Florida.  He does get some black spot, but not enough to affect his performance as a beautiful bloomer.

On the other end of this fence, another OGR that was given to me as a small cutting, just two years ago.

Knockout rose.

A Gene Boerner tree rose, by the front porch.

Some more Knockout roses, with Belinda's Dream rose in the background.

The last rose today is an unnamed drift rose.

I recently bought two new Hibiscus shrubs,  $3.88 at Walmart!  I'm trying to incorporate more shrubs into my gardens, for their easy care.  I love a good perennial, and I have a nice variety of Salvias, that I wouldn't give up.  I'm eliminating some other less worthy perennials though, because dead heading has become a dreaded chore during Florida's summer months.

One I've had for several years.

Two other flowering shrubs. the yellow Thryallis and the blue Cleodendrum 'Ugandense'.

My Sasanqua Camellias are just beginning to bloom.  I have two large ones that I pruned into trees, years ago.  I also have about a dozen others, shrub types, full of buds, ready to explode.  They grow beautifully in Florida, some of mine are in full sun...not to be confused with the Japonica Camellia, which needs a shady area.  One of the trees...

It's flower...

Flower from the other Camellia tree.

Down by the vegetable garden, the Mexican Bush Sage and Knockout roses are still in full bloom.

Some Mexican Petunias in the mix.

Blue Ginger not only has a beautiful bloom, but it lasts for weeks.

Lastly, this bee was running around in circles (like me, at times) on my Clematis.

That's all from my garden today... have a wonderful week.