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~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.

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.