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.

The Blues

The blues are a cause for happiness when they're blooms in your garden, and especially so when they're agapanthus.  'Belinda's Dream'  rose in the background. 

For some reason the agapanthus on this side of the yard have gotten a jump start on the ones out by the fence.  Agapanthus are a great full sun plant in my yard, but they can also be grown successfully in part sun.

The plants by the fence are clearly slower, but they're making up for it in height.

Old fashioned, 'Lemon' daylilies are another full sun plant that thrive in my front yard.

More blue across the way... hydrangea shrubs.

Hopefully, one day this clematis will cover up the chicken wire.  Here in Florida, they're never going to perform as they do further north, but I still enjoy them.

The last of the blues...'Black and Blue', Salvia guaranitica.  She's a spreader, but not too hard to control.

Not blue, but my first Gloriosa Lily bloom of the season...inside the vegetable garden.

Also just beginning to bloom, Bleeding Heart Vines...

This Desert Rose is nearly always blooming, very easy plant if it doesn't get over watered.  I bought a new one the other day that has purple blooms, but they fell off before I got a picture so she'll make her debut later.

Like the Desert Rose, the Tibouchinas are in bloom nearly constantly.

Gulf Fritillary visiting a Zinnia...

I hope your gardens are full of blooms in all your favorite colors.

This Is For the Birds

This is for the birds, literally!  They're providing color in my garden, while the landscape is still dreary.  When spring arrives I won't have the luxury of sitting quietly waiting on them to appear, so I'm enjoying them now.  We have lots of cardinals, first to the feeders in the morning and the last to leave at night.

The Common Ground-Dove are much smaller than Mourning Doves.  We have a pair of these that always nest inside the gazebo.

This cool guy is a Gray Catbird.

A Goldfinch and friends.

Our state bird, the Mockingbird.  This one is very ornery, she patrols our front yard and constantly puts the Bluebirds to rout.

  

We have one lone Robin that has been here since the first of January.  The Mockingbird chases him off every morning, but he always returns.

A favorite of mine, small bird with a big voice...Carolina Wren.

I walked down by the water today, hoping to find a water bird.  Tibouchina is still blooming down there...

And, there was a bird, a Great Egret.  I learned today the only difference between the Snowy and the Great Egret is the color of their feet.  They both have black legs, but the Great also has black feet, while the Snowy has bright yellow feet.  This guy is a Great Egret...

He was also an excellent fisher, evidenced by what's in his mouth.

I hope you are all enjoying whatever you're doing.  Spring is just around the corner...I can almost feel it.

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day~February 2016~Central Florida

Thirty-four more days until spring!  But, calendar time isn't always the best reference to use regarding weather, and you know this well if you garden. Weather conditions in Central Florida has been upside-down this winter.  It by-passed us completely until late in January, and now after a few frosty mornings, we are getting another reprieve.  Very few plants are in bloom, after all, it is February.

Sunny Knock Out Rose, 'Radsunny'

'Gene Boerner' Rose

'La Marne' Rose

'Valentines Day' Rose

I pruned about half my roses yesterday, and hope to finish the rest today.  The middle of February is the best time for this in Central Florida, and other than being scratched up by the thorns, I enjoy the task.  Two other plants that are in bloom, and smell as sweet as any rose ever could, are these...

Viburnum

Tea Olive

Azaleas are just beginning to bloom.  This is 'Mrs. G.G. Gerbing'.

One of my most faithful plants, Gloriosa Lilies, lost most of their buds during the last frost.  This one that bloomed inside the gazebo, may be the last until spring.

New Zealand Tea Tree is an evergreen shrub, unaffected by our winters.

Japonica Camellias are still blooming, but most blooms are frost bitten or wind burnt.  This 'Desire' shrub is somewhat protected from frost and wind.

Tibouchina is a great plant for Central Florida, nearly ever-blooming for me.  Cooler weather brings about a nice  touch of red on the leaves.

Here's my newest baby, still looking good.  I got her about two weeks ago and she still has some original flowers, plus a lot more.  I think she's going to be a winner...Tractor Seat.

Happy GBBD!  So many more blooms to see over at May Dreams Gardens.