Central Florida...Butterflies & Blooms

Butterflies reign over my gardens this summer!  We watch spellbound, as though our watchfulness will deter them from abandoning our offerings.  Now, you can rightly surmise that we are oldsters, easily entertained.  Salvias, firebush, pentas, Mexican sunflowers, and pagoda plants surround our front porch where we enjoy our morning coffee, awaiting their arrival.  They have varied tastes, but the pagodas and sunflowers seem to be favored.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail...pagoda plant

Giant Swallowtail...pagoda plant

Giant Swallowtail and Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

And now, matching bookends.

Pagoda plants also entice our hummingbirds.

Our Passionflower Vines and Milkweed have hosted lots of Gulf Fritillary and Zebra Longwing caterpillars.  This one was just drying its wings one morning, after emerging from its chrysalis.

Mexican Tithonias are always decorated with Zebra Longwing and Gulf Fritillaries.

Coneflowers are another attraction...

Last butterfly picture, I promise.  There were six Gulf Fritillaries on this Penta, but I could only get four to sit still.

I haven't posted since the middle of June so the following photos will give you an idea of what's been blooming the last two months.  Gingers have done really well since drought conditions are over...

Disney Ginger

A variety of Curcuma Gingers

Angel's Trumpet

Clematis

Gloriosa Lilies

Shade gardens, always colorful.

Blue Ginger, blooming soon...my favorite ginger!

Thanks for visiting.  See you in Fall.

'Egg'citing news!

I can't believe it's been over a month since I've posted anything!  Lately, most of my time in the garden has been spent taming  the wild growth of summer.  Some roses have been removed and some Florida- friendly shrubs have taken their place.  I even downsized some of my gardens - removing a few layers and allowing more lawn to return.  Not to worry, there's still too much!  I'll get to that happy medium one day.  As for now, one of my favorite gingers is blooming...Blue Ginger (Dichorisandra thyrsiflora).  

If you look closely, you'll see that only one of the many flowers has actually opened.  Blue Ginger blooms will last for weeks!

This stand of Heliconia was lost in my tropical border before I began the Fall clean up process a few weeks ago.   Hell-o Heliconia!

A few wild orchids are showing up in the shade gardens for one last show this season...

Night blooming jasmine never gives up!  I have several of these that get pruned nearly to the ground several times a year just to keep them in bounds.  Their lovely fragrance in the evening is worth the effort.

 Farfugium Tractor Seat plant has been a great addition to my shade garden.  Gorgeous in bloom, but great, unique foliage even when not in flower.

Clerodendrum Pagoda Flowers have bloomed all year.  They can be a little scary - meaning they will get away from you if you're not willing to pull up their many offspring.  I do love them though, mainly because Zebra Longwings enjoy them so much.

Now for my most exciting news...my 'girls' began laying eggs a few weeks ago!  They have a couple nesting boxes, but they all use the same one.  They're so silly to watch clambering over each other to get possession of the box.  Here's this mornings offerings...

We get all sizes and colors!  It's a thrill each time we go out to collect eggs.  The 'girls' free range each afternoon - it's become our favorite time of the day to sit together outside and watch their antics.

Until next time...happy gardening!

August Garden

Hell-o everyone!  I've been running in and out of the A/C today to get a few photos so I could share a post with you today.  I've been enjoying a number of post vacation, and 'new adventure' blogs from you guys.  My world has been pretty static this summer - awaiting cooler weather, like most everyone else.  I didn't spend much time out in our Florida sunshine, but I ventured out there just long enough to photograph my Purple Coneflowers... 

A Gulf Fritillary wandered by and landed on one of the least attractive flowers, but I didn't wait around for him to move to a prettier one.

The Pagoda Flowers and Firebushes are visited by hummingbirds throughout the day, but not when I am holding a camera...

The only other sun loving plant I photographed was one of the Beautyberry bushes.  They have been dripping with fruit this year, bowed over with the weight...

I retreated to the coolness (or less hot) back yard, under the oak canopy.  The shade gardens are as colorful as any flower garden, and best of all, they need little attention once planted.  I have caladiums everywhere and as they return each year they keep getting larger.  I've got pots of single varieties...

Pots of mixed...

Simple green and white caladiums...

Little guys that look as though they were splashed with paint...

A rainbow of colors...

Across the yard, in a tropical plant border, there's freckled faces...

Another favorite shade plant of mine is the Toad Lily, which like caladiums. return each year.

   I noticed today the Camellia shrubs are chock-full of buds.  That's one of the wonderful aspects of gardening...there's always something to look forward to.  I hope you're all having the BEST summer ever!