~~~A Slight Delay~~~

Not much has been done in the garden the past few days.

We’re still working on that certain something.

Someone –me- screwed up miscalculated,so we need some more cobblestones….

So,here are some more photos to pique’ your interest….

We’re aiming for tomorrow.

Until then,we’re hitting the pool,and some more of this….

Landscaping in Florida,in the middle of summer…..

with a heat index of

“Oh my Gawd,can it get any hotter?!Why didn’t we do this in January when it was freezing?”

Ya gotta love it!

~~~Something New Has Come To TheGreatWall ~~~

No gardening this weekend….

No photos to show……

Oh! Wait! We did accomplish something this weekend…..

but it’s not done,yet.

Sorry…

I’ll give you some hints,though.

-It’s what I’ve been dying for…..

-Every gardener wants needs one…..

-It’s,also,going to involve a flagstone pathway,a boxwood hedge,maybe a wrought iron fence(if I have my way),and mulch…..

-I owe YardBoy some big time favors….;-)

Here’s a photo to whet your appetite.

and,right now,YardBoy is enjoying this….

He deserves it!!!!

yes,yes he does!

It was a heat index of 105 degrees,in the shade,today!

Hopefully,it will be done next week……

Until then,enjoy your gardening week!

I have things to rearrange!

~~~Butterflies Are Free~~~

The butterfly garden this morning…….

Do you know how hard it is to capture two butterflies in one photo? 

Another photo with two…… They weren’t too willing to pose….

~~~Tops and Flops~~~

It’s that time of year.The time we Florida gardeners look back on what worked and what didn’t.It’s too hot to do anything else.

95 degrees,today.With humidity to match.

Time to lay about in the pool and reflect on the garden.

Getting the flops out of the way first…..

Hillsborough County still has not moved on the drainage project(I’m thinking it’s time for some more phone calls…).I absolutely cannot bear to look at that side of the yard.Nor will I take a photo of it.

Ahhhh….the thrill of local government at work…….

NOT!

There are other flops,but nothing that can’t be corrected by moving the pants around.I try to buy two of everything.Just so I can see what works where.If one works perfectly,and the other doesn’t perform as well,it gets moved to where the better performing plant is.

Moving on….

Two Cordylines up and died….

Both were next to others which are doing great…..

Go figure…..

One of the tribulations of gardening,I guess.

Only two palms,by the pool area,have recovered from the winter freezes.And that has included much TLC.If it wasn’t such an effort to remove them,they would be gone.

The tops…..

The butterfly garden more than exceeded my expectations.

The shade garden has been enlarged by about two feet…or two swipes,on each side,of the lawn mower….I measure by how much there is to mow.That’s just the way I tend to look at things….

excuse the hose edging the garden.YardBoy laid it there,so I didn’t have to haul hoses around.Quite an ingenious idea I must say.I just have to connect the main hose to all the different hoses.It also tells him where to edge…,on each side

I want to go out another two feet---or another two swipes of the lawn mower--- when the weather cools.

I am more than happy with the performance  of the Australian Tree Fern. It’s in a perfect spot.Damp and shady.It has been a perfect addition to the shade garden.

With the addition of additional birdfeeders,we’ve had more birds than ever.

Goldfinches…….

and Robins,en masse, this year……

We renovated one of the set of steps from the pool area.The old steps had settled and were quite unsafe.We used flagstone pavers from Home Depot,along with pea gravel as filler between the stones.

Much better!

Plans for the future?

Get the side yard done.

I most definitely want to add a Queen Emma crinum to the garden.Our grand daughter due in September is named Emma.Appropriate,don’t you think?

Get the side yard done.

A garden building(actually,it will be installed this coming week!)

Get the side yard done!!!!

What are your plans for the Fall garden?

Time Away From TheGreatWall….

Yep,again,we’ve spent a few more days away from TheGreatWall.

YardBoy had a medical conference in Bonita Springs,and I’m no dummy.Who am I to turn down two days at a spa/resort?On the beach no less!

You betcha I was tagging along!

Sooooo- two days were spent in Bonita Springs,and we decided to stretch it out and spend two days on Sanibel Island.

I thought I’d share some of the photos I took of the grounds of the Hyatt Coconut Point. A little too formal for my taste,but I certainly appreciate the beauty of the landscaping.

All done with Florida natives,I might add.

love the way they used lighting to accent the landscape at night. Can’t you just hear the splish-splash…...?

such a great sound on a hot summer’s night…..

Part of the experience of the Hyatt Coconut Point is taking the boat out to Big Hickory Island.

Owned by the Hyatt,the private island is part of the Estero Bay estuary.The majority of the island is a bird sanctuary(strictly enforced!).It would seem quite isolated(except for the usual “screaming-two-year-old-who-has- parents-who-can’t-seem-to-hear- him-and-think-he’s-cute”),but nothing can really ruin the experience.

The isolation(except for the condo in the background) reminds me of what Florida must have looked like back before humans arrived here.

I have always wondered what it was like when the only humans were the Calusa….before humans and tar balls….

After Bonita Springs,we headed to Sanibel Island(our home away from home)for two days.Every time we’re there I come home with ideas for TheGreatWall………

 I want need a fountain!!!!

And I have some serious love,love,love going on for this blue ceramic pot with the Crown-of-Thorns….. and the wrought iron fence and paint colors are to die for…..

Ya think YardBoy will be willing to paint the patio?

Me,neither……

Can you imagine sitting by the pool and looking out from under the umbrella at this…..

All things must come to an end,but we did come home to this…. Life is good!

Technorati Tags: Sanibel Island,Bonita Springs

 

A Little Sunshine…….

 

Beautiful and graceful, varied and enchanting, small but approachable, butterflies lead you to the sunny side of life.  And everyone deserves a little sunshine.  ~Jeffrey Glassberg

It’s been raining for for three days,here on TheGreatWall.

(Always be careful what you wish for.

We wanted rain.

We got a deluge!)

So,in between the showers,with camera in hand,I set out to find a little sunshine……

and babies!

All of the gardens are bordered with parsley,so the Swallowtail cats have plenty to eat,this year.

We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.  ~Maya Angelou

I’m so glad I planted Bronze Fennel.The babies are loving it!

No cats,yet,from the Monarchs,or the Gulf Fritillaries

.But mom and pop are here,so,hopefully,it should be soon.……

May the wings of the butterfly kiss the sun
And find your shoulder to light on,
To bring you luck, happiness and riches
Today, tomorrow and beyond.
~Irish Blessing

Happy 4th of July !!!!

 

TheGreatWall has taken on a decided red,white and blue appearance,lately…..

It’s time to get out the red,white and blue pots and focus on the red,white and blue flowers…..

  oooops,those pots are terra cotta,not red,white and blue…..sorry about that

 

Of course,I can’t forget this red Yankee Doodle Dandy……. Have a Happy,

and safe,

4th of July!

linked with Today’s Flowers,a photo meme