Angel's Tears

A Florida native plant,Angel's Tears is a dwarf,sprawling perennial.It flowers mainly in the spring,but this one is confused.It is flowering now.Confused from the cold winter and all of the freezes we had this past winter,perhaps?It spreads by creeping and grows in full shade to full sun.Zones 8B-10A.And it likes to live in moist,sunny spots.It is so easy to take cuttings from this plant,or to transplant it.The perfect Florida native,if you ask me.It is called Angel's Tears,because of the tiny lighter spots on the flower. Resemblant of tears,I guess?The flowers are tiny.Maybe,1/2"-3/4",each.
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What's Happnin' On The GreatWall......

The Spider Wort plant that we bought at SCCF is blooming. It is not an all day bloom,as it only blooms for a few hours in the morning.

For now,it is still in the pot we bought it in.We're still trying to figure out where we should plant it.It can be propagated by division,and it sometimes reseeds itself,so all things must be taken into consideration.

And,I made a new flower planter.I have instructions here........

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Today's Flowers

Crossandra-such a tropical looking plant,isn't it?And so easy to grow.They are constantly reseeding themselves.Love 'em!

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Veggies,Flowers,Critters and Vacation

There has been a flurry of activity around the GreatWall,this past week.In spite of our on going drought and heat,everything has decided to bloom or ripen.

The mini pineapple is the one that grew in spite this past winter's freezes.It never really grew into any appreciable size,but still it grew!The rest of the veggies went into a large salad,for dinner last night.Along with ribeye steaks on the grill.But I digress.

This has been our best year for lettuce,tomatoes,onions and cucumbers that we can remember.We're not sure if it is because we were forced into container gardening,or what .....

Along with the veggie garden,all the flowers are blooming,too.

Jon's rose garden is beautiful and so fragrant,this year.We're wondering if it is the heat and drought?Whatever it is,the roses are abundant this year.
This is my favorite of the roses.It reminds me of an old fashioned type rose my mother used to grow.It has a very soft,pretty scent.

The daylilies are the best they have been in a long,long time.

And this morning,the critters were out in abundance!

Dragon flies,bees,and butterflies.Oh my!

And,one of the contraband plumeria cutting has set buds!I have always been told that it takes two years for a cutting to produce blooms,but this seems determined to bloom.I'm not sure if it's set real buds,or just an inflo.Time will tell. Hopefully,it will be a real bud.

We're finding all this activity,in the garden,kind of ironic.As we're getting ready for our semi-annual journey to the land of fishing,shelling,gentle waves lapping on the beach,and good times with good friends.We also have plans to visit the Native Plant Nursery at SCCF.

Yep!The GreatWall is going on vacation!

We have enlisted Erich,the Younger,to come by,everyday,and check on the GreatWall,and harvest the veggies(I'm sure he'll put them to good use) and water anything in need of watering.

Sooo,it is now time to trade the trowel and gardening gloves for suntan lotion,fishing poles,and a shell bag...........

If we don't respond to your comments,it's because we're on a beach somewhere.

We're outta here.............................

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A Shadey Spot On A Warm Day

Under our old growth Florida Oaks we have planted shade gardens.This one contains our orchids,bromeliads,and caladiums.The orchids and bromeliads are finishing up their spring-time bloom;but the caladiums are starting to emerge to provide summer-time color.

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Today's Flowers,April 19

Blue Eyed Grass

Sisyrinchium atlanticum

Blue Eyed Grass is beautiful mounding plant,and is a water-friendly, Florida native.It grows in full to partial sun.

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Easter Flowers

What's blooming on the GreatWall.....

Blushing Knockout rose Rosa 'Radyod'

An orchid I bought myself at the grocery store-(I need Ross to come along and name it for me)

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Bloomin' Orchid !

Another of my 90 year old father's orchids is in bloom.In an earlier post I mentioned how his orchids came to live with us.


I just love this time of year in Florida.Hot,but not as humid as in another month or so.Everything is blooming.
I just wish our freeze damaged plants would make a faster recovery.Patience,patience.......

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My Newest Favorite Flower

Earlier,I posted that Plectranthus was my new favorite plant,but this is my new favorite flower.
I had seen this plant years ago,on Sanibel Island.Not knowing what it was(nor did the owner),they gave me a cutting,but,alas,it did not take.So,imagine my delight when I found it in a little nursery by our house.

It is Hibiscus Acetosella,"Red Shield."

It's small pink flowers open for one day,only for a few hours.The lady at the nursery told me to whack it back when it got to be about one foot tall,and it will bush out even more.I am trying to root that cutting,and so far,it seems to be taking.

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And On the Fourteenth Day........

We're resting!!Because it is done!!!
After hauling retaining wall rocks,two yards of dirt(one yard for the mini-me wall,and the rest in the garden beds),gravel,and landscape pavers,we can finally say,it is done and it is good.It is good and done!

Here it is all filled up with dirt,and compacted down...... Gravel going in........
Ta-da!!!!!.....................

The rest of the weekend has been spent putting in new plants,shuffling some around.Those would be the ones that have to be relocated from the side yard,due to the county drainage project.We have taken to calling that side yard,TheGreatTrailerParkofLutz.It makes us very sad to look at it these days.The rest of the yard is looking so beautiful,and then we have this poor,pitiful side yard,which is barren and neglected.

But,to look on the bright side.There is planning to be done.For when it is done,it shall be filled with palms and tropical looking plants.Patience is not one of my virtues,either.I think I need to make a phone call to the project manager,and tell him,"I have plans.Get a move on!"

Jon's new rose garden is settling in.He got his first bud!He's the rose grower,not I.I grow everything else,but not roses.for some reason,if I touch them,they're goners.So I just leave it to him,and he can bring me a rose he grew everyday.Works out perfectly for us.

For some reason(the cold and freezes we had in Florida this past winter?),all of our mums are blooming.Go figure.Thoughts,anyone?

Anywho,these are the plants that have found new homes at the GreatWall.

St.Bernard's Lily (just 'cause I liked it)

Lemon Balm (for bees and butterflies)

Blue eyed Grass (planted underneath the plumeria)

Bee Balm(to attract bees and butterflies)

And,our gardening buddy has been keeping an eye on the progress.

This guy/gal seems to be fascinated by our landscaping attempts.Either that, or he/she is having a great laugh at us silly humans. Every day,whenever we are in the garden,he/she comes and sits and just watches us.Hope he/she isn't thinking about dinner......

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The Newest Additions To The GreatWall---

Why is it that we cannot go to a nursey,Lowe's,or Home Depot without taking a quick trip through the Garden Shop?And we have to come home with a special treasure?

This weekends purchases....... Euphorbia

Angelonia-I'm hoping it will attract more butterflies to the garden.

African Daisy-I just had to have it when I saw the color.

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Today's Flowers

Some of the flowers in bloom,at the Great Wall of Lutz..........

Ostica Blue Eye

(Osteospermum)

Euryops

Gerbera Daisy

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