Here we go……

Plans have been drawn up.

And agreed upon.

Notice of commencement has been signed and duly notarized.

Permits are being pulled.

For the new kitchen….

Lights for  the island have been purchased….

Three of ‘em.

An eBay score!

I heart eBay!

 I still found time to garden

the weeds are over whelming….

and take photos …..

you had to know I’d take photos…..

Camellia

African Iris

Pink Knock-out rose

Dwarf bottle Brush

Oh!

and the first Lubber hatching has been seen…..

ACK!!!!!!!

Random shots…..

The garden has been ignored for long enough.

Overgrown and weedy.

That’s being kind…..

The weather has been delightful.

Time to get up off my !@#$ and do something.

      Sooooo…..
             ……with clippers,machete and camera in hand I set out to something about this mess…..

but I got distracted by the photo opportunities…..

I really need to get my ADHD under control……

I have weeds……

lots of weeds…..

Seriously,I do…..

Birds,Butterflies,Camellias and a new obsession….

Got a new zoom lens for the camera.

And I heart it!

See what it can do…..

                           The birds………







                            
                                 The Butterfly…………..


                      The Camellia…….

……………….and my newest obsession?………………….

The Southwest Florida Eagle Cam!

Go there!

Now!

…..but don’t blame me if you don’t get anything done….

…somebody’s gotta watch the babies….

Look What’s Bloomin’

Camellias …..

Camellia sansanqua

and my very,

first

Brown Turkey fig has made it up to the kitchen…

somehow the squirrels and birds missed this one….

….and look who’s old enough to help decorate the tree….

with a little bit of help from big sister….

What’s bloomin’ in your garden?

Let The “Fun” Begin…

Now that the pool has passed all inspections and it is ours,to have and to hold,

…and take care of…

…it is time to begin the putting back of the gardens.

I figured I would start out easy.

…work my way slowly,back into gardening shape…

So what looked like this…

It would make a good Croquet field,or Bocce court,wouldn’t it?

Now,looks like this…

Plants used: 1.Blue Sage (from a cutting from Meems)
                    2.Camellia sasanqua
                    3.Banana-I forget what variety this is,but it’s a miniature.Grown for foliage,only.
                    4.Agapanthus
                    5.Cassia senna
                    6.Indian Hawthorne-I have started using these wherever there is a curve in the garden.They seem to take the beating from hoses,etc.much better than anything else.

…and this…

Plants used: 1.Agapanthus
                    2.Blackberry Lily
                    3.Indian Hawthorne-the curve
                    4.a container that had been shoved to the back of the shadiest part of the yard.Just for surviving I figured it needed a place to shine.
                    5.Ti plant

             6.Angel’s Trumpet-this plant has survived the most any plant can.Back-hoes,graders,a freeze,and,yet,it is still thriving.The pool contractor actually admonished his workers,”Watch that plant!It’s a survivor.” And all the workers were so good about it.I those guys!
             7.Butterfly garden-pentas,Tampa Vervain,Mexican Heather,daylilies.Already the bees and butterflies are back!

The entire garden is interspersed with Giant Liriope,which had been dug up and sat in pots for all these months.All of the plants are ones that were moved after TheTree went down.I bought nothing,except for organic garden soil,and new Eucalyptus mulch.I have found that wherever I use Eucalyptus mulch the bugs stay away.Especially the lubbers!
{In the veggie garden I use Melaluca mulch.Both are environmentally friendly-especially the Melaluca mulch-,organic,and don’t float.The Melaluca mulch almost forms a mat,which keeps almost all of the weeds out.}
This area is semi-shady,right now.When summer arrives,this area should receive shade,or,at least,diffused sun,in the afternoon,from the screened lanai.
The stones that are there,are just to mark the border of this garden.Sod still needs to be brought in…I ain’t doing that!…
I realize how out of gardening shape I have become.After two days of digging,planting,raking,spreading mulch,my back hurts,my thighs hurt,my hips hurt,my shoulders hurt…you get my drift…
So,now,excuse me while I enjoy this….

and maybe a football playoff game or two..

‘cause I still have to tackle the rebuilding of TheGreatWall.

Any volunteers?

I thought so….

Pleasant Surprises…

While checking out the progress on the pool….

 

 

…imagine my delight,to find a few pleasant surprises.

 

This Camellia,which I had been training to grow into tree form,was left in full sun.

…when TheOak went down…

I was convinced it was a goner for sure.

 

But it hung in there.

 

And to my pleasant surprise,I found this…

Not only was it covered in concrete spray,but it also is covered in buds…

 

…and a bloom….

Covered in concrete spray,but still beautiful.

 

And the Angel’s Trumpets may be covered with the same concrete spray,but they are,again,proving their toughness.

And the Thyrallis may be half covered with dirt,but it’s hanging in there.

And the Gerberas….

 

I’m starting to think the garden likes me.

I feel like the plants are saying,”We like you,lady.We can take it.We’re there for you.We know it’s gonna get much better around here.”

 

Yep…

it is!

 

…Tomorrow,we pick out the tile…