It rained,yesterday……..

Late afternoon/early evening, TheGreatWall was blessed with a nice,soaking shower.

No thunder or lightening.

Just a decent shower.

For maybe 30 minutes,or so.

Almost like a summer time shower.

This morning,I went out,

camera in hand.

To capture the garden….

Walking through the gate to the back,on the left,the Guara have decided they are going to be the bullies of the garden…Most of them have self-seeded,and those seedlings have been transplanted to other areas of the garden.

My favorite is the deep pink variety.

As you move down the pathway,to the right….Giant Liriope,the last of the Blue-Eyed Grass,Rosemary,variegated Flax Lily,and Cuphea.And  a yellow plumeria is stuck in there,too.

Further down,on the left…This is the Yellowtop I bought a year ago,here.It will be beautiful,this fall.It,also,roots incredibly easy,so if anyone wants a starter plant,let me know.I have one rooted to go behind the Guara.It should be able to hold its own against the Guara.

If you follow the pathway to the right,you see this…St.Bernard’s Lily,red Knockout Drift Rose,Gerbera Daisy,Love Grass,Blackberry Lily.In the background is a Powder Puff,which the hummers have been showing mad love to,this spring.Oh my!I think I see another Plumeria on the upper right.Go figure…

If you keep going,you will find Miss Emma’s -(Mine!)- statue,

overlooking the Queen Emma Crinums…

The variegated Creeping Fig is filling in,nicely---considering I had to yank it,quickly,out of the ground and slam it into pots when the pool was being removed---I am leaning towards to adding some Angel’s Tears to intermingle with the Creeping Fig.In the background,on the left,is Tea Olive,and a  Dwarf Euphorbia is on the right.

Across from Miss Emma,is one of the many Buddha's…

It almost seems like Buddha is smelling the Lantana…

If one keeps walking,just beyond Miss Emma's statue,on the right…

More variegated Flax Lily,an Agapanthus,ready to bloom,Farfugium,Hollyhocks,Angel’s Tears, and in the very back,Cat’s Whiskers.Intermingled with Cinnamon Fern.

Just beyond this section,the Tropical Sage,I bought,in March,here,is getting along quite nicely,with the Penstemon…

Across the pathway,is my favorite Buddha….

surrounded by Colocasia  esculenta 'Black Magic',giant Spathiphyllum and Bird’s Nest Fern.

Behind Buddha is the path-to-nowhere…

the shadiest part of the yard…

total shade,here,all day….

…all green and white…

Underneath Norfolk Island Pines are Peace Lilies,variegated Flax Lilies,Holly Ferns, and green and white Caladiums…

Continuing,and and making a turn to the right,further down,is the newest garden…

This garden is on the north side of the house,and is one of the shadiest parts of the garden---after the path-to-nowhere---,so a lot of plants have been moved here…

…and across from that garden are the Canna’s.

The black pot,in the lower left,will eventually have another Buddha.Sitting atop of it.And surrounded by some type of arbor.With something growing on it…suggestions?

…a work in progress….

S—l—o—w—l--y,

TheGreatWall is returning to form.

Just a newer and different form….

I still need sod….

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......

For more of Today's Flowers,or to visit Luiz Santilli,click here.......