tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31607173113760744002009-11-11T12:57:23.195-05:00A Florida Garden BlogMeemshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16341998120938921741hoeandshovelgarden@gmail.comBlogger336125Lpyrhttp://feedburner.google.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3160717311376074400.post-37516781836883244142009-11-08T21:13:00.005-05:002009-11-08T21:24:47.910-05:00

Cyathea cooperi, Australian FernIt's been said that Australian Ferns can be somewhat demanding and fussy plants. I suppose if grown indoors or in a not-so-sub-tropical climate they could perform less than expected.The sheer majestic presence of the unusually large woody specimen in a shady setting draws one's attention to them . When you think about it the uniqueness of tree ferns is

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The inspiration first came a couple of months ago when 2 red (false) banana plants, Ensete ventricosum 'Maurelii' were purchased. On a whim I should add. They were 'end of summer' leftovers at my favorite local nursery and cost a mere $5 each. My resolve to stick with only Florida-friendly and native plants melted away under the pressure of hot, steamy weather conditions.It's kind of hard for me

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Caladium bulbs are among my favorites for lasting quality in Florida's summer humidity. If you've followed this blog during any part of the summer months you've probably wondered how many times and how many ways will I say how much I adore them. I love them for their ease of planting, low maintenance, drought tolerance, big impact, and colorful foliage ways. Expecting them to last through the

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There's really no definitive reason why. But for some reason the American Beautyberry, Callicarpa americana looks especially bright and pretty this year.The (two) native beautyberry plants were added to the very back of the garden a couple of years ago. At that time it was dotted here and there with Serenoa repens, saw palmetto natives and giant (Florida-friendly) Philodendron bipinnatifidum with

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If you're a gardener, you probably already know that gardening in the south is much different than gardening anywhere else in the U.S.Then there’s Florida. Florida takes that difference to a whole other level.You can understand why I might have been a bit reluctant when asked to review Nancy J. Ondra's latest book. Knowing what I do about Nan as a superior garden designer and cultivator of her

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Florida's endless summer has finally bowed its knee to autumn's brisk coolness. Might we just shout a little hallelujah and say we are quite happy gardening in its invigorating presence.White PeacockAfter two weeks of record-setting highs in the 90's our Southerly spot on the map finally dropped down into the upper 50's overnight this weekend. A much needed rain shower ushered in the first true

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Gardening in Florida means, among other things, that our garden centers are open all year long. Not only are they open but they offer brightly colored, potted up annuals for easy transplant and instant pizzazz any time your little heart gets a hankering for a pick-me-up.As my garden has expanded, over the years, I can look back and see the trend away from this temptation for instant gratification

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It has been as hot as summer in Florida this week. We enjoyed a refreshing cool down a few weeks ago but it only lasted a short few days and we are right back where we started about 5 months ago with very humid, warm weather.Usually by October we can count on the softer angle of the sun to keep us at least a little cooler. ... in the evenings and mornings anyway. Only this week we have steadily

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For those of you not familiar with bromeliads there are some varieties that mature to be quite huge specimens.Some bromeliads prefer shade and some actually request to be placed more in the direct sun. There are over 100 shade and semi-shade loving bromeliads serving as filler and ground cover throughout Hoe and Shovel. I do love them all as they are virtually maintenance free. I'm not all that

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There is a partially sunny bed that borders the south side of the back garden next to the property line of my neighbor's yard. Partially sunny because in the spring, prior to the crape myrtles' leaves returning, it gets a good dose of filtered morning sun. In every season it gets a good dose of afternoon sun and it is south facing.The autumn blooming Goldenrod, Sempervirens is dutifully

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If you've ever seen a Giant Spider Lily Crinum augustum 'Queen Emma' you know its presence in any garden setting commands attention. The bulb it comes from can weigh as much as 10-20 lbs and each strappy leaf is easily 6-8" across and 4-5' in length at maturity. An over-sized bud is just beginning to burst open into its stringy,tubular flower atop its thick, succulent stem. It's already been

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There are just not too many fully sunny locations at Hoe and Shovel. With the removal of a couple of the neighbor's trees last year a nice portion of the west facing front yard opened up to let a good amount of sunshine in.It was decided to dig up some lawn and create a place for some much longed-for sun-loving natives and Florida-friendly plants. My first exposure to Purple Muhly grass,

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Sea Oats, Uniola paniculata, Longboat Key Beach, FL *click to enlarge* Sea oats minus their summer spikelets of seed heads silhouetted against a breathtaking January sunset.The good folks over at Gardening Gone Wild are the generous hosts for the monthly 'Picture This' Photo contest. This is my entry for September. I guess I'm counting on this statement in the description of what Nan Ondra, this

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Manasota Key, FL *click to enlarge any photo*I'm a long-time admirer of ornamental and tall grasses. Just about any kind of grass is pleasing in my view. It sways with the breeze and rustles around together making the softest and gentlest sounds. I'm particularly attracted to its manner of forming an upright habit. Longboatkey, FL taken on a rainy July morningBut then it droops over from the

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Autumn is just around the corner. That's what the calendar would tell us anyway. There are a few indications of the subtle transition to fall around Hoe and Shovel. One has to be paying attention closely to notice as, in typical Florida flashion, it eases up on us ever so slowly.The sunny days remain intense albeit in this Florida garden the length of them is a little shorter with the dawning

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There isn't a lot of time between when the spring garden expires and the fall garden calls out to be planted with those first seeds.When it's time to get busy with a new season of planting like it has been the last few weeks for the fall garden, the concentration becomes soil preparation.Taking the time and energy to create the foundation to the garden is every ounce as important as choosing

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The first time I ever saw a Hurricane Lily or Red Spider Lily, Lycoris radiata, was a couple of years ago while on a weekend stay in Wakulla Springs, FL. Their uniqueness caught my attention right away and I wondered why I had never seen any in Central Florida.A slender stalk of 5-7 separate flowers bunching together making one stunning lily with long arching anthers so wispy and graceful as if

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Black Swallowtail, Papilio Polyxenes asteriusThe September garden is always chocked full of butterfly activity.Today was no exception.Juvenal's Dusky Wings, Erynnis juvenalisThe morning started off with the rather drab Dusky Wings making its way around to the blue porterweed in the veggie garden. Drab brown or not they still fascinate me.Long-tailed Skipper, Urbanus proteusFlitting about with its

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It’s September and it’s still summer by all accounts in Florida. Nevertheless, caladiums continue to provide much of the flare in the garden. And thank goodness for them. They are transitioning this garden into autumn with their delightful array of color variations, shapes, and sizes. Years ago I started out planting a few caladium bulbs in a nice neat row across the front planting bed. It was so

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The very reason I planted a Cassia Alata or candle bush was to attract the Cloudless Sulphur butterflies. They use this wonderfully large shrub and foliage as a host plant to lay their eggs. This little lady is obliging me.There are many that come to visit in the new front planting now. The new planting bed adds a convenient stop between my neighbor's front garden and the rest of mine.It amazes

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It doesn't take long for the butterflies and bees to find new nectar plants. Soon after the crimson red Pentas were planted the regular visitors made a stop by the brightly colored attracters. What a flurry of critter activity the newly planted front bed has invited as more turf was exchanged for plants. Extending the menu and adding a few new choices has caused delight for them and for us.Not

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Zingiber zerumbet, also widely known as "shampoo ginger" because of a liquid substance in the cones.The pinecone-looking bracts are borne on separate stalks that show up each summer at the base of the plant.The variety my sweet neighbor gave me a couple of years ago is the cultivar 'Darceyi' ... Zingiber zerumbet 'Darceyi'. With its green and creamy white edges, it will only grow to about 4 feet.

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Another round of papery pinky-colored bracts has burst out on the potted up Bougainvillea that my mom (thanks again, Mom) gave me recently. The veggie garden is the only place where enough sun is shining to sprout its pretty colors. It will stay in a pot for now to keep it tame.The exact minute a yard of fresh garden soil was dumped in the back of our pick-up I was looking forward to getting it

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A Swallowtail butterfly as it emerged in the early morning light and hung in utter stillness in my veggie garden. Its home while transforming was under the blade of an 18" high purple queen plant.This is my entry for Gardening Gone Wild's August photo contest. The theme was "down on your knees".Good luck to everyone participating.

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So this is what it's like to have a sunny place in the garden?Wildflowers have taken over my small veggie patch. They have grown so much better here than in the wildflower garden I purposely created in the back garden. The climate over here with 5-6 hours of sun each day is so different than all the other shady places I'm used to in my garden.I can't say that it is all that pretty. There are dead

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