We need to get the March thread rolling. We came from The thread "What's in Your Garden, February, 2013" in Orchids forum

I'll start out with some native lantana. It seems to be extra large and vigorous this year.


My first ginger bloom of the year:


I'm up to my eyeballs in Amaryllis this year.


The tibouchina has been blooming since last October.


With no freze or frost, the pink jatropha is doing better than ever.


More bananas hanging fron the tree and papayas as well.


The azaleas are wonderful this year.


I have mushroom root rot moving through the ground in my blue plumbago bed. There is no cure so this may be the last you see of them.


Begonias:


That's it for now.

Jim

Will you look at the beautiful Papayas and Bananas!!
Beautiful stuff, Jim!
Around here the last load of snow which we had to get yesterday is melting rapidly in the nice sunshine.

These are the ones blooming in my garden right now:
Kniphofia sarmentosa


Some tulips and Muscari bulbs, my first time to grow them:


Gaillardias are awake:


Stenocactus coptonoganus in bloom:


Oscularia caulescens:

So nice! I can't wait for Spring around here as it is sleeting right now!

Beautiful colors, Tarev. Very nice show.

Jim

Our winter this year has been quite milder and really drier. Allowed my succulents and other plants to survive the season much better. But we do really need rain..

Thanks to our generally mild winter this year, I have some good stuff showing up already. The mango tree has fruit the size of small plums already, and is putting on a second flush of blooms. This bodes well for a good, long mango season come summer! My huge clump of Callas is growing leaves like crazy, but not being too generous with the flowers!


Purple firespike seems to have benefitted from being broken off accidentally. Shorter and more blooms than last year. Blue Thunbergia is intertwined with the firespike plant.

Brazilian plume is on fire in the sun. Brug. Insignia getting ready to open some pale yellow flowers. One of my favorite Amaryllis, of course I've lost the tag . ..

Last but not least, a garden of edible greens that keep us healthy all winter. Kale, celery, mint, mizuna and fennel - the fennel bulbs are fantastic in salad, too!

and into April...
I just updated the Pond thread of mine which was moved. I realized I never added to that last Summer and had rather posted my updates here into the garden threads. ( as to be expected..... )
The thread "A new pond" in Ponds and Water Gardening forum

Continuing into April, This is a Jatropha Coral plant:


Red Amarylis:


My latest palm acquisition:


First Bird of Paradise flower of the year:


The jacaranda tree is just starting to flower.


Azaleas still blooming:


Iochroma for the hummers:


Duranta golden dew drop:


Ginger:


Passion flowers with fruit:


Jacobinia


Flowering maple:


Knock-out rose:


Jaboticaba fruiting. The black ones are ripe. I've been snacking on these and black Surinam cherries.


Finally, African Iris:


Jim

How lovely is that this morning!! Every one is a gem. I love the new Palm too, so graceful!

Yes, who is that palm?

The new palm is a Licuala peltata var. sumawongii. See: http://www.palmpedia.net/wiki/... I'll probably have to protect it for the first few years if we get a frost but it should grow up to be strong and hardy.

Jim

That is a lovely palm, Jim. I thought to go out and get some pics in the fading light, but it's raining nicely now.

Stars of the show at this time of year are these faithful daylilies that jump into bloom on the north side of the house as soon as the sun gets high enough to hit them. My brugmansias have been blooming non-stop all winter.


The birdies "planted" this nice sunflower for me under the birdfeeder. Purple firespike is going crazy.


I planted new tomatoes "Mountain Magic" from seed in December, and they are already bearing. Eggplant 'Purple Rain' has been going since October, as has the very decorative Basil 'Cardinal' with big dark red flower heads.


Sunset shades in this funny little Kalanchoe, Callas finally putting on some blooms, and good old faithful plumbago, the best blue in the garden.

Nice photos, Elaine. I think you are a couple of weeks ahead of me. No rain here but it was hot today. I think it hit 90 degrees for the first time this year.

Jim

Elaine, no complaints here looking at your pretty photos either!

Very nice. What Brug is that

Ted, I think that one is "Monster White". It sure does grow and bloom like a monster.

I also have the yellow 'Charles Grimaldi' in a big pot in the pool cage. It makes nice shifting shade for a rack of orchids and likes getting misted every day along with them.


Then there is a collection of pink ones, some of which we're not sure of the names. (I've been trading cuttings, did you guess?) This one might be 'Isabella' and I have two paler pinks, 'Cherub' and 'Frosty'.

Looks really nice, Elaine. I have one 'Charles Grimaldi', but nowhere near that size. I thought orchids were demanding. Brugs are right there. Mine needs water daily and a healthy dose of fert at least once a week.

I agree, they are hungry, thirsty beasts. The only reason I put up with them is they are SO rewarding with all those big, fragrant flowers blooming once a month or so.

Last year I nearly gave up, what with spider mites and some other plague on them. This year, so far so good! That yellow one is due for a good pruning, so that I don't have to find an even larger pot for him. He's got his own emitter on the automatic sprinkler system so I only have to give him an extra drink every second day. Plus he's under the orchid mister which also helps some.

Pinwheel jasmine is another repeat bloomer. Huge brom surprised me with a 3ft. tall flower spike. My big begonia Odorata Alba smells like baby powder in the mornings.


Totally mundane, I know, but this is a success for me. Groundcover jasmine 'Tricolor' has finally taken hold out front. See the new growth is pink or white, then the green comes in later on the leaves.


Blazing snapdragons and purple violas have been brave all winter/spring but won't last much longer if this heat continues. Pentas are the butterfly and hummer magnets out there. Nice old red hibiscus I keep forgetting about because he's outside the back gate.

Well, I guess I need to add a few from the non-orchid arena

Elm Begonia, Deep Purple Fuchsia, Amaryllis this was saved from Christmas 2011 and decided to bloom this spring. It was one of those Home Depot Christmas things


Fuchsia Begonia, corazon-de-jesus, a double Hibiscus that is huge and came with the house and some really interesting flowers from some of the bushes we also inherited



Gold Fish plant, Wysteria, Clivia


And some Episcia cupreata Jambalaya



Ted