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May 20, 2013 9:07 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Elaine
Sarasota, Fl
The one constant in life is change
Amaryllis Tropicals Multi-Region Gardener Orchids Master Gardener: Florida Irises
Herbs Region: Florida Vegetable Grower Daylilies Birds Cat Lover
At the request from a lady from Illinois, I'm pleased to start this general thread for us to share pictures and stories about our Florida gardens.

Please post lots of pictures, they each are worth a thousand words (of course).

White Bird of Paradise, Brugmansia 'Charles Grimaldi'
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Begonia 'Don Miller', ground orchids Spathoglottis plicata
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Huge hanging basket full of Begonia 'Odorata alba'. It has a lovely soft fragrance in the mornings.
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A very tall agapanthus in a pot on my patio. Heliconia 'Lady Di' starting to bloom, but they need rain!
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Blazing orange snapdragons have been going all winter, but are ready to give up. 'Easy Does It' rose.
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Salvia 'Indigo Spires' is just taking off and spreading nicely. Great plant but needs grooming to stay nice looking.
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Mandevilla 'Merlot' has very deep red flowers. I just couldn't get the light right to show it.
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Clerodendron ugandense was started from a cutting last fall, and is already a nice little bush. Coral barleria is a pretty groundcover in partial shade.
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Elaine

"Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm." –Winston Churchill
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May 25, 2013 9:52 PM CST
Name: Gigi AdeniumPlumeria
Florida (Zone 9b)
Adeniums Roses Plumerias Orchids Miniature Gardening Hibiscus
Region: Florida Container Gardener Garden Photography Cactus and Succulents Butterflies Garden Ideas: Level 1
I love your blooms Elaine, mine are not as many as yours! I love that Angels Trumpet, I have the pink one.

Tropicana Peach Rose:

Thumb of 2013-05-26/GigiPlumeria/05c1e7.
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Red rose:
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Carpet Rose:

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Epidendrum



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Marygolds:
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Blood Lilies:



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My plummies, Divine

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Puu Kahea:

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©by Gigi Adenium Plumeria "Gardening is my favorite pastime. I grow whatever plant that catches my attention. I also enjoy hand pollinating desert roses.”
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May 26, 2013 9:39 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Elaine
Sarasota, Fl
The one constant in life is change
Amaryllis Tropicals Multi-Region Gardener Orchids Master Gardener: Florida Irises
Herbs Region: Florida Vegetable Grower Daylilies Birds Cat Lover
Thanks, Gigi. Your plumerias are lovely. I have only one, similar to your last picture, a gift from my daughter she brought as a cutting from Hawaii. I don't know it's name but the package said 'Peach'. It's just starting to open, so will post a pic in a few days. I had a big red one that died in the cold winters a few years ago. I failed to take a cutting to try to save it. Sad

Thought I'd better post a couple of my Caladiums so hope Bill gets over here to see them. These first two came from him this spring, 'Gingerland' has delicate pink flowers coming. 'Scarlet O'Hara' is a cartoon plant! Rolling my eyes. Third pic is a mix of Thai varieties, Green Pearl, and Black Thai. I think they are trying to cross, because Green Pearl every once in a while puts up a leaf that is half dark and half green/white. (see lower right of pic)
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Creamy yellow African Iris, my favorite color. I have lots of gingers, a new one Hedychium 'Greenii' with red leaf reverses, and hopefully red flowers. None in bloom yet except the Alpinia variegata.
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Elaine

"Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm." –Winston Churchill
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May 26, 2013 2:50 PM CST
Name: Jan
St. Pete,FL
Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! I helped plan and beta test the plant database. Hosted a Not-A-Raffle-Raffle Butterflies Seller of Garden Stuff
Tropicals Plant and/or Seed Trader Seed Starter Ponds Plumerias Hummingbirder
ok Here are some of mine

CUPHEA.Thumb of 2013-05-26/Budgielover/b1425f TOMATO Thumb of 2013-05-26/Budgielover/a1f829
BEANS Thumb of 2013-05-26/Budgielover/52740e UNKNOWN PLUMMIE Thumb of 2013-05-26/Budgielover/c705bf
NATIVE
PORTERWEED Thumb of 2013-05-26/Budgielover/112e4c CRINUM Thumb of 2013-05-26/Budgielover/80ec04
JATROPHA Thumb of 2013-05-26/Budgielover/2aa8eb MUSA ROHO Thumb of 2013-05-26/Budgielover/ece37b
DWARF
POINCIANA
Thumb of 2013-05-26/Budgielover/e8b91dUNMENTIONABLE Thumb of 2013-05-26/Budgielover/0b51ee
TEXAS SAGE Thumb of 2013-05-26/Budgielover/7e71bc LITCHEE Thumb of 2013-05-26/Budgielover/5ccff7

MORE TO COME
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May 26, 2013 6:30 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Elaine
Sarasota, Fl
The one constant in life is change
Amaryllis Tropicals Multi-Region Gardener Orchids Master Gardener: Florida Irises
Herbs Region: Florida Vegetable Grower Daylilies Birds Cat Lover
Lovely, Jan. I see you have fruit on your Litchee this year, lucky one! Mine has not one single fruit. It was just coming into bloom at the beginning of March, and the flowers all blasted from cold. Hey, where'd you get the seeds for your native beans? Are those the ones with the square pods and pretty blue flowers? I had some like that one year, and they were so good!

I have tons of mango coming, though. That tree set fruit from the December bloom, and bloomed twice more, so we're hoping for a long season. The battle with the squirrels begins!!
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Begonias liked the cool spring weather this year. First is 'Maurice Amy', next is 'Bubbles' and third one is 'Good 'n Plenty'.
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A fun basil called 'Cardinal' with big flower heads. Black Gamecock iris are much darker purple than the picture shows. Colcasia 'Blue Hawaii'.
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Elaine

"Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm." –Winston Churchill
Avatar for Dutchlady1
May 26, 2013 6:44 PM CST

Plumerias Photo Contest Winner: 2015 Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Garden Ideas: Master Level Forum moderator
Region: Florida Cat Lover Garden Sages Cactus and Succulents Tropicals Hosted a Not-A-Raffle-Raffle
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It's going to be hard to show what is in my yard that is NOT Plumeria Hilarious! but I'll try!
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Oops - that is another one!
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Quite a spectacular triple bloom Amaryllis that keeps coming back each year.
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A lovely small Cactus with big blooms, and while we're on cacti: this bloomed last night and I caught the end of the bloom early this morning:
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I also have lots of Adeniums. This one is a favorite 'Poseidon'.
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I think I can show my favorite vine again: Tecomanthe

My little Tillandsia ball
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Nothing edible anymore.... we had two mango trees when we bought this house but it turned out I am quite allergic.... so they're gone.
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May 26, 2013 7:42 PM CST
Name: Jan
St. Pete,FL
Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! I helped plan and beta test the plant database. Hosted a Not-A-Raffle-Raffle Butterflies Seller of Garden Stuff
Tropicals Plant and/or Seed Trader Seed Starter Ponds Plumerias Hummingbirder
Eaine,
This is the first year I have gotten more than a few litchee to mature. I've had several years of great bloom but either a cold snap or strong storms have come through to wipe them out. Weather was perfect this year. The beans are just common bush beans like Kentucky Wonder than I started from seed.

I must have hacked Hetty's computer. LOL Thumb of 2013-05-27/Budgielover/e9cbed
Musa Namwah Thumb of 2013-05-27/Budgielover/411dbbMusa Manzano Thumb of 2013-05-27/Budgielover/5428c0
Unknown Musa Thumb of 2013-05-27/Budgielover/ef8e2d
Same unknown as above bent over from weight.
Had to prop it up with the white pole Thumb of 2013-05-27/Budgielover/5e30f1
Dutchman's Pipevine Thumb of 2013-05-27/Budgielover/9073f7 bloom Thumb of 2013-05-27/Budgielover/7ec04e
Beggin to have his picture taken Thumb of 2013-05-27/Budgielover/4f114c Thumb of 2013-05-27/Budgielover/202fab
y former backyard
nursery being dismantledThumb of 2013-05-27/Budgielover/9f699d Thumb of 2013-05-27/Budgielover/c2b534 Thumb of 2013-05-27/Budgielover/41bf91
Gold Edged Duranta Thumb of 2013-05-27/Budgielover/6733d9 BrugThumb of 2013-05-27/Budgielover/68ea2a

Some new exotic species in my backyard. LOL (Sorry, couldn't resist showing my feathered friends)

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May 26, 2013 8:31 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Elaine
Sarasota, Fl
The one constant in life is change
Amaryllis Tropicals Multi-Region Gardener Orchids Master Gardener: Florida Irises
Herbs Region: Florida Vegetable Grower Daylilies Birds Cat Lover
Your birds are in your Florida Garden, right? Lovely garden, pretty birdies and kitty. I'm glad to see someone has more pots than I do . . Had a pair of black-hooded parakeets visit my back yard a week or so ago. Hope they don't find their way back, I have my hands full protecting my mangoes from the squirrels.

Hetty, you can show us as many plumerias as you want. I'm shopping for one with more fragrance - the one I have is ok, but the scent is very faint and more like almond than frangipani. I forgot, I do have a variegated one with yellow flowers but it is a real wimp, struggling to survive, and has not bloomed since I got it.

Little dwarf Canna, only gets about 2ft. tall. Bigger blazing red, quiet white one. They look good in this dry weather, but I hide the pots away when it gets rainy and the flowers go to mush.
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Another ginger with cool 'corduroy' leaves. Don't know its name as I got it on a trade, and haven't seen it bloom yet. More jazzy leaves on Begonia 'Looking Glass'. It looks sort of gray and dull until you see the leaves catch the light, and they are metallic sparkly silver!

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Elaine

"Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm." –Winston Churchill
Image
May 26, 2013 8:44 PM CST
Name: Gigi AdeniumPlumeria
Florida (Zone 9b)
Adeniums Roses Plumerias Orchids Miniature Gardening Hibiscus
Region: Florida Container Gardener Garden Photography Cactus and Succulents Butterflies Garden Ideas: Level 1
All of your pictures are really great representation of Florida Gardening. Ellaine, your mangoes are yummy too. Many years ago, my favorite restaurant makes the best green mango shake. The cold snap blasted the fruits of my mango tree in pots. I love Begonias but I only have 2 small ones because I don't have shade. I'm full sun all around me. Lovey dubby

Jan I love the bananas, I used to boil them or broil them when they are just starting to ripen but still firm and eat them with grilled chicken or steak (yum!). I have banana trees but they are still babies. I love your feathered friends! Lovey dubby

Hetty Hurray! my garden is looking more and more like yours. More plumerias although I still have some roses and other full sun annuals. I can't get over the beautiful bloom of Tecomanthe and the beautiful Tilansia ball! Lovey dubby .
©by Gigi Adenium Plumeria "Gardening is my favorite pastime. I grow whatever plant that catches my attention. I also enjoy hand pollinating desert roses.”
Last edited by GigiPlumeria May 26, 2013 8:50 PM Icon for preview
Avatar for Dutchlady1
May 27, 2013 3:51 AM CST

Plumerias Photo Contest Winner: 2015 Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Garden Ideas: Master Level Forum moderator
Region: Florida Cat Lover Garden Sages Cactus and Succulents Tropicals Hosted a Not-A-Raffle-Raffle
I tip my hat to you. thanks everyone.
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May 27, 2013 8:09 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Elaine
Sarasota, Fl
The one constant in life is change
Amaryllis Tropicals Multi-Region Gardener Orchids Master Gardener: Florida Irises
Herbs Region: Florida Vegetable Grower Daylilies Birds Cat Lover
Gigi, are you planting trees? I couldn't garden without at least some shade on the south and west sides. Must admit, I'd like a little more sun around here. I grow veggies in Earth Boxes and a big raised bed in the back yard, and by this time of year, it's over for veggies because of the shade encroaching. I still have tomatoes coming, but they're nearly done.

We have an older house with gigantic oaks on all four sides plus a huge stand of tall bamboo on the north side that shades in summer, but protects in the winter when the sun slants in underneath it. The oaks do shade the house beautifully, and keep the garden cool but everywhere I dig there are oak tree roots. I keep a lot of my plants in pots and just sink them into the borders to protect them from the oak roots. It does limit the size of some shrubs like the YlangYlang and brugs, but that's generally not a bad thing here, where everything becomes gigantic so fast!
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Here's my NOID plummie finally with a flower head all open. More pink suffuses into the yellow as the flowers age. (but you all know that, of course)
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One of my favorites, Gloriosa lily puts on a little samba pah-ti every month or so through the summer. Love those flowers at every stage, and the little curly leaf tips that grasp, too.

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Elaine

"Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm." –Winston Churchill
Avatar for Dutchlady1
May 27, 2013 9:57 AM CST

Plumerias Photo Contest Winner: 2015 Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Garden Ideas: Master Level Forum moderator
Region: Florida Cat Lover Garden Sages Cactus and Succulents Tropicals Hosted a Not-A-Raffle-Raffle
Elaine I think you might have 'Penang Peach' a very compact growing plumeria variety. If the leaves have a distinct 'hook' under the tip it is that one for sure!
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May 27, 2013 1:36 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Elaine
Sarasota, Fl
The one constant in life is change
Amaryllis Tropicals Multi-Region Gardener Orchids Master Gardener: Florida Irises
Herbs Region: Florida Vegetable Grower Daylilies Birds Cat Lover
Ah, ha! Thank you so much, Hetty. It does indeed have hooked ends on most of the mature leaves. At 5 years old, I guess you could call it compact, too. It's about 6ft. tall and wide. A very nice size.

Here's a mystery though - the first two years I had it, it kept its leaves through the winter incl. the two very cold winters. But the last two, it dropped all leaves. (even though the weather was mild) Do you happen to know if this is supposed to be a deciduous variety? Or did the rusty fungus just get to the leaves? Btw, is there a prevention for that rusty fungus?
Elaine

"Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm." –Winston Churchill
Image
May 27, 2013 2:01 PM CST
Name: Gigi AdeniumPlumeria
Florida (Zone 9b)
Adeniums Roses Plumerias Orchids Miniature Gardening Hibiscus
Region: Florida Container Gardener Garden Photography Cactus and Succulents Butterflies Garden Ideas: Level 1
I have trees but in pots Big Grin
©by Gigi Adenium Plumeria "Gardening is my favorite pastime. I grow whatever plant that catches my attention. I also enjoy hand pollinating desert roses.”
Avatar for Foreverlad
May 30, 2013 7:32 PM CST
Name: Himm
Fl (Zone 10a)
Bromeliad Region: Florida Plant Lover: Loves 'em all! Salvias Enjoys or suffers hot summers Tropicals
Elaine,

That Gloriosa really earns its name. That is an absolutely stunning plant, and one I wasn't familiar with before now. Definitely adding that lily to my list of some-day plants.
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May 30, 2013 7:46 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Elaine
Sarasota, Fl
The one constant in life is change
Amaryllis Tropicals Multi-Region Gardener Orchids Master Gardener: Florida Irises
Herbs Region: Florida Vegetable Grower Daylilies Birds Cat Lover
Mike, that's one easy grower, too. Once you get it established it comes back year after year, and blooms up a storm. You do need a trellis or some sort of support for it.

I have some Lobster Claw Heliconias in bloom this week - such bizarre blooms. Hope my friends will ignore the ratty foliage, we're working on it.

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Elaine

"Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm." –Winston Churchill
Image
May 30, 2013 8:13 PM CST
Name: Ann ~Heat zn 9, Sunset
North Fl. (Zone 8b)
Garden Sages Region: Ukraine Native Plants and Wildflowers Xeriscape Organic Gardener I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database!
Garden Ideas: Master Level Butterflies Charter ATP Member Plant Identifier Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Dog Lover
Pretty Elaine!
I am a strong believer in the simple fact is that what matters in this life is how we treat others. I think that's what living is all about. Not what I've done in my life but how I've treated others. ~~ Sharon Brown
Avatar for Foreverlad
May 30, 2013 10:43 PM CST
Name: Himm
Fl (Zone 10a)
Bromeliad Region: Florida Plant Lover: Loves 'em all! Salvias Enjoys or suffers hot summers Tropicals
Thanks for the info Elaine. I definitely need to give that lily a go. Sigh... Heliconia. For a short time, one of the Lowes I visit had Heliconia Collinsiana. Great big foliage, good height, white powdery undersides. I held off purchasing them and missed out. Shortly after, Lowes dropped Greendale Nursery as their tropical supplier, and I'm still waiting to see what changes for this year. Looking forward to seeing more tropicals for sale in the nurseries and the Tropical Plant sale as USF in July. Heliconia can be a bit on the expensive side, so I always held out on building a big H. bed. They're likely my next big pet plant project. Yours look fantastic. There's just no helping the ratty foliage, it seems.

Mike
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May 31, 2013 1:44 AM CST
Name: Jan
St. Pete,FL
Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! I helped plan and beta test the plant database. Hosted a Not-A-Raffle-Raffle Butterflies Seller of Garden Stuff
Tropicals Plant and/or Seed Trader Seed Starter Ponds Plumerias Hummingbirder
Mike
Have you been to Wilcox native plant nursery in Largo? You should add some hardy natives to balance the tropicals if you haven't already.
Avatar for Foreverlad
May 31, 2013 8:12 AM CST
Name: Himm
Fl (Zone 10a)
Bromeliad Region: Florida Plant Lover: Loves 'em all! Salvias Enjoys or suffers hot summers Tropicals
In fact Jan, I have. I drive down Ulmerton to Indian Rocks Beach six days a week, and love stopping by Wilcox when I get the opportunity. I've probably spent 300 dollars on various plants there over the last year, purchasing Coffee plants, Silver buttonwood, Firebush, Beautyberry, Milkweed and tons more. They're all located in other non-tropical portions of my yard, front and back. I have another section of my yard (an old line of Gardenia) that are hosting whitefly, black mold, etc that need to be torn out soon. I plan on installing more natives, host plants, shrubs and 'leave 'em alone' types. Smiling

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