Fabulous Foliage

A mild winter and the start of the summer rains have really given a boost to the foliage in the shady parts of the garden.

The Sweet Almond bush is taking shape as a single-trunk small tree.  It has had trouble keeping upright during high winds but it stood strong during 'Debby.'  The blooms have come in flushes one right after another since March.

The area underneath the oak is starting to take shape as well.  This area was all Wedelia ground cover.  You can read about its re-do here.   My Oakleaf Hydrangeas didn't bloom this year, but they are putting out new stems and leaves so I have high hopes for next spring.  

Now here's a look I love.  The shady tropical corner has foliage upon foliage.  There are few bare spots to be seen in this area.

I love being able to put houseplants in the ground to form a low bushy groundcover that gets nipped in the winter but comes back every spring.  (Polka Dot Plant 'White Splash' on the left and 'Pink Splash' at the bottom right edge of this picture.)  They re-seed so there are now more than the original two. 

Looking out from the shady corner across the boggy area I'm so happy to see that I may have finally figured out what can take drought conditions in early spring and still take flooding in summer. Many plants have met their doom in this spot.  

Oh yes, mid-summer foliage is a beautiful thing!

A Mild December

This December's weather in central Florida has been glorious!  Cool, low humidity and best of all, not one hint of a freeze.

The shady tropical corner here at My Garden Path has been a very enjoyable spot in which to spend time.

The tropical gingers are holding up well and only a few of those that go dormant have started to turn yellow and go to sleep.  If we have a mild winter, all winter, the spiral gingers should bloom in the spring.

While freezing temperatures will knock back most of the foliage in this area, there are some hardier specimens that will anchor the bed such as the bird's nest fern, cast-iron plants and shefflera.

Whatever the rest of winter brings to my garden, I'm enjoying this time immensely.  Right now, this shady, tropical corner is making me smile.

Staying in the Shade

When it is 78 degrees at 8:00 AM, I know it is going to be a day to stay in the shade.  Lately, many days have been much too hot for any heavy outdoor labor.  The usual temperature peak at mid-day on these June days has been in the 90's. 



"Tough as Nails" - Walking Iris,  Neomarica longifolia, gracilis, and caerulea along with Artemisia 'Powis Castle',  Red Firespike,  Odontonema strictum and Tropical Milkweed, Asclepias curassavica

Combined with a lack of rainfall, the heat can really take a toll on the garden.  I have no irrigation in the back garden.  When the rain barrels are dry, it's just me and the hose.  I try to stick to the twice a week watering schedule for sprinkler systems that my county has enacted even though I'm watering by hand.

"Tough as Nails" - Bromeliads, Purple Heart, Tradescantia pallida, Lotus Begonia, Begonia nelumbiifolia

"Thirsty" - Caladiums

Growing plants that are "tough as nails" in this central Florida heat-filled summer is key to having a garden at all.    Placed in high shifting shade beneath the oaks certain plants are very drought tolerant.  More thirsty plants are gathered together in spots where they can be more easily watered without having to water the entire garden.

"Tough as Nails" - Gulf Fritillary butterfly on Purple Heart

Gulf Fritillaries are loving the heat and flitting around everywhere.  I notice them landing in the drops of water that collect in the creases of foliage around the garden.  Several birdbaths are located among the plantings and I have to fill them daily.  All types of wildlife are as thirsty as the plants.  I find birds, butterflies, insects, and squirrels drinking from these miniture oases.


"Tough as Nails" - Forsythia Sage, Salvia madrensis, Flowering Maple, Abutilon, Starburst Clerodendrum, Clerodendrum quadriloculare

"Thirsty"- Coleus and Caladiums

What a difference a shade tree makes for the garden.  My temperature gauge is located on the oak tree well shaded by leafy branches.  There isn't a thermometer in the sunny garden area so I can't prove my claim that there is at least a 10-15 degree difference in the two places.  I still maintain it is true though.

"Tough as Nails" - Crossandra 'Orange Marmalade'

Drought tolerant doesn't mean there are no flowers.  Many plants flower well through the summer doldrums. 

"Tough as Nails" - Bromeliads, African Iris, Dietes iridioides, Azaleas, Liriope

Placing the thirstiest plant varieties all together and near a water source makes watering a more efficient effort.  When we have as little as half an inch of rain both of my rain barrels will be full.  This precious supply can easily be hauled by watering can to the spots of  "thirsty" plants while the "tough as nails" plants are able to survive without supplemental water.

"Tough as Nails" - Shrimp Plant, Justicia brandegeana 'Fruit Cocktail'

Florida is a place where drought conditions can be experienced for a few months and then torrential rains can come the next few months.  Summer brings blistering heat and oppressive humidity and winter brings periods of freezing temperatures.  Our gardens have to be able to take it all in stride. 

It would be a boring garden that had one plant that could take all the extremes.  My goal is to have a mixture of plants for all the seasons of my Florida garden.  That's the unique thing about gardening here in the "Sunshine State" - four gardening seasons.  It's challenging, but I'm going to keep trying to pull off a year-round garden.

Wherever you garden, what are your favorite "tough as nails" plants in your garden?

After April Showers

Looking across the new oak circle bed toward the sunny back fence bed

We had a nice rain the other afternoon.  The rain gauge only registered .2 of an inch, but it was enough to make the garden quite happy.


Looking down the hill from the rose garden toward the shady tropical corner

All the leaves and flowers looked so vibrant after the rain cleared.  The sunlight was still diffused by cloud cover and for a short time the shadows were minimal.


Front view of the oak circle bed

The newly sprouted caladiums seemed to unfurl their leaves while I was watching.  It was a wonderful sight.   These bulbs were newly planted in February and were the last to show themselves above ground. 

Looking across the back of the oak circle toward the shady tropical corner

The gingers are an important component to the shade garden and are much appreciated when they return after their winter nap underground.  Not just the ginger leaves, but all the leaves look plumper after the rain.



Front of the camellia bed under my bedroom window

It is so amazing to see how much growth has occurred just this last month.  The rain was a welcome but rare event for the typically dry month of April.  Even such a small amount of rain is greatly appreciated by both the garden and the gardener.

Shady Corner

The branches of my grandfather oak meet with those of the neighboring oaks to create a very shady corner.  The filtered light that reaches down between the oak leaves gives a woodland feel to this spot. 

Differing leaf shapes and colors work together to create interest without the need for flowers.  The variegation, pattern, and shading of the leaves provides much to please the eye. 

Sometimes the only color needed is green.  All the tints and textures of just this one color can be enough. 

The emphasis here is on the foliage but there are flowers too.  Not with the abundance that are found in the sunnier areas of the garden, but flowers do bloom here.

But, with color like this who needs flowers? 

That isn't to say the ginger blossoms, yesterday-today-and-tomorrow blooms, and the various justicia plumes aren't appreciated when they lend their beauty and fragrance to the area.   They are all welcome treats that stand out against the background of foliage.

The pop of the occasional flower is nice, but all the textures, colors, and shapes of the foliage is what makes this spot special. 

Under The Oak Tree

The southeast corner of the backyard garden is under the shady canopy of the large oak tree as well as the shadow of the wood fencing.  Pockets of sunlight appear in different areas at different times throughout the day.

Still on the east side but closer in toward the tree, new plants have been added to fill in the area where the wedelia ground cover once was growing.  The tallest plants are about two feet tall right now, but there are several which will be gaining height to add much needed layers.

Lots of low growing ground covering plants are planted on the north side of the tree.  This is the view we have from our back porch. 

There is a fairly good mix of cold hardy plants such as flax lily, holly fern and walking iris to keep the area from being too bare when the various clerodendrum, coleus, and caladiums disappear for the winter.  Where are all those caladiums I planted right after removing the wedelia?  Maybe I've been digging around too much and displaced them. 


Three oakleaf hydrangeas were planted on the southside of the tree to give some height and background.  These blooms are just beginning to open.  Hydrangea quercifolia is a native plant that fits in well with a natural woodland setting. 

Another native plant just added is this ground cover, Ruellia caroliniensis.  I'm hoping this native wild petunia will spread and help cover the areas between the other plantings. 

Up against the trunk of the old oak are clumps of different types of bromeliads.  The roots of the oak tree make it impossible to dig deep planting holes so these epiphytes fit perfectly. 

I just enjoy the sunlight shining through the leaves.  You never know when a stray sunbeam will show up.

On the west side of the tree I tried to mirror the planting of the east side.  There is another flowering maple, wormwood, firespike and a new reed-stem epidendrum planted on the outer edge of the circle where it can get some stronger sunlight.

With a mix of old and new, native and Florida friendly plants, I am eager to see how this woodland garden grows up. 

A Monday Morning Meander

After a Thanksgiving holiday weekend full of family and food, this Monday morning brings a feeling of contentment.  A quiet peace flows through the shady gardens in the front yard and a meandering walk through them satisfies the heart.

There are plenty of blooms but they are not the exuberant blossoms of spring and summer with their hot colors.  These flowers are soft pinks and purples giving rest to the eyes.

The hallmark of any shade garden is the variety of textures, shapes and hues of green.  There is no sense of hurry here.

An unknown nidularium bloom reflects the pinky purple of the baby Queen Emma crinum which was recently gifted to this garden by a gardening friend.

In the springtime the light pink blooms of these azaleas will blend perfectly in the new front entry-way bed.  Until then, their green leaves make a perfect backdrop for my favorite cranberry pentas. 

A lazy bumble bee reflects the mood of the morning as he drifts from flower to flower.

The white bench at the top of the driveway provides a perfect spot for enjoying another cup of morning coffee.  It is situated between pots of  rabbit foot fern and  angel wing begonia.  While sitting here and observing the front planting beds it is easy to dream of changes and additions for the future. 

The pathway between mature formosa azaleas could use a focal point to draw the eye to the the base of the oaks at the other end.  Perhaps a colorful bromeliad grouping or a variegated cast-iron plant would be the perfect thing.  No hurry, plenty of time to let this idea develop.

Thanks for meandering with me through My Garden Path this Monday morning. 

Sitting in the Shade

With the cooler temperatures that have come about since the beginning of September, sitting in the shady part of the garden is once again a pleasant way to spend some quiet time.  Cool is a relative term I suppose.  The daytime highs have been in the mid to high eighties with night temperatures being in the mid seventies. 

So many of the plants in the garden are enjoying this time of year as much as the gardener.  Sitting here,  I notice the Curcumas are as tall as the six-foot fence.  The Butterfly Gingers and the Pinecone Gingers are nearly as tall.  Since all of them will be going dormant for the winter season, I want to sit and appreciate them for all they are giving to the garden right now. 

Persian Shield, Forsythia Sage, Shrimp Plants, how many of these will last through this winter's cold spell?  Past years have seen these plants going semi-dormant but not disappearing altogether.  That is, past years not including the most recent.  Oh how I fear the corner becoming nothing but oak leaf mulch as it was this past January through March.

Some plants were added to give the area at least a minimal amount of green this winter.  Cast Iron plants are cold hardy and several clumps have been placed throughout the corner plantings.  Both Variegated and Green Liriope were planted as a border to define the area.  Two Holly Fern were placed within the corner plantings as well.  But what about the Schefflera, the Bleeding Heart Clerodendrum, and the Cat Palms?  How will they react to a cold winter blast?

Ah, well, this is the best time of the year for this area of the garden.  This shady corner has been growing in beauty all summer and now has reached its peak.  Seasons change and so will the garden.  Everything that seemed gone forever in January has returned with enthusiasm. 

The huge live-oak that gives the area its shade will stand strong through the cold continuing to provide cover for all the birds which frequent the feeders and birdbaths during all the seasons of the year.

Providing feeders with fresh seed and birdbaths with fresh water ensures that these colorful visitors will stay around through all the seasons.

Now is the time I have been given to enjoy this spot.  The scent of the Butterfly Ginger blooms, the ripening beauty of the Pinecone Ginger cones are only available now, in this season.  The buds on the Forsythia Sage promising yellow spires of blooms, the reddening bracts on the Red Shrimp plants are only for this time. 

As I continue to sit in this special corner of my garden, I realize I'm learning to listen.

"So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom."

Psalm 90:12