Lily

I thought this was a spider lily, but now that it has bloomed... I don't know. Whatever type of lily it is...it sure is stunning

My perfect orchid

This is an orchid from my friend, Chris. It was spectacular when she bought it from her friend who grows them in Miami. Then she gave it to me for Christmas 2 years ago and it has not let me down. It just keeps thriving. I guess that's what happens when you buy plants from people who really care for them, instead of the clearance rack at a big box store.
-FLGardenGuy

Fun happenings in the Garden.

I didn't expect this to be happen.  My Canna that I bought last year sprung into bloom today:

I also saw this neat feature on the catus in my brother's backyard.

And of coarse, my orchid is now in full bloom

My orchid is blooming again!

I'm so excited about this... Soon to come: my white dendrobium will open!

Too Late For Tulips?

Well I finally got the tulips that my mom brought home from California. I was waiting to plant them after I moved to my brother's house. And then I was waiting for one more cold front, so that I didn't shock them after being in my fridge for three months. (Yes, I said fridge! Tulips need temps around 40-45 to start their growing process) Well, I've come to realize that cold front is never coming. We've had temps in the 80's for over a month now. So, I planted them in front of my brother's house and now I can do is wait...and water.
FLGardenGuy

Spring has sprung

What Floridians thought was going to be a harsh and long winter turned out to be just an early winter that also ended early. The one thing I love about a cold winter is what it does to the bougainvilleas. The cold weather stresses the plants more and when spring arrives every bougainvillea around town bursts into full color. Some plants bloom so profusely that they have no green visible.

This is a hedge in front of the building next door to work. 
And the pictures below are of the bougainvilleas in my brother's backyard:

My brother's yard is a new project that I have been tasked with.  He has no turf left, and the plants that are in the yard have been allowed to grow uncontrolled for some time now.  He has some neat plants already in the yard, but definitive borders and mulch need to be placed to control the weed growth.  And turf is a must because every time it rains, the sand around his house keeps washing away.  And if anyone has seen my parent's yard, they know I don't know anything about caring for new turf!
Another plant blooming in my brother's backyard is a cactus.  I can't wait to see what this bloom looks like:

 Well, I'll have more photos to come soon.  And I'll be able to post more often since I can upload posts with photos from my iPhone now.  Take care!

Preparing for the Blast of Artic Air

Ok, last year was a freak of nature.  We had a few nights of below-freezing temps in January.  I remember reading my favorite blog, Hoe and Shovel, which is in the Central part of Florida. My stomach was just turning as I read about the devastation that the cold air had brought her tropical garden.  The freezing temps in our part of the state killed alot of the most sensitive plants.  Plumeria and Christmas Palms were probably hit the hardest.  Most of the Coconut Palms lost their fronds, but eventually survived. 

With that said, here we are again with an exact repeat of what happened last year.  A fast moving front barreled in from Canada.  The day after the front brought a strong and constant Northwesterly wind.  If those winds stop tonight, we can count on ice and frost...just like last year.  I mean, look at this forecast.  Could we have any more advisories?! 

So, I took a trip over Goodwill and picked up some cheap linens to try to save as many plants as possible.  Although, I did not have anything big enough to cover the Philodendron to the left, I think it will only loose some fronds and ultimately survive.

I also covered up my little plants in the front yard.  My front yard faces north, so it will most likely be the coldest.  All those blue buckets from the old recycling company sure come in handy!

 I even used some palm frond husks that the wind blew down today to shelter my Aloe Vera.  This little Caladium has been holding on through the cooler weather.  It can kiss it's butt goodbye tonight.

All the potted plants that were too big to bring into my Florida Room I moved into a sheltered corner under the eave of the house.

I've prepared for the worst, all I can do now is hope for the best.  And bundle myself up.  Let's hope I don't have any disastrous photos to share this weekend.
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In my humble opinion (at the moment):  The two best creations on earth....