Spring Garden Progress

There were lots of rain this past weekend, but I did manage to get a little work done in the garden.

• Divided some bulbine plants, and some Agave desmettiana 'Variegata' pups to pass along to my friend.
• Potted some cuttings of dragon-wing begonia for the same friend.  This begonia should be fairly easy to root from cuttings.  This container of dragon wing begonia is at my front porch.  Really enjoying it every time I pass by.

• Planted some caladium bulbs in one of my containers.  After seeing so many amazing pictures of caladiums (especially at Hoe and Shovel), I decided that I will give it a try for the first time.  I bought a package of 24 mixed caladium bulbs this year.  Since I will be out of the country for a long period of time (3 weeks) this summer, I want to save most of them for the fall garden.  I only planted five in a container this time.  Can not wait for them to pop out of the soil...
• Sowed some seeds of Nasturtium (Jewel, Mixed colors, from Ferry-Morse).  Love the leaf shapes and the flowers.  It would be interesting to see how they will grow.

Here is some spring progress in the garden:

The frangipani cutting is finally shooting out the new leaves.  Still not decided where to put this in my garden...

Angel's Trumpet is growing very fast after I planted the cutting in the ground.  This cutting came from my friend at work, the same friend who brought me the initial bulbine plants and the frangipani cutting.   I have been removing some new growth on the lower part of main trunk to force it to form a small tree instead of a bush like.  We will see how it turns out to be.

Newly purchased bromeliad is about to set the bloom.  Isn't it just gorgeous?!  Love the deep pink color in the center. 

Sedum is now all showing its yellow flowerings.  It really made the garden looking more "Spring".

Sedum Hybrid Florida Friendly Gold

I have been mistaking this Crape Jasmine as "Star Jasmine" until recently FlowerLady at FloweLady's Musings made a post about it to ask for the identification.  Thanks, Flowerlady!

Crape Jasmine

Various Pentas are really in full bloom.  Wondering why I still don't see butterflies visiting them, or maybe I am just not around when they pay the visits??  Envy all those wonderful butterflies shots my fellow gardeners proudly show in their posts!

Pentas

This Purple Verbena is a new addition to my garden.

Purple Verbena

Self seeded mounding buttercup (Turnera ulmifolia) is showing its first flower.  I have been transplanting the seedlings around the garden.

mounding buttercup (Turnera ulmifolia)

Dipladenia pink is really putting on a show, although it never really stopped blooming the whole winter.  This plant is basically care free.  I don't see any pest problem.  Just some water, it gives me non-stopping blooming all year long.  Got to love that!

Dipladenia pink

White Voilas is still hanging on...

Voila

Stock (Matthiola) is about to come to the end.  It is producing lots of seeds to continue the life in another form.  I will try sow these seeds for the fall garden.

Stock (Matthiola)

Now here is something fun for you all.  Can anybody guess what flower it is?

Blooming Friday -- Rain Washed Garden

It was pouring this friday afternoon... 

I happened work at home today.  Between the meetings, I decided to take a break.  The rain just stopped, and I could not help myself to walk into the garden with a camera in my hand.  I was so immersed in the fresh air after the rain, and a rain washed garden..., something about that just touchs the soft spot in my heart.

Allow me to show you some flowers/foliages in my rain-washed garden in this early spring. 

I will also use this as my first (belated) Blooming Friday entry.

Newly purchased yellow and pink double layer Kalanchoe.

These two rose buds are waiting to open.

Bromeliads after the rain are even more beautiful.

The only desert rose blooming today in my garden

Dragon Wing Begonia's is heavily blooming in this season.

Livingstone Daisy "Mezoo Trailing Red" and Jasmine

New resident in my garden: Inca Lily (Alstroemeria)

Two different colors of Ground Orchids (Spathoglottis)

Jatropha tree

Sedum hybrid Florida Friendly Gold

This one is a gift from my friend.  The tag does not say the name, only know it is some type of succulent.  Anybody recoginizes it?

Hope you enjoyed it!  Have a nice weekend you all!

Update: Just found out from one garden center today that the succulent from the last picture is: Portulacaria afra.  It is also called "Elephant Bush", "Elepant Plant", or "Small leaf jade".

My Favorites for the Month (February)

Simply Susan came up the idea for the favorites of the month.  Thanks Susan for the idea, and the tip to use Google Picasa to create the photo collage!

This is the very first bromeliad bloomed for me in my new garden (not counting those that were already in blooming when I purchased from the store).  It natuarally becomes one of my favorites for this month. This is a pass-along plant from my friend.  I was told that it is an ornamental pineapple, with red color, and won't grow much larger than the one in the picture except that the flower spike will be stretching taller.  Any idea what is its name?

Red and pink flowers are most appropriate to be my favorites of the February, for Valentine's Day, as well as Chinese New Year celebration.   (Dragon Wing Begonia, Petunia, Stock and Red Geranium).

Click the picture to enlarge

I can not forget those "little" flowers that have been adding interests and life to my winter garden. 

Blue Salvia has not stopped blooming since last November.  I love the pureness and the smile face of the white voila.   The dwarf chenille plant seems very happy tucked under the sago plam tree with their red fuzzy flowers.  The purslane is another non-stop bloomer in my garden.

Click the picture to enlarge

My most favorite of this month has to go to the Double Delight Rose I newly purchased this month! These are the same flower in their different stages, can you tell the order? The color changes from creame white, to red, and to crimson as the bud unfolds.

Click the picture to enlarge

I can not believe February is almost to the end...  Spring should be just around the corner now!