Blogger Challenge and Hooray for the Rain

I have been having issues with commenting certain blogger sites for a couple of weeks now.  I could not leave any comments on those blogs that use "Embedded below post" as Comments setting.  I read over the Internet that lots of people are having the same issue, and seems it is an issue of Blogger.  I still can leave comment if you have the comments setting as "Full page" or "Pop-up window".

Today, I finally had time to try using Google Chrome to visit those sites with "embedded below post" setting, and was able to leave comments!  Unfortunately, not every computer I use outside of the home has Google Chrome installed.  I really have missed leaving comments on my favorite blogs.  

South Florida has been in drought condition for quite a while now.  I had to hand water my garden almost everyday to keep it happy.  With a busy schedule and hot hot summer temperature, dragging the hose all over the garden really becomes chore for me.  I almost do not have much time left to actually enjoy the garden.

For the last a couple of days, finally we got some rain, not enough, but better than nothing.  Hooray for the rain!!!

Before I end this quick post, I thought I can share some of flowers in my summer garden that I have not got time to share. I did not take much pictures recently, and hope with more rain coming, my garden could look more beautiful, and I will have the desire to take lots of pictures again.

portulaca double with Red star, Caladium in containers

caladiums and ornamental sweet potato vines

Lemon Lime Warneckii

Datura metel
(Devil's trumpet)

Arabian Jasmine

Miss Muffet caladium

Sun flower

allamanda

Mealycup sage and purple fountain grass

I wish more rain will come my way!

Daylily Disappointment and Other Things in April Garden

Ever since I learned that we also can grow Day Lily (Hemerocallis ) in South Florida, Day Lily has been on the top of my wish list.

Unfortunately, I have not found any good sources for it locally.  Last June, I found one (Day Lily 'Stella') for sale at HomeDepot and immediately bought it.  It only lasted about three weeks, and disappeared completely after finishing blooming.  I think it might not be the right foliage type for South Florida.  There are three foliage types for Day Lily: Dormant, semi-evergreen, evergreen.  For south regions, Evergreen is the one that will thrive.

A couple of weeks ago, I saw two types of Day Lilies for sale at Lowes.  I asked the store staff and was told that they are "Evergreen".  Imagine how excited I was when I brought these two home!

Daylily (Hemerocallis ) 'Black Eyed Stella'

Daylily (Hemerocallis ) 'Fooled Me' 

They were labeled as Daylily 'Black Eyed Stella'  and Daylily 'Fooled Me'.  After I came home, I did more reading on these two daylilies, and only found they both are dormant foliage type!!!  I also looked back the Day Lily 'Stella'  picture I took last year, and found it is identical to 'Black Eyed Stella'.  How disappointing!  I bought them expecting they will bloom for me year after year, not just for short a couple of weeks!  I returned them immediately.  

My mission to search for right Daylilies shall continue...

On the bright side, my garden has been happily singing the spring song.  It is May already, and I found I have missed posting some beautiful April bloomings.  Here are some of them.

First Matchstick bromeliad bloomed...  Looks so beautiful in the early morning sun.

Aechmea gamosepala
MatchStick Bromeliad

Opening more...

Aechmea gamosepala
MatchStick Bromeliad

Other Neoregelia Bromeliads in the garden are also blooming.  Their flowers are hidden in the center of the leaves.  The blooming usually means it is the time for the mother plant to produce the babies, or pups.  Yay!

April is the month for Jasmine and Gardenia.  The fragrance made the garden walk even more pleasant.

Arabian Jasmine
(Jasminum Sambac 'Maid of Orleans')

I also like to bring them indoor to enjoy more...

Needle flowers or Augusta rivalis has set out so many buds, and looks like May will be their peak time.

Neomarica Caerulea 'Regina' has been flowering on and off since early March.

Neomarica Caerulea 'Regina'
 (Giant Apostle's Iris)

The warm weather also brought early blooming of frangipani (Plumeria).  I checked last year's record, and it did not flower until last September.

Last year's Caladium bulbs have been emerging from the ground one by one, adding different colors into the shady corner.  

What May will bring for the garden?

Snow Whites Under the Florida Sun

Starting last week, the temperatures in South Florida has been climbing up to 90s degree. I can feel that hot and extremely humid summer is quickly approaching (or maybe already here?!)...

However, the plants in my garden seem really be enjoying this Florida sun.  I am especially drawn into all those white flowers dotted in the garden.  I love the white flowers for their pureness, simplicity, and the elegance.

This Gardenia is the spring bloomer.  Although it also blooms occasionally throughout the year, spring is its peak time.  I found this variety seems hardly fully opens before it fades away, although this doesn't impact it releases the heavenly scent. Currently the bush has about 8 flowers open, and has more than a couple of dozen buds on the way.  I found myself is making the frequent trips around it so that I can smell its lovely scent as much as I can.

Gardenia Miami Supreme (Gardenia Augusta)

Compare to Gardenia, this Jasmine's scent is not as strong.  Its fragrance is rather subtle, but it can be appreciated more when one actually brings his nose close to the flowers. 

Arabian Jasmine
(Jasminum Sambac 'Maid of Orleans')

This Odorata Begonia is a new addition. I love its white flowers with the yellow stamen in cluster trailing down from the dark green heart-shaped leaves.  The flower even has a little fragrance, another added bonus.

Begonia Odorata Var. Alba

African Iris is still popping up those pretty flowers one after another.  This is its first year of blooming.  I hope  it will bloom even more profusely next year.

African Iris (Fortnight lily, Dietes iridioides)

Diamond frost (Euphorbia) really lives up to its promise.  It only experienced slight leaf damages in this past unusual cold weather of the Florida winter.  It not only bounced back quickly, and also kept the full bloom like this for the majority of the year.   I also had success to use the cuttings to propagate. I would say this is a tough plant with the delicate appearance.  It is a perfect "filler" in the container combination in my opinion.

Diamon Frost (Euphorbia)

This Crape Jasmine is really thriving in the heat.  In one short week, this bush is full covered by the blooms.

Crape Jasmine (Tabernaemontana divaricata)

My first caladium leaf!  This is my first time to plant the caladium bulbs.  Bought one package with 24 mixed caladium bulbs.  I have no idea what types I actually got.  I am glad this first one emerged is a pretty one, White Christmas in Florida Summer.  How cool is that!

Caladium (White Christmas)

This orchid has opened all the buds on one spike.  I also can see another two spikes are on the way.  Yay, that means I can enjoy this beauty for quite a long time!

Phalaenopsis Orchid

All these snow whites are really bringing me some coolness under the Florida sun. 

What white bloomings do you have now in your garden?