Early blooming of Daylilies and Other Things in the Garden

Since this is my first post of the year, let me first say "Happy New Year" to you all !!! Wish you have all the fun of the gardening in this new year!

Every year, from early Spring through the summer, I admire those beautiful pictures of Daylilies from other people's blog, wondering when I can own some of these beauties in my garden.

For some reasons, Daylilies are hard to find in South Florida.  Occasionally, the big box stores have some for sale.  I brought two home in two different times, and both died after the initial blooming.  I did some researches, and found out that among thousands of Daylilies, there are three foliage types: Dormant, Semi-evergreen, and Evergreen.  For people live deep South like me, Evergreen is the one that will survive our long-lasting hot weather.  No wonder I failed twice since those two were all Domant types! Then why they even sold them in the store since Daylilies are not supposed to be a one-time thing in the garden?!

Anyway, since I did not find any local nurseries to buy Evergreen Daylilies, I looked over the Internet.  I ordered 5 bareroot Evergreen double-fans from http://smokeysdaylilygardens.com/, and they arrived at the end of last October.

This week, two of them are already blooming! I am not sure if it is only because they are the early bloomers ( 'Lavender Silence' is labled as "Extra-early", and "Whooperee' is labled as "Early-mid" ), or also because of the mild winter we are having in South Florida.  Nevertheless, I am excited to see these beauties are finally finding a home in my garden!  If they all perform well after this summer, I think I will order more this fall.  With a small garden, Daylilies are the ones I can find some space to squeeze in.

Whooperee
Evergreen, early-mid, rebloomer, 6.5" flower, 24" scape height,  fragrant, recurved

Lavender Silence
Evergreen, extra-early, 6.5" flower, 22" scape height,  ruffled, fragrant, recurved

Other things going on in the garden...

This Rex Begonia is in a shady area, and recently started shooting up the flower scapes.  I bought it last year.  After one year, it has been growing nicely.  I have separated it into four plants.  I think after a couple of years, I can expand them to the whole border that surrounds the air conditioner area.  Even when it is not blooming, I love the texture of this plant.

Begonia

Love this combo in this part of flower bed.  White Vincas,  Orange Indian Blanket flowers, pink Pentas. That purple leaf plant with white dotted flowers is Alternanthera dentata 'Purple Knight'.  Some says 'Purple Knight' is kind of invasive, but I have not found it is a big problem for me.  It does have some seedlings, but only a handful I found so far.  I can easily pulled them out, or give them to the friends.  In the winter, they are full of those tiny white flowers, brighten the winter garden, and give us Floridians some snowy touch :)

Another combo I like:  White Angelonia angustifolia, colorful coleus, and blue Lobelia erinus Techno Heat.  This Lobelia is supposed to withstand the hottest summer temperatures while blooming nonstop.  I will see if it holds true to Florida heat as well.

My front entry is quite colorful this winter.  I removed some copperleaf bushes in the front, and put two cast iron cranes statues there together with some bromeliads.

This philodendron 'moonlight' behind the cranes statues started as a 3-in house plant from the big box store.  Oh boy, how much it has grown!  Wonder how much bigger it will get if I put it in the ground.

philodendron 'moonlight'

and I did not know it blooms as well!!!

philodendron 'moonlight'  bloom

Snapdragon flower is one of my favorite winter annuals...

Pertunia is perfect for containers.  Red is used to combo the white.

Purple petunia is in this container I have just redone, together with Flax lily and purple Verbenas.

Red and  white petunias are in this pot with 'Red Star'.

My most favorite red-white stripe petunia is in this container.

Orchids that are currently blooming...

The first is a Cattleya orchid gifted from my friend this Christmas.  Love this soft yellow.

This Moth orchid is reblooming the second time for me since I bought it one year ago.  I have special thing for any orchid flowers with dots. 

I recently purchased this Mini Oncidium Equitant from a big box store.  It has five flower spikes.  

It looks so pretty and fits well in the pot that my husband brought for me from China last year.

I am really enjoying my winter garden.  I have to say I am spoiled by this year's Florida winter.

A Busy Gardener's Garden

For those who are the regular readers of my blog, you might have noticed that I have not posted anything for more than two weeks now.  The weather has been wonderful for the garden in the past month, only this gardener has not got much time to work in the garden with numerous kids' activities and busy working schedule.

Of course, that did not stop me visiting my favorite local nursery and bringing two new begonias.  I don't know what are their names, but I think they are Rhizomatous Begonias.  Anybody recognize them, please let me know the names.

This one is said that can grow in the sun.  I planted it in a new partial sun flower bed.  I will write more about this new flower bed later.

This one requires shade, and as always, I struggled to find a shady place in my garden, so it is still in the container.  Even without the flowers, I love the texture of its hairy foliage.


After being attacked by some sort of insects last year,   this Orange Marmalade Crossandra was pulled off from the container (at least I thought I did).  I was surprised and happy to see its glossy green leaves emerging from the soil.  Now it opened its orange flowers again.  Together with purple petunia and white frost diamond, they made a beautiful container combination.

Another orchid has been reblooming for me after I owned it for two years.

Indian blanket flowers (Gaillardia pulchella) have been blooming without any special care from this gardener.  Can you believe all these flowers are coming from only three plants that were started from seeds last year?

African Iris and crown of thorns are another combination that doesn't require much of care once establised.

I noticed the flower buds from this Neomarica Caerulea 'Regina' (Giant Apostle's Iris) ten days ago and was looking forward to seeing its flowers in person for the very first time.  Two days ago, I finally managed to come home in the daylight, only found the flowers are already gone!  Since the plant is still quite young, I don't know when I can see they rebloom.

At least this bromeliad bloom is not easy to miss, it will be quite a while from it starts showing red to finishing the blooming.

Amazon Lily has also finished blooming.  Its beauty is so impressive!

Meanwhile, Ground orchids just started their long blooming period.  In my garden, It did not stop blooming until temperature dropped down to 40s and 30s.

For me, one of fun to grow a garden is to see the plants take turns to show their beauties, either through the flowers or the foliage.  Each stage is unique for each plant.  Even with a new garden as young as mine, I have been amazed with the cycle of the plants life.

I do believe Spring has arrived to my part of the garden.  I am itchy to put my hands into the soil, at least more than what the time has permitted me.

Happy Gardening, my friends!

Purple, Blue, or Lavender?

I always thought I am quite good when coming to tell the colors (well, at least compare to my husband :))  However, I started doubting this recently because I constantly wondering some flowers' color in my garden, are they purple, blue, or lavender?  Sometimes it is just hard to tell.  What it made even harder is that they change with the light!

So, I decide to put them all here, let me know if you agree with my color judgement?  These are the flowers currently blooming in my garden.

I think this one is blue, but really sometimes I thought I can see the purple out of it.

Salvia farinacea (Mealycup sage)

Same with this one...

Porterweed (Stachytarpheta jamaicensis)

This is an obvious blue.  Duh, is this why they call it Blue Daze?!

Blue Daze (Evolvulus)

An easy purple:

Petunia

Mostly purple, some blue??

Mexican Bush Sage (Salvia leucantha)

This is easy, Purple! Just like the name suggested!

Purple Queen (Tradescantia pallida)

Nobody will mistaken this one either...

Persian Shield (Strobilanthes dyerianus)

Look what I found hidden under the purple leaves of Persian shield?  Blue flowers!  Did not know persian shield can have flower...  Nice surprise!

Persian Shield bloom

Hmmm... this garlic society flower is more lavendar or liac, not the true purple.  In the winter, who would think those green narrow grasslike leaves would produce a nice large cluster of flowers like this?

Society Garlic (Tulbaghia violacea)

Mona lavendar is about to put the show on now....  And yes, it is lavender color :))

'Mona Lavender’ Plectranthus

Have you ever had the same question about your garden flower color as I have? 

Happy Easter and Have a nice weekend!

For other colors all over the world, please check out Katrarina's site at http://rosorochris.blogspot.com/  (This is the last Blooming friday she hosts).

My March Favorites -- 2010

It is always hard for gardeners to pick their favorites... I am no exception!  When I was looking through my photo collection taken this month, I have to say I love each and every one of them!

If I have to choose... 

After a couple of months' rest, this golden shrimp plant (camaron amarillo) started blooming prolifically again.  I love those little white flowers peeking through the yellow bracts.

A big salute to this Jatropha tree for it stood the cold weather for me and producing these cheerful red flowers non-stopping the whole winter!

Oh, this golden yellow double layer Kalanchoe (长寿花) is really my favorite among the favorites!  Its lovely color and bloom reminds me of something that a bride may hold in her wedding, only if it is larger :)  I have purchased this for two weeks, and the blossoms are still looking like new. 

This combination of Diamond Frost and Orange Marmalade Crossandra in a container was toasted in January freeze, and they are recovering quite nicely.

Another one of my favorite among the favorites!  (Am I allowed to say this twice??)  This dipladenia pink (红蝉花/双腺藤/飘香藤) is a reliable non-stopping bloomer in my garden.  I love to see its color changes from deep pink (almost red) on buds to the light pink of fully opened flower.  The foliages are always shiny dark green.

 I took this Petunia pictre in a rainy day.  Aren't they pretty with those dark pink veins and dotted rain drops?

  

I love white bloomings although I don't have too many of them in my garden.  This voila looks so delicate, but they are surprisingly tough and productive.  The plant originally came in a little six inch pot.  After I planted it in the ground, it has spread to one foot acorss, and has been blooming like crazy.  I have been collecting the seeds from it, so that next fall I can have a lot more of these lovely white flowers in my garden. 

This Inca Lily (Alstroemeria) has been blooming its heart out! I should try to take some as cutting flowers to put in a vase so that I can enjoy its beauty even I am not in the garden. Not sure how it will react when Florida's weather heats up though... I may plant it into a shady place after it is done blooming.

Last but certainly not the least, two variety of lettuce that have been filling my tiny veggie garden since the fall.  Don't they look just like flowers?

LECHGA Royal Oakleaf (Heat Resistant)

LECHGA Four Seasons (Beautiful & Delicious)

This post is to join Susan at "Simply Susan" for this month's favorites.  Please visit her at her site for her March favorites.

I will also use this as my entry to the Blooming Friday. For other bloomings all over the world, please check out Katrarina's site at http://rosorochris.blogspot.com/.

Have a nice weekend!

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!