Check Out These Pages, Too!

"Possibility and promise greet me each day as I walk out into my garden. My vigor is renewed when I breathe in the earthiness and feel the dirt between my fingers. My garden is a peaceful spot to refresh my soul." Meems






Welcome to my Central Florida Garden Blog where we garden combining Florida natives, Florida-Friendly plants, and tropicals.

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

The Days Are Getting Longer


Every minute of daylight counts to a gardener whether it be on the front or back end of the day. I’ve been noticing darkness is turning to light a little earlier and light is turning to dark a little later --ever so subtly but surely. A sure sign of seasonal change if there ever was one.

Spring is edging closer everyday in Florida. We can get a jump on our day outside ever so slightly earlier or stay in the garden longer in the evening. It is a exceptional time to be outdoors with our mild and tropical temps. Sometimes I even have to wear two shirts until the sun is fully emerged.
That wonderful color of bright green is bursting out all over the place. New leaves on my live oaks are changing the landscape hues at tree level from brown and deep green throughout the my yard. Not to mention all along the roadways in this area green is fastly becoming the main color once again.

The Azaleas on this bush are in full bloom now- some falling off already. They only last about 6 weeks but they sure make this area come alive while they are blooming. Seems folks who don't grow anything else always have an Azalea or two somewhere in their yard.


Above is an updated views of these my tallest and oldest Formosa Azalea shrubs. I still have some white ones (Mrs. G. G. Gerbing variety) with more buds than flowers which means another wave of blooms soon. That's okay by me as it extends our viewing pleasure a few more weeks.
A double ruffle (something) variety... not sure the scientific name.
I noticed this week the Spathiphyllum are blooming. These easily grown, fairly maintenance free plants continue blooming throughout the spring and until it gets just miserable hot. Then they come back on stage in the fall and give us another show when it cools down.

Speaking of Spathiphyllum... I dug out of the planting which lines my walkway (above) to make 20 new plants. Right away they got transplanted in a few places I wanted to add to the tropical flare I've created in the very back of my property. There they will line another natural pathway. They like filtered sun and hoe and shovel offers plenty of that for them.

I've got lots to post of all the digging and planting going on these past couple of weeks. I'm finding it challenging to be in the busy season of gardening AND finding time to keep up with blogging about it. I'm remembering now that my blogging didn't begin until June last year when I was in the maintenance stage from all my winter/spring activity. I'm sure every gardener has this challenge at some point.
So stay tuned for more on transplanting, dividing, and just where did I put all that dirt (and rocks) I had delivered last week?

10 comments:

  1. While I'm posting pics of last year and years gone by--you are in the now. It puts me in a good mood cause I'm in the South and I'm next!! Your pics were beautiful today. Do you feel good after all the digging and dividing? I know I do cause it was you and not me. Oh-I like it too. I love rocks too. I don't have any at my new house so I got go scare some up. It was good to be in your garden with you today. I look forward to tomorrow and seeing more beauties. What kind of new stuff are you going to plant this year? I will be growing lots of Yoshinos and many others too. Proven Winners is suppose to send me 20--and I don't know what 20 those are??? Should be a nice surprise.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Your garden photos are lovely....I miss azaleas, they aren't happy in the Central Basin where I live but I sure miss them...

    As a child I lived in Tampa and miss the ease of living in that climate. As a kid the heat never gets to you!

    Gail

    ReplyDelete
  3. Well you'll need three shirts and a pull-over today, Meems. What happened to the beautiful sunshine? There's a freeze warning tonight ( 36 degrees ) so cover your tender stuff.

    We're leaving your beloved Florida tomorrow in the early a.m. We've greatly enjoyed our month here, visiting dear friends and learning so much about your beautiful state.

    Happy gardening.

    ReplyDelete
  4. On my way home from work it hit me that the days seems to be getting longer as well. I think it had to with the fact that the sun wasn't setting yet. This has been one of those crazy weeks where we have experienced all four seasons. I hope this little cold spell doesn't mess up all your hard work. Looks like it will history by the weekend! This might be as crazy as TX weather.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anna: You are next- the winter trickles downward but the spring trickles upward. All the digging and dividing (and shoveling dirt)does feel good (and makes me sore)-your turn is right around the corner. I'm waiting for some bulbs to arrive... trying some new things this year along with all the usuals.

    gail: Hmmm... I grew up in Tampa... small world. The heat was something we didn't notice growing up... but now I surely do. thanks for stopping by hoe and shovel.

    Carolyn: A jacket will be in order with this cold front - but as always just for a day or too... the weekend should be tourista weather. I'm so glad you were here and had a great time. Hope you can take back some of the warmth with you.

    Be safe on your travel home.

    Jane: this is one of those odd cold weather blasts and then back in the 70's by Friday. I'm pretty sure my garden will be fine- we won't drop to freezing but it will get close. Fortunately all my tree cover real helps.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Poked my nose in for a bit of sunshine ... so loved visiting my sister in Atlanta at Easter when the dogwoods and azaleas popped. She now lives on Amelia Island and I sigh hearing her describe the flower/fauna. Oh well, so I shoot my 'indoor' winter garden on my sunporch, surrounded by snow, and dream of May.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Beautiful photos from your garden! You have spring in Florida. Here in Norway it is just a few flowers blooming at this stage. We can get night frost until May.

    Than you for your comment on my blog :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Here is my very first time visiting you... Very nice pictures of all the flowers...I miss sumer time.
    I am living in Norway, and here is winter time now. Smow and cold weather...but soooooon the spring is here, with sunshine and flowers around us...
    God bless you, my sister! Take care! Love from Nunne.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Meems, your blog is just the therapy I need right now. It gives me hope that spring will eventually make it to my neck of the woods.

    My tropicals are in the basement under a sodium light right now. Maybe I should plug in my old computer down there and open your blog for them. They could use some encouragement right about now too!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Joey: Pop in anytime... Floridians are so spoiled.We actually had 40 degree weather this morning and everyone calls that 'cold'. Atlanta is beautiful at Easter time. But Amelia Island is one of my favorite places in Florida. Love to head up to Fernandina Beach from there. You might want to plan a February trip to stay with your sister next year!

    Marie: thanks for stopping by again. You are surely going to enjoy your warm weather when it comes!We don't have much of a winter here in Florida.

    Nunne: Thanks so much for visiting hoe and shovel and leaving your kind comment. It is still winter here in Florida- we just have very mild winters and that means we garden all year long. God bless you too.

    Lintys: Welcome to hoeandshovel and thanks for your comment which made me LOL. I wonder if virtual gardening encouragement works? I've been enjoying your snow photos on your blog. It's the only way I get to see it this year. sigh

    ReplyDelete

Have a blessed day,
Meems


September 2010

Back Garden: October 2010

Louise Philippe: Antique Rose

Tropical Pathway