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"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.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Rainy Season


Curcuma alismatifolia 'Pink'
Rain is one of those treasured natural supplies providing nourishment to all living things that is unmatched by any other resource.

We try never to complain once the rains start on a regular basis in Florida as we are most grateful for them in summertime.

Afternoon thunderstorms or morning thunderstorms can blow through in short order or they can hang around for longer.

Day to day we hardly ever know for sure if they will come or how long they will last when they do. Heck. The weather forecasters hardly can predict accurately.

If the last many days is any indication that we've finally hit the rainy season with regularity then it is here.

Late. But it is here.

Miss Muffet Caladium
Beautiful, liquid irrigation from the heavens is keeping us well-watered each day. No need for supplements. No dragging hoses around to container plants and baby seedlings.

Too bad it doesn't cool us down as well. Still. It is a welcomed refresher for the garden and the gardener.

One of the certain indicators that moisture has fallen adequately is when the native Resurrection Fern 'Polypodium polypodioides' perks up.

The small ( 4"-12") leaved epiphyte is otherwise shriveled up with the appearance of brown, dying fronds clambering up the sides of live oak trees in this garden. (The ferns can also be found on other large trees such as cypresses.)

It is known for surviving very long periods of drought.

With adequate rainfall it immediately wakes up, turning green and resurrecting almost instantly.

It is one of my favorite natives. But don't look for it in garden centers as it can't be purchased (as far as I've ever known). It simply finds its own way to tree trunks by spores and decides just where it will make its happy home.

17 comments:

  1. Oh this is simply gorgeous! My favourite season and your plants look so lovely. Can you see that big happy smile on my face? :)
    That Curcuma is so pretty! I have the purple ones groing wild in my garden.

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  2. meems,

    it is lovely that you are getting such great rainfalls. we are on the other hand are in a terrible drought...everything is brown and shriveled up very ugly. our trees are in need of a nice steady rain.
    i did notice your rain fern when we were walking in the garden and how they needed a good rain...i love these and am glad they have now perked up. rain makes everything just look pretty and plumped up.
    love and hugs.

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  3. Meems: Your rain washed garden is so fresh and beautiful! We are all enjoying this rainy days, and what the rain has brought to our garden. Love the curcuma, miss muffet caladium and that begonia flower, just gorgeous! I think I also can find that Resurrection Fern on our palm tree although they doesn't have much to latch on.

    Love your new look of the blog. I happen to notice that my blog is nolonger showing on your florida blog list. I certainly don't want to lose you as my reader :) I am sorry you lost all your links when switching to the new look. I guess I was lucky when I did the switch.

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  4. Hi Meems, i've always admired your Caladiums esp that very pale one. Yes that fern is also very plenty here and in our province those attached to the trunk of Cycads i sometimes water during dry season, but still can't tolerate the heat. Every rainy season they come alive with leaves, i think their stolons are very tolerant. What are their names for "resurrection" if not for that! haha.

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  5. That pale pink curcuma is so pretty! Pink is my favortie color and I love the soft tones in that flower. The resurrection fern is a welcome "unplanned" member of my garden as well. I think they complete the Florida look. I have some growing under the A/C drip line - such an opportunist. It looks much nicer up in the oaks.

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  6. Hey Meems, I have been reading up on your Buffalo meet and I can see that you've had a great time (wished I had gone). The curcuma is gorgeous pity it dies back and appears next season. Your garden is at its peak, pity I am not there to have a stroll. With the rains everything seems to grow by leaps and bounds. I just can't seem to be able to keep up with the weeds. Take care my friend and hugs to you!

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  7. I forgot to mention I love your new look.

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  8. This has to be the prettiest blog on the web. Thanks for sharing your amazing garden. The tropical show is so appealing and so Florida.

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  9. It is refreshing...especially for our plants...that the rains have returned. I can hear the garden sighing in relief. July was way too dry. I do hope this weather pattern will continue for awhile. Resurrection fern is such an amazing plant. I love looking at it after a rainshower.

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  10. Here in Central Florida, a bit north of you, we are beginning to see some heavy rainfalls finally. It does make such a difference in the gardens.
    The Resurrection Fern is a prime example. I first learned about this interesting plant when I went through my Master Gardener classes. And then began to take notice of them growing in the oddest places and crevices.

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  11. Hey, Meems. Hooray, the rain seems to have stopped! (We are never satisfied with our lot, it seems...)My rain barrel runneth over! I love your resurrection fern pix.

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  12. Meems,
    Your photos nourish my day.
    Rhonda

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  13. Hi, Meems! The rain has been nice, and it's really neat that you're able to catch the plants with a fresh "watering"...which isn't hard to do right now. I noticed that the low entered the MS River mouth, so I suppose we won't see as much rain now. This has been great for the new plants.

    I love to see resurrection ferns in the rain. You almost forget they're there until we get a shower, then they rise to the occasion.

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  14. Hello Everyone,
    The rains we have gotten the last couple of days is from a tropical depression moving over the state that has now pushed over to the Gulf Coast states. Now the rains are back to the normal situation. Here’s a great article explaining our rainfall season from Robert @ The South Florida Watershed Journal.

    Sunita,
    I'm quite sure our rainy season doesn't compare to yours. No monsoons here. :-) Curcumas growing wild must be stunning. I was happy mine put on blooms since they were added to the front lawn renovation just last year.

    Marmee,
    As you know this is our "wet" season but we are still considered to be in a drought. The trees really do require that rainfall ya'll are in need of. Here's hoping your dry season comes up with some rain to perk things up for your garden. *hugs***

    Ami,
    The rain just gives the garden so many nutrients all at once that a garden hose can't supply. The whole state has gotten its share with the tropical depression passing over. I'm glad you like the new look... it was way overdue. I've got you fixed up on the sidebar... thank you SO much for reminding me.

    Andrea,
    Thank you for your kind words. The ferns would be very pretty on cycads as well.

    NanaK,
    I'm wondering if you've ever tried to move your fern? I'm never brave enough to mess with it... not wanting to take the chance of disturbing it and possibly losing it.

    Helen,
    It would have been so fun to have you along on the Buffalo meet up. It was very fun and I still need to get back to sharing more photos ... still working on it but so much going on in the garden these days. Would be so nice to have you here for a 'real' stroll. I'm glad you are finally getting irrigated, too. The weeds do seem to love the rain as well. Thanks for mentioning that you like the new look. It's nice to change things around once in a while.

    Rick,
    Your kind comments are always appreciated. You are the best promoter of all things Florida and all things gardening! All your hard work is very much noticed by all us gardeners and we are so thankful for all you do! Always a pleasure for you to visit here. Thank you.

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  15. Glad to hear the rains have come. I'm only sorry we're not home to enjoy it! Treasure every drop Meems! Rain does wonders!

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  16. Susan,
    The garden and the gardener sighing with relief. The rain saves me quite a bit of time. Always nice to actually get to garden and not spend so much time watering. Although two days in a row I got soaked with rain trying to finish up in the garden. :-)

    Maxine,
    The Resurrection Fern is so unique and fun to see starting in new places. The rains came hard again this morning and now it is sunny. I LOVE it!

    Penny,
    I'll take all the rain I'm given since it was too dry until now. I really wish I had some underground system to capture rain water.

    Rhonda,
    Awww... thanks, friend, for your kind words.

    Brando,
    Just as I'm responding the sun went away and we are getting our second rain of the day. It came down hard early this morning. Not from the low but now just off the Gulf. I don't mind at all but the wee-one could use some outdoor exercise this morning. :-)Maybe it will clear up later again.

    Daisy,
    It is nice to know when you are away that your garden is being taken care of by heaven. :-)

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  17. Meems, that Curcuma is gorgeous. I sent a link to your blog to my friends in Florida. They were wowed, to say the least!

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Have a blessed day,
Meems


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