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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.

Monday, September 27, 2010

September Favorites: Blue Ginger


Gingers, ornamental tropical perennials, are just one of the many advantages to gardening in Florida.

There are several varieties growing in this garden but in September it is the butterfly gingers and the (false) blue gingers Dichorisandra thyrsiflora that have my attention. They aren't fast growers but I've been digging them to divide them each year. Won't it be nice to see them in more locations.

Hurricane Lily Lycoris radiata var. radiata, members of the Amaryllis Family, and a favorite food of the Eastern Lubber grasshopper. That means, out of 50 bulbs, there are only 2 or 3 that make it to bloom each year. It is a shame. Each one a work of art and detail. The lubbers chew the stalks and the buds.

Golden rod Solidago sempervirens

Crinum angustifolium 'Queen Emmas' a favorite scented bloom and remarkable foliage.

Crinum angustifolium 'Queen Emmas'

White Queen caladiums, continuing to perk up the September garden.

Miss Muffet caladium

White Christmas (I think) Caladiums on the edge of the tropical pathway.

Jatropha podragrica, Buddha Belly's large foliage leaves are always a favorite.

The bloom is sort-of insignificant albeit unique~~ making it a favorite autumn bloomer.

In the northside berm, alocasia, coleus, and caladiums combine for a lush display we've been enjoying for months.

Dragon wing begonia (or is it an angel wing?) in a container on the front walkway echos the shades of the Ti plants behind it. A VERY favorite foliage, easily rooted from cuttings.

Cassia alata or candlestick plant begins blooming in August and carries on through September/October. A favorite of so many buzzing critters and a host plant for cloudless sulphur butterflies. Candlestick is an easy carefree perennial. It will self-seed prolifically but seedlings are easy to pull or transplant.

Tiger Swallowtails are a favorite on one of their favorite nectar plants, Red Pentas lanceolata, making it a favorite for the gardener, too.

Amazing bloomers in sun or partial shade they are a must-have perennial for Florida gardens.

Bulbine frutescens ‘Yellow Rocket’ didn't bloom great until the last few weeks. It is a bright spot street-side although kind of hard to notice with the purple muhly grass sending up its clouds of purple in September.

Oh, yes, purple muhly grass Muhlenbergia capillaris a Florida native, is by far the star of the front gardens in September. More on this plant later. Don't you think it deserves a post of its own!

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All plants listed are considered Florida-Friendly.

Thanks to Susan at Simply Susan for her creation of "My Favorites This Month". Be sure to visit her for more varieties of Florida-Friendly plants.

14 comments:

  1. Wonderful garden views ... such great plants. Love, love those grasses and caladiums ... and the Blue Ginger. That begonia you showed is the one we call Angel Wing ... the one we call Dragon Wing doesn't have spotted leaves. Anyway, your planting choices are fabulous.

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  2. Amazing shots as usual. We can grow all thee. Never have had the blue ginger make it successfully but for a few years. Great post!

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  3. Oh I love that blue ginger, and your broad sweeps of caladiums are just to die for. Beautiful plants - I just love your garden, thanks for a lovely walk through it yet again.

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  4. Love the contrast between the purple blooms, the bark of the tree and the dark green foliage in one of the first shots.
    I can only aspire to be as gifted a gardener someday. Thanks for sharing, as always...daisy

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  5. Great photos.Love the one of the Muhly Grass!
    I love my dark purple Dragon Wing Begonia(that's what I call it,too.We have a quorum).Makes for a great contrast.
    My caladiums are slowing down,these days.
    I have hopes for my Hurricane Lilies.I swear I'll kill every lubber which even thinks about touching them!
    And,puh-leze quit teasing me with your Queen Emma.There could be a midnight raid coming on. ;-)

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  6. Hi Meems...You've got some real beauties this month. A neighbor has a lot of the blue ginger in their garden and it's beautiful...a real eye-grabber. What a shame about the hurricane lilies...those blasted lubbers, they really do a tremendous amount of damage. And, the muhly grass...love that puff of pink. Thanks for joining in again this month. It's fun to see the garden evolve from month to month.

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  7. All I can say is your garden is beautiful. The blooms on that Buddha Belly makes me think of frogs feet. They are cute.

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  8. That muhly grass certainly does deserve its own post. It is gorgeous. So sad about the hurricane lilies, but at least a few came up. Those few are worth it. I'm more than a little hesitant to add any more lubber food to my garden.

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  9. You do live in a tropical paradise. The way you have embraced it is memorable.

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  10. Meems,

    It's great to come to your blog and see photos of fresh, fabulous flowers! Everything here is so dried up and dismal. We finally got rain -- but, too late.

    Sorry that I've not been around lately. The last month, especially the last week, has been difficult with Charm's passing.

    Freda

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  11. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful! Yes, please do a post on the grass. I want to get some but am unsure of the proper planting area and if and when to prune grasses....

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  12. Love that blue ginger! It is shame that Lubbers killed so many Hurricane Lilies. Those lilies are stunning. Yes, yes, your purple muhly grass deserves a post of its own! Looking forward to it!

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  13. Hi Meems~~ I haven't forgotten you, honest. Coming soon.

    You are SO lucky to live where you can grow so many beautiful plants. I'm jealous. I need to do a bit of research on Jatropha. 'Tis a beaut.

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  14. My favourite bloomers right now are blue, but wild. The Blue Curls are finally bursting out all over.

    I LOVE your Queen Emmas! My ersatz garden has been woefully neglected this year. Now that it's nice enough to actually open the windows (!!!) I'm thinking of a whole new direction for my large front wall planter thingy.

    Thanks ever so for sharing the beauty in your back (and front) yard!

    Have a JESUS-filled day! ^i^

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Have a blessed day,
Meems


September 2010

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Tropical Pathway