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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.

Friday, March 18, 2011

Spring Swells with Expectation


Don't you just love to walk out in the garden early morning to see the sunlight streaming through from above! Somehow the sight of it evokes thankfulness and so much appreciation for God's stunning handiwork.

The light and the reflections and the sense of peace do not go unnoticed. It is beneficial to take a moment's pause, calm the task-driven brain, breathe these moments in ... reflect on gratitude.

I happen to be one of those rare Florida natives that finds the color green discovered in foliage equally satisfying as a large dose of color from a stunning mass of flowers. It truly excites me to see varying heights, forms, and textures, in what I consider the pillars of the garden. Those beauties that faithfully remain no matter the varying elements.

The ones that give all they've got season after season and ask for very little in return.

The numbers of them are increasing around here. Because they shined right through the freezes we had these past few winters. They don't shrink back through the droughts of spring and perform without a hitch in the rainy season of summer.

Spring came early this year. It has reminded me of "normal" Florida Februarys of old. Truly beautiful, mild weather our late-winter has turned out to be.

The garden has responded to our warm, sunny days with life abundantly bulging forth in every direction.

So on this cheery morning with camera in hand I settled in to one of the most relaxing and all consuming hobbies I have... taking photo after photo of vignettes in the morning garden.

With each click of the camera I noticed more and more new buds/growth and bright blooms and leafing out of crepe myrtles.

I just kept thinking about how life in the spring garden swells with each passing day in expectation of life's eternal timeclock ticking on into summer. And so it goes...

A jubilation that can almost be felt on this brisk early morning.

Even the alocasias are waking up from winter's slumber early.

There are more to come but the first of them are feeding my lust for foliage!

And the red bananas are quickly pushing out new leaves with the dark coloration I adore.

The first self-sown zinnia flowers are bursting forth already.

Spring is full of promise.

Plants don't require a lot of extra attention when the principle of "right plant; right place" is practiced.

The helpful pollinators are actively at work each day enjoying a chemical-free environment that invites them to nectar freely.

Their sweet, buzzing music is often the only sounds to be heard in the stillness.

These are the days when being outside every minute of the day isn't enough.

We find ourselves wishing the fleeting hours would last and last.

And maybe if darkness wouldn't fall we could capture this serene state of the spring garden and never let it go.

Or better yet ... an exercise in thankfulness for the moments we have is in order. And I think I'll contemplate making the VERY most of each one while I have it.

Happy spring! and Happy Gardening!
Meems

15 comments:

  1. Wonderful post!! Love that photo of the bee.

    I chuckled when I saw the zinnia. The only zinnias I have flowering right now are about 2 inches high with miniature flowers. They are probably 5th generation from the seeds I put out last spring.

    I just bought to indigo spires and I cannot wait until they start blooming. The butterflies and humming birds supposedly love them.

    Have a great weekend!

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  2. Your spring is way ahead of my spring but I feel the same. I walk in the garden daily to see the subtle changes. Have a great weekend.

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  3. Well put, Meems. What you write reflects so clearly in my own heart. I could be outside all day long and it still wouldn't be enough. Indeed, we are truly blessed to have this season, these beautiful sights and fellow gardeners to share them with. Blessings...

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  4. A truly beautiful post, words and photos! I have a plant I am trying to ID, if time allows would you drop by and see if you know it?

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  5. Dear Meems ~ What a splendid post in picture and word. I too, love walking around the gardens in the morning light.

    Your gardens always inspire me to keep on working in my gardens.

    Enjoy spring in your lovely bit of paradise.

    FlowerLady

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  6. Just what I needed on what's a cool, wet, windy day here, pre-spring...but we'll make it through. You do indeed live in a little bit of paradise, Meems, and I'm so glad you share it with us.

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  7. Happy spring to you, Meems! Your garden and your plant choices are so familiar to my eyes. Is that a nun's orchid? Oh, I need one of those badly. I need to get up to that nursery the Bok lady told me about.

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  8. Hey! Did you get a lemon tree?

    I love all that filtered light on your layers of green. This is really shaping up to be a great spring in your garden.

    Excellent shot of the bee. I am becoming quite a fan of bees. It's so neat to see the pollen sac on its legs.

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  9. Siesta Sister,
    I LOVE indigo spires as do the bees and bumbles. I've got it planted in the large container central to the circle garden.It's been there all winter. One of the few things I covered to preserve. It has a great rate of flowering.

    Lisa,
    The changes you see now that are subtle will start coming at lightning fast speed soon for you, too. It's just a matter of time.

    Daisy,
    It is just one of the beauties of living in our mild climate. There are not too many days in a year when one is prevented from spending at least some time outdoors. Creating an environment in our own gardens where we love to be is a great way to enjoy it more.

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  10. Darla,
    I know you're thankful, too. :-)Sorry I had no help on the ID.

    Flowerlady,
    You're sweet to say such kind things. Florida gardeners have to stick together and encourage each other. :-)

    Jodi,
    You know I'd love to visit your paradise mid-summer. Your part of the world is on my dream list of 'somedays'. Thanks for stopping by~~

    FG,
    Yes, the nun orchids are blooming right now... it would be a good time to get to that nursery.

    Kay,
    I love that extra 'luggage' the bees carry around with them. They really are so tolerant of my lens poking about while they're trying to work. Yes, a Meyer was purchased this spring after much procrastination.

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  11. Things are looking lovely in your garden! You have some of the same things but some that are way ahead of me. Happy spring to you too!

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  12. I enjoyed your beginning spring. Particularly liked the red banana leaf, alocasias and all your green, green foliage. You know me and green. :-) As for dealing with sunset, the family has started something new. If my wife and I get home early and catch the kids before bedtime, we have our after dinner coffee and they their warm milk outdoors surrounded by the plants and the stars. It is certainly a calming, serene way to end the day. -- Bom

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  13. Hi Meems...It is amazing how quickly plants bounce back and emerge once warmer days arrive. We just returned from the bare north (no green...no flowers), and everything looks so lush and green. It's almost overwhelming, but I'm enjoying soaking it all in. Happy spring to you.

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  14. Meems: Beautiful spring garden you have! I too love the layers of lush green and they look especially lovely when sun light shine though the leaves. Love that bee picture near the burbine plants!

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Have a blessed day,
Meems


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