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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.

Sunday, July 6, 2008

Fiddle-dee-faddle-dee-foodle

Before this post is over every dear reader might wonder ... "just how many photos can one take of the same plant?"

Is it just me or does anyone else get hung up once in a while on a plant you just can't get enough of?




Ferns in general are not real exciting to me. Most of them grow and even spread fairly quickly in this climate so unless one wants a lot of them it is better to stay away from planting them all together.

There have been ferns here I've actually worked diligently to eliminate for those reasons.

When this Australian Tree Fern Cyathea cooperi was purchased back in May I had no idea how much I would love watching the progression of each fiddlehead unfurl to maturity.



Shooting up through the center of the plant it first appears all tightly curled but ever so large and superior. Then as fast as it first commanded notice, it spreads out wider with all its leaves still tightly compacted ... an imitation still of what it is to become in a just a few short days.

The new fiddles keep coming one after the other and now the "tree" has risen just above the holly fern, variegated liriope, xanadu, caladiums, and impatiens that surround it.

When once it is a few feet taller I envision it to be a real standout here. Yet because its leaves are lacy and light your eye will still see through it as it fits right in with the tropicalesque feel of this location.
Okay, one more photo a little closer up. Was there an angle not shown? I wouldn't want to miss a view of this lovely additional treasure to my garden. Oh, the simple pleasures of life... I'm really hung up on this one.

20 comments:

  1. I can understand your enthusisasm for this wonderful plant Meems. One of our favourite garden presenters has an avenue of tree ferns, it is one of the most beautiful settings I have ever seen. So beautifully underplanted by this man.

    I am sure you will be even more pleased as time progresses.

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  2. I envy you your fern tree Meems. It is gorgeous and it will be great fun watching yours grow. You certainly have the garden to show it in great style.

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  3. How interesting, I just asked Anna that question yesterday! I for one love photos, good photos and your are awesome, so shoot away! People probably think ferns are the easiest to take care of but those who have them know, if they start going down hill, they are done for the year. Yours look awesome! Interesting fern, thanks for sharing!

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  4. this is a great specimen.i actually love ferns. i like the lacy, feminine quality they bring to green plantings. good pick!

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  5. I like ferns, I find them useful on the shady side of the house. Yours look wonderful and the garden is so lush.

    Good luck with the oil painting, I can draw, but I have never once successfully added colour to a drawing. In the garden it usually works out ok though.

    Best Wishes,

    Zoë

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  6. Meems,

    Show all the photos you want and posts, too....it will be your Amazing and Awesome Australian Fern! Seriously! It is a lovely fern, one I have long admired. It looks lovely in your last photo with the little pops of pink and that jolt of red!

    Gail

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  7. I tried growing this from spores, but they died after they were about 1 inch high. Its quite a spectacular plant, I hope I can find one here some day!

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  8. cheryl: Oh I can only imagine an avenue of tree ferns... now that would be something!

    lisa: It is certainly more exciting than I anticipated to watch it grow and after much deliberation of where to place it I am happy about that choice as well.

    Kathi: thanks for the go-ahead... I do love the photography part almost as much as the gardening.

    marmee: I actually do love ferns too... just not too much here. I am with you on the feminine look and feel of them.

    Zoe: thanks for popping by Hoe & shovel. You are a talented girl!

    I think ferns especially like the filtered sunlight and they are quite lovely in the shade... only here msot varieties re-seed too quickly and then they take over the rest of the garden.

    Gail: Thanks... you are always a good chearleader! I'm glad you like the fern and my garden.

    To the Japan link: I can't read your name but I appreciate the comment. Your japanese gardens are very enjoyable to view too.

    Nicole: Growing from spores is ambitious but then again you are an amazing gardener. I'm kind of surprised you don't have access to the plant???

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  9. I can see why you love this fern. The fronds are so attractive! You can never take enough good photographs of beautiful plants...

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  10. I can see why you are so enthralled with this fern; it's a beauty. I love ferns and would have taken all those you dug out:)
    Your garden is lovely.

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  11. I love ferns - I think because they don't grow here much and I associate with vacations near our coastal rainforests. I could have a few varieties in my garden, but I would need to water them constantly. I'll just admire yours instead :)

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  12. I had heard you had stopped blogging to I was happy to see you are still here. As usually your site is beautiful. coachk aka: princessk :)

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  13. Wonderful plants Meems - so how are you? I also love the pictures you've got of the butterfiles at the beginning of your blog - we certainly don't get those varieties in France!

    Hope your gardening weather is a bit better than here right now - Miranda

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  14. I love ferns, having started at a young age with a steady diet of Fiddleheads. Yesterday we saw a house that we would like to buy, and it had a huge yard. I thought of your beautiful photos and I got excited at the possibilities. Thanks Meems.

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  15. kate: The photographs can speak for themselves in many cases... no words are necessary.

    rose: thank you for your kind words --I'm honored you like my garden. Honestly ferns can take over here in a hurry. Especially the common Boston Fern which grows like crazy and I'm still uprooting them from years ago. Maybe because we don't have a dormant season?

    amy: I like them too. I have several holly ferns right behind this Australian but both of these variety are slow growers.

    CoachK: The name change is probably good for business eh? Glad to see you around too... you can't (and shouldn't)believe everything you hear!

    miranda: Hello to you too. I am doing great, thank you for asking. Working hard in the summer heat still. But we have gotten some very nice rain the past two days in the form of afternoon thunderstorms- very typical of this time of year here.

    Sue: I'm so glad you are finding something you like while house hunting. Just remember a huge yard will take huge amounts of time to keep up with... hubby says it is a full time job for me. He might be right.:-)

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  16. Hi Meems, I laughed out loud at the term *superior* to the new fiddlehead reaching up. That is so true. While we can't grow the tree fern here except as a greenhouse plant, a local nursery has one in their heated greenhouse that is huge, the Japanese painted ferns that spore around all over here are sending up new superior growth. Makes me want to cut back the older ratty stuff. I have done that in the past, mulched over them and it is just like reliving spring! Love your photos and narrative on this!

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  17. Hi Frances: The Japanese painted ferns are very lovely. So feminine I think and so many varieties. Which ones do you have? I can imagine they are a wonderfully lush addition to your beautiful gardens.

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  18. Meems,

    I had to laugh when I read the part about "how many pictures can you take of the same plant?" I am that way with my salvias. I just can't get enough of them ;)

    Beautiful photos of your ferns.

    Suz

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  19. Susiesqs: I'm a little on the "nutty" side when it comes to taking photos... I might love capturing the plants in that little window as much as I love planting them... not sure yet...the jury is still out on which passion is faved.

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Have a blessed day,
Meems


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