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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, December 11, 2009

Day 11::Twelve Days of Christmas in a Florida Garden

["Just for fun and also because we just keep right on gardening through December here in Florida, I'm going to challenge myself and post something from my garden everyday for twelve days. Think of it as 'excerpts from Hoe & Shovel.' It may just be a flower (or two) or it may be an informative post or it may involve a give-away. It may include lots of thoughts or none at all. Would love it if you followed along for one or all of the days.]

Day 11: Opening Day

Both of the Crinum augustum 'Queen Emma' were gifted to me by a neighbor. There is one in the front garden and one in the back garden. And there are two smaller ones that were pups of the largest one in the front garden as well.

They were all settled in to their new home in September after being dug up and transplanted into my garden. At the time of their relocation they each had stalks of buds that never fully opened due to the adjustment they were making from my neighbor's garden to mine. They are enormous magenta colored stalks that shoot out of the enormous leaves randomly.

Once they pop open it takes about 4-5 days for them to completely evolve. Within each singular bud is so many smaller buds that take a few days to fully produce their large splash of mini lilies combined into one.

I thought for sure I would have to wait until next year to see any blooms on the newly sited plants.
You can imagine my excitement this week when buds on both Giant Crinums opened up assuring me they are quite happy in their new home. And have I mentioned the remarkable fragrance they generate? It is outstandingly fresh and lemony and can be detected from several feet away.
These plants are bringing so much joy to my December garden. The gifts that keep on giving.
Good news from heaven the angels bring,
Glad tidings to the earth they sing:
To us this day a child is given,
To crown us with the joy of heaven.
Martin Luther

8 comments:

  1. well...it is certainly cause for celebrating with the blooming of your newly planted crinum...queen emma. it is gorgeous...too bad we can't partake of the smelling of this beauty. it has most assuredly taken to it's new home in your well~kept gardens.
    happy december sis.
    just one more day of the 12.

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  2. This is a gorgeous bloom. I wish I could smell it too. Can you cut one off and bring it into the house?? I hate to see your count down end.

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  3. Oh Meems~~ What a fabulous plant!!! As I was studying it and reading your description I wondered if it was fragrant and sure enough. Could it get any better than that? Probably not frost hardy... bummer.

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  4. Grace is right, not frost hardy at all. Mine have already shown signs of being nipped, but still bravely green for December. They love water, too. A hurricane will bring on blossoms in a hurry.

    The ones with the strappy petals are really pretty.

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  5. Beautiful! Somehow, it reminded me of fireworks.

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  6. That crinum is obviously very happy in your garden. It produces an absolutely gorgeous bloom, and I can understand why it brings so much joy to you everytime you see it.

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  7. What a gorgeous bloom it has Meems. Yes we have to find out how to get fragrances going on these computers.
    Have a great weekend.

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  8. I kid you not as I read this post I started to smell a fragrance. Thank you for sharing.

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Have a blessed day,
Meems


September 2010

Back Garden: October 2010

Louise Philippe: Antique Rose

Tropical Pathway