October Favorites: Bridal Veil

Before we get to the Bridal Veil could we have a quick look at the Clerodendrum ugandese blue butterfly?

It is a sprawling perennial shrub that blooms continuously from late summer through the autumn season. Nectaring critters are frequent admirers along with me.

What's newly opening her pendulous white blooms this month is the Clerodendrum wallichii Bridal Veil. She is tucked away in partial shade under the oak trees creating a wonderful fall blooming treasure in the garden.

Salvia madrensis or Forsithia sage is setting buds and blooms are beginning to burst open from the top and sides of 10' tall square stems. It is a giant of a plant.

Spring/summer I dug up and transplanted starts from the spreading clump in the front garden to additional locations in the garden.

There isn't a single quality I don't favor about the Cassia Alata. So cheery-golden and full of desire for winged creatures.

A favorite last month and this month it makes the list easily. False blue ginger ~~ a fabulous fall bloomer.

With a plethora of bottlebrush-like blooms the Agastache x 'Black Adder' carries its share of the load adding color and critter attraction from spring to fall. I'm loving these plants more each season.

Muhlenbergia capillaris Muhly Grass remains the autumn-star in the sunniest corner at Hoe and Shovel.

The zinnias in the vegetable garden really must be pulled out (soon - like yesterday)to make room for the rest of the cool-weather seeds that need to be sown.

It would surely help to know the sweet, fuzzy bumbles will find some soft petals elsewhere to sleep.

Dangling clusters of begonia flowers from stiff stalks of angel-wing (or is it dragon wing) begonias are flushing back out after retreating from the high summer temps.

These are in containers along the front walkway. These tough tropicals can also be enjoyed as ground plants in other areas of the garden.

It's time to give the Plectranthus ‘Mona Lavender’a soft shearing across the top. One last photo just prior. It won't take long for them to flush back out with their delicate-appearing purple blooms that contrast with the wonderfully dark, two-toned foliage it presents.

Celosia seeds given to me by a garden center in north Florida ~~ I had given up hope they had germinated. Fun surprise in the butterfly garden.

On the edges of the butterfly garden and in three more places in the garden our Florida native Hamelia patens firebush blooms from early summer and steadily qualifies as a favorite even in October.

Dietes iridioides African Iris is planted as borders, as fillers, as clumps for middle layers, as accent plants in so many places. Easily divided and adaptable in shade or filtered light this is one of my go-to Florida-Friendly choices. The stark white flowers with lavender and gold accents are a bonus.

It wouldn't be a proper post without a view of my all-time favorite caladiums still adding lots of impact to the gardens. Have I mentioned lately how very fond I am of these heart-shaped clusters of showy foliage? Oh. Well. I'm glad I remembered to bring it up ... just one more time.

Callicarpa americana beautyberry is especially rich with deep magenta berries all tightly clustered along the long draping stems. More of these Florida natives were added to the SE side of the way-back gardens this summer.

Speaking of berries. I'm partiularly fond of just about any plant that produces berries. Belamcanda chinensis blackberry lilies get their name from the berries that appear once the flowers have gone to seed.

Love every phase of these great plants!

The cooling down night temps allow for the Lobularia maritima sweet alyssum to flourish happily. They prefer our autumn/winter/spring ~~ much like this gardener.

Be sure to scoot on over to Susan's at Simply Susan to see what she has posted as her favorites this month. And check out the other participants while you're there.

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.

August Garden Favorites

Belamcanda Chinensis, Candy Lily or Blackberry Lily

In the earliest years of this garden it could be said that August was a dreaded month. By summer's end it seemed all plant life was duly stressed, tired, and bedraggled.

If it wasn't the overbearing heat and humidity it was lack of rain or too much of it that was to blame.

Learning how to adjust to our summer conditions and plant what adapts well in this environment has helped remedy this 'August dread' for the most part.

Candy Lilies rise above the heat and the caladiums to produce their happy presence in this our hottest month of the year.

You should know I'm lagging behind. This party started on August 25 when Susan over at Simply Susan hosts a 'post your favorites for the month' each month.

I've never been great with memes but Susan has become a friend through blogging and I'd like to participate in this one. She is one of the early pioneers of garden blogging. She found my blog when I first got started back in 2007 when I didn't have a clue anyone else out there was loonie enough to have a garden blog like me. (Little did I know... there were lots of us).

I'm not making any promises about the future but I'm happily joining in this month's August Favorites.

Without question my absolute favorites this month are the caladiums I adore and depend on all summer for bringing cheer to almost every border in one way or another. Caladiums of all varieties planted here were featured extensively in my last post.

The White Queen cultivar known for its white leaf and magenta-hued central veining is featured above and below.

It is the scenery at Hoe and Shovel this month that I'm favoring. Broad sweeps of visuals highlighting the varied colors and textures present in the summer garden.

The entrance to the tropical pathway with airy container plants of Christia Obcordata 'Swallow Tail' floating in the light breezes is a favorite vignette.

Taking a look at the other end of the pathway the large-leaved perennial Alocasia Plumbea 'Black Taro' are among my most favorites from the time they emerge out of the ground in April until they go dormant sometime in mid-winter.

A favorite for all of summer for the gardener and the hummingbirds, butterflies, and buzzing critters are the 5 native Firebush Hamelia patens that can be found throughout the garden.

Contrasts of color and varying sizes of leaves and heights and textures are showing up strongly this month as we are reminded there is hardly a trace of the damage we incurred from our unusually harsh winter.

Mixing up and combining all these elements is what makes gardening so exciting.

A favorite succulent demanding attention is sited in a well-draining pot on the perimeter of the circle garden. It is Bryophyllum daigremontianum 'mother of thousands' and was a pass-along from a dear friend. This kalanchoe is considered invasive in Texas. It has grown so tall it had to be staked, standing sentinel, it is visible (amazingly) from the kitchen window.

Every summer I'm enthralled all over again with how very much the Pagoda Flower adds to the shady garden in the front. Some would call it invasive because of its habit to drops seeds and sends out runners. But somehow it works here. Probably because I have the room for it to spread. I need for it to spread and it obliges. It will be knocked to the ground by a heavy frost but returns to its heighth very quickly with the onset of warmth and humidity.

The August garden is completely aflutter with so many flying friends. They bring such joy and life as they flit about enjoying the nectar and the host plants provided for them here.

Lastly, these fellows are making their homes all over the garden this month. We've watched them weave their amazing webs only to have them knocked down by the rains. Not to be discouraged they just start all over and create them again in a matter of a few hours.

The garden ... a natural classroom ... always providing lessons for young and old.

Happy August and don't forget to stop by Susan's to check out her favorites for the month of August.