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.

Finding My Wildflower Side

There is a partially sunny bed that borders the south side of the back garden next to the property line of my neighbor's yard. Partially sunny because in the spring, prior to the crape myrtles' leaves returning, it gets a good dose of filtered morning sun. In every season it gets a good dose of afternoon sun and it is south facing.

The autumn blooming Goldenrod, Sempervirens is dutifully attracting hoards of buzzing, flying critters in that planting bed.

Behind (depending on where you're standing) the Goldenrod stands the pretty purple Mexican Bush Sage.

It's all a little tall for this planting bed. That aspect is kind of wild.

Even though trimming was done a couple of times this summer on the Goldenrod it is outrageously tall and over-arching.

The combination of purple and yellow is a nice reminder that autumn is here.

The back story to the progression of this planting starts in December of 2008. That's when it was decided that as one of the spring 2009 projects a wildflower garden would be added by making an existing bed larger and 'bumping' it out ... more into the sunny side of the yard.

I was determined to grow some Rudbekia in my garden. My friend, Gail, of the famed Clay and Limestone blog, convinced me by seeing her pretty Susans in the midst of summer that really, every garden should have some.

So perhaps we should back up and take a look at this area last December 2008. It is the middle bed with the straight edge (above) that was going to get renovated into a new wildflower bed. That straight edge just had to go, too... more inspiration.

Time surely does get away because this is the first I've shared of this project. So, let's back up a few months...

In January 2009 I started digging the grass out to not only create a curvier bed but to allow more planting in the sun. This side of the garden gets a few hours of afternoon sunshine since my neighbor cut down 2 more of his trees.

The next step was to dig out all those variegated liriope plants (the existing ones along that straight edge) and divide them. At the same time I was working on this bed, I was building a brand new bed on the opposite side of the yard. I've shown you the progression of that one, and you can go back to see what I'm referring to here if you'd like a refresher. I was using these same liriope plants to border that new bed as well as move the border out to its new perimeter on this one.

There was a bit of delay getting to completion after a couple of especially cruel frosty nights that leveled so much of the back garden in late January. My inspiration for the wildflower garden was thwarted by the barrenness I suspect. In the meantime the planting bed was edged out nonetheless with variegated liriope and waiting for plants by March.

That's when there was the delightful trip to a native nursery in Dunellon and several very small Florida natives were purchased for a song. Some were located here and some were located in the bed I was working on at the same time on the other side of the back garden.

Once considered a weed in my mind I have fallen in love with spiderwort. It is carefree and just sort of blends in with the environment wherever it is sited. It isn't especially significant but when it's blooming it is sweet and ... well, I've decided we are compatible.

Behind the outer border of liriope went a shadow double border of society garlic separated from existing plants, a few clumps of rain lilies, moved from another location and some daylilies which never really do well for me anywhere. Something I'm learning to accept. Sigh.

In the center I planted coneflowers, blazing star liatris, rosemary (transplant from the herb garden), there were mystic spires, diplademia, mexican bush sage, tickseed, pentas, rudbekia and the goldenrod that was already getting too tall where I placed it. This is a bed with lots of existing agapanthus and every one of them was separated that could be separated to create more of them for a really nice show by next year... let's hope. Oh ... and okra and radishes were seed planted in spots... just for fun.

A clump of caladium bulbs (Rosebud) went in the ground in late June between the pink pentas and coneflowers and the goldenrod was getting too tall. So I trimmed it back to half its size. This severeness made me wonder if it would bloom when fall rolled around.
I forgot about the cosmos and zinnia seeds planted in the (then) spaces between the goldenrod and the sage. They got so tall even though I kept pruning them back that I finally yanked them out after a couple flushes of blooms and lots of staking and tying.

This scene was a happy welcome but the wildflowers were not really working for me yet. The tickseed bloomed but didn't last. Not enough sun I think ... not really sure... it just sort of rotted out. So ground orchids have replaced them. They are doing great. Wouldn't you know!

By August my attempt at a wildflower garden was just not happening. Not at all the vision I saw in my mind's eye back in December. There was lots of greenery but only a few blooms. The Rudbekia finally had buds galore so it was a wait to see if they would actually open.

They were sold as Rudbekia Black-eyed Susans but I'm pretty sure they must be Rudbekia triloba. Sweet and small and short... not exactly what I had envisioned either. I DO like them at the feet of the goldenrod this month as they've flushed out ever so demurely.

The caladiums are fading and the goldenrod is falling over. The coneflowers rotted when we had several straight days of rain. The mexican bush sage is very tall but a little lanky for my liking.

I'm beginning to think wildflowers are just not suited for Hoe and Shovel. Or I still have lots to learn about what they need.

I'm okay with it. Let's just say I'm still looking for my wildflower side; Haven't quite gotten it together yet.

I HAVE thoroughly loved the goldenrod right along with all the bees and flying critters. At least they are speaking to that sense of autumn 'in the air' with their golden hues so bright and cheery. Not only that but they had the courtesy to bloom so nicely. For that I am grateful.