Take This Beauty - Handroanthus chrysanthus-Yellow Tabebuia

The beauty of growing from seed is you might
get whats pictured above. This tree is going on
five years now and it looks like the perfect
candidate for a 'Bonsai'.

No matter how much natural fertilizers I throw
at it or light, albeit it hasn't been given the blunt
and punishing full sun that this region can be known
for and actually puts on it's best show when given
full sun.

It is dwarfed by it's cousin that is barely pushing
three feet, which is still quiet small knowing that
another known cousin is pushing nearly twelve
feet.

This particular variety distinguishes it's self from the
other more popular varieties, is that this one 's flowers
are half as small, which all counts for the smaller leaf
size to and a lot fewer pods, which is a nuisance. 

Need more time and more patience to tell.

Tree Weaver - Tabebuia impetiginosa - Purple Tabebuia

Purple Tababuia - Tabebuia impetiginosa

This clump of Purple Tabebuia Trees got the
weaving treatment, which now gives it two
really good advantage points of view. The one
above is seen from the back door stoop. The
other being from a bedroom window.

Being a sculptor, I would be pleased to have at
least two good views and three, a bonus.

This weaving celebrates and captures yesterday's
chain of events that will go down in my memory
banks for those who care to listen, on their next
garden tour and one more for my Memory Garden.

BRUGMANSIA suaveolens - Angel Trumpet's First Bloom

First time blooming since acquired last August from a
privately owned plant nursery. I was on my way to visit
a coworker and was side tracked by a sign on the side
of the road 'Plants For Sale'. Came a way with two plants
and this one being one of them.

Yesterdays capture and with doubts to as what the color should be because
 this was not the color I was expecting.

Today's capture is what I remembered it to look like. Perhaps tomorrow's will
be a bit more deeper in color? Will post to make sure, tomorrow.

Along with a wiff of it's heady night time perfume to see if it differs from the
one I have for many years now.

No Wonder How The Name Came About... Umbonia crassicornis - Thorn Treehopper

Umbonia crassicornis - Thorn Treehopper or just search for Thorn Bug.

Size reference, it's perched on the lip of a heavy duty trash can. It's almost
hard to tell whether it's coming or going. Resembling an exotic bird in it's
mating ritual.

Thorn bug being photo bombed by a skinny ant.

A bug's many disguises and faces.

You can just barely make out it's right eye on this male.

Red Eye Or Yellow Eye

These volunteers are not native and a welcomed sight and ideal for a 'Moon Garden'.

Vinca multiflora also has proven to be of value in the medical field for some
properties that have been beneficial to us humans and hopefully not just
lining the pockets of said pharmaceuticals.

I came upon these the other day and in all my years have not seen such an
explosion of life. Same plant and curious out this pans out without any assist
from this gardener.

 Hundreds of thousands!

Home Grown Spagehtti Squash Begets Angel Hair

That little guy there, not much bigger than a Goose's egg. All three compliments
from my first time growing and in a planter to. I could have just as easily have
tossed it out, for reasons being the so small and assume to be under developed.
As I slice it in half length wise and to my surprise to see that it looked viable
and what the heck, toss it in my trusted SS electric skillet.

Thirty five minutes later and a kitchen that smells divine.

Classic, but when I proceed to reveal that magic that only Spaghetti Squash
knows how. I get Angel Hair instead. For those uninitiated, that's super thin
stuff.

There's about three bites there, but worth the time and effort to bring this
miracle to light.

Topped with some favorite Marinara sauce and you have just witnessed
another random act of deliciousness.

Yellow Trumpet Vine (Macfadyena unguis-cati) And If I Had My Way...

Look at it, see if your not taken under it's spell.

I spotted this specimen and unknowingly rescued it from a neighbor's yard
while visiting with said neighbor. The next day the neighbor's yard mowing
came and would have scalped this, what is known down here to some in the
know as an invasive weed. Who's name is now known due to the our greatest
invention, the internet.

As most gardener's know that every plant has a place and sometimes a plant
just needs to be put in it's place.

I won't tell you it's other common name, because sometimes a common name
can lack imagination. So, I'm not going to perpetuate this mistaken identity
and summon my own.

But first lets get a closer to what's apparent to be it's prominent feature.

Look at those, claws? feet? perhaps, talons to be more exact.

These tendrils assist in it's survival and some would say domination of it's
environment if left on it's own to thrive and conquer. Except this Constant
Florida Gardener does not know the meaning of leaving a new acquisition
alone. Why, I just thought of another title for a Blog. The Helicopter Gardener
Observer.

My natural curiosity and fascination reigns far longer than most
and due to my limited parcel I call home.  I would be very surprise that any
plant being could just take over. Now having said that, I could imagine that
what ever forces take over, you name them, they certainly exist. Every
community has one of these where the yard has taken over and over grown
and most likely the house has gone through a similar stage, but only worse.
I know of at least two addresses in close proximity in this community or
of over 200,000 residences where this is the case.

Well, a plant not only has to be subjected to our, some might say shallow,
societal conformities, beauty being one of them that we hope adds a substantial
quality to our life. No doubt, gardening is but one of many pursuits that does
just that for me.

So lets hear that drum roll.

I propose we call this gem, 'Dragon Wings'.

 OK, scroll back and take another gander of that close up and imagine if you
will a mirrored surface just short of touch down or more like a snatch and grab
for this gangly serpent's next meal.

Why just the size of those talons, tells me that that's going to be a big specimen.

Myrcianthes fragrans - Simpson's Stopper

This Florida native has performed exquisitely where sighted. In the three years
this has taken height in spite of taking our western exposure's intense sun
like a trooper.

As it's botanical name has aptly captured, it's fragrance will stop you in your
tracks, not realizing how such a small flower can punch the air with such
delight. 

HaHA HAw...Crataegus flava (Yellowleaf Hawthorn)

Third season for this elegant specimen and this is the first time that I can
remember their fruits being this pronounce, which is a good sign that it likes
where is currently resides.

Sighting a plant can be sometimes a trial and error. In the past when I had more
space and free reign. Well not so much any more but as a true gardener, I will
find a place for new arrivals. It may be a rare occurrence for another to give
sacrifice when called upon. Usually what happens is one just gets moved to
another advantaged location.

A reoccurring theme is a need to change my external landscapes, literally!
Be it house and home, so why not the garden landscapes to help reshape
our inner landscapes.

Plumeria pudica - Fiddle Leaf Plumeria

A year ago this was just a six inch cutting. Now four feet and with it's first
bloom for show.

As striking as this can be, unfortunately those familiar with Plumerias will
be disappointed to find that it's charteristic/distinct fragrance has gone missing
in this variety. 

This Week's Lily Collection

Neomarica gracilis, Apostle's Iris

Even a Biblical sounding common name can't dress up,
what I would describe, as a weedy looking flower.
Where the beauty lies is in this specimen's architecture
and means of spreading (not shown), is the primary reason
it still resides in my garden.

Iris domestica,  Leopard Lily

This was first flower to catch my eye and seems to
have arrived shortly after epic commencement of our
rainy season.

Perhaps this Leopard lily will be my newly designated
rain lily.

I actually have two kinds of rain lilies. One
batch had just wrapped up their blooming. Who's
predictability and frequency prevents me from capturing
it's beauty here for prosperity. Where as my other double
rain lily blooms most infrequently, for when it does grace
us with it's blooms, it's a major event and I can well insure
that it will be captured here for prosperity.

Crinum 'Ellen Basanquet', Red Crinum Lily

This old reliable flowering specimen is going to get thinned
out tomorrow. It's dramatic train of foliage (not shown), is
due to lack of valuable sunshine, thus cutting back on the
number of blooms, which in this case has inspired me to
corral this plant in and make use of the coveted real estate.
It's worth mentioning that most Crinums are surprisingly
fragrant.

A day late and this is what you get when you miss a deadline.

I would like to think that this Crinum could date back to it's origins, but then
this house sat vacant for twelve years before it's first owner walked through
it's doors.

I believe this plant goes back to the nineteen seventies. Only based on the
fact that the home owner back then was quite the gardener to and have
some photos that were given to by the wife of said owner and not knowing
this at the time when I bought this house in the nineties.  

Ahhh Poor Tomato Baby

As perfect as this 'Better Bush' tomato got off to a great start. That 'V' you see
was it's Achilles. Anything less than a 45 degrees is prone to splitting as it did
when faced with a strong gust of wind.

So far a binding with some latex free flexible bandage came in handy.

Buddha Belly Bamboo

It's true nature is beginning to reveal it's self. It's my understanding that this
plant needs to be stressed a bit in order to form it's distinct 'Belly' characteristics.
A year pot bound and almost a year in the ground to where it will get stressed
by it's relatively dryer conditions should be enough of stress to kick it in 'Belly'
mode. Not to mention an extended dry and heat wave that gave it that only
added that one two push. Time will tell.

Blackberry Lily - Iris domestica (formerly known as Belamcanda chinensis) aka Leopard Lily

First time blooming this year. Set against my being distracted with a 

building project going on I didn't even notice the commencement of these

blooms similar to the one shown in the first picture.

This tall bloom must be close to four feet. Didn't see that one coming
either. With our daily rains to, you would think that this plant to had
benefited from our generous rain fall.

Pictures of an opened specimen soon to follow.

The Last Blooming Amyrilla Never Ending

First there was this one taken on May 27th, which is ridiculously late in the
season.

 

Second one sided but that picture got lost in a phone reset and even though I

swear that I had loaded it onto my PC.

For the record, it looks similar to the one above but set back and to the left.

First week of June to best recollection.

Today I see several more blooms which blows a way my Last Bloom

observations. For the keen eyed observer , you will find a new bud in

the background to the Amyrilla shown in the foreground.

 

I see at least three more buds in this picture, taken today on Jun 10th.

Spaghetti Squash Update2

Nearly two and a half
weeks later and a weeks
worth of rain. Viola!

Putting down a pad of
newspaper for it's
reading pleasure? Not!

Another spritz of milk
to keep at bay, powdery
mildew, for the few
leaves that remain.
Just long enough to
sustain these babies to maturity, only to be eaten by another.

Gave these a much needed boost of nitrogen as these fruits suck the life out
it's life giving life form.