Ionopsis utricularioides - Update6

Some Spring induced blossoms are beginning to open up. The part of the orchid
that didn't bloom this past Fall are making their introductions.

This orchid is fairly new to me also. From what I found so far is that each portion
of this orchid as put out two stems. So this Spring presentation does not disappoint.

The Everglade Galaxy of Today's Garden of Delight

If  you stare deep just right of center you will discover it's black hole.

This was today's haul of Everglade current like Florida native tomato that tastes
as good as they look.

Nearly two cups without the stems, To give you an idea just how much is in that
galaxy above.

Hatiora salicornioides - Drunkard's Dream

 This cutting, survivor of many that has been hanging on to dear life for at least

a couple of years. Finally it gets to set it's roots into of all places, a fresh water

snail's shell, with the help of some found broken glass that reminds me of some

sea ice or Glacial ice to keep ballast.

Cut Flowers Have Their Place

Twice now, in all the years that I lived in this house, where there were cut
flowers. They're at their best when they're attached to the plant of origin.


These came from a branch that was going into my neighbor's yard, so
the other option would have been to put them either in my compost pile
or the yard can.

These Mexican Sunflowers smell just like honey, not only sweet but have
that distinct scent that honey can have.

So why not bring them indoors and only hope I don't have any of the numerous
allergies that my father had and I have managed to escape all these years.

This Little Light Of Mine

I'm going to let it shine, shine, shine, shine.

This song came to mind when I walked into my kitchen when I spotted this
backlit cutting that is pushing out it's first post cutting leaf.

My mom used to sing this song in  my childhood home when I was a kid.

Now I will do the same in my adult owned home.

This Pink Wonder - Syngonium podophyllum

 A coworker gave this to me, who claims that a neighbor of his developed this
variety. Well year five, and it is still hardy and thriving in my potted swamp along
side an Iris and mini papyrus.

My Blue Cereus

Now that this Cereus has been securely fastened and is putting on new growth.
Gives me an indication that it likes it's new location.

Still haven't been able to find it's botanical name, yet.

How many Flies Does It Take...

The collective noun for flies is, drum roll...business.

Yesterday while watering my Sword bean and to witness this business of flies
on the end of my Sword bean vine. Most likely your typical Blue bottle fly.
To see them perched on this vine was odd to me and worth capturing.

Perhaps they were anticipating what would have happened a short time from then.

I was heading back into the house is when a shadow passed me by. The shadow
was from a Great Blue Heron flew overhead like they do often here in Florida.
Not much thought, other than that observance and acknowledgment. That is until
I heard an uncharacteristic thump. To look in the direction of the Heron and sound
and only to find a lump of flesh in the neighbor's driveway. Walked over to the
neighbor's yard to confirm a large dead fish. Dead from the fall, from the clutches
from the Huron flyover? Most likely already dead from being snacked on and the
Huron decided it wanted take-out. Not realizing the dynamics of transferring this
load to where ever it's destination might be, this load became nonessential.

It was still there when my nextdoor neighbor and I went to investigate on said
carcass. No doubt the business of flies will have had it's way by then and not to
mention our night marauding raccoons will be having a midnight feast.

A Wonderful Earth Day It Is

Everyday is Earth Day around this neighborhood.

Just spoke to the neighbor across the street while taking these pics and
he relayed to me that there was sightings of two coyotes down the street.
I then relayed to him if he's been hearing our neighborhood owls? And that
 I have a young family of opossums under my house.

So yeah, we have the typical urban menagerie.

We have our pedestrian like Great White Egret foraging for lizards. If you
look closely for the silhouetted lizard. If you don't see it you would make
a losey bird of prey and starving one at that.  Staying as still as both creatures
can. A lizard is all too aware of this avian's stealth abilities and will manage
to escape this birds clutches, this time.
 

Distributing some collected rainwater to the fortunate few.

This grey leafed Bromiliad is one of those few that gets a drink on this dry, ninety
degree afternoon. That has been hibernating amongst the giant Liriopi. I thought I
would bring it back to life amongst the well illuminated.This bro variety is one of
the few that doesn't die after generating a pup and will hang on for years with it's
spent multi-generational botanical wonder. Not to mention it's showy pink florescence
that lasts a long time.

How hot is it you ask?

Just look at this mouth breather.

This bird was around my yard just last week. So it must of been worth the effort
to have came back and try it's luck.

We humans could and should treat every day as Earth Day. Try it!

Today's Other Event - Where Grazing In The Grass Is A Gas, Can You Dig IT

It's not uncommon to witness a congregation of Ibis, also known as a crowd.
On various parts of ones yard in this neck of urban sprawl. This is the first time
in all my years do I get a treat to seeing them in at the vicinity of my back door.
This Ibis did not even flinch when I opened up the back door without knowing
my knowing it was foraging.

First there's the one, the scout.

Foraging and scoping out the area for whatever it is they are poking around for.

Another joins in for the foraging and getting a second opinion and whether to call the
rest on over. It's not often to find an Ibis on it's own, so where there is one there is likely
others.

Then there's the call to others, for an all clear and come on over and grab a bite.

Since last's night rain fall makes for a easier ground probing. Not much difference

if ever tryied pulling weeds while the ground is dry verses when the ground is moist 

just after a rain, a noticeable difference in effort.

As a train of Ibis file in forage, aerate and fertilize the yard. Sometimes you can

hear them cluck, click and coo.

They don't stick around for long, they can fly off by the time you blink your eye.

All the more reason for this sighting to be short of phenomenal.

An Under Glass Event

Not as exciting as today's announcement of mankind's first ever
image of a Black Hole and yet to a gardener my own observation
creates an adrenaline induced observation.

 New life and a new promise for tomorrow.

There are always risks when putting cuttings among other variations of plant
life under glass. While a new shoot develops, the last remaining leaf is in
stages of rot. All the while the original cutting tries to develope a supporting
root system.

So the cycle of life continues.

Tie 'Em Up If You Have To

Just after a nice mid dry season rain to spruce up the yard. So why not add a
new welcomed specimen to a near crowded yard and better take
advantage of this plants clinging ability, but not without an assist. This ten
year old Crape Myrtle should work out ideally.

This heirloom Cereus cactus spends a lot of it's time of it's life as a non-terrestrial.
As it grows roots to help attach it's self to whatever it finds it's self growing next to
to help steer it to the right growing conditions that it needs. Let a lone, securing it to
a life elevated.

There's to telling how old the original specimen is that I spotted in a friends yard. These
fairly new cuttings will give it a new lease on life here in my backyard Florida paradise.

Flower Power Meets Day Of The Dead That Welcomes The 60's Hippy Culture

What do beads and gardening have to do with each other, your ask?

My brother sent me this cut glass medallion and asked me to wrap it in copper,
which I did. This is my first pass and already have a better design in mind.

My brother and I share the same passion for plants as did both our parents, but
we don't share much else and not that close in summation.

So if plants don't make us closer, perhaps my ability to design and bead may be
bring us in closer.

He sent me these beads of his liking and adding some of my own along with his expectations.

Here are my first attempts and without giving too much away, this started my journey down

this means of sowing the seeds of sprouting what family means.

 With the potential for wearable art and expression.

Ionopsis utricularioides - Update5

It's been about eight months since last update and last bloom from
this specimen was last acquired.

Well to my surprise and like these surprises. What do I spot?

Look here, screams the orange arrow.

This is last years growth that did not bloom last fall, which tells me
that this specimen is capable of blooming at least twice a year.

I have since gotten two more new sprouts also, which may take until this fall to
bloom, which still leaves a mystery to as when this current sprout with a new bloom
first sprouted. Yes, gardening can bring some detective work and may require
lots of patience.

Another angle and no distracting orange arrow to detour your gaze from this
native Florida orchid.

Cacoa Tree Gets A Health Screening

Changing out the soil and checking out root ball for good health.
It's hard to find manufactured soil that is not in Miracle Grow's monopoly
of most brick n mortar stores. Alas, in our relatively Florida small town I was
able to find a Canadian brand soil without the manmade chemical based, sand
laden stuff that passes as soil these days. People, if you can't lift a bag of packaged
soil with one hand, don't waste your hard earned dollars. On top of all our manmade
plastics that pollute the Earth, lets not add plastic base moisture retention additives
that are passing as soil amendments.

Stepping off my soapbox.

My composted soil that I'm brewing is far a way
from a finished product. So I will have to make due
with this store bought product shown at left that
appears to be a decent product, but not without
adding some supplements of my own to help with
the health and well being
of my captured Cacao tree.

What better placed to start is the health of this specimen's root ball.
Removing the plant from it's two year confinement, roots look
well developed and without crowding. Was no easy task. Root ball soil
looks a bit compressed and natural for a two year old root base. No indication
of rot or spoilage as you might examine and smell leftovers kept in your
refrigerator. Any loose soil than can be removed from the old root ball and
without disturbing the roots, in order to minimize any unnecessary shock.

Adding some Orchid mix and Charcoal bits for some coarse aeration.
Rock dust for some diverse minerals. This tree will think it died and gone
to the green house in the sky. Not pictured is another additive, the stinkiest organic
fertilizer that I recently found and had some great results as an organic fertilizer.
too lazy and to fetch for a photo op, let alone it being quite odorous.

You noticed that I'm doing this gardening task in my kitchen.

What better place to provided good health and nourishment not only for my plants
as I would for myself.

Same pot after being scrub and a fresh supply of soil. What spent soil I was able to
salvage from this original root ball will go as top dressing in my potted vegetable
garden outdoors. That gratefully salvaged top dressing will be richer than anything
it has seen since it got a fresh pot of compost.

Once in place in it's home away from home and a good drenching of some stored
rain water. With hope that there will be no more temperatures below sixty. Although
with due diligence in the monitoring of temperatures. I look forward to another year of
good health and growth.

This plants health screening coincided with my own health screening this year. Trust
me when I say that I take just as good as my health as I do this plant.

So, here's to good health!

Good health is nothing that is a given, but something that has to be actively pursued
and achieved.

Plant Swap Tuesday - Spread The Green

I traded my Bald Cypress volunteer seedling (shown above) for some North
American native Blue-eyed grass - Sisyrinchium angustifolium (not shown) with
a fellow yogi and master gardener today.

Spread the Green!

I Have A Neighbor Whom Both Are Plant Collectors Like My Self

My neighbor gave me stalk of this heirloom white begonia.

I thought I would capture this cutting under a glass dome and watch the magic begin.