Just For

 the record.  I generated a simulated photo of what I've seen this time of the year. Understand over

the years of walking around this like it would have been in the month of July and only have seen

twice a single solitary Firefly on the west side of this lake. It also happened both times on the 

4th of July and needless to say the Firefly sighting was more entertaining to have witnessed

and with aw!

Two simulated pockets of Fireflies left of the stands of Bald Cypress trees.

    Fast forward about more than a decade to now and to have sighted at least three times this 

month these two pockets of fireflies on the south side of the lake amongst the rushes the city 

had planted to provide a nursery of such for the fish and low and behold these same rushes are 

now helping nurse some fireflies, who new.

 

 

Ding Dong

 Who's there...

    Look for your self...

    Anthurium Plowmanii spadix growing bright red berries

  I can only imagine when the first person to find this tropical specimen in the wilds of 

South American and having no problem coming up with a botanical name for this 

creature of nature. As most plants that have equally unique fruiting bodies (spadix) that 

can place them into familiar classifications. 

  This one took me by surprise and needless to say and with a chuckle or two. Having had

this specimen for several years now and having only the male flower (spathe) displayed 

and never seeing the female fruit, which is on display above and just coming into ripening, 

sortof speak.

In all it's splendid greenery to right of my Dragon hitching post.

      Natures wonders never cease.

Scenes From

  the days after a human's intervention with a garden hose.  

This clutch of bromeliads is throwing up a fluorescence that is indicative of it's namesake, the

matchstick bromeliad.

 

 These twin shoots of a variegated ginger are looking Spring like with their new growth

and forgetting that the parent plant had survived to two scaled back hurricanes that shredded

and whipped it to and fro. 

   Nary a sign except my recounting of this rights of living in this part of the hemisphere.

This cutting of a frangipani, one of two specimens that a neighbor offered me.  Shows it's 

resilience by sporting some potential blossoms and only being in the ground for some

several months.

These Amaryllis are nearing their blooming cycle and these in particular have been started from

seed from a stock that belonged to my paternal grandmother, who to was an avid gardener. If you

have the patience that is also sometimes cultivated by said gardeners, this is one of many rewards

of gardening. To be able to walk out into one's yard and have your eyes lassoed by a pair such as 

these this season.

The latest hang out or hide out, it all depends on the eyes of the beholder, if you will. There are

now three and apparently word or perhaps the ribbit got out.

 

 This Curly ginger is showing off it's exoticness, if you will. This specimen is still new to me

and what better way to get to know it is to start from scratch. Some corms were given to me 

from a like minded former neighbor and this one does not fail to disappoint.

What a great place to end this post, it's not from the lack of photos neither, till next time.

Ah Hah

 this ghostly bromeliad is showing the signs of nearing it's end as it appears to be ready

to throw up a spike of some configuration and then produce some pups for future

generations.

This photo taken just a couple of days ago with a notable flush of new growth at it's center.

First impression, it's getting to go the throws of the parent's end life, but then in the same

split second, ah nah, just a fresh growth, wink wink, still with a some doubt.

Today's snap confirms and solidifies my suspicion and yes it's preparing to do what it does to

continue the this line of bromeliads. 

This fluorescence is expressing it's self and as will most varieties will do can have a unique

fluorescence characteristically to it's own genera. This will be a delight to watch as it's perched 

right at my back door.

Ok Who's And How

 did I miss these in as many months I had them under my care?

One side and the other show some cherub like seedling cactus. 

   I saw no indication of blooms, new or spent when purchased, nor had the others after

giving each a critical eye when making the selection. 

   My observation is now, if these were seed born or brought forth by the parent plant by 

rhizome, which I suspect looking at the parent two how they seem to be merging from 

a close single point of origin. Again, due to close seed dispersal or who knows what.

   These mature cactus were all similarly paired as they are seen in the pictures above.

Also as seen above there a few, who's color is off and possibly on their way out of this

world.  Those I will use to further my investigation to see if there is a connection to the

parent plant and help solve this botanical mystery?

    I was able to uproot the pale looking pair to see if there were underground roots 

running to the parents, and that wasn't the case.  So seed germination is the only

possibility, and still remains to as who's seeds. After all these were all raised together in

some unphantomable  numbers in a greenhouse of some sorts. 

   One more thing, the store these were purchased from only a generic cactus tag and not a

name so that will be my next adventure is try to id this handsome porky pair, who are now

the happy recipients of some wee little ones.  It would be cool to find them grow into some

other kind of cactus, which would answer my original concern.

  This crowded pair of cactus got an upgrade of a wider pot to accommodate their girth and

will have to keep an eye on the new seedlings.

So This

 isn't enough to make a spot of humus, but these Garbanzo beans did make an effort concidering

they were in not so favorable conditions.

There is no telling what might be in those shells, all the more reason to chalk this one up to curiosity

satisfied.

For Decades Now

 I've been transfixed and mesmerized by this Bottle Brush tree just shy of the shore line.

I like to think it was at sometime in it's infancy planted on land and over the preceding

decades the shoreline has receded and with our seasonal draw down of the water levels, 

makes this specimen even more alluring, in my opinion.

 

 Unlike the aquatice plants from my previous post this tree is not known to grow in the water, but

hey nature knows no better than to throw a challenge or to all living things.

With One

 aquatic based planter, is it possible to get two equally beautifully contained aquatic elements?

Not unlike splitting an molecular elemnet...

Exhibit 'A'

It would be difficult to replicate what took years to evolve in this spectacular clay fired pot, which 

has no hole in the bottom nor does it have the optimal shape for a long time existence.  The effort

it took me to excise these plantings from this container will be a miracle to witness should they all

survive it's removal by tug and determination of this constant gardener, and now for the reveal.

Who knows how it will take for these to recover from the spectacle of wrestle mania and whether

any of these are some Cattails that were rescued from my neighbor's roof of all places. Placed in 

a aluminum cooking pot that has a monumental gong when struck. I hope that potential sound

maker will have some influence on these aquatic plants healing and eventually thrive, as are most 

plants basic mission in their cycle of life.

Having this planter as it's base, makes this one the most photogenic. 

Looks like I will have to take another picture to show both of these two side by side, as I thought

I had but sometimes this photo doesn't get from the touch on the screen of my phone and then

transmuted electronically to an image, like the one in my mind at this moment.   

I just now have to wait for tomorrows daylight and this entry will be complete.

They still have a pulse , if they ever had one i the first place. Still looking a bit peaked, but for now

this will be their place to convalesce and receive plenty of vital fluid. 

Scenes From A

 Spring's downpour that puts an end to our seasonal dry season and it looks like this.

Two Bald Cypress saplings that are replacing a downed Podocarpus tree are not out of peril of

getting through it's first year in the ground. The red capped water wells are there to encourage them

to develop a deep tap root to help safeguard them from our extended dry seasons.   The one sapling

to the right is still recovering and it's needles are still showing their arched leaf spines, if you will 

and indicate to me that it may not make a full recovery and into it's second year, but hey, that's a plant's

 life, like ours, we only have this moment. 

 

 These two corkscrew gingers are just showing off their rain soaked leaves and thankful from

                                                 not getting another splash of city water...yuk!

This Angels Trumpet has not fallen from the heavens, but only from about six feet above.

 

 The twin potted plants, twins from separate lineages. The big one in the back just got a pruning

yesterday to help keep it compact, which mirrors the small twin twin trunked specimen to it's

right, our left.      Small twin twin trunked, just had to spell that out twice or thrice. 

 

 In with the new and out with the old. This ornamental citrus it just that, you wouldn't want 

to eat unless you were on board a ship sailing the ocean and you are experiencing signs of scurvy. 

That's how bad this variety tastes like, as this constant gardener can attest.

This cactus is still in recovery mood from a major operation and to show it's zest for life it puts

on a new pup for us gardeners to enjoy and celebrate.

 

These two little ones, just coming off a repotting and enjoying the water from above, where

the one on the left has it's two hands raised to give us that anthropomorphic identifying expression.

               I managed to throw in a big word that tells me it's time to exit and I hope you get

the thankfulness and joy of gardening like I DO.

Cactus Sanctuary

 or rescue?

Ain't they cute. Why, don't look like family, well, someone's family. An look at spiky top trying

to hide. There's one in every bunch.

 

                                             Ahh, now that's better.   Spiky;s all a glow!

Today's Chia Profile

 Chia's seedlings first peek from in my compost pile.

No surprises here, two year old food grade seeds for consumption that had been sitting in 

my refrigerator, gets new life.

 

 A lucky handful won the lotto of new life, top right, for those non-gardeners.

Our Winter's Spring gives brings forth life that most others Spring do due to our almost Summer temps,

which translates to more water please and so this water carrier does as so that commands and with

pride and pleasure. Rainwater is in plenty supply as stored away for this constant gardener's whim

and other's silent demands.

   Look, flower heads spring forth as if it was Summer along with a Summer like wilt. This folks is

not acting.

                        Chia's first bloom surprise, quick get the camera. NOw baby, smile for the camera!

 

 

What do you call a collective  of  Chia flowers besides beautiful blushing blues?

Fragrance, subtle if any. Crush the leaves, I now, ouch, there is a hint of mint, hint hint to it's

heritage.

Here's the reason they call it going to seed and surely I need explain.

Now, it's off to internet and do some research on when to collect and or dry the seed heads.

Until then, enjoy your gift, whatever that may be.