A Couple More Honorable Mentions For Our Florida Spring

What would Spring be without a show of newly sprouted green.
This trio of Bald Cypress never get in sync when it comes to
it's flush of green.

Less than two months ago these trees had their Fall of needles.
So go bald in that time frame, hence the name. My Live Oak also
went through it's leaf dropping, new leaf sprouting along with
green pollen dusting and cattail dropping ritual these last three
weeks.

A good indication from our Winter blue skies that cool temperatures
are still in the forecast.

This Florida native blueberry bush, called Pillberry is right on schedule.
They may be small, but they can be packed with flavor. Never enough to
make a cobbler, after all I have to share some with our Winter bird visitors.
Just one more added treat when least expected.

This gorgeous leaved and flowering bush speaks volumes. The downside, to me
is it's fragrance. It's common name, Banana Shrub - Michelia figo has the
the fragrance of a man made banana flavoring. At the time I was admiring this
specimen at the nursery, it was not in bloom. As I was being told that it had
this fragrance of a banana. I took my chances while speaking allowed, that
I hope it doesn't smell like so many fake banana flavorings. Months later after
being dazzled by their opened flower and at the same time disappointed by it's
so called banana fragrance.

The first place I planted this specimen it had gotten infested with some scale
along with it's industrious helpers, what appeared to be some carpenter
ants. That was almost enough for me to dispense with with plant.

Looking back on how much I enjoyed this specimen's initial introduction
made me find another more hospitable location. Perhaps moving it from
our harsh western sunny location to a more partially shaded spot might
reduce the stress and less apt for the scale to develope. That has now
been over a year and no more scale/ants and I can admire this plant
from a distance.

I try to dig up their botanical name the best I can using this wonderful
resource, the internet. I can also find other common names while on
this search. I did see a reference to it's common name using Michelia
in it's name, there fore I will officially call this the Michelia Shrub by
dropping the banana, as they say.

More Potted Specimens Among Many Finds A Spot To Shine.

This makes two in two weeks. Had this ornamental grass for nearly
two years. It had since multiplied and since nearly out grown it's
confines to, another incentive to get in the ground, but not the
reason.

Most times I may pass a specimen and I will get a notion or
clear idea where this specimen will go. Then if it is strong
enough and enough to cause me to react as if it was meant
all along. That is when i act on that task and it gets done.
Just like yesterday, while sitting on my back steps eating
my first meal and knowing that where to plop this long
awaiting task to reveal it's self to me.

Dressed with some found concrete chips to help corral the water.
Even if this is the worst time to intern plants due to it being in
the middle of the dry season. I still have a fifty-five gallon drum
of rain water. Will just have to share the water with my the rest
of my thirsty plants.

Had this potted Lemon grass for at least two years. This year is the first time
that I took a couple of strands of grass to add it to my egg dishes. The fall
and winter colors of this grass can be striking. While transitioning this to
ground I cut it back severely but as you can see it's coming back well.

One More Rain Barrel For This Thirsty Lot

I even bought another drum last week to add to the other two, now
that I got the hang of the process of collecting rain water.

Painted white to help shade the inside and reflect our harsh Florida sunlight.
My so called process is all manual. I couldn't see poking holes in a perfectly
sealed container. Cuts down on leakage and keeps our mosquitoes out. The
upside, it gives me some exercise lifting a five gallon bucket from downspout
to the barrels and fun getting wet in the rain at all hours of the day or night.
It's amazing how it may be in the middle of the night and being a lite sleeper
to wake up to the sound of rain and dashing outside to capture rain I can.

Fast Food From The Bachelor Cafe

Lightly toasted sprouted bread, Smart Balance spread, yellow mustard and
some fresh Spinach. Fold over and you have a quick bite.

Not everything from my kitchen needs to be all that involved.

Pampered Cacao Tree Update

This Cacao tree spent nearly three weeks outdoors, that is until last evening
where I brought it indoors to escape our low fifties temps. Might as well
keep it indoors for another week to avoid some predicted low forties and
possible upper thirties temps.

As you can see by all the new salmon colored new growth that it is going
through it's own Spring spurt of growth.

Moon Gate In The Making

This old school Pyrocantha specimen would make a great Moon Gate. All
it needs is a stake or two to bring it into shape.

Volunteer Bald Cypress - Taxodium distichum Seedling Update

Where there were two, now there is one.

I've got a place picked out for this survivor. This
rare occurring seedling should make it through it's
first year, it should be smooth sailing from there.
That's assuming that it survives my transplanting
skills and who knows what else folly that both

nature and man can throw at it.

The other seedling that emerged along with this one
succumbed or perhaps only crippled by that ever
presence of dampening off fungus is still holding
it's own. That is, it's in some water, quite stunted
but holds a lot of hope in this aquatic nursery, (specimen
circled in red).