Flowers 2009

Welcome to my 2009 Flowers page. At the moment, it's the middle of August and my gardens are looking wilted like they just don't give a darn and I can't blame them. We've had some very hot, hot, hot weather this summer in Central Florida and it has taken its toll.

I have some lovely butterfly pictures that I'll put in another section in a few days. Plus, I was fortunate to catch a gecko shedding his skin; this is something I've never seen before. I'll post those pictures, too.

Some of the pictures are extreme close-ups because I'm working with the zoom on my new camera, a Canon Power Shot S5 IS, 8.0 megapixels, zoom lens 12x15.

The very striking gazania is one of the most prolific bloomers in the garden. Every day I found new flowers, sometimes more than a dozen at a time. Unfortunately, they only last the one day. Sometimes I would go a few days without these day-brighteners, but they are so faithful with their blooming.

This salvia variety is definitely a keeper. The startlingly blue-black flowers stand out in any setting. They come back two or three years before I think they're getting smaller and weaker. Then I replace them.

My crape myrtle is a dependable producers of many beautiful dark lavendar flowers. At the end of the first flowering, I get right out and cut off the old buds and a couple months later, it's covered with flowers again.

This little guy made a surprise visit to the garden and fortunately I was right there to capture the moment. He was quite content to sit while I took several pictures of him. Using the zoom I didn't have to get right in his face, but could stand off to the side.

This is a spectacular canna. I wish it lived in my yard. Instead, it lives across the street with my neighbor, Michelle, and she obviously takes very good care of it.

This is another visitor to the yard that climbed the courtyard window. I took this picture mostly because he was backlit with the sun, which threw him into total darkness, and his little feet (fingers? toes?) can be seen and I thought they looked just like those of the grinch who stole Christmas.

This firespike is going to grow taller than my home and I haven't decided when it will be time to trim it back -- probably every spring! But, it was planted to attract hummingbirds and butterflies. No hummingbirds so far, and the butterflies like the plants in the front yard over those in the back yard.I have some great butterfly pictures, though, and will add them later in their own section.

This is a gaillardia and this plant is as prolific as the gazania. Constantly produces blooms all summer long, no matter the heat.

The Mexican petunia is another constant bloomer, but it also is invasive. My neighbor had two huge round planters full of this plant. He decided to change both planters out and pulled all the petunias and replanted. He is now constantly pulling small plants and will continue to do so for the next couple of years. So be very careful where you put them!!

This is my cleodendrum that grows in a big pot out front. It froze last winter because our forecast didn't seem to quite warrant covering. Oh well! It is growing back now and I vow to take better care of him.

A new bed of agapanthus in the back yard, the east side of the house. They came from my re-landscaping neighbor and I didn't know if they would bloom after being literally yanked out of their pots, but they did and in fine style.

My caladium is one of the most dependable plants. Very durable and brightens up the garden all summer long. Neither heat nor humidity will stop them from their appointed blooming.

I have red pentas and bright yellow bush daisies growing side-by-side and they make a very colorful duo.