Going away for the weekend

This weekend my wife and I are traveling to the Rocky mountains of Colorado for some R and R. We are planning to do some hiking, photograph the fall colors and take in the cooler weather. This trip is our yearly escape from the heat and humidity of Florida.
I'm taking my new Ipad and hope to do some blogging.
See you soon.

Cheap plastic

Yesterday one of my rain barrels burst out and 50 gallons of water flooded the garden. I learned my lesson never buy a rain barrel made from cheap plastic, it lasted less than a year. I purchased another one on-line last night, should be arriving this week. Today's gardening consisted of some weeding, tree trimming and moving potted plants around.

This is the courtyard by the front gate, I'm thinking a small bench would look good here

A neighbor stopped by today to trade plants. She wanted some of my bromeliads, and traded this plant, she didn't know the name but the red flowers are gorgeous, they kind of look like hydrangeas.

What is happening to my plants in the front yard? The powder puff tree is looking terrible, most of the leaves are cover with a black soot, and I'm not sure if I should cut most of it or leave it as is.

The soot is also covering the palm tree and dropping on the bromeliads below.

The vegetable raised beds are done, it took 28 bags of soil. Planting starts next week, weather permitting.

Meet Maximus

Max is my daughter's dog; both moved in with us while waiting on a short sale home she made a offer 4 months ago.

Lady of the night

I almost lost my Lady of the Night plant last winter during one of those below freezing nights, but this summer it came back.
Within seconds after sundown, the aroma bursts out of these flowers and it goes from zero to full power and is all gone daylight.
This a perfect plant to have while gardening at night.

Your Fall our Spring

For those of us gardening in the Southern tip of the Florida peninsula is Spring time!!!!!! and time to get to work in the garden.
This weekend I stopped by my local Home Depot looking for annuals to color up my garden for the winter. There were not many choices, I planted this vincas in front of the house, where they'll get plenty of afternoon sun.

I got this bromeliad a couple of years ago at the annual Ramble plant sale at Fairchild Garden. I totally forgot I had it, and this weekend I found this bloom among all my bromeliads.
Is that time of the year when we can enjoy our gardens at night. This weekend I added these miniature Japanese lantern lights to the back deck, I want to garden at night (is that crazy?), as the days get shorter during the winter there is very little daylight left when I get home from work. My plans are to add more solar lights throughout the backyard.

Pictures from around the garden

The ground orchids in the front garden are back to normal after last winter freeze.

I put in 10 cu/ft of soil in my new vegetable garden, 20 to go. I am soooo tired

Now I'm deciding what to plant, today starting buying seeds.

More blooming orchids from around the garden, the rain has done wonders to my orchid collection.

Bees and the blue porter flowers.

Labor day in the garden

This Labor Day the weather in South Florida was rainy and muggy. This morning I was able to put in a couple of hours in the back yard, with all the rain in the last few days the plants are going wild. This corner needed some sprucing up. The banana season is done for the year, and it was time to cut and remove the old trees. I counted nine new trees in different stages of growths.
I took out a plumbago tree from this corner that was not working in the shade.

This weekend our oldest daughter got engaged and I was told to get the garden ready for the engagement party next month.