First day of Hurricane Season

 June 1^st is not a day for celebration around here; it is the beginning of the hurricane season.  From this date forward and for the next six months we have to keep an eye on the weather forecast and pray that no storm comes our way.  The experts predict a slow season this year, because of the “El Nino” weather pattern in the Pacific, unfortunate hurricane science is not an exact science, and all it takes is one coming near to our neighborhood.

The end of May and the beginning of June is also the start of the rainy season in South Florida.  My rain barrels are now full, after a week of heavy rain, the grass is growing fast and the mosquitoes are back in full force.

What’s blooming in the garden this week?

The Rangoon Creeper (Jasmin Mansano) is in full bloom, and this year is putting on quite a show.  This is the most aggressive plant I have in the garden, but without question it is the most beautiful and fragrant flower in the summer garden.  It is also a vivid reminder of my grandmother’s garden in Cuba, the person responsible for my gardening gene. 

Not many butterflies around the Firebush this year, it has been attacked by some bug that is keeping it from getting flowers (Any idea what this is??) but no worries I have enlisted a battalion of lady bugs and they are at work everywhere. 

The red miniature Ixora is looking great.

The Heliconias are back.

This Dayflower plant was a gift from another gardener.  It is a native wildflower in Florida and by the looks of it, a popular one with pollinators.