Freaking finally!!!

After moving to our quaint little city of Gulfport, FL, I lost track of days (years) and what my password was for "Let there be Gnomes." So very sorry for the extended hiatus. I really didn't mean to neglect my blog. I've been posting a lot of gardening pictures on Facebook because it was easier to do so. However, not many of my FB friends are avid gardeners. Time to utilize my blog :)

Gulfport's zone is slightly different than Groveland's. We're a zone 9/10 here. Groveland's was more of a 9. I've had better luck in growing my container plants here...while using more water for my terra cotta potted plants.

I've started two compost bins and will eventually merge them into ONE large bin. I figure if they're combined, the heat will help decompose all the goodness and I will be able to use the compost sooner. As it is now, I have only been able to use the prepared compost once in the 1.5yr we've been here. Boo.

 

These pictures are from last year. I have to download newer ones. I still have all of these flowering plants. They are really so happy here. Since moving to Gulfport, I have become a fan of Old Garden Roses. I have four Louis Phillipe Roses and a few other types who's name escapes me at the moment. I hate to cut this short, but I'm just exhausted from the day's events. (I can't even remember the names of my precious roses!)

Once I get my recent photos uploaded, I will publish a new post. Stay tuned!

My great divide

We are planning a major move from Lake County, FL to Pinellas County. Soon, we will be close to the sights and smells of an urban paradise. We will be living in a quiet city filled with beach villas and oceanside condos and will live in very close proximity to some really gorgeous beaches. All in the name of higher education. Nice!

In preparation for our move, I dug up my lemongrass plant. It thrived in the ground and was thus, a b*$!@# to dig up. But I conquered and divided! What was once a LARGE plant is now four medium sized plants. It put up a good fight but my trusty $1 rusty shovel did the job. (Thank goodness for garage sale finds!)

Phase 1: Plan the offense

Phase 2: Start digging

Phase3: Victory!

Is there a botanist in the house?

Viola!

At the last Spring Festival I attended, I came home with this lovely plant: Popcorn Cassia

When you brush the leaves or when the wind blows, you can smell freshly popped butter popcorn. Yum!

This Kalanchoe was a gift from a colleague. It is a very vibrant orange. So cool!

He likes it.

 I forgot to mention that I operated on my cane plant. I first took off all the unsightly leaves. Leaves that were damaged by those pesky lubbers and by using water straight from the hose. Note to you and self: DO NOT use unfiltered water on Massageana Cane Plants. They are very sensitive to the additives.

This is what it looked like with its haircut.

This is what it looks like after complete pruning. 

Well folks, with our upcoming move, I will be absent for a bit. I haven't been a consistent blogger so it's no major disappointment. But I should be back online in mid-May. Until then, happy blogging!

Someone needs to ban me from all the lovely plant festivals!

Just some photos of what's growing in my mini-garden:

This itty bitty lemon grass sprig was a gift from a customer at work. Actually, it was just a stick when he gave it to me. I rooted it in water for about a month and it turned into this lovely plant. Well, after planting it into the ground, it turned into the plant below :)

 

It truly pains me when I read about people eradicating Oxalis from their gardens. I planted a Triangularis Oxalis almost two years ago and most days, I still rush out my front door to admire its lovely leaves. Yes, it may be a weed to most, but I welcome it in my garden.

Bougainvillea and Variegated Jasmine are just so lovely. 

I no longer have these blooming Flapjack plants. I let them flower just to see what kind of flowers would bloom. Sorry to say, they were unimpressive. I like the "leaves" more. As you can see on the bottom of the picture, I saved some pups for new plantings. 

I so admire my Sunset Bougainvillea. I just hate when it sheds both the leaves and flowers at the same time. Poor thing looks naked.

I don't know the scientific name for this Bleeding Heart Vine, but I'm so glad it's started to bloom again. I was a little stressed out because it shed most of its leaves and didn't bloom for many moons. I thought I killed it. 

For the life of me, I cannot remember the name of this plant. My brain stops functioning well after the stroke of midnight. 

You'll find a lot of yellow in my garden. The color reminds me of my mother because it's her favorite color. A bright cheery color for a wonderful mom.

My garden gnomes are looking after the Amaryllis and Black and Blue Salvia. They are doing well under their care.

Please don't mind the bare spots. They are homes for my Black Eyed Susan seedlings.

This garden is on the east front-side of our house. I mistakenly planted Durantas in front of the shrubs, not realizing how big Durantas can get. Oh well. Live and learn.

This Mandevilla is covered with yellow aphids. I keep wanting to soak it with my handy mixture of Neem Oil and water but hold back because of the ladybugs. I just hope they do their job in time to save my plant! :/

Papa gnome is a gift from my cousins. Sort of a nod to our newest addition to the family.

This Plumeria cutting will (hopefully) bloom yellow and white flowers. The vendor told me to stick it in some cactus mix and hold off from watering for a full month before giving it its first drink. I'm skeptical but hope it works.

Ta-daaaa! My beautiful Kaffir Lime Tree. Sure, it looks like a shrub, but it's a tree.

The lubbers are back but I've been spraying them and the plants they like to eat with Neem Oil. Basterds are not welcome in my garden.

Summer Heat Wave(s)

As with the rest of the world, we have been experiencing major heat waves that have kept me out of the garden. I finally mustered the energy and fortitude to weed and take pictures. As I did some weeding, I noticed a very peculiar looking moth. After about 20 minutes on wonderful Google, I deduced that I have an Orange-Tipped Oakworm Moth among my Salvia. It is about 2.5 inches long and the body is the thickest I have ever seen on a flying insect. As much as I love gardening, I still have to come to terms that bugs will thrive in a healthy one.

Standing guard

 The durantas are starting to bloom! So lovely. . . 

 My aloe when it lived inside our house

 This is what it looks like after living in the shade outside our house

 The alamanda bush was cut back after several frosts this past winter. It has now come back in full force.

The honeysuckle vines weren't very happy after the frosts either. Both have recovered nicely.

 Mandevilla 

I haven't seen this cute honeybee in a long while. I miss its presence.

I'm glad I took pictures of my bleeding hearts when they were in bloom. They aren't in bloom now and I can't wait until they present themselves again. Such beautiful flowers!

My double petaled petunias are not liking the heat. They haven't bloomed this nicely in a long while.

These Christmas cactus flowers aren't the only things I will be looking forward to when the cool weather hits.

The above three pictures show my succulents in different phases. After I moved the first succulent outside (cannot remember the name at this time), they seemed to flourish with the flapjacks. Yay!

My purple oxalis always make me happy. They are such a joy to have in the garden.

This pink Bougainvillea is currently in my care but really belongs to my mother-in-law. I hope she will be pleased with it when she gets back in town :)