Meander on a Misty Morn

Were I called on to define, very briefly,

the term art, I should call it

"the reproduction of what the senses perceive

 in nature through the veil of the mist."

~Edgar Allan Poe

Not Quite Paradise

A wiser, older gardening friend/neighbor once told me, when she observed the tropical garden I had planted, "We get a hard freeze about once every ten years...but don't you worry.  When that happens, you can just dig up those tropical plants and start over." 

Foliage Follow-Up: Tropical Quintessence

Every month, Pam over at Digging hosts a Foliage Follow-Up to all of the Bloom Day postings on the 15th.  It's been so long since I participated in either of these, but I'm trying to get back on board.

Wednesday Walkabout

I really have far too much to do this week and am really feeling that Wednesday "hump day," so I have no business spending time in the garden or posting on this blog.  But you know, I must have a quick meander through the garden.  So much is going on! 

September *Sighs*

September brings its sighs.  Sighs of relief, that is.  I took a walk through my garden yesterday and can honestly say I'm sighing that big sigh of relief that I still actually have a garden.  The devastation of winter's arctic blast is history.  Tropicals are flourishing once again, and while I do know another winter is on the horizon, and we cannot predict its fury, right now, I'm trying to just enjoy the bounty day by day.   This year, my garden has taught me valuable lessons in patience, perseverence, humility, and hope.  So come, walk with me, and see what my garden is today.

The Root of the Matter

Healthy roots make healthy plants, right?  We usually can't see the roots on the plants we're growing, but isn't it fun when we can?  Certain plants do not require deep roots to make beautiful specimens. 

Hot, Loud, and Proud: July 2010

For July's "Hot, Loud, and Proud" meme, I've searched my garden for the hottest, loudest, and proudest tropicals I could find.  No, I don't live in the tropics.  But I am one to push the limits.  Here are some of the tropicals that help give my "SUB"tropical garden some exotic flair.

Winter Interest: It's All in the Details

When I walk in my garden on a normal day, my attention is drawn toward the bright, colorful blooms and giant tropical leaves that make up my garden. But for a couple of months every year, we feel winter's effect here in my Zone 9 Florida garden. It is during this time that I really notice the details in my garden. Searching for little, interesting things makes it much easier to ignore the all-consuming brown. And that is what I did on my walk through the garden today: