First of March

Good afternoon Folks ~ Hope you are all enjoying this first day of March. Currently it is 85. It wasn't bad out earlier this morning, but as the sun crept up into the sky, it got warmer and more humid. We 'may' get some rain later this afternoon. I sure hope so, as we really need it. I've been going around hand watering to keep on top of things.

I will keep you posted on the Fish-It experiment. Thanks for all of your comments.

It's now around 4:15, the sky is dark, and hopefully we will get some rain. I just cleaned up the kitchen, and pretty soon it will be time to make a mess again. :-) I was outside this morning, planting seeds, and potting up some cuttings of two different roses, Tibouchina, and George Tabor azaleas. With cuttings it's hit and miss when it comes to rooting. I don't have a sure fire method. I cut off stems, peel off most leaves, scrape the bottom section of stems about an inch with my thumb nail, then dip the ends in root-tone or some other root promoting powder and water them good, then watch them. I cleaned up my potting area a tad, and it looks better. It was really a wreck and things were getting out of hand. I also helped DH with a project he's working on. We had a full day and it feels good.

I'm planning on making Salmon Florentine (using broccoli instead of spinach) for supper, so I better finish this post up.

Here are some pictures taken in the past couple of days.

Click on pictures for a larger view.

Maggie

Desert Cassia

Love in the next two pictures.



Red hibiscus

Maman Cochet climbing rose.

Spiderwort in the next two pictures. Some consider this a weed and hate it. I love it, and look forward to those blue blooms. The bees love this.




The next two pictures have the two Love rose blooms, first in the west side of the scullery window, and then in the east side.




It was a really wonderful first day of March. There was a nice breeze, it was cool in the shade, and once again we enjoyed worked together.

***

If we had no winter,
the spring would not be so pleasant.
Anne Bradstreet

***

Zone 10 ~ s.e. FL

A totally gorgeous day in s.e. FL

The weather we are having today is exactly why northerners flock here in the winter, and it's what we who live here year round, wait for every year. The last couple of days have been up in the 80's, and we've had the a.c. on. Woke up this morning to chilly temps so that we had to wear flannel shirts outside, but now it is wonderful out.

I hand watered the front garden areas, then got the hose out to do my shed garden and the secret garden, when I decided to do some trimming of the Louis Philippe rose and the bougainvillea that were taking over my shed. I did as much as I could do with the pole cutter, then asked DH for some help to finish it off. He got on a ladder first, then got up on the roof to get all that was up there. Now both plants will take off like crazy. There are only 5 roses on what's left of LP, but it won't be long before there will be more blooms. I am really bad about not pruning, so that things get gangly and overgrown. It hurts, if you know what I mean, to prune things.

When DH was finished pruning the rose and the bougainvillea, he asked, what about this dead tree. I looked up and I said "No, it's dormant now and you don't want to commit crepe murder." I told him it was a crepe myrtle. He asked if it got trimmed, and I said no because you don't want to ruin the form of the tree. That crepe last year was absolutely beautiful loaded down with blooms.

Here's a picture now, quite a shock after the pictures I've shown here recently. :-)



Here is a Chrysler Imperial rose bud.

There are a few more in different stages of growth.

I love the scent of this rose.


The next two pictures are of epiphytes that I have several of. I don't know the name of this but know Steve or another epiphyte grower will be able to tell me what it is. I'll post this again after it blooms.




Here is a kalanchoe.


The next two photos are of Desert Cassia. I grew this from seed.

I think this is the third spring.




Now I feel ready for a nap. Then it will be time to make another loaf of bread in my faithful bread machine.

Have a great day whatever you are doing. Be thankful for blessings big and small.

***

"The best is yet to be."

Robert Browning

***

Zone 10 ~ s.e. FL

Growing from Seeds

These pictures below are nothing to write home about.
Growing from seeds though is exciting,
even though we may have to wait awhile to see actual blooms.
Patience is needed, if we don't have it naturally, we learn it.

I was given these seeds by generous Florida gardeners.
I am thankful to them for sharing from their gardens with me.

Several of these are supposed to have lovely scents and I am looking forward to that.

I will post pictures when these bloom, hopefully sooner than later.
Click on the links to see pictures of flowers and read info on each plant.

******

Desert Cassia is the plant in the left side of the pot with little leaves on each stem.

For a picture of it in bloom and much larger than my baby
visit GreenBeamPro

This next seedling is white powder puff tree.

For more information, visit RareFlora

This next one is Vitex. Info can be found here

This is Lance Pod tree. See here Rare Flora

Popcorn Cassia another yellow flower shrub.

Foliage smells like buttered popcorn.

This next one is Jerusalem Thorn.

I'm not crazy about thorns but the flowers were neat.

Last but not least, dwarf white orchid tree.

Musings from FL zone 10