Spring - Time to plan your garden - Photo Essay

Come take a peek into my garden with me. 

I love to garden, have garden parties or a Sunday afternoon BBQ. Sometimes I hang out with a friend sipping a glass of wine in our gazebo, right under the old oak tree. Other times I hide out with a book in our secret garden or we enjoy a weekend brunch in the privacy of our backyard.

Living in Florida we are lucky to enjoy our garden most of the year, but even in Florida there is something special about spring. 

Yes, the old oak tree has a face. Pink azalea, lots of tropical color Impatients and a white azalea in a pot to the right.

This is a Surinam cherry, it is a bush, not a tree and the orange cherries have a strange tart taste. 

Inspired by the signs of spring all around me, I decided to start my annual re-potting. 

The cypress wood loveseat rocker in the picture was last years big indulgence. We had been admiring the handmade craftsmanship at a local plant fest for a good five years. Each year, we'd find the booth, sit down and then look at each other smiling and agree that this bench is really comfortable. Finally, we ordered a love seat to be ready for Memorial Day.

We love it - it has been handcrafted by a local craftsman, ergonomically correct - your back will thank you, no matter your size, it feels good. It is generously proportioned with arms wide enough for a drink and a plate. In my case usually a coffee cup and a garden magazine or a beer depending on the time of day. It doesn't rock unless you want it too and you can leave it to grey naturally.

Planting usually goes on for about three weeks, especially if I decide to embark on the hunt for a new perfect container. Throughout the year, I am always on the look out for planters for my collection. I favor terra cotta pots, but the good quality ones can be expensive.

 Here is one of my favorite finds next to one of the spring flower pots.

Violets, Snapdragon and Mille Bells. To my delight I found tri-color violets in the prettiest shades, but better yet they are scented. A lovely viola scent just like I remember from my childhood, I was so thrilled. 

I have been gardening for years, but I can tell you that Florida presents a special challenge. The seasons here are reversed and our summers are so hot that it isn't possible to do anything, except water whenever we are not under a total water restriction. I try my best to find a bit of shade for every potted plant and hope it makes it through our hot, humid summers. 

That is one reason why I like using moisture control soil, because it really helps the plants retain moisture, a worthwhile investment in our climate. During a plant fair someone recommended Osmocote as a fertilizer and I have used it ever since. I always throw in a handful as I plant. 

We do not use pesticides of any kind in the garden, except for fire ants since I am allergic to them and we have not found anything organic that is effective.

Isn't she the cutest tree hugger ever? Ashley on her 5th Birthday in Aunt Stephanies garden.

One of my biggest plunders was purchasing azaleas at the local nursery which were not blooming at the time. First of all, neither the plant book nor the nursery told me that azaleas are some of the most slow growing plants on the planet. It will take 10 to 15 years before they reach maturity.

I had intended for the azaleas to act as a hedge to complete a semi cirle in the party central section of the garden. When they bloomed I saw that I had plain white azaleas instead of the creamy, slightly vanilla color I had envisioned. The pink I purchased turned out to be a hot pink that fought with the fire engine red Geraniums and the bright tropical reds of the Impatients planted in the same area. The worst part was that the two pink azaleas bloomed first and just when they were finished the white azaleas opened. I had planned on simultaneous blooms, not consecutive flowering. So I changed my garden plans over time. 

Happy - thriving pink azalea.

At the end of the third year I couldn't take it any more and pulled the white azaleas, except for one, out of the ground and literally threw them in whichever old plastic planters I had, threatening them with live or die, I don't care. "This is your last chance in this garden."

They decided to live. They are evergreen and I gave them pretty underplantings of colorful Impatients which loved the extra shade in the summer. 

So in the end everybody was happy - don't they look beautiful?

The double Impatients in the front are actually on a plant stand, but I thought they added to the composition of the picture.

Here is the only azalea  left in the ground - I love that the blossoms have a pink tint but they do open all white.

Here they are a couple of days later in full bloom. You can tell that this plant is actually smaller than the one in the pot.

When you plan your own garden don't forget about the jewelry for your garden.

  I think she looks great against the grass. 

The rainbow on her head occured over time due to exposure from the sun. Very cool looking, reminds me of Mother Earth.

The grass is actually a type of lily with small, but amazing long stemmed yellow blooms, each has three tiger spots.  

Best of all our garden is a place where the critters feel welcome too.

We look forward to our Cardinal pair to return each year. Until they finally settle back in, they create about a week or two of ruckus, flitting about, chirping. Their favorite nesting place is our Brazilian Pepper Tree.

I was so excited to snap a picture of the male Cardinal sitting on our oak tree above the gazebo. Maybe next time I will get lucky with a closer, better shot.

While I was hoping for another shot at the Cardinal another visitor arrived to drink at the fountain.

The Mockingbird is Florida's state bird and not as abundant as it used to be.

I do like a bit of temporary eye candy now and then - whenever the mood strikes me.

This is a handpainted planter box, a gift from a good friend.

I think the impatients look lovely in it and the froggy windchime goes to town when it is windy - all the propellers turn like crazy.  

Old carport wall

It brings out the kid in me and puts a smile on my face.  

This is a close-up of one of my many windchimes. I love Mermaids and fell in love with this Mermaid the second I laid eyes upon it.

Every garden looks more alive with art or sounds of water splashing, anything from classical ornaments to whimsical windchimes. The fountain is one of the focal points in my garden and I designed it to be able to change out the plantings surrounding the circle within a couple of hours. That way I can welcome each season and even when my time is limited I can pick up five new plants and two bags of mulch and voila - it sparkles anew.

This is a view from our gazebo.

As you can see, underneath the fountain it looks a bit disheveled with wild shamrock, the last blooms of the Christmas poinsettias and white impatients. Now that the hot pink azalea is done blooming I will go ahead and put in something springy - maybe some yellow daylillies amidst a layer of fat red mulch. ...and now that the oak tree is done dropping its leaves, I can turn on the fountain and enjoy the sound of water splashing.

I hope you have enjoyed your visit to my garden and I am looking forward to sharing other parts of my garden with you in the future. In the meantime have fun creating the garden of your dreams.

All photos were taken by me with my digital, an Olympus D-540.