About Central Florida Gardener

Welcome and thank you for visiting Central Florida Gardener. Florida is a unique state in which to garden. It can be frustrating but also rewarding for gardeners who persevere. This blog was created as a resource for Florida gardeners, both new and experienced, in search of information specifically for Florida gardens.

You are invited to participate by leaving your comments, suggestions, tips and recommendations relevant to Florida gardening - don't be shy! Thank you for dropping by to learn more about gardening in the Sunshine state. I look forward to hearing from you! Susan

Monday, March 21, 2011

Happiness Farm's Spring Caladium Giveaway

I'm soooo excited to announce a fabulous
Caladium Giveaway from Happiness Farms.


Have you ordered caladiums directly from a grower before? Limited varieties are available in the big box stores, but ordering directly from a grower provides you with so many more beautiful options...

like these...



and these...


and these...


And many more!

Caladiums are one of the prettiest and easiest summer bulbs to grow in Florida. With varieties available for both sun and shade, they provide lots of beautiful color in the garden.

Happiness Farms is generously giving away TWO, yes TWO $55 gift certificates. Two lucky gardeners will be able to use the certificate toward the purchase of any variety or varieties of caladium bulbs of their choice. Entering this giveaway is super easy...here's how:


1. Visit their website (click here: Happiness Farms, Inc) and choose your favorite variety (yes, I know it will be hard to choose just one).

2. Leave a comment sharing your favorite caladium variety and how you plan to use it in your garden.

It's that simple! 

The winner will be announced Thursday - March 31st,
so be sure to leave a comment by Wednesday the 30th at Midnight to enter.


A big THANK YOU to Happiness Farms for their generous giveaway...best of luck to everyone!

33 comments:

daisy g said...

Hi Susan! I love the white variety, especially the Candidum and Aaron varieties. I have plans to work on the west side of my house, which right now is a bit weedy and barren. I think these might be a nice way to start the project! Thanks for the opportunity and good luck to all entering the giveaway!

Jenn Schaffer said...

My favorites are the White Wing and Miss Muffet. They would look beautiful, spread out between my bamboo and bananas! I have been trying to get so many things to grow in the space between. These would just finish off the landscape perfectly:) This is a great giveaway, and thank you Susan!!!

NanaK said...

Oh boy! Thanks Susan. I'm going to enter right now! I haven't seen my caladiums peeking up through the soil yet, have you?

NanaK said...

OK, I commented before looking at the Happiness Farms site. Sorry. Anyway, my favorite is Miss Muffet. I like her the best because: 1) I've never seen her for sale except from a grower & I don't have her, 2) she is short and will work well in the front of the bed just behind my new border of flax lily, 3) she has freckles!

Run Baby Run said...

I LOVE the Florida Sweetheart. I am definitely a NEWby at the gardening. The Florida Sweetheart just looks so pretty and different than the typical plants you see:) Good luck!
Danielle

Meems said...

Oh, my! What fun to think about winning caladium bulbs... my favorite plant in the summer garden.

Well, yes, I've already received most of my summer supply of caladium bulbs ready to go in the ground so I'm not going to enter my personal favorite (Miss Muffett~ because I already have enough). I'm going to enter the one I still need to order.

Florida Cardinal will be my pick. It has outstanding red color and because it has simple markings it goes with just about anything else in the garden.
Meems

Nancy P. said...

I love Galaxy (and have already ordered some) because they are understated and like full sun. I plan to put them along the front wall of our house.

Nanette O'Hara said...

Choosing one caladium is as difficult as choosing a favorite ice cream flavor! But my pick is the lovely Kathleen. Why? Partly because I have lots of shade and it would provide a splash of color amidst all the green. But the real reason? Because all girls, even middle-aged girls like me who are long past the age of lace ankle socks and tea parties with tiny china cups, LOVE PINK!!!

Penny Carnathan said...

What a wonderful offer! Thank you, Susan and Happiness Farms.
Hands down top choice is Florida Cardinal. It's got a great, bold color that will really complement the purples and reds I have in my front beds. It's also full sun, which is all I have, and low-maintenance, which is what those beds are. (Little chance of them getting accidentally dug up -- I plant for keeps in the front beds.) I'm so liking the Cardinals, I'll buy 'em if I don't win 'em.

Susan said...

What a great contest. Thanks Susan and Happiness Farms. I am new to the caladium love affair and saw how they can add color to our Florida gardens with little fuss. I like that in a plant. I have a small tree in the front of my house that needs some punch for a border ring. Roots prevent some of the border grasses so I thought caladiums might do the trick. It faces West so it gets a lot of Sun but the tree adds some dappled shade as well. So I was thinking either the Festivia or Florida Sweetheart would fit perfectly.

SiestaSister said...

What a great giveaway! My favorite at the moment is Rosebud. I have an area around 3 cordyline sherbets that I recently. The colors of Rosebud co-ordinate perfectly with them.

I have one caladium that has poked it's head out of the soil. Can't wait for the rest.

Anonymous said...

I love all Caladiums but maybe I would pick Miss Muffet.
Love all the beautiful colors!
They add a lot to the landscape!

Ami said...

Thanks, Susan and Happiness Farms inc!!!

My favorite is Miss Muffet. Its chartreuse color with red dots are so unique and will look beautiful as bed border. Especially it can tolerate the sun, I think it coulf virtually go anywhere, and I will put them into the flower beds that I plan to open soon.

My second most favorite would be white queen. I love the cream white, and the dark red vein, with tough of green. It is tall and can be the middle layer of the flower bed.

Kelly S. said...

Thank you for such a fun giveaway! I adore Caladiums. They are a must have, in the Florida landscape. My favorite is White Wing. I love the way the whites pop, when placed in a bed of dark foliage. The Happiness Farms site is wonderful. I feel the need for more Caladiums in my world!
Thank you again,
Kelly

Sharon said...

What a nice thing to do ( the contest) - I bought some plants last year and fell in love- I have them planted on the north ( very shady) side of my home and they remind me of Kentucky ( cool, green, - very laid back) I really like the candidum ones - they are so peaceful looking. I am a novice gardener and I am so thrilled when ANYTHING grows.

Unknown said...

What a wonderful contest! Thank you Susan and Happiness Farms. I chose the Florida Blizzard. It is hard to find white plants for the shade. I am in the process of planning a Moon Garden in memory of my god daughters baby girl who died at the age of three. Cailee loved looking at the moon and I think these will really stand out in the shade.

Nick said...

Hi, I'm a newbie gardener, but I have heard so many good things about caladiums that I just had to check it out! I have a mass planting of cannas in my yard with full sun to semi-shade that needs a nice transitional border.

I think the Fire Chief variety would look outstanding as a good second story mass planting against the deep green of the cannas.

It may be a more different way to go than with the typical shade plantings, but for my yard I think it would be quite striking.

CindyBell said...

My favorite is the Florida Sweetheart! I love the bright rosy center and green frilly edge. I would love to have them around my trees to brighten up my hostas that are around some of them now. Such a beautiful Caladium! I have never seen the Lance leaf ones. There are so many to choose from! I just think that these would be the eye catcher of all.

sherryocala said...

Thanks you, Susan, for the heads up. I didn't know this blog is yours. I just love caladiums. Your photos are all varieties I like. Thanks for thinking of us with this giveaway. What a treat!!

Jill said...

I just love White Wing. I've seen it in other gardens but never been able to find it for sale. I'd love to use it mixed with the Purple Queen (Tradescantia pallida)in my front yard!

Rose Petals Nursery said...

Loving caladiums up here in North Central Fla., they do their "own" thing without much help from the gardener year after year. Thanks for the showcase~

DIANE said...

My favorite Caladium at Happiness farms is the Miss Muffet cause I bet she is a tuffet. I would display them in the front yard , so everybody could enjoy them as much as me.

Orlando Realtor said...

Love the name Happiness Farm. My favorite is the Miss Muffat Dwarf. Great color and interesting leaf shape.

Thanks Susan for the head's up.

Elizabeth said...

Fannie Munsun is my fav.Our daughter LOVES pink and she would love these in the yard. I would plant them along a paver walkway through our new to be planted Butterfly Habitat.
Peace and Raw Health,
Elizabeth

FlowerLady Lorraine said...

Oh my gosh, what a great give away, and it would be wonderful to be the fortunate winner.

I picked several, but if I had to pick one it would be Florida Sweetheart.

This is exciting.

FlowerLady

Kimberly said...

Hey, Susan! I'm so thankful you left me a message about your awesome giveaway. I've been crazy busy with a job search so I haven't blogged much...your invitation to come on over was sooo timely!!

I can see why the nursery is called Happiness Farms...I'd be happy too, surrounded by all those fabulous colors and varieties!

So, I have to choose a fave...it's definitely difficult...but I fell in love with the Florida Sweetheart. Gorgeous!! The deep color is brilliant!

Of course, I can't leave out my second fave...Mrs. W B Halderman. It reminds me of a watermelon...I love it!!!

I have several stands of saw palmetto in my new landscape. I think the caladiums would really shine underneath them...the green tropical foliage of the palmettos would be the perfect backdrop for the cheerful caladiums.

Wonderful and very generous giveaway! Thank you, Susan!

Kelly said...

I love Gingerland caladiums and i think it is awesome thta you are able to give this giveaway. I know exactly where to put if I happen to win. woo Hoo, very cool giveaway.

Jenny said...

Very nice! I'd definitely go for the white mix for in my front yard beds. They're looking a bit dull (the flower beds) and could use a pick me up! The white and pink varieties will go well with the flowers I already have planted. I'm so glad I just found you!

Tina said...

I belong to the Pinellas County rare plant network and our group is always looking for the special and different. Not only is my favorite, Miss Muffet, spectacularly beautiful, it also has unique coloring and is a special dwarf size, absolutely perfect for bordering my whole front flower bed and making my rare plant network buddies green with envy. I can't wait to bring a specimen to my first meeting to brag, brag, brag!!

Jenny said...

I would choose Rosebud for under our banana trees in the backyard. Thanks!

Amber said...

I don't have any caladiums right now, but these are beautiful! I especially like the Fannie Munson and Postman Joyner varieties. I have lots of shady and partially shady areas where I need some more color and these would be great!

LindaLane said...

I love Fannie Munson; shade-loving but colorful for the shady spots in the corner of the yard where not much else will be happy! They should call it Pink Happiness!

RennieB said...

I love the white collection. I have a dark area in a side yard under an oak that need brightening up and the caladiums would do it.