Growing Green Festival Update

Kimberly at Garden in Paradise attended the Growing Green Festival 2010 in Stuart. Click here to read her post on the festival. She's included lots of great photos, and it looks like she had a great time and learned alot.

Cold-Hardy Plants List

A BIG thank you to all of you who participated by submitting the lists of “survivors” in your yards. Our list of cold-hardy plants range from Jacksonville to Ft. Lauderdale, and from gardeners on both the east and west coasts.

In compiling the list, here‘s what I‘ve done:

#1 - The majority of the plants listed are the most cold-hardy for the central part of the state. However,  some of the plants you'll see listed under "tropicals" may have done well for some gardeners due to micro-climates -example: under trees, up against homes, near water, etc.

#2 - The plants are listed by category - from annuals to vines

#3 -  Each plant is linked to a Floridata Plant Profile page that contains more information about it (there are a few exceptions). NOTE: A BIG thank you to Jack at Floridata for graciously granting his permission to allow me to do this. The ’plant profiles’ provide a bounty of information. Watch for an upcoming post on Floridata - an invaluable website for Florida gardeners.

#4 - All native plants have an asterisk * behind the name.

#5 - The county or town of the person who reported the plants/trees is listed beside each plant. I was going to report each person’s name, but settled for town and county in an effort to save space.

All the generous Florida gardeners that took the time to submit their ‘survivors’ are listed at the end of this post. Again, thank you to each and everyone of you for taking the time to send me your lists (and, if I’ve neglected to list someone, please let me know and I’ll make the correction a.s.a.p.). If you haven’t submitted a list but want to, it’s not too late. Leave a comment on this post, and I’ll add your plants to the list.

The list turned out GREAT! I’ve been gardening for a long time in Florida, and I was surprised at how many wonderful cold-hardy choices we have, especially when it comes to perennials...43...can you believe it? Altogther, there are a total of 150 plants in 16 different categories. I have a feeling we'll all be busy adding new plants to our gardens this spring.

Now, here's the list:

Annuals/Biannuals (6)
Alyssum  'Lobularia maritima' (N.Hillsboro)
Dianthus 'D. barbatus' (Polk)
Dusty Miller  'Senecio cineraria'  (Orlando)
Pansy and Viola ' Viola x Wittrockiana' (Orlando, NW Hillsboro)
Petunia 'Petunia x hybrida' (Orlando)
Phlox 'Phlox drummondii'  (Orlando)

Bamboo (1)
Multiplex Fern Leaf  ' Bambusa multiplex' (South Tampa)

Cycads and Palms (10)
Everglades* 'Acoelorrhaphe wrightii' (Jax)
Hardy Bamboo palm 'Chamaedorea microspadix' (Jax)
Needle* 'Rhapidophyllum hystrix' (S.Hillsboro)
Pindo 'Butia capitata' (Lake, Polk)
Ponytail 'Beaucarnea recurvata' (Treasure Coast)
Queen 'Syagrus romanzoffiana' (Polk)
Rhapis Lady 'Rhapis excelsa' (S.Hillsboro)
Sago 'Cycas revoluta' (Lake, Polk)
Saw Palmetto ' Serenoa repens' (S.Hillsboro)
Stemless Cluster Palm 'Chamaedorea radicalis' (Jax)

Ferns (3)
Bird’s Nest 'Asplenium nidus' (Polk)
Holly 'Cyrtomium falcatum '(Polk, N.Hillsboro)
Rabbits Foot 'Davallia trichomanoides' (Polk, NW Hillsboro)

Fruit (10)
Blackberries 'Rubus fruticosus' (Lake)
Blueberries 'Vaccinium ashei' (Lake)
Fig 'Ficus carica' (Polk)
Loquat 'Eriobotrya japonica' (Jax)
Orange  'Citrus sinensis' (Lake, Polk)
Meyers Lemon 'Citrus meyeri' (Lake, NW Hillsboro)
Peaches (P olk)
Plums (Lake)
Ponderosa Lemon 'C.limon ×C.medica'  (Treasure Coast)
Pineapple Guava ‘Feijoa sellowiana’ (Jax, Lake, Orlando)


Grasses (4)
Blue-eyed*'Sisyrinchium angustifolium' (N.Hillsboro)
Gamma *'Tripsacum dactyloides' (N.Hillsboro)
Juncus 'Juncus effusus' (N.Hillsboro, South Tampa)
Muhly 'Muhlenbergia lindheimeri' (N.Hillsboro)

Groundcovers (7)
Ajuga 'Ajuga reptans' (Lake, Polk)
Amazon Lilies 'Eucharis grandiflora' (Orlando)
Cast-iron 'Aspidistra elatior'(Lake, Polk)
Coontie *'Zamia pumila' (Lake,N.Hillsboro, Polk)
Gold Mound Sedum (Lake, N.Hillsboro)
Liriope 'Liriope muscari' Various varieties (Jax, N.Hillsboro)
Purple Queen 'Tradescantia pallida' '(N.Hillsboro)

Herbs (6)
Allium ‘alba’(N.Hillsboro)
Chocolate Mint (N.Hillsboro)
Oregano (N.Hillsboro)
Parsley (Polk, N.Hillsboro)
Rosemary (Lake, N.Hillsboro, S.Tampa)
Spearmint (N.Hillsboro)

Perennials (43)
African Bush Daisy 'Gamolepis chrysanthemoides' (Polk)
African Iris 'Dietes iridioides' (Lake, N.Hillsboro, Polk)
Agapanthus  'Agapanthus spp.' (Lake, N.Hillsboro, Polk)
Agastache Black Adder (N.Hillsboro)
Beautyberry* 'Callicarpa americana' (Lake)
Belladonna Lilies (Polk, N.Hillsboro)
Black and Blue Salvia 'Salvia guaranitica' (N.Hillsboro)
Blackberry Lily (Polk)
Blue Sage 'Eranthemum nervosum' (Lake, Polk)
Brazilian Iris 'Neomarica caerulea' (Lake)
Brazilian Plume 'Justicia spp.' (Lake)
Bulbine 'Bulbine frutescens 'Hallmark' (Lake, N.Hillsboro, NW Hillsborough)
Candy Lily (N.Hillsboro)
Coral Bean* 'Erythrina herbacea' (N.Hillsboro)
Coral Reef Sedum 'Sedum tetractinum 'Coral Reef' (N.Hillsboro)
Crocosmia 'Crocosmia X crocosmiiflora' (Melbourne)
Daylilies  'Hemerocallis hybrids' (Treasure Coast, Polk, N.Hillsboro)
Echinacea  'Echinacea purpurea' (Treasure Coast)
Fariy Fan Flower ‘Scaevola aemula’ (NW Hillsboro)
False Blue Ginger 'Dichorisandra thyrsiflora' (N.Hillsboro)
Flag Iris* 'Iris pseudacorus' (Lake, Polk)
Flax Lily 'Dianella tasmanica varigata' (Polk, N.Hillsboro)
Gaura 'Gaura lindheimeri' (Lake, NW Hillsboro)
Goldenrod* 'Chrysoma pauciflosculosa'  (N.Hillsboro)
Horsemint* 'Monarda punctata' (Melbourne)
Hurricane Lilies ' Lycoris radiata' (N.Hillsboro)
Indian Blanket* 'Gaillardia pulchella' (Polk, N.Hillsboro, NW Hillsboro)
Lamb’s Ear ‘Stachys byzantina’ (Polk)
Louisiana Iris 'Iris Louisiana hybrids' (N.Hillsboro)
Mexican Petunia 'Ruellia brittoniana (N.Hillsboro)
Mystic Spires Salvia 'Salvia Mystic Spires Blue' (Lake, N.Hillsboro)
Orange Bird of Paradise 'Strelitzia reginae’ (Polk, Melbourne)
Pineapple Sage 'Salvia elegans' (Lake) 
Plumbago 'Plumbago auriculata' (N.Hillsboro)
Rain Lilies 'Zephyranthes grandiflora'  (Lake, N.Hillsboro, Polk)
Red Shrimp 'Justicia brandegeana' (South Tampa, Melbourne)
Scabiosa ‘Scabiosa columbaria’(Orlando)
Society Garlic 'Tulbaghia violacea' (Polk, Lake)
St. Bernard’s Lily 'Anthericum liliago' (Lake)
Stoke’s Aster* ‘Stokesia laevis’ (Orlando)
Verbena 'verbena bonariensis' (N.Hillsboro)
Walking Iris 'Neomarica candida' (Polk, N.Hillsboro, S. Tampa)
Yarrow 'Achillea millefolium' (Polk, N.Hillsboro)

Shrubs: Flowering (17)
Azaleas 'Rhododendron spp.' (Lake, N.Hillsboro, Polk)
Camellias 'Camellia japonica' (Lake, Polk)
Butterfly Cassia 'Senna pendula' (Polk, NW Hillsboro)
Gardenia 'Gardenia augusta' (Polk)
Hydrangea 'Hydrangea paniculata' (Polk)
Lorapetlum 'Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum' (Polk, NW Hillsboro)
Oakleaf Hydrangea 'Hydrangea quercifolia' (Lake, N.Hillsboro)
Oleander 'Nerium oleander' (Orlando)
Orange Jasmine 'Murraya paniculata' (Treasure Coast)
Pagoda Clerodendron ' Clerodendrum paniculatum' (NW Hillsboro)
Pinwheel Jasmine 'Tabernaemontana' (NW Hillsboro)
Rose of Sharon or Althea ‘Hibiscus syriacus’ (Polk)
Roses (including Knock-out) (Lake, Treasure Coast, NW Hillsboro)
Roses - Antique (Lake, Polk)
Simpson's Stopper 'Myrcianthes fragrans' (Lake, Melbourne)
Star Jasmine 'Trachelospermum jasminoides 'Star'' (Treasure Coast)
Thryallis 'Galphimia glauca' (Polk, NW Hillsboro)

Shrubs: Non-Flowering (12)
Anise* 'Illicium parviflorum'  (Orlando)
Eugenia (Treasure Coast)
Hollies - various 'ilex' (Jax, Polk, Orlando)
Indian Hawthorne ' Rhaphiolepis indica' (Polk, N.Hillsboro)
Ligature (N.Hillsboro)
Nandina or Heavenly bamboo 'Nandina domestica' '(Lake, Polk)
Pittosporum 'Pittosporum tobira' (Lake, Polk)
Viburnum* 'Viburnum obovatum' (S. Tampa)
Viburnum ‘V. suspensum’ and ‘V. odoratissimum’ (Polk)
Viburnum - Mrs. Schiller's Delight ‘dwarf’ (Polk)
Walters Viburnum ‘Withlacoochee’ (N.Hillsboro)
Wild coffee* 'Psychotria nervosa' (Lake, Melbourne)

Succulents (3)
Aloe Vera 'Aloe vera' (Lake, Polk)
Various succulents (including flapjack) (NW Hillsboro)
Zebra Aloe 'Aloe maculata' (Polk, NW Hillsboro)

Trees (5)
Bottlebrush (stiff) ‘Callistemon rigid’ (Lake, Polk)
Bottlebrush (weeping) ‘Callistemon viminalis‘ (Jax, Polk, NW Hillsboro, Treasure Coast)
Giant Yucca ' Yucca elephantipes' (Jax)
Magnolia Grandiflora 'Magnolia grandiflora'  (Polk)
Yellow Tabebuia 'Tabebuia chrysantha' (Lake, Polk)

Tropical Plants (9)
Arboricola Variegata 'Schefflera arboricola "Trinette" (N.Hillsboro, NW Hillsboro)
Bromeliads -Neoregelia (Lake, N.Hillsboro, S. Tampa, Polk)
Butterfly Ginger 'Hedychium coronarium' (N.Hillsboro)
Butterfly Orchids ' Encyclia tampensis' (N.Hillsboro)
Cordyline Chocolate Queen 'Cordyline terminalis' (N.Hillsboro)
Cordyline Red Sensation ’australis’ (Jax-some damage, N.Hillsboro)
Peace Lily 'Spathiphyllum spp' (N.Hillsboro)
Shell Gingers ' Alpinia zerumbet' '(N.Hillsboro)
Philodendron 'Philodendron bipinnatifidum' (Jax, Lake)

Vegetables (5)
Broccoli (Polk, N.Hillsboro)
Collard Greens (Polk)
Lettuces (N.Hillsboro)
Pumpkin (Tampa)
Spinach (N.Hillsboro)

Vines (8)
Asiatic Jasmine 'Trachelospermum asiaticum' (N.Hillsboro)
Bleeding Heart 'Clerodendrum thomsoniae' (NW Hillsboro)
Confederate Jasmine ' Trachelospermum asiaticum' (Polk, N.Hillsboro, Melbourne, NW Hillsboro)
English Ivy 'Hedera helix' (N.Hillsboro)
Honeysuckle 'Lonicera japonica' (Lake, Melbourne, Treasure Coast)
Pandora 'Pandorea pandorana' (Lake, NW Hillsboro)
Sweet Pea 'Lathyrus odoratus ' (Orlando, Polk)
Yellow Carolina Jasmine or Jessamine* 'Gelsemium sempervirens' (N.Hillsboro, Treasure Coast)

* Native to Florida

Click here for Printable List

Ami in Ft.Lauderdale (zone10) reported her list of plants that weathered the lower than normal temperatures a wee bit further south than the gardeners here in the central part of the state. Some of these did well here, while others experienced some damage.
Gardenia
Jasmine
Bulbine
Sedum
Agapathus
Hisbiscus
Bromeliads (Aechmea blanchetiana 'Orangeade' , Neos)
Roses
Pentas
Diamond Frost
Red Fountain Grass
dipladenia pink
Jatropha Tree
African Iris (fortnight lily)
Yellow African Iris (Nile of lily)
Vinca
Purple Queen
Golden Shrimp
geranium

Contributors:
Ami (Ft. Lauderdale)
Betsy (Melbourne)
Florida Girl (Polk)
Kimberly (Treasure Coast)
Meems (N. Hillsborough)
NanaK (S. Tampa)
Penny (N.W. Hillsborough)
Patti (Lake)
Rainforest Gardener (Jacksonville)
Susan (Polk)

Growing Green Festival

Buffy at Green Paths Florida contacted me and asked if I would extend an invitation to all Central Florida Gardener subscribers to their first upcoming Growing Green Festival.

This free indoor-outdoor event features presentations, activities, resources, living plants, great food, horse manure, live music and even an award-winning Sundance Film Festival movie about dirt (http://www.dirtthemovie.org/).

Here's what you'll find at the festival...
backyard gardening - butterfly plants - community gardens - composting - container gardens - CSAs - exotic invasives - fruit trees - herbs - green garden design - kids' garden projects - native plants - rain barrels - veggies - wildlife habitats

Saturday, February 6th

Noon to 5 PM

Movie screening - 5 to 7 PM

Unity of Martin County

211 SE Central Parkway, Stuart

Sound like a lot of fun!

And the Survivors Are…

It’s been about two weeks since freezing temps dealt our plants a devastating blow. Enough time for us to see which plants made it and which ones didn’t. There’s not a lot to say about the plants that are brown and shriveled up, except that, given time they may recover once trimmed back. But don’t act too quickly…in this case, procrastination can be a good thing.

Here’s what a couple of experts have to say about what we should be doing right now:

Tom MacCubbin at Tom's Digs
Teresa Watkins at Earth Shattering Gardening blog

The best thing we can do is turn our attention to the future, and begin making plans to revamp our yards. In every “bad event” there’s always a silver lining. Our silver lining is the plants that braved the low temps and lived to bloom another day.

So, I’m looking for the “survivors.” And, as painful as it may be, I’m asking all of you to walk around your yard to see what perennials and colorful foliage plants survived.

Your participation is requested! Once you’ve done this, please either share your list of plants by adding a comment to this post, or create a post on your blog, and provide me with a link to it and I'll list it below. Together, we can create a list of hardy perennials and colorful foliage plants that will help all of us as we shop for new plants this spring.

Here are some posts I've found on plants that "survived" the frosty week.

The Dirt  -  Penny Carnathanis a co-writer for the Tampa Tribune in this blog.
Gardening in Peace - FloridaGirl in the Peace River area.
Simply Susan! - My list of "survivors."

Florida Garden Blogs Growing in Numbers

There may not be much growing in our yards right now, but Florida garden blogs are growing in numbers daily. When I first started blogging it was rare to find other Florida garden blogs, so I'm thrilled to see that the numbers are growing steadily. All the blogs listed below have been added to our blogroll in the sidebar as well.

Hope you enjoy visiting these Florida garden bloggers...

The Rainforest Garden created by a Jax gardener who loves tropical flora.

My Garden Path by Nana K who gardens in the Tampa area.

Southeast Florida Garden Evolvement by Ami who gardens in Ft. Lauderdale.

Graceful Cottage Gardening by Tampa gardener Janis.

Our Jupiter Garden on the east coast.

Terra Mirabilis by Penny, formerly from the United Kingdom, now in S. Florida.

The Namaste Garden by Scarlett in Sarasota.

Florida's Native Orchids by Prem in Altamonte Springs.

Gardening Without Skills by Kate and crew in semi-rural Central Florida.

Pollywog Creek by Patricia who gardens in rural S. Florida.

**Update** Here's a couple more blogs...

Garden Adventures by Grower Jim in Orlando.  Thanks, Jim

Thanks to Kristen for the following two "new" blogs:

My Florida Backyard and Lepcurious: Tales from the Butterfly Garden 

If you're quietly standing on the sidelines reading this blog, and I haven't come across your blog yet, please leave me a comment, so I can include you here...that includes gardeners in north and south Florida.

Give your Blog a Fresh New Look

For those of you who have a blog, or those who are thinking about starting one, there are lots of ways to personalize the look of it. I read lots of blogs every week, and would like to pass on some of the great ideas I’ve come across.

The majority of bloggers use blogger.com to create their blogs. It’s an easy 3-step process and Blogger has added many new features in the last couple of years. While there are other blog interfaces you can use, I'm most familiar with Blogger and will focus on what they offer. Note: Anyone who uses Wordpress that would like to share some tips, is welcome to contribute an article as a guest blogger.  I’ll gladly post it here for others to read. Perhaps some of us might even decide to switch over.

The one thing Blogger hasn’t updated is their choice of templates. Their choices are limited but you can still personalize your blog by changing the background color, font style and size, uploading a photo to your header and adding gadgets.

Use a Decorative Background
If you want more of a decorative look you can find a background at a number of sites that offer them for free. The most well-known site is The Cutest Blog on the Block. But others include Hot Bliggity Blog,  Shabby Blog and Background Fairy. You select the background you like, then copy and paste the code into the “HTML/Java Script” gadget, and, voila’ you’ve got a brand new look. You can see two examples of background choices at Hoe and Shovel and Live to Garden that are nice enhancements to their blogs.
You can also get free template designs with 3 columns for a totally different layout. Blogger provides information for this in their Help Forum. The addition of these designs may require some html or Java Script knowledge.

Personalize Your Header
You can upload a photo of your garden or a beautiful flower to your header as I have done above with the hibiscus. Or, you can get even more creative and add a collage of garden photos such as Florida Girl has done at Peace in the Valley. These are two great options that allow you to change your look seasonally.

Blog Posts
People love photos, so include plenty of them. Meems at Hoe and Shovel does a great job of writing interesting posts, and she includes lots of great photos. She, also, has a bit of text at the top of her blog that shares some details about her garden. Post regularly, and you’ll attract visitors who look forward to returning to your blog. To the bottom of your posts you can add “reactions” (see mine at Simply Susan) -- which you can personalize-- that people can easily respond to. It's a fun addition! To add reactions go to layout - Blog Posts - Edit.

Add a Gadget
Gadgets are fun tools that really let you add a number of features to your blog. Among some of the gadgets available at blogger are photos, blogrolls, links, lists, text, labels, archives, followers, search box, html/Java script, slideshows, and polls.

Photos
Adding photos and text to your sidebar is a great way to personalize your blog. A series of photos can show different areas of your garden, or your favorite flowers or plants. Rusty at DragonFly Gardens does a nice job of giving you a look at his tropical flowers. There is also a slideshow feature that MOSI uses on their blog Lepcurious. And, Jacquie at Home Grown has included her Flickr photos in her sidebar.

About Me
I know many people are hesitant to give too much information about themselves, but do include something so the reader can get to know you. If you don’t feel comfortable naming your town, then use a broader term such as the Treasure Coast or southwest Florida. Name your garden style, favorite plant, etc. Cheryl at My Wildlife Sanctuary has crafted a creative verse that describes her gardening style.

Blog List
A Blog List (see ours posted in the sidebar) is a great way to keep up with blogs you follow and to provide a reciprocal link to other bloggers. Plus, it’s a great way for visitors to discover other great blogs. You choose whether to include a thumbnail photo (such as I have done here) or not, such as Meems at Hoe and Shovel has done. You can also select that only the title be shown (again, as I have done), or that a bit of brief text be shown such as Walk2Write in Florida has done. Other choices are also available. Be sure to update it regularly.

Link Lists
Create a list of links to your favorite garden websites or posts. Elizabeth at Elizabeth's Secret Garden has created a list of posts, she's done, on butterfly gardens she's visited.

Lists
Adding a list to your sidebar allows you to keep track of garden tasks, the names of roses in your garden, planting dates. Use this feature to add something you want to personally keep track of….the ideas are endless. Wicked Gardener created lists of plants she loves and plants that made it through the winter.

Search Box
Did you know that little search box located in the upper left hand corner of your blog allows you to search for specific information on your blog? That’s a neat feature that I just learned about myself. Now, there's a search box gadget you can add to your sidebar as well. You can configure this search box to find information on your blog and link lists, pages you’ve linked to and the web. Michael at Central Florida Gardening has used this feature on his blog. He has also imported his Twitter thoughts into his sidebar.

Subscription and Feeds
You can make it easy for people who use readers to keep track of the blogs they follow by adding the RS subscribe feature or by going to Feedburner to get an email subscription box. Folks who subscribe via email will receive your post updates in their email box. Kim at Cannas and Bananas has incorporated both of these options into her blog.

Life Traffic Feed

Feed Jit offers a fun little gadget called Live Traffic Feed that lets you see what towns and countries your visitors are coming from. The Great Wall of Lutz has one and I do, too on my Simply Susan blog. It's amazing to see where visitors come from and how they find your blog.

These are just a few of the things you can do to give your blog a fresh new look. I’d love to receive comments from some of you who have other ideas or suggestions. Also, if I don’t have your Florida garden blog listed on my blogroll, please let me know.

Easy Way to Keep up with Florida Gardeners
The Florida Garden Blog list (in the sidebar) has now been updated and changed to a more functional and eye-appealing blogroll. You can easily scan through the blogs to find the latest posts...recently updated blogs will be listed at the top of the roll.

The blogroll contains a thumbprint photo, title of the recent post and when it was updated. Check it out and let me know what you think.

A couple of new Florida blogs I've found recently have also been included. They are:

Garden in Paradise by Kimberly who gardens on the Treasure Coast in S. Florida.

Garden in Peace by Floridagirl who is located in the Peace River region.

The Great Wall of Lutz which is obviously located in the Tampa Bay area. Sorry that I don't have her/his first name.

If I've missed any other Florida garden blogs, please let me know. Thanks!

Coming soon...Give your Blog a Facelift for the New Year

Don't Miss the 12 Days of Christmas in a Florida Garden

Meems over at Hoe & Shovel has challenged herself to post something from her garden for the first 12 days in December. And, she has invited anyone who's crazy enough, to add another item to their "to-do" list, to join her.

Don't miss checking in on her blog, as some of her posts may involve a "giveaway" item. It's not too late to join in on the holiday fun, and post for the remaining 9 days left. Just make sure you leave her a comment to let her know you're participating.

Who said you can’t Grow Roses in Florida?

Now that the weather is cooler you'll notice the rose blossoms are larger and more beautiful. In the summer heat they look dwarfish and stressed, but then again, so do I :-).

You’ve probably heard many newcomers adamantly state that, “You can’t grow roses in Florida!” Roses may be a little more challenging in our zone 9 climate but it is possible to grow them if you know the TWO BIG SECRETS to success.

The FIRST BIG SECRET is rootstock. It seems boring and unnecessary but it’s of the utmost importance when it comes to growing roses in Florida. There are two kinds - fortuniana and Dr. Hughey. If you buy a rose that isn’t grafted onto one of these rootstocks, you might as well bury your money because it won’t last long in our heat.

The SECOND BIG SECRET is the variety. Choose roses that tolerate our hot and humid climate. You’ll enjoy more success and your roses will be happy, too. And, after all, a happy rose leads to a happy rose grower. :-)

Fortunately, there are plenty of rosarians in our area who have already done the hard work for you. So whether you prefer to grow hybrids or antique (a/k/a vintage or old-fashioned) varieties, start with their list of favorites, and then take their well-seasoned and hard-earned advice. You’ll save a lot of time and money!

Central Florida Rose Society
Central Florida Heritage Rose Society
Gainesville Rose Society
Orlando Area Historical Rose Society
Sarasota Rose Society
Tampa Rose Society
Volusia Rose Society - Jeanne Savoie, President Deland FL jeanne617@yahoo.com (386) 734-9371

These TWO BIG SECRETS are 90% of what you need to know to grow roses in the Sunshine State. The other 10% is - soil preparation, location, fertilizer, pesticide, water and mulch.

So why not give it a try!

Favorite roses growing in my yard are knock-out (picture shown above - great color & great performers), 4th of July (a climber) and a handful of antiques - Louis Phillippe‘, Sombreuill and sea foam. My best tip is adding coffee grounds and Epsom salts to the soil. If you are an experienced rosarian or a newbie, we welcome your best “tried & true” tip and a list of “favorite” roses growing in your garden.

A Walk in Monica Brandies Garden


Florida garden writer Monica Brandies is hosting an open house (or should I say "garden") on November 7 and 14 from 10 am to 1 pm. Free cuttings, autographed books, and plants for sale. Enjoy some herbal tea and pommelo tasting. 1508 Burning Tree Lane, Brandon.

Monica has written a number of helpful books for Florida gardeners. Landscaping with Tropical Plants and Shade Gardening for Florida are two of my favorites that I refer to often when selecting plants for my shady garden. The next book on my list to buy is A Cutting Garden for Florida.

She is a wealth of information, and when we chatted online recently she agreed to share some information we may not know about her.

Q - What person or event brought you to gardening?
A - Probably my Aunt Joan who always grew flowers and made bouquets for every room in the house, but other people, too.

Q - What was the first plant you grew?
A - Zinnias and peanuts in a victory garden. I don't remember how they did, but I had measles and Mama had blankets at all the windows, but I kept peeking out to see my seeds sprouting and drove her crazy.

Q - What 3 landscape plants are proven winners in your central Florida garden?
A - Many, many, many: citrus, herbs, aloe, cassia, croton, pentas, firespike, tunnera alata and T. Ulmifolia (yellow alder), shrimp plants, all gingers, especially pinecone, butterfly and false blue ginger, cordylines, especially Dr. Brown, silver dollar eucalyptus, nasturtians, salvias, bromeliads, queenswreath vine, plumbago...I could go on forever.

Q - What's your favorite blooming plant?A - I love them all, but pentas is one of my favorites because it blooms 365 days a year and brings butterflies.

Q - What fruit plant/tree is a must-have in your garden?
A - Citrus. I have about 15 different kinds and keep looking for space to plant more. We make juice from November to June and eat many, especially the Poncans out of hand.

Q - What garden tool can you not live without? And why?A - The snippers in my pocket. I never go out without them. I have overplanted so much that I have to keep trimming constantly, but I don't mind. One of my friends says, "If you have weeds, you don't have enough plants." Of course, I also have to have a hoe, shovel, small hand cultivator, and larger pruners.

Q - What's your best frugal gardening tip?
A - Recycle everything. I do that mostly as mulch and compost, but I also reuse pots, and anything else I can. I think mulching is the best thing anyone can do for any garden, but especially in Florida's sandy soil.

Q - Describe your gardening style.A - Casual and Natural. Sometimes people are shocked at my jungle, but it suits me. And it takes less time to care for than if it was grass to cut and is much more fun and productive. Much of it is edible.

Other great books by Monica include: The Newcomer's Survival Guide (a must-have for those new to Florida gardening), Xeriscaping for Florida Gardens and Herbs & Spices for Florida Gardens.

Florida Garden Blogs

Fortunately, I just keep coming across more and more Florida gardening blogs. It seems we Florida gardeners were a little slow to start blogging but we’re picking up steam now. Here’s a mixture of 10 very different blogs.

Gardening Under the Florida Sun - The title grabbed my eye immediately. It does make it sound so romantic doesn’t it? Although there’s nothing romantic about gardening in Florida in mid-August :-). Dani, the owner of this blog, grows some great looking vegetables in her central Florida garden.

John’s Bromeliads - If you love bromeliads this is the blog for you. John’s got a wide variety in his Gulf Coast garden and tons of photos on his blog.

Northeast Florida Paradise - This Jacksonville gardener is stretching the limits - but very successfully, I might add - of growing tropical plants in northeast Florida.

I Like Rare Plants - Eric in south Florida has a hankering for the rare and exotic tropical beauties. You can even purchase seeds from his stock.

Liz and the Professor - Her subtitle “ Life is a Breeze in the Florida Keys” says it all. Gorgeous and colorful photos.

Faithie P - Faith who lives in Clearwater is taking a different approach to her garden blog. She’s documenting all the new stuff she learns about gardening in central Florida.

My Edible Yard - Ara is growing and sharing information on her south Florida organic urban kitchen garden.

The Dirt - Co-writers Penny Carnathan and Kim Franke-Folstad of the Tampa Tribune keeps readers posted on the latest “garden” happenings in the Tampa area with their humorous posts.

Florida Friendly Plants - Riverview Flower Farms keeps gardeners updated on the latest and best producing plants for Florida.

Tom’s Digs - Tom MacCubbin, retired Orange county extension agent, continues to mentor central Florida gardeners with some of the best plant information around.

If you’ve got a Florida garden blog that’s not included on our list, please leave a comment with a link, so we can include yours as well.

Is anyone up for a field trip?

It involves plants and lots of them, at that. Penny Carnathan at the Tampa Tribune has arranged for a behind-the-scenes tour of Riverview Flower Farms on Saturday, October 31st.

I’m sure you're all familiar with Riverview Flower Farms. Their plants sit in the prettiest pots at your local H.D., and they have lots of beautiful flowers or colorful foliage. They grow a large variety of Florida-Friendly plants, many of which are my favorites - Purple shower Mexican petunia, bulbine and St. Bernard's lily just to name a few. And they’re always experimenting with new varieties to see what performs best in our sometimes temperamental climate.

See Penny’s blog post for more information and be sure to let her know if you plan on attending.

Upside Down Tomatoes! Yes or No?

Those snazzy upside tomato planters, such as the Topsy Turvy, seem to be all the rage these days when it comes to growing tomatoes. But do they really work?
I purchased a homemade planter for $10 from my local tomato guy , who grows and sells seedlings of 100 different varieties several times each year. He’s a great guy to have in town because I can try different varieties every season. I dropped by his nursery to pick up a Black Cherry tomato but the only ones left were in these upside down baskets, so I decided to give it a try.

His baskets look great and seem to be producing a nice supply of tomatoes. Mine (see photo), however, looks limp most of the time and is a little beaten up by the wind. It also hasn’t set much fruit. One difference is that he had all his baskets in rows together and they were surrounded by a jungle of a garden. My planter is out in the open and doesn’t get much protection from the wind. On a positive note, It will be nice to be able to pick up my basket and bring it indoors once colder weather arrives. That’s assuming it’s still alive by then.

The verdict is still out for me, but I’m strongly leaning toward the traditional method of growing my tomatoes in the ground as my favorite. What about you? If you’ve grown your tomatoes upside down, in a container you purchased or made, leave a comment and, let us know your results.

Preparing for Holiday Blooms

With Christmas only 12 weeks away (Yes, I know no one wants to be reminded of this) it's time to make sure your Christmas cactus' get the care they need in order to bloom for the holidays.

As the days become shorter, it's important for Christmas cactus to get at least 12 hours of uninterrupted darkness. So, if necessary move your cactus to a spot where outside lights will not disturb their internal clock.

Give them one last feeding of fertilizer for the year and water only when absolutely necessary, and you'll be able to enjoy their beautiful blooms during the holidays.

Fun Garden Project
Nancy Swanson, winter resident in Zephyrhills, sent me this photo of her homemade "rock art." She created this particular piece in her Pennsylvania garden where she lives for part of the year. The official name for this piece of art is a Cairn.


According to Wikipedia.org - "A cairn (carn in Irish, carnedd in Welsh, càrn in Scots Gaelic) is a manmade pile of stones, often in a conical form. They are usually found in uplands, on moorland, on mountaintops or near waterways."


She created this second piece which is an Inukshuk (created in the likeness of a person). She did a good job, as it really does look like a person.



It's a great idea for a really different piece of natural art for the garden that is easy to create. For Nancy, it was inexpensive because there are plenty of rocks in Pennsylvania, but it shouldn't be too expensive to create one here in Florida. Thanks for sharing it with us, Nancy.
If you have an unusual piece of "garden art" you've created, please email a photo to me and I'll be glad to post it.

Patsy's Garden Transformation

In mid-2008, Patsy Murray relocated to Gainesville from Boston. Her goal was to transform her yard into a sustainable landscape that would conserve water and energy, as well as produce food for her family. One year later, Patsy is happy with the huge changes in her yard.

This is her original front yard with a wide expanse of turf and some shrubbery around the home.

The first task was to remove the grass and existing shrubs so the transformation could begin.

In March 2009 the planting was complete. She told me, "Some neighbors "get it" and some don't. The ones who get it probably have a philosophy similar to ours of preserving as much water and labor as possible by planting low maintenance, Florida-friendly plants and minimizing the grass." Her house quickly became known as "the mulch house" in the neighborhood.
Two months later (May) the plantings were growing nicely and beginning to cover the mulch. One of Patsy's favorite plants is the Beach Dune Sunflowers located to the right of the front walkway. She said, "They are a wonderful, colorful and fast-growing groundcover which provides me with cheerful flowers for cutting." Other flowering perennials include purple and red salvias, Indian hawthorne, butterfly bushes, Texas sage, passion flower vine, honeysuckle vine and plumbagos.
Now, for the backyard. A clean slate and a manageable size. A view to the left.
And a view to the right.

The plantings are in, and I'll bet her husband isn't missing mowing the lawn in the heat and humidity of summer.

A view from the back corner.

And, in May they were enjoying Okinawa spinach, cranberry hibiscus (for salads), rosemary, as well as other vegetables and herbs that she grows in raised beds. Other edible plants include blueberries, figs, peaches, avocado and pineapple guava.

And, sweet potatoes spread in this section of the yard between the fence and the curb. This is just the beginning as Patsy experiments with more drought-tolerant flowering plants and edible herbs, vegetables and fruit.

Being new to Florida, Patsy solicited the help of two local landscapers in the selection of plants. Denise Weber of Green Harmony Landscape Design suggested the plants and perennials that add color to her yard while conserving water. And, she worked with Joe Floyd of Abundant Edible Landscapes in choosing the best varieties of herbs, vegetables and fruit trees.

As Patsy continues to learn more about sustainable gardening, through trial and error she has started a blog to share what she learns with other Floridians. You can keep up with Patsy's garden by visiting her Grow Food Not Grass blog.

As water restrictions continue it will be necessary for Floridians to find new and innovative ways to garden. Patsy you've done a great job with your transformation, and I'll be dropping by your blog, on a regular basis, to learn more about what works in your Florida yard.

Note to readers: If you have made changes to your Florida yard to eliminate grass and grow more fruit, vegetables and/or drought-tolerant plants, and would like to share your experiences with us, please send me an email (smyers25@tampabay.rr.com). Thanks.

See other "sustainable gardens" in Florida.

University of Florida Trial Garden

No need to recreate the wheel when you can take advantage of all the plant information gleaned by the University of Florida in their trial garden.

They tested the metal of over 850 cultivars, including 284 new introductions during the hottest part of the year - April through August.

You can find a specific plant by searching "trial results" or for the best results in your yard, skip to the "awards" section for the top-rated plants. A "plant suppliers" list is provided in the event you can't find a specific plant at your local nursery.

Meet Florida gardener Michael - Another Yard in Ft. Pierce

Native Floridian, Michael shares his love for palms on his blog - Another Yard in Ft. Pierce. Although, I think you will agree that his yard is not "just another yard." Most suburban lots sport a few common palms but Michael's taste runs to the exotic.

He writes about his trials and errors in growing palms from seeds. Since palm trees are slow growers we know that he must be a very patient gardener.



He even grows them from coconuts with very good results. But his love for plants doesn't just stop with palm trees. He also grows a variety of banana plants and beautiful orchids (see photo in right column).



If you love to grow palms like Michael be sure to check out his seed trading list located in the left column of his blog. And don't miss his series of posts (8 all together) on The Secret Palm Tree Garden - A truly delightful discovery for him and other palmaholics.

Time to Plant the Spring Vegetable Garden

The uncertaintly of the economy these days is prompting many people to consider planting a vegetable garden for the first time. In the last few weeks several people have told me about their plans and their hope of becoming a little more self-sufficient. They did express some trepidation in their new adventure due to a lack of experience.

For these folks and for anyone who wants to grow their own vegetables, I highly recommend James M. Stephens' (professor of horticulture sciences at the University of Florida) book entitled Vegetable Gardening in Florida. His vast years of experience and knowledge are packed into the 125 pages of this well written book.


He covers everything from site selection, planning, weather effects, soil preparation, fertilizers, organic and alternative methods, seeds and transplants to insects, diseases, harvesting and storing. There's even a section of growing herbs. And since gardening in Florida is different than anywhere else in the country I guarantee you this book will become your vegetable gardening bible. It's well worth the $11.53 that it costs.

Two other resources for the newbie vegetable gardener is Spring Vegetable Gardening and Herbs for Spring. Both can be found at Solutions for Your Life by the University of Florida Extension Services.

Warm season vegetables to be planted now are: beans, beets, broccoli, cabbage, cantaloupe, carrots, celery, corn, cucumber, eggplant, green onions, lettuce, English peas, peppers, potatoes, pumpkin, radish, squash, watermelon.

So, if you're getting back to the basics these days why not give it a try. You can't beat the taste of vegetables fresh from the garden, and the satisfaction of having grown them yourself!

More Freezing Temps in the Forecast

The weather forecasters are predicting more freezing temperatures for central Florida in the upcoming nights. To keep abreast of the forecasted temperature for your area visit the Weather Channel and type in your zip code. Scroll down the page for the 36-Hour Forecast.

Most tropical plants have already suffered damage from the previous freeze a couple of weeks ago. There are steps you can take to minimize the damage. Read Cold Protection of Ornamental Plants by the University of Florida for advice on what to do before, during and after a freeze.

If you have a tip you'd like to pass on to others, please click the "comment" button below and share it with us. Comments are always welcome!