I took all these garden photos at night. I wanted to see the changes to my garden after all the rain during my abscence but it was dark and I couldn't see much (except the orchids on the screenporch, of course) so I took photos with my flash and was able to see my plants in the photos. I got all wrapped up in the runaway vines in the dark, LOL.
My Dendrobium (Nobile) is a dependable bloomer each year. And, every year I believe I've killed it because it drops it leaves and looks like a goner for months before I start to see new leaf stalks emerging and followed by blooms on the old stalks. I'm noticing some of the stalks have deteriorated and am considering cutting them off - it seems as if the blooming is on the previous year's cane only.
Encyclia Tampensis is very impressive this year. Look at all those bloom stalks and how loooong they are! The best year ever. I was excited last year because it had 15 stalks, although I broke off 2 of them, but this year is unprecedented even though hubby broke off 1 stalk. I bet they open today.....will update if so :)
Paphiopedilum also called lady slippers. When I bought this 4 or 5 years ago I was told it would have a single bloom. This is the 3rd year it has had multiple blooms. Truth be told, the flower is a bit more impressive on the years with a single bloom - bigger, deeper colors. I love the mottled leaves of this plant so I love it planted in it's tall pot (not a typical orchid pot) even when it is not blooming.
Another Native orchid....some type of Encyclia. First time it has bloomed for me; however, it's a newbie, somewhat. Teeny, cute little blooms.
One of my favs - this dendrobium is a prolific bloomer and beautiful color. My lousy photography doesn't do this plant justice.
When I was gone it rained and rained in the Tampa area and I came back to see that my neighbor's vines had crept through her hibiscus (that hangs over our fence and helps create some shade for my plants) and worked their way across to my Tampensis - one doesn't mess with my Tampensis! Actually, one of the vines is the flame vine that my hubby loves and the other is a weed :(
This is the view from inside the arbor looking toward the backyard. Everything is so filled in and lush even though I was only gone 5 days!
A pretty little photo showing my Tampensis, Phalanopsis, Oncidium, and some bromeliads in the ground.
The turn of the walkway. I had to have something textural there to soften the harshness of the turn of pavers. Who knew you could grow spider plants outside? I've discovered that the babies attach their roots to the ground and reestablish.
The green with white stripe brom on the right is one of my new ones from the green thumb festival. The dark one on the left is part of a mail order I did a year or so ago. It has grown BIG and has one pup (you can see one of the pup's leaves to the left and top of the mama plant).
Despite all the rain, my staghorn had a couple brown leaves. It gets a little more sun after moving it from the lime tree so I believe it needs a tad more water. Hubby didn't water it while I was gone but the rain sustained it.
The new brom border - this was the area I really wanted to see in the dark. They are all alive and well but haven't seen growth yet. I am so impatient, LOL.
The brooms and heliconias in this small border were whimpy before I left because it had been so hot and dry. Things are looking better now. I still need to get that Japanese honeysuckle planted in the ground............
And finally, my topsy turvy tomato. Apparently the rain didn't penetrate. I don't like vegtable gardening anyway, LOL.
Daisey on the patio wondering what I am doing
What's left of my succulent garden after two years in what turned out to be a bad spot for succulents. My beautiful big jade tree did not survive the winter.
I've moved my succulents to the screen porch, and the orchids out to the key lime tree, so that I can better control how much water they receive.
This pot is actuallty broken but i like it so much that I am going to plant some string of pearls in it anyway. When my succulents were outside, something kept digging them out of this pot.
Orchids in key lime tree
My "pot" garden ;)
My backyard is a series of border gardens really.
The jasmine arbor freshly cut back.
Another bromeliad border.
This is popping up in my brom garden and I can only assume it is a brome
