Back To The Blog's Gardening Roots

I started this blog with the intent of it being a backyard gardening blog. That is evidenced by a number of other gardening blogs I had linked to 'share". But, because family member far away were reading it and hadn't yet found FaceBook, it turned out to be a life activities blog. I would like to change that now and get back to my gardening roots with sprinkles of foster dogs and life events. So, here's my backyard walk though this morning.

My giant dendrobium? (tags been gone for years) has a  - 6 bloom spike although it's bent from touching ceiling of screen porch 

This one is called the upside down orchid

Bromeliads galore at my house. This one was part of a living bouquet received when Jerry's mother passed in 2014.

Phalaenopsis from the live bouquet when Marge passed.

Peace lily - a potted plant from my step mother's funeral (2006)

I've never figured out what this plant is. tiny blooms directly on the leaves.

This is my deciduous dendrobium that everyone thinks is dead. Even I have thought it was dead a few times but, as you can see, here it comes for 2018!

We haven't done any maintenance on the planters yet and they were looking pretty sad until the rains. Now if it would only stop raining long enough to fresh them up for the season.

I thought the elephant ear were dead this winter but with the rains they have returned!

We used to have grass on this small strip of yard. Then we planted a tree, cut down the tree, planted it (no sprinklers here due to walkway installation), unplanted it and now it remains I dunno what. Usually the ladder is not there. Jerry was using it to trim the palm. So, I went thrifting and painted picture frames to give the area some color at least until we decide what to do with it.

Broom border

Bleeding heart vine on the fence. The gate really - not a great spot.

The weird from cousin Erica. Shocking how heavy that thing is. I think it is made of concrete.

This area of pots held much more delicate plants. Can't wait to get into refreshing them. 

Hopefully someday I will have the whole patio bordered in liriope and oyster plant. 

Green Thumb Sunday

No photo today. Instead, I pose a question to gardeners. As you can see from a previous post this week, I have a fence strip where I have planted bromeliads with mixed success. I realize now that some areas of the fence strip get sun for a good portion of the day and it is that beating down hard sun in that area. Other plants in this same strip are in deep shade. The rest of the strip is all combinations available between too much light and too dark depending on the plant overhang and shadows crated by neighbors plants. Plus, anytime someone trims it can impact the light value of this area dramatically.

My question is this: Can anyone suggest a plant that is similar to bromeliads in shape and form (can even be taller) that withstands a myriad of light situations? I am looking for something to plant within the bromeliads that will A)fill in the blank spots, and b) possibly provide some cover for bromeliads. It's a narrow strip so the plants can't get any wider than say a foot and half at complete maturing. Height is not a big deal although some plants I have tried there (such as a shrimp plant) tend to hang over and get wide as they get tall. This strip is between a fence and a walkway that is used so I can't have anything impedeing traffic. When I say similar to the form of a brom, I guess I mean that "fountain" appearance.

The other side of the strip has been a delight to plant. It's mostly shade with late afternoon sun and I grow zanadu, bromeliads, peace lily, and anthrium (although they can die back if it gets too cold). I also have pots of orchids suspended in that area. It would be nice if there was some continuity to the two sides but I have never achieved this because of the difference in the growing environment. I hoped the broms would do that for me.

So, fellow garden bloggers, I have handed you a task. Are you up to it? Can you help me? More importantly, can you help my bromeliads? LOL Oh, and I did buy broms that are supposed to take sun but I guess they were not counting on the Florida sun!