Reaching for the Sun

Posted: February 2, 2020 | Author: automatic gardener | Filed under: Gardening | Tags: Automatic Gardening, Canna, Gardening, Gulf Coast gardening, Southern Gardening, subtropical climate, Year-round gardening | 9 Comments

Towards the end of summer, I noticed rather large leaves were growing in one of my trees. It turned out to be a canna reaching for the sun. The normal cannas grow about 3 to 4 feet tall. This one popped up in the shade of the tree and headed for the sun stretching to 10 feet. Nature is so interesting.

Spring Has Begun Part II

Posted: February 13, 2019 | Author: automatic gardener | Filed under: Gardening | Tags: Azaleas, Bartram's Oenothera grandiflora, Canna, Emilia coccinea, Evening Primrose, John Bartram, Tassel Flower, William Bartram | 11 Comments

More early Spring bloomers include this red Canna.

A surprise blooming plant for this time of year is Oenothera grandiflora or Evening Primrose that was collected by William Bartram in 1775 in Alabama and grown in his Philadelphia nursery. Normally, this plant blooms in the late summer or early fall. I think some of the seeds germinated early during this warmer winter. I found it blooming in three locations and the plant was shorter than usual.

The orange Tassel Flower, Emillia coccinea, has been maturing all winter and is now blooming. I thought I read somewhere that it was related to a dandelion, but it does not reseed like one.

A true Spring ritual in this part of the country is the blooming of Azaleas. I was surprised to see some opening already. All our big Azalea Trails are usually the second week in March, so hopefully they can hold off until then.

February is the start of Spring around here and a time to trim back Crepe Myrtles, Roses and start cleaning out beds. The trees that lost their leaves are budding out. And best of all the days are getting longer and evenings on the patio can be enjoyed.

Currently Blooming

Posted: March 29, 2018 | Author: automatic gardener | Filed under: Gardening | Tags: Amaryllis, Automatic Gardening, Black Eyed Susan, Brunfeisia, Canna, Clematis, Coreopsis, Drimiopsis maculata, Gardening, Gulf Coast gardening, Gulf Coast Penstemon, Salvia coccinea, Southern Gardening, subtropical climate, Subtropical Gardening, Today and Tomorrow, white soldiers, Year-round gardening, Yesterday | 18 Comments

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I have been a bit worried about whether or not my perennials and reseeders would come back this year after all the harsh weather. Butterflies and Hummingbirds are starting to arrive and there was not much for them to feed on as the freeze took most of the flowers. I have been relieved the past week or so to see my plants returning. The following photos are of plants that have faithfully grown in the Automatic Garden for years.

I have a large collection of Amaryllis, but they have not bloomed over the last few years. I was thrilled to find this one blooming.

This little Coreopsis has started to put out a few flowers.

Clematis do not enjoy our climate, but this one is in a pot on the shaded patio. It really liked the cold spell and has put out several blooms.

The White Soldiers (Drimiopsis maculata) have been a prolific and are planted throughout the gardens. This patch sat in water for days.

Old faithful, my red Saliva (Coccinea), was completely mowed down from the freeze and is just starting to come back.

This small shrub was started by seed. The original Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow (Brunfeisia) was accidentally cut down recently.

The red Canna was a passalong and I don’t think any amount of bad weather could kill it.

For nearly 20 years the Back Eyed Susan has been reseeding itself.

Bees and hummers are happy to see the Gulf Coast Penstemon flowers. This plant is also a passalong and does so well that it needs to be thinned every year.

The Columbine aquilegia has not done well lately, so it was good to see several plants blooming this year.

Speaking of faithful, the rabbits are back and appear when I am out in the yard to remind me to put some seed down for them.

Of course no good deed goes unpunished and the rabbits ate my new Coneflower down to the ground.

The Automatic Garden

Posted: January 26, 2017 | Author: automatic gardener | Filed under: Gardening | Tags: Automatic Gardening, Canna, Gardening, Gulf Coast gardening, hardy begonia, Russelia, Salvia, subtropical climate, Subtropical Gardening, Year-round gardening | 18 Comments

Within several days we had freeze and then nearly 6 inches of rain. The frozen plants turned into a mushy mess.

Just when all seemed hopeless, the Automatic Garden showed its grit. It wasn’t long before these tough plants started putting up new shoots. A plant that can take this crazy Gulf Coast weather of drought, floods, and freezes is a keeper!

The plants pictured are a Canna, Hardy Begonia, Russelia and a Salvia. Many more plants have started up from their roots and soon, as the days lengthen and warm, the seeds that were dropped in the autumn will germinate.

Why Decorate?

Posted: December 5, 2016 | Author: automatic gardener | Filed under: Gardening | Tags: Automatic Gardening, Canna, Gardening, Gulf Coast gardening, holly, roses, ShiShi camellia, subtropical climate, Subtropical Gardening, Year-round gardening | 10 Comments

After being away on a trip, we returned home to see the neighbors had put up their Christmas lights. As we pulled into our drive, I caught a glimpse of glowing rose colors lighting up the front beds.