Spring Has Begun Part I

Posted: February 10, 2019 | Author: automatic gardener | Filed under: Gardening | Tags: Australian Violet, Automatic Gardening, Fire Spike, Gardening, Gulf Coast gardening, leucojums, Mexican Knot Weed, Odontonema strictum, Paperwhites, Polygonum capitatum, snowflakes, Southern Gardening, subtropical climate, Subtropical Gardening, Viola hederacea, Wendy's Wish Salvia, Year-round gardening | 26 Comments

Spring has started here along the Gulf Coast area. Snowflakes or leucojums are some of the first to bloom.

Wendy’s Wish Salvia has made a comeback from flooding rain and freezes. It didn’t bloom at all last year.

Paperwhites bloom along with Snowflakes. Both are bulbs that can survive our climate.

Fire Spike, Odontonema strictum begins its blooming in late winter. It is a hummingbird favorite. Most Fire Spikes are red like fire, but somehow I have pinkish purple one.

Violets, of course, are early bloomers and this Australian violet, Viola hederacea, is growing happily on rocks and the patio after relocating itself more than 5 feet from where it was originally planted. The first time I bought this plant, it was called Confederate Violet.

Mixed in with it, is what I have always called Mexican Knot Weed. As it turns out, the plant is from China not Mexico. Its proper name is Polygonum capitatum and its common names are Pink Button, Pink Knotweed, Pink Fleece, Pinkhead, Smartweed, Pink Clover and Punching Balls. I could not find the name Mexican Knot Weed, except on the single pot I bought over 20 years ago. This little plant came along when I moved by hitchhiking with another plant and it has popped up here and there all over the yard. In China it is used to cure many aliments.

Part II coming.

Decision Made

Posted: January 13, 2019 | Author: automatic gardener | Filed under: Gardening | Tags: Automatic Gardening, Gardening, Gulf Coast gardening, roses, Southern Gardening, subtropical climate, Subtropical Gardening, Year-round gardening | 19 Comments

A rose bush I bought many years ago was mislabeled and turned out to be a climbing rose. As I did plant it under a Bottle Brush tree, it took full advantage and made its way to the top.

I had been debating on whether or not to cut it back as it is probably stressing the tree. A recent windy thunderstorm made the decision for me and knocked the long cane from the tree.

I haven’t cut it back yet, as I’m enjoying the roses dripping down from the tree and the pollinators like the winter treat.

Surprise Fall Bloomers

Posted: December 18, 2018 | Author: automatic gardener | Filed under: Gardening | Tags: Angel Trumpet, Automatic Gardening, Gardening, Gulf Coast gardening, Japanese Anemone, Ligularia, Southern Gardening, subtropical climate, Subtropical Gardening, Year-round gardening | 9 Comments

This Fall I had some plants decide to bloom after many years of being flowerless. I’m not sure what could have caused this. Maybe it was the two hard freezes we had last winter. The Ligularia has been nothing but big green leaves for years. But, this year put out several stems of cheery yellow flowers.

The Pink Japanese Anemone, which is a butterfly favorite, has only put out a few sad flowers in the past. This Fall there was a record breaking 12 stems that have bloomed for weeks.

The most surprising is my Angel Trumpet. It is in its second blooming and started while temperatures were in the 30’s.

Will the flowers last and be Christmas Angels?

A Sunny Day

Posted: December 11, 2018 | Author: automatic gardener | Filed under: Gardening | Tags: American White Pelican, Automatic Gardening, Backyard Critters, Gardening, Gulf Coast gardening, nature photography, pollinators, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Southern Gardening, subtropical climate, Subtropical Gardening, Year-round gardening | 15 Comments

Just a few days ago, we had perfect weather with the temperatures in the 80’s and low humidity. I took advantage of the warming sun and just sat near a flower bed. And I wasn’t the only one. The blooms were covered with all kinds of pollinators. I managed to photograph a few.

The American White Pelicans were flying against the clear blue sky and some small flocks of visiting birds were poking around looking for bugs. One little bird, a Ruby Crowned Kinglet, didn’t seem to mind me sitting there and came very close.

Since that sunny day, our winter has returned with heavy rain and cold temperatures. But as it always happens in these parts, the weather is about to change and a great weekend is promised.

November Wildlife

Posted: November 23, 2018 | Author: automatic gardener | Filed under: Gardening | Tags: American White Pelican, Automatic Gardening, Backyard Critters, Gardening, Gulf Coast gardening, nature photography, rabbits, Southern Gardening, squirrels, subtropical climate, Subtropical Gardening, Tersa Sphinx Moth, Year-round gardening | 14 Comments

I always love the visiting wildlife in the yard. This day started with a rabbit waiting on his breakfast.

One sign of Fall is the arrival of the American White Pelicans. Every morning they take a long lazy flight.

A very unexpected visitor was this Tersa Sphinx Moth. I was weeding and when I brought my hand out of the plants, the moth was attached to my glove.

Take a close look at this photo to see the pine cones that were eaten by the squirrels. The ground was covered with the scales after the seeds were eaten. The squirrels had quite the feast, as a large area was littered with pine cone remains.

Autumn’s Confederate Rose

Posted: November 5, 2018 | Author: automatic gardener | Filed under: Gardening | Tags: Automatic Gardening, Confederate Rose, Gardening, Gulf Coast gardening, Hibiscus mutabilis, My Kitchen Window, Southern Gardening, subtropical climate, Year-round gardening | 32 Comments

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Every Autumn I look forward to my Confederate Rose blooming. It is actually a Hibiscus mutabilis that is originally from China. A cutting can easily be started and that is why it has been a great passalong plant in the South. It is a gangly small tree that is unattractive most of the year, until the big payoff in the Fall. This has been a particularly good year and every bud has opened. Each cluster has 5 to 7 buds providing a spectacular display which has been going on for 3 weeks with more to come.