Monday, December 19, 2011

A gardening brother on the other side of the gulf

I found a blog this evening and immediately thought of all of my Florida garden blog friends. The blog is called TROPICAL TEXANA: Texas Gulf Coast. I dare you to click the link and not think you’re in Florida! So for that reason I'm adding it to my Florida Blog Roll. A quick run-through of this interesting blog revealed that David is the blogger and he doesn’t grow roses. So sad. I had high hopes of finding another humid zone 9 rosarian, but I guess we’re as rare as hen’s teeth. Oh, that reminds me! He has chickens!! I even saw one in David’s house inspecting the Norfolk Island Pine Christmas tree. I hope you’ll check out David’s blog. It’s full of bromeliads and other tropicals that I can’t grow but you southerners can.

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By the way I think the Norfolk Island Pine is a brilliant idea. I’ve been really bah-humbug this year and haven’t put up a tree or decorated. It wears me out just thinking about it, but David’s Norfolk Island Pine inspired me…if Lowe’s or Home Depot has one to buy…now. I need a quickie Christmas redo since I’m having everyone over on Christmas Day and having nothing Christmas-y just doesn’t seem right. Trying to stay mellow and anxiety-free this Christmas season has merely meant opting out for me, and now with days to go I’m feeling like opting back in. I have become really ambivalent about this wonderful season meant for celebrating my Savior’s birth. Sadly and invariably, I experience less savior and more stress. It’s just occurring to me that doing nothing is not the answer to doing too much which I used to do with incredibly disastrous results. Happy mediums have never been my strong suit, being naturally inclined to be either way over there or way over there. Avoiding Christmas Eve conniptions has become my holiday goal, so I have adopted a laissez-faire attitude. Well, I’m only 61, so I’ve still got time to get this right.

I do have some lovelies to share from yesterday’s gorgeous sunny-blue-sky walk through the garden. Here goes.

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'Shooting Star' Hydrangea from Publix. Took me two seconds to decide to pay the $19.99.
On the right is 'Polonaise'.


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A big fat 'Mrs. B. R. Cant' bud and my new Camelia sasanqua 'Stephanie Golden'


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A honey bee enjoying the echinacea and the lovely 'Bow Bells'


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'Le Vesuve' still outdoing herself and 'Etoile de Mai' finally being yellow rather than white. Gee, these photos are way out of proportion. 'Le Vesuve' is big, and EdM is small!

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'Anda' is always really red, and 'Clotilde Soupert' is pinker than ever.


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'Mme Abel Chatenay' still blooming but starting to lose leaves for her dormancy, and the incomparable 'White Maman Cochet'

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Surprisingly the echinacea is still blooming, and I just bought seeds for more varieties.
On the right 'Climbing Maman Cochet' is getting huger and huger.


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'Reve d'Or' - Flowers are so big this time of year, but I think I missed most of her recent flush.

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Silly 'Louis Philippe'. This one is in too much shade. Wouldn't you know, he's blooming on his shady side. I guess he likes socializing with the Impatiens. Have a peaceful week before Christmas, all. I know I'm trying to.

5 comments:

  1. Beautiful pictures of your wonderful roses and other bloomers. It has been beautiful the past couple of days, just perfect here in s.e. FL.

    I only set up a tiny tree this year and it feels good. I just didn't feel like doing everything. I did make Christmas cookies.

    Thanks for the link, I'll go check it out next.

    FlowerLady

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  2. Hi Sherry,
    Wow! I found out about your post last night and I must say I'm thrilled to be included on your Florida blog list and in a post on your wonderful garden blog. I love roses but don't grow them due to low light conditions. But I do know a lot of places to find roses here in zone 9 Texas. I'll be on the look out for you and see what I can find. All of this brings such fond memories of my next door neighbor and her antique roses. We gardened together. Since she was disabled, I did the sweating and she did the thinking. Thanks again for writing a post about my garden. What an honor! BTW...that's a fabulous header of your front garden.
    David/ :-)

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  3. I'm so jealous that your roses are still blooming! Mine are drooping, sadly frozen a few weeks ago. I love the last pic of LP whispering to the impatiens. I'll tell you what I did for Christmas that was beautiful and so easy - I bought several poinsettias (they are already on sale), and cut the stems, and put them in vases throughout the house. Simple, but very beautiful. And easy!

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  4. Thanks for the link to the Texas blog...he's got a funny sense of humor. I look forward to reading more. Have a wonderful Christmas...tree or not!

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  5. They are wonderful pictures. it must be very happy to have such amazing fresh roses in house. and please check http://www.lavadeals.co.uk if u need some greenhouse or garden sheds

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