Hydrangeas, back garden.

Hibiscus

I got 5 hibisci from Logee's, a nursery in Connecticut, all with very intense colors. This was the first to bloom.

Live oak trunk, by dock

You'll see a lot of this tree on the blog. I love it and it changes with the light.

Fading gardenias, May 2012

Cherry tomatoes, late May.

They were delicious.

Pot arrangement, front dooryard

These just came together after a visit to Rockaway Gardens in Jax Beach. The New Guinea impatiens on top, are sun tolerant, the dahlias in the big pot just keep blooming and the coleus keeps growing, it is already twice this size.

Rose buds, side garden

Antique roses and first datil peppers, side garden.

My datil pepper plants survived a warm winter and are just starting to produce. The roses are Antique roses from The Antique Rose Emporium in Texas. Tough as nails and pretty to boot.

Bamboo canes, back garden.

We have an, inherited, stand of bamboo near the ICW. Every Spring I gather the old canes and use them for support throughout the garden. These tow are holding up a cherry tomato plant.

Knockout rose, new growth

The first bloom has passed and the Knockouts are growing at a great pace.

Datura leaves

This green is not exaggerated. These plants are so healthy this year. Soon the huge flowers will emerge and we'll have Angel's Trumpets all over.

Pot detail, dock

This pot has always had a basil in it, for years. This year, and last, I put in a new variety, to me, Greek columnar basil, which has been a smashing success. Unlike most basils, it does not go to seed, or even flower. When cut back it gets fuller. And it makes lovely pesto.

Clematis, dock garden

This clematis, Jackmanii, has persisted on our dock , under a rose, for ten years. It seems to love the hot, sunny, windy location, not what I thought they liked.

Jasmine flowers, large arch, back garden

Rose canes and arch detail, back garden

Jasmine flowers, back arch, back garden

Late April and early May provide our area with  a wealth of flowers and I will document them until they fade.

Knockout roses, back garden, Roscoe

These problem-free roses are often planted in huge drifts, creating large masses of green evenly dotted with red ,pink, yellow or white. I think they make nice specimen plants.

Rearrangement

These two little areas were getting overgrown and cramped, so I weeded and then moved some of these flagstones to make it more open.

Fig leaves

African irises

Driveway pots, February 2012

Meyer lemon flowers.

This is on a tree that has happily grown, next to our back door, in a big pot, for three years, without a hint of a flower. This year it is covered. I am now oversupplied with Meyer lemons, as the other six trees are also covered and I haven't done with last year's crop.