Garden Pic Wednesday: Unusual & Unique!

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I got to my Interval Training Cardio class this morning. I missed Monday's class because a power-out made my clock wake me too late!  I was honored today that the instructor asked me to be an example of "modified" aerobics for the class, so students unable to do "high" aerobics would have a pattern to follow!
("High" involves jogging and jumping, while "modified" is done without jogging or hopping---easier on the knees & feet.)

After I came home and ate lunch, I re-applied anti-pest powder to beans and tomatoes, since the last application was washed off by the rain overnight.
Also snipped a bunch a basil to put in my dehydrator today!
I really need to mow---but it's 90 degrees right now, muggy as a wet sock and looks like another daily rain is pending. It's just that time of year.

Today's Garden Pics are of some of the more unique things in my garden:
First is my bi-color Hardy Hibiscus. This is a single plant from a single root that just happens to bloom in two colors: pale pink on the left side and red on the right. Gorgeous and unique!

Bi-color Hardy Hibiscus
Next, a Balloon Flower bud, which looks exactly like it's namesake: a hot air balloon!
Part of my "blue flower" collection, mine are just true light blue color.
Though Balloon Flowers can come in pink and white as well and the blue can range to lavender. It's a low-growing, so it needs a front spot in your bed or border and, because it's perennial, it comes back yearly. I picked up mine at Lowes garden shop.

Balloon Flower Bud

And last--a truly peculiar looking flower:


Queen's Tears (Billergia Zebrina)
Finally figured out what this bromeliad is called. It's a Queen's Tears and has sharp-edged silvery sage-colored cacti like blades that form a circular "tube" in the center, which is usually full of water. The pink blossom rises out of that center, then hangs and opens blue flower spikes. Each "tube" blooms just once and they "pup" new growth around the base.
They were given to me by a delivery driver I used to work with who had tons of them. They can be in pots, but I put mine in the ground. Though considered tropical, these are perfectly indifferent to Florida winters. Though in 2014 a deep freeze froze their tops off, but new pups came up from the roots in spring!  :)
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Come back tomorrow for Mama Kat where the topic will be things I've tried from Pinterest!

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