Garden Pic Wednesday: Red & Pink Hibiscus!

We had a nice, much needed little thunder shower yesterday!

I recently replanted a mix variety of lettuce seeds in a pot of rich garden soil that I put near the front door in the strawberry bed.

Also a short row of radish seed.  The strawberries don't like the end of the bed near my front door, so I use it as an auxiliary garden.

I didn't find the lettuce seed performed that well in the veggie bed. Not sure why. Maybe the sun is too intense. But I have gotten good performance from it in a pot--usually one that's more shaded.

That's a trick about gardening in Florida--things that like full sun further north, needed partial shade here.

Today's Garden Pics are my gorgeous Hardy Hibiscus!

This is not the tropical form, which is a shrub, but the tall upright variety that dies back in winter and returns from root every spring.

They average 4 to 5 feet tall and run in a variety of shades from light pink to deep burgundy red, plus white and I believe a pale yellow is also available.

They can reseed readily, though mine generally don't. I trim off the seed pots on the front pair, but not the ones in the back, yet not a seedling do I see.

First: My Pink & Burgundy Bi-Color Hibiscus:

It's rare the blossom arrange themselves so I can get a good photo of both a pink and red blossom in the same frame! I love this light baby pink!

It springs from a single root raised from a single seedling I planted several years ago. It's located out front on the right side of our gravel pull-in parking spot.

Next: My Hibiscus of Unusual Size:

On the other side, opposite the bi-color, is this one: an all red hibiscus of unusual height: 7 to 8 feet!  I planted it from the same batch of seedlings as the other, still it grew to super-height.

I keep both tied to stakes, since they have a tendency to flop over.

It's really putting on a splendid show! 

(Both photos were just taken yesterday.)

And Finally A Special Treat: A Green Tree Frog 

This guy was tucked in the corner of our vinyl siding above our front door a couple mornings ago.

This is a fully grown adult. Their color is so striking! They're also quite talkative at night with loud, raspy trilling.

That's it for today! Come back for Mama Kat tomorrow!