Garden Pic Wednesday: Plumbago & Raspberry Hydrangea

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When the bad tree-cutter cut down pine trees and let them fall on every adjacent fence, many branches on my Maple tree were torn down as well---but the upside is that loss of those branches on that side is allowing so much more sunlight in! Plus the neighbors pines are all gone, which makes things less shady and more light as well!

My Plumbago shrub, which is planted in the vicinity of that Maple, is blooming more now then it ever has--because it is getting more sun!
Plumbago flowers are naturally baby blue in color. It's a popular landscape shrub here in Florida. I got this one from a favorite local nursery that is now out of business, so I'm fond of it for that reason.




Between the Plumbago and the Maple tree is this Raspberry colored Hydrangea. 
It's been there for years, but this year it is blooming a bit more then it has up to now, because it is enjoying more light!




This area is a few feet in front of the Maple, still fairly shady, but I view it from my sliding glass door, so I've been working on making it a bit scenic.
The container was a gift from a friend and it serves as a focal point and I've been trying to plant shade-lovers around it: Hosta lilies, Purple Clover and Purplish common Ajuga, which is a grown clover. 
That container used to have Chocolate Elephant Ears (burgundy color), but I'd had generations of them for years and they finally died out.
I'm still trying to decide what I want in that container. For now, a Caladium and a bit of Arrowhead house plant are in it. I set my houseplants for summer and Arrowhead tendrils sometimes take root. They seems to like living outside.


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