Choice Morsels

Today was mowing-the-back-yard day, especially since thunder showers are possible this evening. I also tied up tomatoes & hibiscus, trimmed off the outer edges of both Pampas Grass out front and watered the veggies & blackberries with Miracle-Gro. Today's interesting Garden Pics are 4 O'Clocks, which are an old-fashioned flower. It also has a more elegant nickname: "Marvel of Peru," which comes from it's genus-species name, " Mirabilis Jalapa ." 4 O'Clocks were exported from Peruvian Andes around 1540. Three years ago I bought seed from Park Seed for 2 specific colors of 4 O'Clock: Limelight & Broken Colors. And they've performed beautifully. They are short & bushy in form and bloom profusely at dusk every evening. They also come back faithfully every spring. Pictured below:  Limelight 4 O'Clocks Bright lime green leaves with fushia blooms. Next: Broken Colors: An heirloom, this is the original 4...

It was clear enough today to mow the front yard and put down some weed & feed. (I use Scott's Turf Builder Weed & Feed for Florida ) It was the first mow of the season. Today, I thought I'd show you my new walled in veggie garden and what I've planted in it: The soil level inside is much higher to protect it from getting flooded. I'd call Florida an "aggressive gardening environment."  By that, I mean the soil here is sandy and poor; the climate is hot, humid and either too dry or too wet; the bugs are ferocious and the weeds, tenacious. Bugs & weeds are can be dealt with; it's the climate that's the biggest problem. For that, I usually turn to my favorite garden seed catalog, Park Seed for veggie seed bred for my kind of climate. Seed I ordered this year with catalog pictures: Partenon Hybrid Squash (Zucchini) Key feature for me : it pollinates & sets even in 90+ degree heat !  Also it's a bush squash,...