Choice Morsels

  My Purple Shamrocks are making a good show this year!  They're a good investment; very prolific in light sun to shady areas. This weeks project: I bought six small castle blocks and used what scalloped blocks I had around. The ground without the blocks was too low for the hydrangea's I had planted there and they were struggling. Really, one died. But in digging the survivor up, I found I could split off a section to make it into two; one on either side, more to front. Easter lilies are there, plus in back, I planted a couple 4 O' clock seeds of a particular color and plan on transplanting Marigolds seedlings to plant on back side.  The back is closer to tree and front fuller, since this is near properly line. Hopefully the Hydrangea's will thrive. They're a pretty bluish-purple when they bloom.| Among Southern shrubs, I like Hydrangea's best because they are easy to care for, don't require hedging and bloom all from spring thru frost. Plus they come in blu...

You can't say Florida doesn't have winter color! Today, I took my camera and walked through the neighborhood and down the road about a quarter of a mile to snap a picture of this gorgeous, berry laden shrub! I didn't know what it was, though I see it often here and there in all over the place. I think it plants itself. Birds like the berries. So I looked it up. It's called Firethorn.  This particular one is a self-planted, gone wild one down by a power pole along the road. But it is a landscape shrub that can be planted on purpose and it prized for it's fast growth and lovely winter color in north Florida--though it requires meticulous hedging or it will get 20 feet big. It's branches can be cut for indoor arrangements and it does well in a vase or can be used to accent a wreath.  I took a pair of clippers and picked some one year for a vase. From a different wild-growing Firethorn elsewhere. However, Firethorn doesn't have the word "...