Happy Monday GPODers!
While February is the shortest month, for many of us in colder climates it can feel like the month that never ends. The excitement of the New Year has waned, and snow fall after snow fall becomes less like festive weather and more like tedious work. We feel spring slowly approaching, but that approach can feel like a torturous crawl. However, here on Garden Photo of the Day, the long final stretch of winter can still be filled with excitement and intrigue. There is always interest to be found, whether we’re reminiscing on past color, highlighting the beauty of quiet winter landscapes, or getting a taste of lusher gardens from warmer climates. Today, we have the latter, with Anne Eshelman showing off the color and life that can be found in her garden in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. With just two years in Florida after relocating from Michigan, Anne has learned a lot about gardening in this new climate and is enjoying the fruits of this learning process.
Good morning!
I love Fine Gardening and have subscribed to print and digital for many years. This time of year there are winter shots and retrospectives. So I wanted to send in some pictures of what is growing now in northeast Florida.
After more than 30 years of gardening in suburban Michigan in zone 6a, we relocated to Ponte Vedra Beach in coastal Jacksonville which is zone 9b. I miss my lush peonies, lilacs, daylilies, irises and lilies of the valley (Convallaria majalis, Zones 3–7). And I have had a lot to learn in the past 2 years here.
But here’s what is blooming in my garden in January! Some came with the house and were planted 20 years ago, so I don’t have details. These include purple Princess flower (Tibouchina urvilleana, Zones 9–11), white camellias, and many azaleas.
The ones I planted include pink camellia (Camellia japonica ‘Early Autumn’, Zones 7–9) (a lavender rose, formal double) blue plumbago (Plumbago auriculata, Zones 9–11), roses (True Bloom® True Sincerity landscape rose [Rosa ‘True Sincerity’, Zones 5–10] and Chrysler Imperial everblooming hybrid tea rose [R. ‘Chrysler Imperial’, Zones 6–10]) and blue salvia.
I included butterfly pictures on lantana I planted even though they have left town. We had monarchs for about 6 months, until after thanksgiving! It was fun for my grandchildren to see the real “Very Hungry Caterpillar”!
I’m eager to see what will grow this year and if I can attract more species of butterflies!
First, a close up of the wonderful pink camellias that Anne planted. From her description of “lavender rose, formal double blooms”, I’m guessing this is the variety Early Wonder® (C. japonica ‘Early Autumn’, Zones 7–9). If I’m correct, these beautiful blooms have been appearing in Anne’s garden since fall, a rare occurrence for Japanese camellias.
Next up is a plant that Anna inherited with her new home, the tropical Princess flower (Tibouchina urvilleana, Zones 9–11). Northern gardeners might have enjoyed this plant as an annual, or overwinter a potted specimen as a houseplant (it’s particularly lovely trained and pruned into a tree form). But in warmer locations it can be grown as a shrub where the evergreen foliage provides interest year-round.
Lastly, the photos Anne mentioned of a Gulf fritillary (Agraulis vanillae) butterfly visiting her lantana plant. Gulf fritillary are also called the ‘Passion butterfly’ because the passionflower is a vital host plant for the species. However, it looks like Anne’s bright yellow lantana has caught its attention—meaning it may be a gold lantana (Lantana depressa, Zones 9–11), which is native to Florida and much loved by butterflies and other pollinators.
Another look at that beautiful butterfly enjoying the Florida sunshine and the bounty Anne has provided. A milkweed might be awaiting them in the background as well!
Thank you so much for this taste of color and warmth from your garden, Anne! As I look at a weather forecast heavy with snow this week in Connecticut, it is such a treat to see what is growing on the opposite end of the east coast, and it’s a lovely reminder of the color that awaits us in the months to come.
Do you garden in a warm or completely frost-free climate? Let’s trade snow snaps for flower photos! I’ll brave the inclement weather to take some photos of the quiet beauty in a fresh snowfall, and hope some of you will take a walk outside and capture some of the plants that are thriving right now. Then we’ll all be able to enjoy a taste of the many wonderful facets of nature. Follow the directions below to submit your photos via email, or send me a DM on Instagram: @agirlherdogandtheroad.
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Fine Gardening Recommended Products
National Wildlife Federation®: Attracting Birds, Butterflies, and Other Backyard Wildlife, Expanded Second Edition (Creative Homeowner) 17 Projects & Step-by-Step Instructions to Give Back to Nature
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From the National Wildlife Federation, the largest U.S. nonprofit conservation organization, with 6 million members and 51 state and territorial affiliated organizations. 17 step-by-step projects that everyone can do together make getting your family back to nature easy, educational, and fun. Over 200 color photos of backyard wildlife habitats and the wide variety of creatures they attract, plus step-by-step photos and illustrations for family projects. Learn wildlife-friendly practices for gardening, landscape design, supplemental feeders, birdbaths, nesting places, and more. Learn how to attract backyard pollinators, from bees and butterflies to beetles, bats, and hummingbirds
Get your garden certified by the National Wildlife Federation’s Garden for Wildlife(TM) program by following the included certification application checklist.
Ho-Mi Digger – Korean Triangle Blade
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Versatile Tool: The Easy Digger Korean Triangle Blade Ho Mi Ho-mi is a versatile gardening tool designed for leveling and digging in home and garden settings. Efficient Design: Its unique triangular blade shape allows for easy soil penetration and efficient leveling of garden beds or landscaping areas. Durable Construction: Crafted with sturdy materials, this tool ensures long-lasting performance and reliability.
Ergonomic Handle: The comfortable handle provides a secure grip, reducing hand fatigue during extended use. Compact Size: Its compact design makes it easy to maneuver in tight spaces and store when not in use.
Plant Covers Freeze Protection 10 ft x 30 ft Floating Row Cover 0.9oz/yd²
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Lightweight and Breathable MATERIAL Good for protecting Plant: the plant frost cover material is 0.74 oz/sq non-woven polypropylene fabric, which is lightweight, breathable, and durable. The plant blanket frost protection allows sunlight reach the plants, perfect for protecting plants from the damage of freeze or frost. Wide Application In your Garden Work. The plant row cover not only can work as a barrier against frost, but also can be a great tool for germination and good for rapid seedling growth. By using the fabric plant covers over your plant, you can start the plant earlier in the spring and extending the growing season of your plants. How to Use the Plant Covers: you can cover the plant covers for freeze over your the plants loosely directly and then secure the plant frost blanket with soil, stones or staples. You can also support the floating row covers with a hoop, make enough room for plants to breath and grow. You could also cut the plant covers into different sizes for different purposes.
