Lin, keeping my fingers crossed that you revive the adenium. I have 3 and I love the way they look.

I don't use fish emulsion on my orchids; but I do use Maxi-Crop, which is a seaweed derivative. No odor. Over 60 micronutrients. Can't buy it at the big box store; but some nurseries sell it, or Ace Hardware stores do. A little goes a long way; just a capful in a gallon water and then I put it in a small sprayer. It 's a foliar spray - and it's not really a fertilizer, but I do notice the difference. It boosts stressed plants.

Thanks Elfie that is a very helpful suggestion. We have a nearby Ace hardware. I returned the fish emulsion, I don't want to give the raccoons a reason to hang out in my garden.

Happy Memorial Day to everyone. To all the Veterans and their families we thank you for your service and sacrifices from the bottom of our hearts. To the fallen heroes, your ultimate sacrifice will never be forgotten and your legacy lives on.

I moved some bromeliads and weeded the butterfly garden today. And I took lots of photos while I was doing it!

This is my Chrysothemis pulchella, which is a type of Gesneriad. It comes back every year.


Spotted the hummingbird on the firebush this morning. I'm sure you can see why they would be attractive to hummers. Zebra Longwing butterflies really like this plant, too.



It's right in front of my house. That's porterweed in front of it.



These two anoles were having a bit of a competition, I think.



I have more porterweed in the butterfly garden. I cannot overemphasize the benefits of porterweed if you want to attract pollinators and hummingbirds. Just make sure you buy the native variety! The non-natives are listed as invasive and believe me, I made that mistake before.



The Yellow Passion Flower (Passiflora lutea) has been eaten by Zebra Longwing caterpillars. But that was the point!



Butterflies love pentas. I'm kind of loving these two colors of pentas. I'm glad I put them next to each other.



The Sweetbay Magnolia has been putting out flowers pretty frequently. They don't last long, though. It's a host plant for the Tiger Swallowtail, but no caterpillars yet. It's only May, though. Lots of time for them to find me.



And the Monarch was digging the Mexican Flame Vine.

I bought a small crape myrtle early last summer, called Black Diamond. I was attracted to the very dark foliage. It has grown well; obviously is salt tolerant since I'm just a block from the beach. The foliage is still stunning; and the flowers are beautiful. Here it is:





For those of you who get the Florida Gardening magazine; there's an ad for the Black Diamond Crape Myrtles on Page 41.

Beautiful Melanie! I can see why hummers and butterflies love your garden.

Elfie, That black diamond crepe myrtle is stunning!

I mentioned the other day that my Gloriosa lily was climbing up my big cactus - here they are this morning!

Gloriosa and blooming cactus what a treat.

Isn't it? I have about 40 buds on that cactus

Gigi, lovely Plumeria blooms and tribute for Memorial Day.

Melanie, Gorgeous blooms you have going in your garden! I've grown that Chrysothemis a few times over the years and it's such a pretty plant, both leaves and blooms. That Firebush in front of your house is really gorgeous and I bet the hummers love it! I've found that they enjoy Pentas too. Nice shot of the Monarch on the Mexican Flame Vine. I was out back early this morning and found a large Monarch that had somehow gotten trapped on the screened porch; probably when I had the door opened yesterday afternoon to water plants. I gently scooped it up in my hands and released it out the door and it flew off to the flowers. I'm so glad a lizard didn't get it!!

Elfie, do you know which Black Diamond Crepe Myrtle that is? Last year I bought Crepe Myrtle (Lagerstroemia 'Ebony Flame') which is also known as 'Best Red' and love it. I really want to get a couple more of the dark red and maybe one with white flowers when we move south next year ... I love that the Black Diamond series of Crepes stay to a manageable size!

Hetty, glorious Gloriosa!! I got only one bloom on mine this year but it's probably because they are hidden behind a few other container plants and don't get enough light. My Peruvian Apple (Cereus repandus) got chopped into three pieces and moved last year; unfortunately the spot where my husband planted them gets flooded when it rains and two of them rotted away. There's still one section left in the ground and I'm thinking about digging and potting it up. As much as I don't like thorny plants I do love the nocturnal blooms of that cactus.

I planted @ 40 Caladium bulbs on April 10th and many are sprouting and showing those pretty leaves.

Ginerland & ?? Florida Cardinal or Red Ruffles ...Misc.

Blushing Bride ................................................. White Queen

And, a big leaf of Red Flash

A couple more things blooming in my yard.

Tibouchina ......................................... Gold Flame Honeysuckle


Marigolds still going strong ................ Butterfly Bush has a couple of flowers

Lin those are beautiful caladiums :

And that is a gorgeous shot on your honeysuckle.

Hi Lin -- the Crape Myrtle is (Lagerstroemia Black Diamond® Mystic Magenta). I am so pleased with it; obviously it's salt tolerant; it is growing nicely; the foliage is remaining very dark and the blooms (although not too many yet) are striking. So far it's ticked all my boxes. My husband would have been so pleased; this was the last plant we bought together.

Elfie, I'm very sorry to hear about the loss of your husband. The two of you picked a beautiful Crepe Myrtle for your garden and I bet he would be pleased that it's doing so well and bringing you joy.

Oh he knows!
My Mother lost my Dad almost a year ago now, its tough, no way around it, but I see my Dad everywhere in my garden, the day he passed an angel trumpet that never blooms till october burst into bloom in June. Now...if my poor Mother could just come around
Did you say where you got that...and I missed it.

A single bloom on Allamanda Chocolate & Cream and a pot of Ruellia ciliosa:

Lin that Allamanda is really good looking and the name suits it because it looks yummy enough to eat.

My fireball Lily in full bloom!

Mine are blooming too! They are fun, even if for a short time. I wanted to move all my pinecone ginger this year, but just didnt get to it. Daylilies almost done...time to hibernate and get into my fabric stash.