1st Plumeria bloom

I am preparing to bring all the plants in for the season and now we have our first Plumeria bloom.  Better late than never.  

As you can see, there are many more blooms to come.

I realize I have just posted an update of the little Coleus volunteer, but it had changed in just a couple days.  Try telling this little guy that the summer is over.

Change in the weather

Here is my gardening story for today.  I woke up this morning, grabbed myself a cup of coffee and headed outside.  That is my usual routine, but this morning, I started a little different.  This morning, I walked outside and directly to one of my Plumeria plants, as if it were beckoning me to come to her.  I immediately noticed, what I thought was a newly forming bud.  This bud looked a little different than the previous buds in the past.  I used my finger to push it off the stem in case it was fall debris, but to my surprise it wasn't.  It was not a newly forming bud or fall debris, but rather this horrifying Orange spider, that was all tucked up in a ball.  The moment I gingerly touched it, it uncurled itself, and that was when I knew it was a spider.  I cannot stand spiders, and I touched the damn thing, OMG.  I know, they kill garden pests, blah blah blah.  They freak me the F#$K out.  I know you are feeling this Cat.  Normally I would post a photo capturing the moment, but this time I will just move on.

I would like to start with Tiffany's rose.  I did not think it was going to bloom this year, but to my surprise, she did.  I did not even see the bee when I snapped this photo.

 Recap on the Coleus volunteer. 

It popped up in the pathway.

I slapped her in a container.

She is loving life.

Clearly this Croton thrives on neglect, as does the Night Blooming Cereus cutting, growing in the same container.  I was training the vines of the Sweet Autumn Clematis and broke off a piece of the Cereus.  I just dipped it in a little root hormone and shoved it in the dirt.  She seems to be growing fine.

 The first sign of a bloom on the Hawaiian Ginger.  Note to self, I should have painted the wire cage.

 Another White Rose of Sharon deciding to swirl.  I am loving this.

 Hardy Begonia's

 Does this look remotely comfortable?

A trip to Oliver Winery

Dad and I decided to go to Oliver Winery to check out their flowers.  If you have never been to the winery, I highly recommend it.  Here are some plants that caught my eye on this trip.

 Now the next few photos are taken in our backyard.  This little guy is adorable.  I can usually find him on the Banana tree every day.

 

September blooms

I do not remember the white Rose of Sharon blooms ever having shades of pink.  Regardless, I am loving the new look.

 The blooms of the peach Hibiscus are prettier than last year.

The 4 O'clock's  are still looking amazing.

She might not look like much, but I am elated that the Knockout Rose tree is blooming again.  She has had a roller coaster ride of a summer.  She bloomed beautiful this spring, then I moved her.  She was near death and I was about to throw myself on the ground, and she started showing signs of improvement.  She spit out a few more blooms but had lost her luster.  Here is her present state.

Odd photo angle, I know.

I have never successfully grown Celosia's of any kind.  Honestly, it was never one of my favorite flowers.  I am quickly singing a different tune these days.

 I want to mention again that this plant is over 4 feet tall.  I would almost guess her at 5 feet.

The Hyacinth bean vine is going to give me an abundance of seeds.  I have a couple trellis projects in the works to support the next generation of these beautiful plants.

Garden happenings.

Here is a few things going on in the gardens.  The Purple Datura, or as I call them Purple Moon plants, are doing nicely.  These were grown from seed collected last year, and they do much better in the ground, rather than a container.  I am really impressed by the black stems on the plant.

 And once again, the blooms tend to have a lot of variety to them.

 This bloom seems to have purple ribbons inside, the photo does not do her justice.

I did not realize that the Moon plant would get so tall.

The Canna Lilies are still blooming, and I was surprised to see the difference in the blooms.

 I think they look great even before they flower.

 Most of the blooms have been red, but we have had a few like the photo below.

 While the rest of the blooms are long gone and producing seeds, this little lady was fashionably late to the party.

 The Water Pickerel has been blooming most of the summer.

 WTF.  Our weather has went from the 90's to down right chilly.  Just look at these Elephant ears if you don't believe me.

Tomorrow is another day.