Bloomin' Tuesday

It's been hot and sticky this past week.
That's nothing new in Central Florida.
We've been enjoying the consistent rain.
Seems the garden agrees.

This trellis was recently picked out of someone's recycle bin.

It's keeping the butterfly vine in check.

This vine was recently cut waaaaay back,

as it tends to take over the space it inhabits.

We've got some morning glory vine 
climbing the light pole out front.

Not much going on in the veggie arena,

but a few of the Roma tomatoes seem to be ripening.

 This organic sweet potato slip was started 

from a grocery store purchase.

 Here's the top.

 Plenty of roots to give it a good chance once in the ground.

 It was planted this weekend next to our bamboo teepee.

Hopefully, it will climb the support 

and give us lots of sweet purple blooms.

Sweet potato vines from past years 

come back with absolutely no prodding.

 Some are used as ornamentals, 

as here between these two thryallis hedges.

Another climbs a trellis to hide our A/C unit from the street.

An old decrepid basket filled with new life.

 

Hopefully, this pineapple will soon be ready to harvest.

We've been buying leeks each week 

from our farmer friends, Faye & Lynn.

After reading about some folks having success 

with sprouting new crops from cuttings,

I decided to give it a go.

It worked!

This is about a week after the first watering.

Cool, huh?

I'm also trying to root up this magnolia for a friend.
Don't know if it'll work,
but I figured it can't hurt to try!

A friend recently redid her front garden 
and gifted me with a boatload of variagated liriope.
Never one to turn down free plants,
I assured her I could find room in my garden to make them happy.

Some were used on curved beds 
to accent the movement in the garden.

Others frame one of the saltbush in the backyard bed.
They are easily divided,
so adding them throughout the garden is a breeze.

A couple others were placed to add a pop of brightness.

Always a welcome sight in the garden.

 As mentioned in yesterday's Farm School post,
we are again hosting black swallowtail caterpillars.

Our usual population of monarchs are also right at home.

 The zinnias are filling in the square-foot bed.
Veggies are difficult to grow here in summer,
so it's nice to have some color.

I honestly never tire of these beauties.

 The thryallis has really benefited from the additional rainfall.

 What would Maple Hill be without daisies?
I shudder to think!

Here's hoping you are getting just the right amount of rain
wherever you call home.