One needs to stop and look close to see the tiny blooms on this row of hedges rimming an apartment building’s property. Copyright 2018 Pamela Breitberg
The buds caught my attention a few weeks ago. I wasn’t sure if they’d amount to flowers of any signifigance. Cute little flowers that will last only a few weeks each year, like most perennials. Then just a memory. Copyright 2018 Pamela Breitberg
An amazing collection of Camellias decorate the grounds of the Maclay Gardens in Tallahassee Florida. I happened to visit during their peak January through March bloom season. Camellia are native to Asia and beloved worldwide for their graceful beauty. Enjoy.
Beautiful close up as well as from a distance. Copyright 2018 Pamela Breitberg
Camellia blooms are accompanied by Spanish Moss. Copyright 2018 Pamela Breitberg
These prolific blooms grow on tall, dense shrubs. Copyright 2018 Pamela Breitberg
Pretty in pink. Copyright 2018 Pamela Breitberg
Still very pretty though it is past it’s prime bloom time. Camellias come in a variety of colors. Copyright 2018 Pamela Breitberg
The official website for this state park is: https://www.floridastateparks.org/park/Maclay-Gardens. Beware that there is an entry fee to any Florida State Park.
Oceanside shrub with raspberry-like January berries. Copyright 2018 Pamela Breitberg
This delicate bloom can withstand the harsh shoreline environment including winds and waters. Copyright 2017 Pamela Breitberg
Time on the beach, for me, includes checking out the plants on the inland edges. My newness to the area had me assuming that this thick, prolific mass was native to the area. Closer study has taught me this is not the case.
Natal Plum (Carissa macrocarpa) is the African relative of Florida’s native Coco Plum. Both species live on the sandy shores. Both have edible plum-like fruits. Natal Plums’s invasive character includes spine tipped leaves which are oft overlooked with focus going to their graceful year-long blooming white flowers and reddish fruit.
After flowering the Natal Plum fruits emerge here, still too unripe for eating. The “plum” is the only non-poisonous part of the Natal Plum. Copyright 2017 Pamela Breitberg
Ready to eat Natal Plum. Copyright 2017 Pamela Breitberg
Hydrangea shrub in full bloom, Copyright 2015 Pamela Breitberg
Nothing is more telling of life’s development than the gradual change of Hydrangea shrubs’ clusters of delicate flowers from pale green, pure white, then soft pink, which deepens toward purple and finally changes to neutral taupe. This shrub is still actively in bloom, undaunted by the cooling temperatures. It’s difficult for me to walk past them every day and not pick a few to savor as a dried bouquet during the upcoming winter. Mine, for the first time, didn’t bloom at all this year!?!
Shades of life. Copyright 2015 Pamela Breitberg
Diablo Ninebark (Physocarpus) shrub with emerging buds and fully open flowers. This shrub reinforces my purple and white shades in my springtime perennial garden. The leaves and the white flowers both have purple undertones. This species is also suitable to my sustainable plans; it is heat and drought resistant. I take advantage of perennial’s deep roots and keep my watering to only once or twice each year. Newly planted perennials are pampered with weekly deep watering as their root systems become established.
Budding Diablo, copyright 2015, Pamela Breitberg
Prolific blooms of Ninebark, copyright 2015 Pamela Breitberg
Ever faithful Service Bush. Copyright 2015, Pamela Breitberg
Strawberries-to-be. Copyright 2015 Pamela Breitberg.
Still ripening Snowball bush. Copyright 2015, Pamela Breitberg
Bleeding Heart in white. Copyright 2015 Pamela Breitberg
Lily of the Valley, copyright 2015 Pamela Breitberg
Arc’d blooms clustered under these succulent leaves along the shore. Unsure what this shrub-like plant is, but it is a regular planting along Ft. Lauderdale beaches. copyright 2015 Pamela Breitberg
Four different plants have the common name, Rose of Sharon. The images below are example of the species Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus), a shrub, found in North America. It had just finished raining which is evident by the wet blossoms and pollen-loaded, water saturated, and immobile bee.
I admired the blooms for many years along my neighbor’s fence. When I was looking to fill some open space in my garden, she suggested I take a few of the numerous new shoots emerging between the mature shrubs. I did so. My green-thumb gardener, mother, warned me that they can be invasive and I might want to rethink my use of them in my garden. This turned out to be very true. Like other advice from a mother, it took me several years to realize her wisdom. Though I removed the three full size shrubs several years ago, I am still continuously pulling out young sprouts every few weeks all around my garden. They are easy to remove when new sprouts; and good exercise.
The images below are from this dear neighbor’s yard. The upward view on the pink blossom is because the shrub has grown to over eight feet tall and FULL of beautiful blossoms. I am grateful for my wonderful neighbors, and also that there is a wide gravel alley between our two gardens; keeping neighboring seeds at bay.
Rain soaked Rose of Sharon, copyright 2014 Pamela Breitberg
Water and pollen laden Bee on Rose of Sharon bloom, copyright 2014 Pamela Breitberg
Purple Spirea, copyright 2014 Pamela Breitberg
Macro of Spirea in bloom, copyright 2014, Pamela Breitberg
Spirea details, copyright 2014 Pamela Breitberg