Citrus County Flower Gardening

It’s been a while since I talked about gardening and flowers in Florida. After having lived here for 25 years and gardened for all those years, I do have my favorites that I thought I’d pass those along to you. I also indicate to you where I can split some of my perennials that are out there —-just ask.

ANNUALS

I have quite a few trees so I have quite a bit of shade.  I am very fortunate to be able to grow Impatiens and love them in my yard  because they re-seed themselves every year and in warmer winters survive.  They are just beautiful, especially this year. Love my Impatient hanging basket (Special pot ordered online). 

I also like Vinca because they also reseed themselves as does the Torenia. The annuals I like, of course are the angel wing Begonia so that’s what they plant at Black Diamond, a lot like now, and Coleus during the summer.   If it doesn’t get too cold, the Coleus reseed themselves too.

Geraniums are great and I like them, especially in pots because they have showy color. They are kind of messy, so you don’t want to put them in place because they leave their pedals to  fall all over the ground and you have to clean them up.  Eventually this summer,  it’ll get too rainy for them and probably too hot.  But put them in the shade and water, and you can get them to re-bloom for several years.

 

On my lanai now. I’ve been growing Bromeliads.  I gave up growing the Vanda  Orchids. They’re beautiful, but expensive, and they needed a bit of attention: fertilize, water. Bromeliads last months and so many varieties!

 

In recent years, I have really become a Zinnia  lover.  I love to be able to cut flowers and bring them in the house. However, they’re pretty fussy about too much water on their leaves, and you need to pinch them back.   Save and dry the blooms and have free seeds for the following year.

 

Perennials

Roses are nice and the problem with roses they do require trimming and deadheading.

In the late winter, we enjoy our Camellia’s. They are one of the first things that bloom in fall/winter.  Your  Christmas Amaryllis, Poinsettias and Easter Lilies can be planted into the yard for a spring show. 

 

The gardenias follow and now that we approach summer, I have several ginger plants (curcumu) and Taiwan tulips blooming .  The pagoda is nice and but is very invasive, and it will spread itself all over the place!   And so will the passion flower vine, and spiderworts.  Ask for samples but be prepared to find them all over  the yard  eventually including the grass!

Several years back, I noticed a wildflower growing on the easement of the golf course tee.  Learned it is called a Rain Lily.  It  spreads like crazy, and I can share those seeds with you.  They’re blooming now, but eventually they’ll stop.  They sure make a showy statement this rainy time of year after they have spread out.

I like Crinium Lilies, and happy to share the bulbs with you, but again if you don’t like long leaves that need to be cut back,  you don’t want this plant.  Mexican petunias are nice but get  invasive and I’ve had a problem in the recent years with powdery mildew on them. Gerber Daisies, one  my favorites, but again the weather conditions need to be right:  water and rain. They don’t mind the heat too much but they do like to be watered. Summer flowers: I have several Ginger and Taiwan Tulips,  and they’re “showy” and  reliable to come back.

 

The Blue Plumbago- nothing is quite a striking in a garden—blue just stands out.

If you have plenty of room, then you might want to try  Mexican Sunflower.  See them in several spots on the bike path,  but they take up a lot of room.  Can be shared once cut and they root.

I love my Hydrangeas, but they need a lot of room too, if you let them grow.  If you prune too much, they may not bloom as well.  Spring bloom Gardenias: love the fragrance. 

The Cassia Bush, which is supposed to bloom right around Christmas time,  produces a nice yellow show.

I love daylilies, but they just don’t seem to get as full as they did when I grew them in Michigan.  So I have a few of them in the yard. Almost perennials: Will die back if a frost….but sually return to bloom:  Hibiscus, Lantana, Peace Lily, Canna Lily, Weidelia Ground Cover, 

 

Several plants will require a trellis: the White Bleeding Heart (I can share) , Blue Morning Glory (grown from purchased seed)  and Jasmine. 

I love the Crêpe Myrtles that are getting ready to show off color this time of year. I do cut them back in February to keep them contained.   The Magnolia Tree is nice,  but be prepared to be picking up leaves and cones.  I started with four trees; I have one now.

Rose of Sharon  bush blooms now through the summer.  

I like Calladium bulb plants .  They come in many colors and many shapes and sizes.  They  add a nice touch to the summer landscape; they die back during the winter .

Showy color this time of year is the  Lily of the Nile. ( I can share)  

Milkweed; Reseeds itself wherever it wants in the garden but butterflies love it!

MISCELLANEOUS THOUGHTS;  I also plant regular begonias, marigolds, and snapdragons, all annuals that sometimes re-seed and sometimes survive winter frost.              There are my thoughts on gardening in Citrus County!