About the garden...

The weather's been dreadful the past few days--we've had TEN INCHES of rain in three days, and not a ray of sun. The weeds are running amok, especially the Asian Dayflower, which thrives in this kind of weather. The bugs are unbelievable. And did I mention the electrical storms?

So, not much desire to spend time in my garden. I've pulled up all the remaining full-sized tomatoes with the exception of a couple Tiffany, which is a very disease-resistant bush. It's even managed to set some fruit in the last few days, though my experience has been that fruit this time of year isn't very good, and tends to collapse on the vine from the bug onslaught and the heavy rains. (They crack in all this rain, then gnats or fruit flies get into them...) But the tropical stuff loves it: My malanga has finally leafed out after surviving squirrel attacks, the cassava seems to grow a few inches every day. Sweet potatoes are running everywhere. And the cowpeas and yardlong beans are hitting their summer stride. Peppers continue to produce spottily.

I've been making a very tasty Thai salad based on shredded peppers (hot and sweet) and shredded greens (sweet potato leaves, various herbs, Okinawan spinach), banana blossoms, and cherry tomatoes. Blue crab on top. Dressed with a lime-based vinaigrette. Tasty.

Let's see, in the flower garden: My roses are looking surprisingly good for this time of year. I have yet to spray them since very early spring, and they don't have much black-spot to speak of. This time of year, probably because of the heat and water, they tend to spend their energies on vegetative growth, not on flowers. I'm growing a couple new-to-me plants that have earned a place in my garden: Blue Scaevola aemula (Fan Flower) and Angelonias. The Angelonias aren't constant bloomers, but they sure are a nice, low-maintenance plant that's easy to propagate. I'll also make Buddleia in pots a permanent part of my garden. They have to be deadheaded frequently to stay in bloom, but they're such wonderful blooms and their fragrance fills the yard.

Oh, and I should mention the surprise of the summer: In the corner of a bed, I left some Allyssum that I started from seeds in the spring. Though I think of it as a delicate spring flower, it's flourishing right now. Not a lot of flowers, but enough, and very compact and well-behaved.

Summer flowers for Florida

I had a couple of bare patches in the flower beds, so yesterday morning before work I planted...

• Four pots purple Pseuderanthemum laxiflorum (since there were multiple plants in each pot, I divided the pots into six plants). A new-to-me plant from a grower called "Florennials" -- claims to be perennial in Florida.
• One pot "Victoria Blue" Salvia farinacea (divided into two plants)
• Two pots of a pinkish Gaura, a tried-and-true perennial in my garden.
• One pot of blue and white AngelMist Angelonia
• Three small pots of blue Scaevola hybrid
• Some Purple Queen (Tradescantia pallida 'Purple Heart'), transplanted from my garden
• A bunch of Black and Blue Salvia (Salvia guaranitica 'Black and Blue'), transplanted from my garden
• I transplanted some yellow Gazanias to coordinate the beds.

The photographs were taken after I got back from work, when the plants were pretty droopy. Taking pictures of beds is problematic, the moreso since I lack right now any background foliage from this perspective.

Summer flower seed order

From Swallowtail Garden, which has a terrific selection of flowers at prices significantly lower than Thompson-Morgan. I ordered my Torenia seeds from them and was impressed with the quality of the seeds, packaging, and speed of delivery.

Mostly my strategy this year was to order cultivars of natives (like Monarda, Tradescantia and Asclepias) or plants like Penstemon and Agastache that I've seen growing in others' gardens.

BEE BALM, PANORAMA MIX

AGASTACHE, APRICOT SPRITE

AGASTACHE, PINK POP

BEE BALM, PANORAMA RED SHADES

GAURA, THE BRIDE

BUTTERFLY WEED, SOULMATE

OBEDIENCE PLANT, CROWN OF SNOW

PENSTEMON, SCARLET QUEEN

PENSTEMON, TUBULAR BELLS ROSE

BLACKBERRY LILY, FRECKLE FACE

SPIDERWORT, SHIMMER MIXED

MELONS, FASTBREAK CANTALOUPE

ANGEL'S TRUMPET, BALLERINA WHITE