This is one of my encephalartos ferox (a cycad) with one of its new cones. I love the bright orange color and the contrast. It has two more cones coming. It did the same thing last year. Very interesting plant.

Anna

Anna, I love your Encephalartos Ferox. Do you have any of the blue forms of Encephalartos also?

Meems, I love the pink feathers and the grace of Muhly grass too. Yes, by all means, post pics of your beautiful garden daily. That's what I'm talking about.

Tina, I have other cycads, but only this type of encephalartos. I love cycads. I will get other pics. See, here we go! Your canna leaf photo is amazing! Should be framed. I'sn't nature incredible? Such detail and pattern.

Felix, my red pentas have almost kicked the bucket. I was looking at some of the pink ones I rooted last year. Very satisfying. I really like that combination with the purple knight alternanthera.

Thanks everyone for posting! Let's keep on adding and see how many we can get. Here's my pond.

Anna

Anna, I love-love-love your pond. What inspiration

First, let me say that Anna, your cycad picture is very dramatic and beautiful, and as I've always said, your pond is an inspiration! One of the prettiest around!

Boom1, I'm totally unfamiliar with this tree, but it looks very handsome, and your picture is great!

Meems, there is nothing any more dramatic than light shining through Muhly grass, and your photo captures it perfectly!

Aroidg, what a GREAT, dramatic shot! It is absolutely a work of art. Framing time!

Felix, your red pentas look smashing against that alternanthera. Super picture!

Maryinnp, I love the ruellia photo...I can never get mine to look as vibrantly purple in pictures as they do in real life. Yours looks great! And your thryallis is gorgeous!

Susieq, a perfect photo of a perfect bloom! Beautiful!

And now, my picture of the day. I was inspired by Aroidg's lovely canna shot. This is NOWHERE near as stunning, but it does present a different view of Black Magic taro. I was surprised how light the leaves looked from behind with the sun shining through them.

Can't wait to see what's here tomorrow! Great thread, Anna.

Marcia

its a green orchid bee, rare to South Florida

Maryinnp, I keep thinking and admiring thryallis. Yours is blooming happily. Wish I had more full sun. Love the tiny, generous blooms.

Susieq, is that the Seminole Pink hibiscus? I've heard it is the best in dealing with our FL nematodes. Do you find that to be true?

Marcia and Olya, thanks for your compliments. Marcia, that Black Magic in your pond has some beautiful backlighting. Great shot. Mine is on the edge of my pond and never grows very big. Probably needs more water. Do you fertilize yours? Is it actually in the pond? Your pond looks great and the plants very healthy, by the way.

Boom, incredible picture! Looks like some kind of schomburgkia, and the bees are soo surrealistically flourescent green! I love that picture.

Tina, this is a dioon spinulosum. I have had this plant for at least 12 years and have carted it to 3 different properties. Last year it had a huge cone, and this year another. It is difficult to appreciate from the pic, but these cones must be at least 30 pounds each. The plant looks worn and tired (I would be too after producing these things), has not flushed since producing these monsters, but now has a tiny pup growing behind it. These are such interesting, wonderful, easy plants.

Anna

Ferns... Pic taken recently at Leu Gardens, Orlando.

Ornamental banana:

I took some photos today... I'll look through them after I upload to see if anything worthy and come back if so.
Meems

Does anyone know the name of this guy?

Meems

Anna, love your Dioone pic. I have a small baby Dioone. I really do need to work on my Cycad collection. It kind of went to the wayside with all of the other projects I have going on. I want some of the blue forms and with their slow growth rate I should get some going.

LTY, that canna is absolutely gorgeous! I had never seen one that beautiful rose pink color. This thread is soo lovely already. The setting is beautiful too.

Meems, those are great shots! Quite the intriguing striped fella. Your creatures look mesmerized by that floriferous goldenrod. I love seeing the details of the individual tiny flowers. Quite elaborate, aren't they? Look at the pollen thighs on that busy worker. Need to grab my camera!

Anna

Orchid blooming in my orchid house:

From Orchids September 2009

Olya

And speaking of cannas, Love The Yard, that might be the most beautiful one I have EVER seen!! Fantastic color!

Meems, the photos of the wasp and bumblebee on the goldenrod are terrific! I just can't wait for mine to start blooming...the buds are there, so it could happen any day.

Gorgeous orchids, Olya! Looks like you have a perfect place to grow them, too!

Yesterday was Butterfly Mania in my yard. I saw so many, including monarchs, black swallowtails, spicebush swallowtails, sulphurs, gulf frits, giant swallowtails, tiger swallowtails, and one lone zebra longwing.

This picture isn't as good as the one of the tiger swallowtail the other day, but these spicebush swallowtails weren't cooperating. They WERE, however, doing a mating dance.

The pink pentas are once again the site of choice. ALL the butterflies mentioned above spent time on them yesterday. (And each evening at dusk, there are 4 hummingbird (sphinx) moths on them for a LONG time.)

Just in case anyone missed it before, here is the picture of the tiger swallowtail I took a couple of weeks ago. I think it is the best butterfly picture I've ever managed to get.

Thanks for sharing all the great photos, everyone!

Marcia

Yeah, Marcia, I think you just can't beat rubellia for that purple color. I need to take more cuttings and add some more to the landscape. And your butterfly pics are just gorgeous. I just can't seem to capture them with my older model Kodak. What kind of camera do you use...or maybe that's a topic for another thread?

Mary

thanks john

Mary, I have a six or seven year old Sony CyberShot that I really need to replace. But I have been pretty happy with it overall. It's 5.0 megapixels, and very reliable. However, there are newer cameras out that cost MUCH less than I paid for this one and do much more. And have a bigger view screen, too, which is really why I want to upgrade. I think I will stick with the Sony, though.

I took about 40 or 45 pictures to get that one of the tiger swallowtail. I just stood there clicking away while he opened and closed his wings, and I finally caught him with them open. That and this one are my two best butterfly pictures I've ever taken, I think. They usually don't cooperate or let me get so close.

Thanks for the compliments.

Marcia

Pipevine and cats.

Anna, thank you for starting this thread.

Ginny

Marcia, your butterfly/penta pictures are a work of art. I get a lot of hummingbird moths on my pentas also. Then the hornworms enjoy/ trim them too! I have a lot of butterflies right now also. It is definitely a great butterfly year.

John, my pond is a lined pond that we designed/created from scratch in March 2006. We did it with the help of a friend with a bobcat, and a pond company to fine tune the edges and shelves, and install the equipment. Would you like to see photos of the building process (I posted this in the past, but I can't find the thread), or more photos now, but from different angles? Let me know and I will do it in another thread so as not to burden this thread.

Maryinnp, that's good to know about the thryallis. I used to avoid yellow in my garden, but now I'm starting to add more and more, so I will need to find a spot. Thanks.

Ginny, that's an amazing picture of the pipevine flowers and the cats. It took me a little to find the cats. Your photos are always great, please keep posting.

Here is a foliage shot near my front entrance.

Thank-you everyone for jumping in with your great pictures. Let's see how long we can keep this going!

Anna

Thank you for this thread and thanx for all the pics

Hugs Carmen

Steve

I bought this orchid in 1991 from a lady who bought it new in 1964. She still had the original tag from Jones and Scully in Miami. Benlate and Andrew put them out of business. They paid a lot of money to get this orchid for breeding, but it turned out to be a sterile triploid. I guess they recovered their loss when meristem cloning became available. Thats what mine was. I laid it to rest about 2 weeks ago

John, a stunning picture of a stunning flower!

Rowdy...I wonder? Could it be...THAT IT LOOKS JUST LIKE A BIG OL' BAT? Hahahaha. Your picture is a terrific one...it even shows the NOSE and nostrils! What an image!

Felix, I see you've added more koi! They are beautiful, mi amigo!

Gardencraze, I love both the color and the shape of the blooms on your lily. What kind is it?

Anna, your foliage is so rich and varied in its many shades of green. The elephant ear is beautiful!

Ginibee, I think that's a SUPER picture of the pipevine and cats. Such a cool plant!!

This is a great thread, Anna. I will see what I can find to add tomorrow.

Marcia

Clerodenrum blue butterflies (I think!)
I took a cutting right before TS Fay killed the mother-plant. I'm so glad it rooted!

Susie

john

Everyone, what stunning photos!

Christine

I love the colors of these.
T

john

Felix, your boys are obviously well fed and happy. The koi in the middle looks like it has a little parasol above him... and that bright blue dragonfly taking a rest is a nice bonus in your beautiful picture!

Steve, the detail on that flower is incredible!!! I don't think I've ever looked at a bat-faced cuphea quite that close. Thanks for sharing it. I have to smile every time I go back to look at it.

Kristi, great picture! What a nice morning find. Our gardens bring so much joy, don't they?

Susieq, that is one beautiful bush. Glad you were able to root it too. How is that new plant doing?

Trini, as always, you have such gorgeous plants! Please name them for us! I'm guessing the top one is medinella magnifica (?), the bottom one is some kind of unusual ixora, and what is the middle one?

John, your orchids are stunningly beautiful. That white cattleya is perfection. Could the orange ascocenda be Yip Sum Wa? Very pretty too. You are obviously an experienced orchid grower to keep them alive and blooming happily for so many years! I will take more pond pics soon and post in the next day or two.

Laura, that's a great photo!!! I'm curious about those pretty bugs too. I hope someone knows. If I have time I might try to see if I can find them.

I'm sooo enjoying this thread!

Anna

Here's one of my favorites, taken a few weeks ago.

Kate

Anna, the orchid is Degarmoara Winter Wonderland, thank you

Here is my variegated hibiscus

Silvia

My clerodendron paniculatum (pagoda flower) is blooming again. The butterflies and I adore this plant. Haven't seen hummers on it, but maybe I've missed them. Seems they should like it. The climbing fern on the cabbage palm is stenochlaena palustris, and the underlying bush is brunsfelsia, which isn't blooming now. The heliconia on the right blooms in November or December.

Anna

Ginny

Ricky, your mona lisa is a masterpiece! Can't wait for mine to grow up. I like the way you pair it up with an ixora. I need to evaluate what to put around the knees. Too many ferns already.

Felix, that truly is a beautiful picture. You should show it again when it opens. I love the different stages too.

Ginny, boy, is that plant aptly named. Intriguing the way the calyces (?) are black in contrast with the bright red lipstick.

Kate, I don't know how I missed the bumblebee the first time I looked at the picture! You really captured him well. Determined, isn't he?

Here is my alocasia borneo giant. You can see the scale by the coconut palm it is close to. I guess it is about 9 feet tall. I love the clump it is forming.

Anna

Someone made a comment in an earlier post on this forum about how shy titmice were. Well meet Harry the hair theif. This was back in the spring. He got me first while I was having coffee on the patio. So I got my camera and persuaded my wife to come out. Boy was she surprised. This went on for several days, until the nest was finished I guess. I had some fun inviting people out for coffee.

john

John, what a great story, and an even better picture!!! Love it! This thread has turned out to be fun too! Of course, your wife has great hair... and Harry has great taste.

Anna

This is what the bud looked like:

Christine

Guess who's coming to diner?
On the menu is Confederate Rose. Well they gotta it too.
Ha Ha Ha
Felix

maryinnp i have those growing invasive in the leeway of my back yard. my neighbors call them purple shower here. they commonly attract green orchid bees. heres a pic:

i love them and am trying to plant more things to attract them.

manuture
that is my rainbow eucalyptus tree, i have a thread below i update bi-monthly (its due) its progress. it can grow up to 20 feet a year up to 100 feet down here, larger in its native Australia
heres a pic of its bark as it matures and peels

(i dont know this guy, lmao)

countrynest
beautiful koi pond, that is definitely on the to do list after my pergola, i want to grow lotus flowers

happy_fl_gardener
beautiful dragon fruit. do you hand pollinate? i have yellow, purple haze and delight. they grow fast during rainy season (starting to work its way up the telephone pole) but all of its flowers (8) have not resulted in a single fruit. i witness alot of bees pollinating flowers around my yard so i dont understand why the flowers arent pollinating. maybe next year.

BTW this thread is pure awesomeness.

Can't tell ya how much I've enjoyed this thread. Everyone's photos are so beautiful and/or interesting. Anna, are you going to start a "Pictures of the Week" thread on Monday? I love that idea!

Boom, the rainbow eucalyptus is stunning. Never saw that before! Thanks for sharing it. (Who's the handsome fella beside it????? *grin*) And the green orchid bee photo is beautiful!

Felix, tell that guy to quit munching on your Confederate Rose. I'm sure you can reason with him, right?

Chrisstine, your dragonfruit flowers are fantastic! And John, the hair stealing titmouse is a hoot! Bless your wife for sitting still while he made off with his ill-gotten gains!

Anna, Evelyn just gave Nicki a Borneo Giant, and Nicki's beside herself over it. I hope hers does as well as yours. Beautiful photo!

Kate, love the bumblebee photo, too. Oh, heck, I love ALL these wonderful pictures! Thanks to everyone for making this such a great thread. It's the first place I stop now.

I finally caught my spicebush swallowtail with his wings open yesterday, as he enjoyed lunch on my red (giant?) pentas. He was happy, I was happy, and I reckon the pentas were just fine, too!

Have a great day, everyone!

Marcia

Have you ever showed us this part of your yard? Makes me want to take a stroll down that path. You must show us details of different stops along the way. As always, your rudbeckias are heavenly, but I see so much I would like to get a closer look at. Beautiful, beautiful area. Show us more, please!

Boom, those rainbow eucalyptus are gorgeous specimens. We saw some also, but in Costa Rica. Surrealistic colors. You can't imagine they are real. Selby here has one too that's quite nice. Keep us updated on your tree. Sounds like with that growth rate, it should start showing its colors soon.

Felix, I guess that grasshopper found that confederate rose to be quite appealing too! I was hoping you'd show it after it opened, but I guess we didn't expect this! The garden is full of surprises, huh?

Christine, wonderful detail on that dragon fruit flower and bud. Is that the same as the night blooming cereus? Wish they were open during the day to appreciate them longer.

Here is my only Vanda, and it's blooming now. I find these orchids to be too needy, and I can never give them as much water as they need. This is the best it does, as it needs much more attention than I'm willing to give it. Pretty enough for me, though.

Anna

GG - can I incorporate your wonderful flower garden in with my veggies? That's what I want out back in my raised veggie beds!

I'll post a few humble pictures....

Tom

Variegated Elephant Ear.

Tom, you are getting quite the orchid collection! They all look quite healthy, and the catt and dendrobium are blooming wonderfully for you! And, I don't think I've ever seen a bigger bunch of bananas! What kind of banana is it?

Felix, grreat detail on that cheery swamp sunflower.

Veronica, beautiful variegated colocasia. Do you know which one it is? I think I've killed this one twice before! Sure is pretty, and yours is quite the specimen.

My floss silk tree is starting to bloom. Last year it only had a few sparse flowers. So far, it is doing a little better this year. Maybe next year will be the year! Truly, it doesn't much matter to me, as I really prefer it for the pretty foliage and interesting trunk.

Anna

Tom

Anna --- I believe that the dragon fruit is in the same family as the night blooming cerus. These dragon fruit flowers are so much larger.

Christine

john

Christine, my dragon fruit has flowered several times and no fruit either. Somewhere I thought I heard or read the insect we need doesn't exsist here. But that doesn't explain the ones that self pollinate. If you find out why, would you please let us know. I am thinking of taking mine out as I hate to waste the space in the veggie garden. Maybe I'll move it to the tropicals. :o)

My neighbor gifted me with two very mature Queen Emma Giant Crinums last week. I had to make room them as there was not really a spot 'waiting' for them.

I was in the process of working on digging up more grass in the back garden and creating another pathway. I put this one at a bend in that path and in front of a man-made (actually woman-made) raised planting bed.

The other one went in the front garden... maybe I'll get a good photo of that one for later.

Anna,
I just adore your tropical setting and that Alocasia you posted is just outstanding.
Meems

Meems, that crinum looks like it didn't skip a beat. Looks like it's been there forever. I love seeing the foliage in your pictures. Does that lemon-lime dracaena tolerate your winters outdoors?

Here is a cluster of brazilian oaks I use to hide one of my compost piles. Great cover, isn't it? It's just getting going with blooms in the last couple of weeks.

Anna

Nancy

Anna,
I covered that lemon-lime last winter with the threat of freezing temps and it came out unscathed. It is in a shallow container 36" x 12" deep. There were some others in the ground that were left uncovered and they got bitten but recovered nicely this summer.

Do you happen to have another name for the flowers you posted today? They are beautiful. I googled brazilan oaks and couldn't find any reference. I think I might have a couple of starter plants of them from my neighbor. She did not know their name. They are no where near starting to bloom yet. I would love to know the name of the plants she gave me... your photo is a good start I think.

Nancy, the Borneo Giant is making a clump. No runners or anything. I took one pup out last year and it resented it, pouted the rest of the year, so I am going to see just how thick it gets and won't disturb it anymore. It almost dies back in the winter.

Billehighacres, that is a gorgeous picture of your spider friend! How long has she been in the same spot? I love having garden spiders. They are like ornaments!

Fagopher, that picture reminds me of driving through the midwest (except for the palms!). I love the color contrast and the appearance of movement in the road. Do you think the yellow were flowers or grasses?

Anna

I think those are swamp daisies. I've seen an average of 6 photographers out there every morning for the past week. That bloom only happens once a year, and didn't for the past 2 years because that area flooded.

I see this every morning on my way to work!

This is what this side of the house looked like 5 years ago. Nothing but weeds and fire ants...LOTS of hard work!

Anna

Sorry I don't know the name of these sunflower-like flowers. This is my neighbor's yard and she didn't know their name, either.

Susie

1. Bulbophyllum orchid
2. bleeding heart with cloudless sulfur taking off
3. emerging cattleya orchid

Vanessa

These's a thread on the Conversations discussions expalining this. I've added a link to that thread from this message.

Essentially, you need to have the photo on a website that allows linking to other pages. Then surround the address of the picture with "img src=WebAddress" (there's a space between img and src - replace the quotation marks with < and > in your message)

For example:
img src=http://mysite.verizon.net/resu64md/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/aloe3.jpg

when covered by < and > yields:

Wow, sharbear, what a great patio. Love to see the before and after too. Great transformation. Makes me want to have lunch outside today... not... so hotttttt.

Anna

Oh and John, that picture of ascocenda is frame-worthy, as with many of the pictures here. Love it!

Thanks all

wt

Anna