It's hard to believe that it's late July already. My plants still have a lot more growing to do but they are definitely getting there.

If you want to see more updates from my yard, check out my blog! http://tropicalsinzone7.blogspot.com

Here are some pics...

My Plumeria "Jenny" from Jungle Jacks is blooming like crazy. Some of the blooms are 5 inches in diameter. I've only had it for 3 weeks and it's already one of my favorites.

Here's a pic of my biggest plumeria. it has 2 inflorescences on it right now. The blooms are red and it seems to be pretty tolerant of cooler weather.

Different angle

My Calypso oleander survived the winter with just some frost cloths for protection. This is the first year that I did not put christmas lights around it to give it extra heat. There was some minor damage (mostly leaf drop to the older leaves, no die back). Now it's blooming more than ever.

When I redid the fence this spring (the old fence was unsalvageable after Sandy), the workers broke my thai black banana, but it has made a great recovery.

My Kopper King Hibiscus is a little late on blooming this summer for some reason (could be because of the cool spring we had), but it's got tons of buds and will be opening it's dinner plate sized blooms soon!

Birds love Spanish moss. This one used a bit of mine to make it's nest.

Front yard plants

A different view

Sabal Minor seeds on the way

Frostproof Gardenia had no protection and no damage this winter. Blooming a little less than usual because the tropicals are shading it out this year, but still doing well!

My Mediterranean fan palm never gives me any problems.

Philodendron (it will go indoors this winter)

My silver saw palmetto with some zinnias in the background.

Crape Myrtle blooms finally on the way. Most of the myrtles in the area are starting to bloom now. The white ones have been in bloom for a few weeks now.

Planted this planter in early April. It's seen some pretty chilly weather but the benefits of planting early have really shown. I don't think I've ever had coleus this big so early.

My rarely seen Queen palm. Still recovering from having all it's fronds burned off this spring.

Ribbon Palm that I plan on eventually trying in the ground. Got it at a Home depot in the Hamptons almost 2 years ago. They had a lot more variety than any of the local HD's here do.

Pygmy palm chilling under the spanish moss (hard to use the word "chilling" since it was 101F when I took these pics!)

Some of my other plumerias. My variegated plumeria (to the left) has never bloomed, but it is a cool novelty plant.

Desert Rose

Petunias adding color (one of the few annuals that bloom this well in such hot weather)

Bismarkia slowly dying. Not sure what happened at the nursery, but all of theirs have died already so I don't feel too guilty. I probably will not be bringing it indoors considering its condition and how heavy it is. My agave to the left and variegated rubber tree in the foreground are both doing well.

Disappointed in my Musa Saba this year. It's only made 3 leaves this season with a 4th on the way. It should be making a new leaf almost weekly in this kind of heat, right now it's making a new leaf every 2 weeks if I'm lucky!

Pool area

Butterfly ginger, Begonia, Staghorn fern, my largest trachy, my livistona, my 2 foxtail palms, a Colocasia, an Alocasia, some purple hearts (3rd summer in the ground for them) and a very hard to see silver Med fan palm are all in this pic.

My biggest hibiscus given to me as a very small plant from a friend in 2008. It looks kind of yellow in this pic because of the lighting, but is a healthy green in person.

Some new passion vines. First pic is a P. "Incense" and the second is a P. "Jennifer Grace". No blooms from either yet because my fig tree is shading them out a bit still.

Malayan Dwarf coconut palm that I got as a newly sprouted plant in June 2009. Needs a repotting pretty badly.

My Tall variety coconut I got as a sprout from Hawaii in August 2010. It's finally starting to make adult fronds. It also really needs to be repotted.

My biggest Elephant ear!

Ti plant with my Spindle, bottle palm, and mandevilla

My Monstera

Solitaire palm slowly recovering.

My favorite Hibiscus cultivator "Sunny wind".

Brugmansia finishing up it's first flush of blooms.

Thanks for looking!
-Alex