Mid-February is a favorite time of the year in the Florida Garden, as the flora and fauna really gets active, while our friends in Upstate New York have some of the year’s harshest weather, with at least two more months of winter ahead. Today, the Florida Garden was full of birds. A large flock of cedar waxwings were eating the berries on our laurel oak, the other trees were full of warblers, a kinglet kept Joyce company while she pruned the salvia, Vs of noisy sand hill cranes flew over, and a pair of bluebirds checked out our birdhouse. The big show for this week, however, is the AZALEAS, which are in full bloom in all the yards of our neighborhood, Richmond. I have four varieties, including the large magenta Formosa variety in large banks across the front yard and in the backyard by the composter. An orange variety grows in the shadiest part of the palm row, with small, sparsely scattered flowers on small bushes. A new variety planted last year at the other end of the Palm Row is a deep rose color and nice large flowers. Finally, the pinkish white azaleas planted along the side fence in the back are also in full bloom now. It appears to be a good year for them, as the large bushes full of blooms are in almost everyone’s yards. They beckon me to come to the yard and enjoy the advent of spring.
TAProots
留言