coming out of my shell

coming out of my shell

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

The Rainy Season

It is the rainy season in Central Florida.  That means "summer" in the Land of Mouse.  It is hot, humid, and rains nearly every day, though usually only lasting about a half an hour to an hour in late afternoon.  With all the rain our yard is often waterlogged.  There are large areas with standing water for many hours after a heavy rain, and some days it is impossible to mow the grass because the ground is mushy and wet.  It has not rained for over 24 hours right now and I just walked out back where my heels sunk into the wet ground as I walked.

For most of the last 25 years I felt I was an accomplished perennial gardener.  I thought I knew a thing or two about gardening.  I knew how to work the earth, and I knew how to manage the seasons.  It has been so interesting moving to this strange place and finding much of what I thought I knew about gardening no longer computes.  Some days this depresses me, I am not going to lie.  However, just as often I am energized by the challenge.  I got this!  Eventually I am gonna kick some Central Florida gardening butt.  I am almost sure of it.

Collateral damage?  In the past 3 weeks I have lost my butterfly bush, a shasta daisy, two coneflowers, a shrimp plant, and a variety of annuals, all of which I planted this past spring.  A purple penta plant is pretty pathetic, too.  Why?  I am not sure.  They survived the blistering heat of spring and early summer.  Maybe they cannot survive the deluge?  Perhaps the rainy season killed them dead? I wish I knew the answer.

But that is not all. 
I have a plumbago that simply will not grow underneath my screamin' pink Crepe Myrtle in the front of the house.  I have another plumbago I planted at the exact same time under a lavender Crepe Myrtle out back.  That plumbago is absolutely huge and glorious, flowering with wild abandon.  I do not know why the other one refuses to thrive.  I already lost one of my 3 Stella D'Ora daylilies to the heat before the rainy season began.  The other two are about the same size as they were when I put them in the ground last May.  WTF?

I am now in a bit of a quandary.  What the hell can I plant that will survive drought for 9 months of the year and then standing water for the remaining 3 months? 
As you can imagine, there are not a lot of choices.  I now understand why I do not see a lot of flower gardens down here in people's yards.  Most flowers cannot take these extremes.   

Interestingly, Shrimp Plant is supposed to be a good choice for a wet area.  I wonder if there is something else that killed mine besides the excessive moisture?  I really liked that Shrimp Plant, the flowers actually are shaped like shrimp.  They are wonderfully crazy shaped with great color.  Maybe it will come back?



               That crazy Shrimp Plant

African, Louisiana, and Blue Flag irises are also on the list for wet areas.  I planted a variety in a wet area last spring and they are growing slowly but surely. I will
feel victorious if they spread and flower by next year.  I NEED a victory, too!  Dammit.

The giant red Canna Lilies are doing well, as are their smaller yellow cousins in the back yard.  I like Canna Lilies, but I am ashamed to say I wish I liked them more.  What kind of ingrate does not like a flower that looks like this?


      Some gorgeous cannas, not really caring if I like them or not.

We are growing some beautiful flowers in large planters in the area around the pool.  Bird of Paradise, Desert Rose, Gardenia.  I have high hopes for that Gardenia.  If it lives until next summer I will buy more. 



 



















The spectacular Gardenia

Hey, I successfully underwent an open MRI today.  It was still a little freaky, but the open sides made all the difference.  And (Maria) I took your tip and kept my eyes closed.  It worked.  Next time I do something like that I want to choose my own music, though.  Bad late 1970's pop music.  Ick.  In the late 1970's I was listening to the Clash, Blondie, Richard Hell and the Voidoids and Talking Heads.  They had me listening to simpering wimp music as if I was an old lady or something.  I think being pissed off helped take my mind off what was happening.












  

12 comments:

  1. How this reminds me of the time when we moved from Ireland to a very tropical African island just south fo the equator. We thought we were in gardener's heaven: surrounded by jacaranda and frangipani, mango and breadfruit trees, banana growing like weeds, we started a promising vegetable garden. It literally exploded until the bugs ate it all up in one go. We actually watched them in helpless disgust. That and the daily rain showers (you get that slightly rotten, damp smell?). But we were young and we tried it again and again, checking with extremely successful local gardeners but in the end, we gave up, there was a lot of fruit from the trees anyway. And hibiscus everywhere. It was just paradise, who needs tomatoes.

    Congrats on the MRI without panic attack. Hope the results are ok.

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    1. Don't get me started on tomatoes! Tried and failed with those, too. Hibiscus are ubiquitous around here. We have planted 2, and now that I know I cannot grow lots of flowers I will plant more. They are colorful, bold, and reliable. I enjoyed your recent reference to Lacan. Your writing often presents ideas and imagery that makes me think. I appreciate that.

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    2. I wish it was easier to edit one's comments...

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  3. So sorry to hear about the plants yall have lost.....but very proud of you completing the MRI....good going!!!!

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  4. I can connect you with my aunt in Spring Hill to discuss gardening, if you like.

    I am so happy you got the MRI out of the way! WoOt! It was the Grimmer Grit that got you through!

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    1. I think I will figure this out. I have planted some of the things your aunt recommended and they are doing well. Yes, to the GG.

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  5. I can't relate to your gardening problems at all. I live in Edmonton, Canada. It's Zone 2-3. I imagine it's frustrating though to live in such a mild climate and still things die.

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    1. We've only been down here a little over a year, coming from the Fingerlakes Region of New York State. I think I might be better able to understand your growing cycle better than Florida's. It must be seriously beautiful up there if the photo on your blog page is any indication.

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  6. Florida can be a challenge for a gardener, I think. But....ah...gardenias. Just the thought of that jungle smell of them makes me feel all swoony. I am a prairie girl and plant sturdy prairie plants but somehow, I have poinsettias that come back year after year and this stuns me. I was MAD about the music, too. I chose Springsteen and I swear they chose all of his worst ones. I was wanting to hear about the screen door slamming and Mary's dress waving and I was getting the schmaltzy stuff he put out when he was married to that model. I hope you are okay?

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    1. Thanks. I am fairly certain I am just fine. And yes, the gardenia is wonderful and fragrant. I definitely want many more. Everywhere. I salute you for keeping a poinsettia going on the plains. Good karma, I think. I love Springsteen. I still feel like Born to Run was written specifically for T and me. And yes - I HATED when he married "that model." I was ready to write him off at that point. He did alright the second time around, tho.

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So, whadayathink?