Most views I share at my condo are of my building, Building B, its courtyard, and front garden. What makes it special? It is one of two buildings out of 5 that is built around a courtyard in the center. Today I’m sharing photos taken at our neighbor, Building A. There is a garden with 3 sides of apartments. It opens to a sidewalk on the 4th side.
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September Condo Flowers
Living here in central Florida, the garden is tropical. If you remember my garden at my house several years ago, you will recognize this photo from 2023 of my frangipani (or plumeria) flowers:
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Wednesday in The Condo Grounds
Our dry season here in Central Florida is coming to an end. We’d not had rain for a while until a nice wet front moved in from the west. It had originally come from Texas across the Gulf coast to Florida. We had rain late Friday, some again on Saturday, and finally on Sunday. Everything green is smiling.
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How to Make Your Fall Home Cozy
Sunday, September 22nd was the first OFFICIAL day of fall. In the next few months the leaves start to fall from the trees, the evenings get darker earlier each day, and the temperatures drop significantly. With the changing weather and changing seasons, you probably are thinking about how you can get your home ready for fall and colder weather. We start to crave a snug, cozy spot for winter.
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How to Attract Birds to Your Yard
Many people enjoy observing wildlife in their gardens. Several years ago I wrote about attracting pollinators to the yard. First there was a post on bringing honey bees into your garden. Lots of different plants were discussed, but if you need a refresher, hardy salvia, lavender, and rudbeckia are all great additions. The second part of the pollinator series was a post on how to make a Butterfly Garden . Now let’s talk about birds.
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How to Get Your Garden Ready for Spring
Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished. – Lao Tzu
Happy Saint Patrick’s Day! I’m wishing you good luck and happiness today. This last week has been incredible in the amount of snow that hit the country. Many of us are wanting spring while nature gives us more winter. Here in central Florida we had high 80s degree weather last week. This week the cold front came down and Wednesday was in the 50’s F. I know that is not cold to most of you but it was to me. The sky started out gray with cold rain. Later the sun came out. I know that eventually the weather will start to warm up everywhere. When the sun shines brighter and little green things poke their heads out of the soil, it’s the perfect time to bring your garden to life. Create a vibrant outdoor space to enjoy throughout the summer. Though, it’s important to remember that nature doesn’t rush its processes. As Lao Tzu once said, “Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.” Take the time to plan your garden layout, choose the right plants, and incorporate the elements that will make it beautiful and functional. Several years ago, I shared basic garden landscaping ideas and printables. They’re great to use when you want to update your garden too.
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Tropical Parking Lot Landscape
The other day I drove to my favorite Publix Supermarket here in central Florida. I noticed how nice the parking lot looked with great tropical foliage. Public landscaped areas are a great way to find easy to grow plants for your area. Owners of strip malls want to provide a pleasant environment for the customers, but they don’t want to spend big money on maintaining plants. Each row of parking spaces has a nice flower bed at the end with variegated leaf bushes, colorful crotons, and a plant with small blue flowers. The two types of bushes are tropical and easy to grow in our climate. Add a tree and a large light post and it’s perfect for the public location. (Government buildings and community buildings are also good places to note landscape plants. In more northern environments there is often a few evergreen bushes that provide a frame year round.)
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February Houseplants
It’s the beginning of February and I still have lots of blooming houseplants. The poinsettia from Christmas is very happy on the floor in front of the sliding glass doors in the dining room. It still has green leaves turning red and gets plenty of afternoon light.