Saying Goodbye to My Little Home

Today’s photos are from past posts as I say good-bye to my little house on the west coast of Florida and coastal living. It’s kind of sad, but as I take a new step in life in my new home, it’s also exciting. Next week is the big day, and I am more than ready emotionally to let go of my little house. (I’m moving to a 2 bedroom 2 bath condo in Lakeland, Florida. See I Sold My House & Found a Condo for more information.)

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End Of A Season Is Coming Early

The white frangipani (Plumeria alba) is a deciduous plumeria tree that is native to tropical areas. (Plumeria plants (Plumeria sp), which are also known as Lei flowers and Frangipani, are actually small trees that are native to tropical regions (zone 10 and 11) . It is one of the plants used for leis in Hawaii.

Nature has a clock that doesn’t always correspond to the calendar. When it comes to tropical plant plumeria, also called frangipani, they are deciduous and bloom from spring to fall. That usually means all the leaves and flowers end, and you’re left with just the stick-like tree. Here in central Florida my plant usually starts to bloom by early April. The leaves start to drop in September and the plant goes dormant by the end of October. It is September 5th and I only have a few flowers. I noticed in August that I had fewer flowers and several leaves dried up and fell. It seems fall started early for my frangipani.

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Sky Watch Thursday With Flowers

One of my favorite linky parties is Sky Watch Thursday. The skies shared cover the range from sunrise to sundown and lots of beauty in between. Today my post is my view of the Florida blue skies over flowers. First is the view from the front yard over my frangipani tree. It was late afternoon and my front yard was in shade. (My house faces east and the sun crosses my house mid day.)

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Early Plumeria Flowers

Plumeria is a genus of flowering plants in the dogbane family, Apocynaceae. Most species are deciduous shrubs or small trees. The tropical species are indigenous to Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, and as far south as Brazil, but are grown as cosmopolitan ornamentals in warm regions. Common names for plants in the genus vary widely but Frangipani or variations on that theme are the most common.

April is still the dry season here in Central Florida with few rainy days and lots of blue skies.

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Red Hibiscus & Frangipani

Tropical Hibiscus, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis: Tropical hibiscus grows permanently in the landscape in warmer U.S. Dept of Agriculture  zones 9 through 11, unless they are taken indoors in winter. Outdoors, one freeze – below 25 degrees Fahrenheit – will kill them   A hibiscus flower usually has five petals (a single hibiscus). 

The white frangipani (Plumeria alba) is a deciduous plumeria tree that is native to tropical areas 

 

 

 

I picked a large red single hibiscus and several frangipani flowers for a blue vintage bowl on the table. For one day, I have flowers to brighten my room.

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7:30 AM Thursday

Last Thursday was cooler after the previous days with highs in the 90″s F (this is Florida folks!).  I went into the front yard about 7:30 am with my camera. Blue skies and lower humidity make me very happy.  I find it easier to take photos outside early am or late afternoon before sunset.  The bright Florida sun midday can wash out colors in flowers.

 

 

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April Garden Flowers

(Amaryllis is a subtropical bulb that belongs to the Amaryllidaceae family and is native to South Africa. It is grown as a potted plant in most parts of the United States but can also be grown outdoors year round in warm areas like Florida.)

The white frangipani (Plumeria alba) is a deciduous plumeria tree that is native to tropical areas. 

 

 

Today I’m sharing a few photos taken during the month of April in my central Florida tropical garden. Let’s start with my amaryllis.

 

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