Florida Gardening

[marlasmom]

The house we bought has nice landscaping. The back yard is large (for Florida) but he has a garden right in the center of it. I would have left it alone and continued with side plantings. He has in there a lot of decorative pots, a lemon tree, a banana tree and some sort of palm tree.

The catalogs say that some peonies will grow in Florida as will Iris, but my sister in St. Pete Beach says forget. She said she ordered a lilac that was supposed to grow in Florida, but it did nothing.

I will miss my peonies and iris soooo much. Does anyone have any thoughts? What about bougenvilla? How do roses do in Florida. There is a lot of fencing and I would like climbers. Do they take much care. There is an irrigation system, but no shade to speak of - just a little around the pool screening.

Thanks very much.

 

[TigH]

Roses seem to do pretty well, although I don't know what variety is the best. Someone a few houses away planted two rose bushes in the full sun about three months ago. They have grown nicely, so the fellow added several more.

There is the Rose Walk in EPCOT, remember! It's in full sun and the roses there seem to thrive. They are cut back about twice a year, I think.

You can try African Iris if you want an iris flower.

We planted bougainvillea in a spot that only gets a little of the afternoon sun and they have not flowered, so I am going to move them to full sun in the fall.

We are experimenting with pineapple. My MIL lives in Tampa and her neighbor planted the top of a pineapple plant and actually got a full-sized pineapple out of it (not sure how long it took). I've seen a few in our neighborhood. I planted some (just chopped the top off a pineapple, stuck it in the ground and mulched around it) and they rooted. They need full sun and regular water, although I have been neglecting mine and they are still alive.

You can also grow poinsettias. We have some in the same pots that we bought them in last year. They are in a partial shade spot in the back yard (I just need to find a spot to plant them in permanently).

Have had luck with hydrangeas!

Have fun!

 

[Snowwark]

Lots of great information TigH!!

Marlasmom, you might want to invest in a subscription to Florida Gardening.

Any other Florida Buds with some ideas for Marlasmom?

 

[marlasmom]

Thanks very much. Snowark how on earth do you find this stuff?

 

[gina2000]

Some flowers and bushes need cold weather to "set" their flowers for next year....lilacs being one of them. Daffodils are another.

I think you have to start thinking more tropically. Take a walk through your local garden centers and see what they sell.

I'm not a tropical gardener but I know that calla lillies, dahlias, gladiolas, ranunculus and a few other beauties only can survive warm winters. We tend to plant them seasonally and let them die.

I'll bet after taking a look around, you'll find warm weather substitutes that will really please you. I pine for some of that stuff.....

Let us know how it goes......

 

[webmomom]

I am orginally from Phila and now live in south Florida. I have missed my iris very much. When we were at the WDW Flower and Garden show this year I notice iris planted at the water gardens on the far side of Innoventations. I asked the people there about the iris and she told me they were Louisanna iris and they will grown in the south. they are more like the iris from up north. The Africian iris are much smaller flowers and these are larger.

I know it is hard to do, but when you live down here there are some plants you just cannot plant that you loved up North. WhenI lived up North there were plants here that I loved and could not grow, so I just made a switch.