First Day of Summer

Happy Summer Guys, let the Celebrations begin. With the weather including rain showers most every afternoon our plants are growing like wildfire here in North Florida. There are some stunning, hardy Flowering Shrubs that stand out this time of year and really look amazing after all this rain. Three of these plants we offer are: Thunbergia 'King's Mantle', Duranta 'Sapphire Showers', and Many types of Hardy, Stunning Hydrangeas (In Bloom now.) These plants are friends to our hot Florida Summers and require little care once established.

Starting with 'King's Mantle'. We have a plant here that once you put in a sunny to part sun location in your yard this beauty will start blooming. King's Mantle will bloom off and on year-round until the frost comes. King's Mantle is upright shrub with dark green leaves that blooms profusely trumpet shaped purple flowers with a deep yellow throat inside. Bees, Butterflies, Humans find this color almost irresistible. King's Mantle can get to be 6' x 6', needs regular watering (2-3 times a week), and can take temps to 30 degrees. It is in the family Acanthaceae, and is non-invasive. An easy plant for the Summer.

The Second plant we recommend is an oldie but a goodie. It is Duranta 'Sapphire Showers'. The 'Sapphire Showers' golden dewdrop (Duranta erecta "Sapphire Showers") adds interest to the landscape with its clusters of bluish-purple, trumpet-shaped flowers. Flowers appear in summer and attract butterflies. Also known as Picotee sky flower or pigeonberry, this fast-growing specimen prefers full sunlight and well-draining, slightly acidic soils. Hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness Zones 9 through 11, it requires 12 to 15 feet of space to accommodate its mature spread. Attracts Butterflies and other pollinators. Super easy to grow and add interest to your Summer and Fall gardens.

The third plant we display is Hydrangeas. We have beautiful varieties of Hydrangeas. We have Double Delights, Little Quick Fire, L.A. Dreaming, Limelights, and Nikko Blues. All our plants are blooming and we have a size and color for you. These plants love pretty much full-shade here in North Florida. They can handle 3-4 hours of direct Sun but prefer shade during the hot part of the day. With their root word being "Hydra" Hydrangeas love water. They perform well if you keep them on a 4 - 5 times a week watering during the hottest parts of the year (Late May to Late September, Here in N. Florida). Although they like water they do not like wet feet meaning they love well-drained soil underneath. Keep a 'Hydrangea Fertilizer' or good granular Acidic Fertilizer on these plants, a couple tablespoons a month around the dripline (underneath the mass of furthest leaves) between March and December will keep these Lovely Ladies full of their Beautiful Blooms.

These plants will keep you in bloom, color, and pollinators in your yard all Summer long as long as you love them, give them proper care, feed, and water them properly. We recommend a Hibiscus and Tropical Fertilizer or a fertilizer for Gardenias and Camellias for the Thunbergia 'King's Mantle', and the Duranta 'Sapphire Showers'. A Hydrangea Fertilzer for the Hydrangeas. Seems like a lot to remember but once you establish a relationship to your plants you will see it is second nature. Always remember "The Gardener's shadow is the best thing a plant can see."

Happy Planting, Your Plant Buddy