Merry Chrsitmas Carolinians

Each year I spend a few minutes walking around the garden making a photographic record of what is blooming in the garden on Christmas day. It helps me to remember why I live in this beautiful but bug infested spot. This morning I found alstroemeria,5 tropical hibiscus, Bolivian Sunflower, Mexican Tarragon, various roses, sasanquas, camellias, New Guinea and regular impatiens, several scutellaria, viburnum, mexican heather, hydrangea, Iceland poppies, sedums, asclepias, abutalon, bouvarida, turks cap hibiscus, lantana, geraniums, pentas and salvia involucrata (pictured below) which just started blooming for me. It will continue through May then it will hibernate through the hot months.

I even found a red tomato in the compost pile and an inflo on a plumeria.

You have a real variety going!

I also had a walkabout this morning, and what a gorgeous morning. We've had a very nice day, and Santa brought me some seeds and a new indoor/outdorr thermometer.

I have: Two roses plus the Knockouts, Mex. heather, 2 Clematis (Ernest Markham and Elsa Spaeth), pansies, lantana, osteospermum, iris (E. Rosevelt), and one camellia.

That's a very pretty salvia to have to enjoy at Christmas!
Deb

Merry Christmas everyone; it was a great day (could hardly believe it was x-mas it was so warm). Got some great new plant supplies today for the spring.

Bug infested???? You don't love the hot summer nights when the "jungle" comes alive? You haven't lived till a tree frog sticks to your face. LOL>

LOL, I forgot about the "when the jungle comes alive" part. We call it "murder in the marsh" when we hear the screams of some small animal being attacked by a hawk or alligator. The sound really carries in the summer nights doesn't it. You just have to take a deep breath and think about how nature works and know there is a greater plan.

We have a fox around here who I think is behind a few odd sounds durning the night.

Murder in the marsh, don't be telling the out of towners about that stuff. The Low Country doesn't exact have a good rep for level headed people. Now you add murder in the marsh to the list. LOL.....

You mean I only have to leave a few hints and the touristas will stay away??? Hmmmm

Just read today that SC should be putting more money towards getting the "in driving range" tourists. I'm not thinking quantity is what this area should really be looking for. I wouldn't mind a few years of sleepiness. LOL.

Hey maybe a theme park up on Ladys Island?? Murder in the marsh amusements? After dark is when the fun begins.

CoreHH1...Quote: "You haven't lived till a tree frog sticks to your face. " ..... Thanks for laugh!! I thought that was such a cute and funny saying!!

LOL. ...and it's so true. Love that weird feeling that someone just dropped cold jello on your skin. ;->

I've only seen a couple tree frogs since I've been in the Carolina's, At least I'll know what it is if I ever feel a cold plop of jello! LOL!

Iris, I promise you once you hear the amazingly loud sounds from tree frogs, you won't mistake them for anything else. (That's so you don't have to experience the jello plop!)

Ardesia, any way you'd share some of your photo albums? Inquiring minds and all that rot... That salvia is to die for!

This message was edited Jan 5, 2009 3:19 PM

Hi Fluers, good to hear from you again. I don't know much about that Salvia except it is a winter bloomer for me. It is a large plant that gets really tall, at least 6', but this year I cut it back around Thanksgiving because it was just too leggy.

I am working with a new computer (well, new to me, it is a hand me up from one of my boys) and not everything is in the right place yet. I know all my photos have been transferred but I can't find them; it is exhasperating to say the least. As soon as I can locate them I'll share some more photos for you. This weather has been amazing; in the 70's since Christmas; all sorts of goodies are growing again.

Fleurs, I have heard a few tree frogs but not too any extremity, Maybe there are just not very many in my area, Wish there were though! I have however, Heard the unmistakeable sounds of the Cincardas (sp) ....

The frogs multiply out of control with heavy rains which we haven't had for a few years. One good wet year and boom they will show up. At least they show up in force in the Low Country. Everyone knows we've switched to a La Nina? For the South East it should be a warm winter and wetter year. SC is due for some big rains I think. Tree frog delight.

I'll sure welcome "wetter"!

Tree frogs eat insects like mosquitoes and sand gnats, that makes them as valuable as good compost around here.

So far for starting off the new year we have had some decent rainfall here, Hope it continues, I want to see some more tree frogs!!

We could use some of that rain down here.

OK, I finally found my pictures on this darn new computer. Here is a lantana on Christmas day.

My much unappreciated malvaviscus.

This message was edited Jan 6, 2009 12:20 PM

A NOID tropical hibiscus.

Some butterfly weed for the lingerers

I saw malvaviscus being used a lot at Disneyworld as an understory plant. Along walk ways in fairly shaded areas under bamboo and various trees. Adds a nice splash of color to other wise green areas. Seemed to work well like that.

BTW I have a pink Turks cap this year. Got a cutting in trade and some seeds. Don't know if the seeds will come true but I would think I'll have a big enough pink one for cutting later this year.

One of the neatest things about moving into a new area is learning the "local" language... first seen when we moved south to Green Level, NC., about a thousand years ago. We'd somehow gotten into the the craze for "homemade ice cream" (circa 1970's), and needed some rock salt to accomplish same. Went to the nearest grocery store (a "Piggly Wiggly"---the name itself was fascinating, at the time) in quest of rock salt. Couldn't find it. Finally had to break down and ask for help. The clerk we asked looked at us totally askance when we asked about "rock salt". Decided to use my years of psychological training to try to break down the obvious barriers...gave him an "operational definition" of "rock salt" (as in, I told him what we needed it for), and the kid lit up like a Christmas Tree. Said, "Oh you mean "rok saw" ...Told us aisle 5, down the bottom, toward the end...and there it was. That lesson in communication has always stuck with me all through the years...