S FL Galloping Gardeners 2007-10-22

Hi.

This is our shiney new South Florida Galloping Gardeners' thread for October 22, 2007. We came from:

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/754910/#new

Make yourselves at home and enjoy.

Sylvain.

Valerie was asking how my real estate course was going. I finished the course, passed the school's test and got permission from the State of Florida to attempt the licensing test.

I failed the licensing test, proving that I needed to study an awful lot more. That's what I'm doing right now: studying, studying, studying. Go ahead, ask me anything about brokerage, real estate principles and law. I'll tell you that it's not easy to forget canadian law and learn american law. So many things are different here.

I am told that it is not unusual to have to attempt the state's test two or even 3 times before you finally nail it. I hope two times will be a charm. I know where my weaknesses are and I am working very hard to overcome them. Things are looking good.

Sylvain.

Thanks Sylvain!
Best of luck with the licensing test!

Thanks, Val, for the kind thought. I would have needed loads of chance for the licensing test... lots of it. Welll, maybe not that much: I missed by 7 points. The next time around, I'll be better prepared and I am confident I will do well.

I am meeting a new doctor today at 3PM. He'll be my primary caregiver, recommended by my insurance plan. I bet you anything he'll tell me I'm overweight. Big revelation there! Epipnany! The skies will part and the angels will sing Magnificat. Lord Almighty, it took me 27 years to "train" my doctor in Montreal to skip that and not waste our time when I went to visit him. Now I have to start all over again.

Sylvain.

Val: If you would like I can dig up a couple of banana trees and bring them at the ru. Just say the word.

I noticed your pic of the spigelia marilandica. Kind of disappointed in mine. Mine are in light shade but only surviving. No sign of flowers at all.

Thanks a bunch Sheldon. I appreciate the offer, but I really don't have the place for them. I have to grow them in containers and as Cass pointed out it would be better to have the dwarf ones.
The rose that I have for you has a bud that's about to open. I'll be able to tell then if it's a Louis Philippe. I think that it is. The cuttings I made are doing fine so far.
My Spigelia hasn't flowered at all since the spring. I think that it is a winter and spring bloomer. They are looking a bit ratty with all the rain we've had. I saw them at Bok blooming in late winter.

Sylvain, I'm sure that you'll pass the next exam. I hope that you like your new Dr.

Once I start cleaning up my back garden, I'll be getting rid of a whole bunch of plants. A preliminary list: Wild Coffee, Walking Iris, Nighshade (it's weedy), Bolivian Sunset, and a whole bunch more.
Let me know if any of you are interested so i can put them aside for you.

Hi, all.

Yes, that doctor did need a fair bit of training in dealing with the great big white polar bear . I believe in clearly stated rules of engagement as far as doctors go. He's a nice guy but you should have seen his face when I told how things would proceed between us. I thought he was going to faint when I told him that to me, a doctor is a precious, highly trained advisor that has no power whatsoever over me. When he told me I had a few medical problems to my credit, I told him we were all going to die. I didn't make his day, let me tell you but we did agree to disagree and have a civilized relationship.

At one point, he started talking about heavy-duty liposuction and plastic surgery. I gave him the look that doesn't kill but leaves the victim paralyzed for a few seconds. I don't think we'll ever broach the subject again. In a way, it's good that he felt a bit of my "venom" instead of just the rules of engagement. He's sending me for bloodwork and that's OK.

We have company arriving from Canada this afternoon for a couple days. Gail tells me we are expecting someone next week also. In both cases, they just swing by for a couple days and we will be going to visit points of interest with them before they set off on their merry way again. In other news, snowbirds have started arriving for the winter. April seems so far off...

My lobsterclaw heliconias are blooming. I have to move three bougainvillae to a sunnier location. A white bird of paradise that has been in the ground for over a year has finally decided to start growing. I have to weed and fertilize everything. When will I find time to do all that? I'll survive.

Be good, all.
Sylvain.

Sheldon, I'm happy to report that the rose that I got at the raffle is a LP rose. It's a nice size and once in the ground it will grow like a weed. I'll give it to you on the 10th.

Sylvain so sorry that you missed the MG field trip today. Everybody had a great time and the tour was exceptional. The curator is the nicest guy ever and knows a ton.
All is not lost because I spoke to him at the end of the tour and asked him if it would be all right to bring the SFLGG group there. He would be more than happy to have us there.
Here is the scoop, sometime between Jan. to March we can visit the Kampong and have him give us a private tour of the botanical gardens and historical house. The entrance fee is 10 per person.
The place was the private house and gardens of Fairchild. It still has many of the trees that he planted. There are rare aroids, fruit trees, flowering trees etc. The house is very unique with some incredible asian art.
I hope that all of you are up to seeing something that is not open to the public.

Hi all,
I'm back from the 2nd time travelling this month. I was just in Toronto visiting my mother. I could not have asked for better weather. The daytime highs were between 72 -76. Absolutely perfect weather.

Earlier this month DH and I went on a wonderful cruise. The boat departed from Monte Carlo and stopped in Cannes, Portofino, Livorno, Portoferraio, Sorento and finished in Rome. We had an amazing time.

I'm now going to bore you with a few pictures.

This first one is of lantana that someone had trained to grow up the side of their house.

I thought this was so beautiful that I took many pictures of it but I will just post one more.

OOPS! Wrong picture.
This is what I meant to post.

Oh my, I already want to be there. How beautiful it is!!
BTW you are not boring me with the pictures. I love to see pictures of everyone's travels.
So keep posting.
I wish I could go to Italy right now.

This next picture is of a vegetable garden on the side of a cliff. I don't think I could handle gardening here. One, two, three steps back and bye bye.

It looks dangerous all right! How big was the cliff?

Maybe this will help show how high up it was.

Holy cow!!

The color of the sea is just amazing. Truly beautiful. Where was this?

This message was edited Oct 23, 2007 8:58 PM

A tomato garden with a bit more room to maneuver around.

I think I would end up with vertigo trying to garden in that place.

LOL Val, you're probably right. I couldn't believe it when I saw that vegetable garden in Portofino.
I will post more pics later. For some reason they are taking too long to upload now.

I will try and make it on the 28th. It's been so long since I've seen everyone so it really would be nice.

The one bad thing about going away is coming home to all the plant casualties. We've been having a lot of work done on the house and I think someone must have turned off the sprinklers while we were gone.

Keep posting those pictures! I very much enjoy them.

I hope that you can make it on the 28th. We'll meet at Nancy's house and go from there, So far, Sylvain, Gail, Nancy, maybe Sheldon/Joanne. and maybe Ginger and Michael.

If you want some of the plants that I'll get rid of just let me know.
BTW, the Clematis that you gave me it's growing really well. I have it in the patio and gets filtered sun for about 2 hoursa day. The Lobelia on the other hand dropped all the leaves, and all I have left is a little stump. It should come back, should it not?

Give it lots and lots of water and it should be OK.

What a trip, Lisette. I know about sprinklers being turned off for that happened to me this fall. It was a Handy Dandy Handy Man!!!

Val, you are growing a clematis? Will it live here? Will it bloom? I just love them but I thought they were one that had to have cool weather.

Have a wonderful day, everyone.

I'd like to know more about growing clematis here too!

Val and Lisette, you've started something now!!! LOL

BTW, it's Armando's birthday today....

Happy Birthday Kiddo!

Nancy, Lizette gave me a Clematis and I didn't think it would do well, but it has surprised me. Lizette is the one that knows as she has one growing nicely.
As I said mine is in the patio, gets watered regularly and it only gets filtered sun. Since she gave it to me, it has grown new leaves and it seems to be very content. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it will flower for me. I also love them.

Happy, Happy Birthday Armando!!

Sylvain,
Oh those doctors and their weight loss programmes! they always tell my DH the same thing, but what a waste of breath, like telling a smoker to stop - waste of time. I didn't marry him because he was a bean pole. He has lost weight but that was due to dental treatment and he couldn't eat much- just soft food. (made him grumpy). Also he told Doctor in UK that if he lost all the weight he suggested it would cost him a fortune in a new wardrobe. Wouldn't bother me having a new wardrobe, but he wasn't keen,
I do not gain weight - now that is not so good either, because I have Crohn's and have had it for 37 years, so be fat and happy or be skinny with permanent gut rot - take your pick.

I have to chime in here: I was recently referred to an endocrinologist, I really don't know why. No diagnosis, because there was no problem, other than my aversion to cholesterol-fighting pills. Don't like pills....the doctor told me he'd like to see me losing 15lbs. and do a 150 minutes exercise per week (I garden!) .....the doctor sat on an extra wide chair,
a relatively young man (45?) and must have weighed at least 350lbs...

That's a case of "Physician heal thyself" or practice what you preach!

My EX used to smoke cigars in the office!! LOl


Hap

Hi Everyone,
This past Wednesday Cindy Owen and I had an occasion to visit Meadow Beauty Nursery, 5782 Ranches Rd., Lake Worth,FL33463. This nursery is in the Boynton Beach area off Jog Road, just South of Hypoluxo Road.
They specialize in natives. We were there to purchase Coonties for the MG Hurricane House Demonstration Garden.
The Coonties were priced at $12.50 for three gallon size. At no extra charge on all the Coonties were Atala caterpillars or cocoons. He is only open to the general public Saturday mornings from 8:30 to noon. Because he was not officially open, he allowed us to wander the grounds until he had time for us between helping and instructing his helpers.

We got a chance to see lots of Atala butterflies. Of all the plants he had there, the one that attracted Atala's for nectar was Frostweed, Verbesina virginica. http://www.plantatlas.usf.edu/main.asp?plantID=3454 I had purchased this plant at the last native plant sale at Fern Forrest but was holding back on planting it until I had more information on it. After seeing what it attracted on Wednesday, I had it planted back in the NE corner under my Sabel palm in nice shade before I went in to make dinner. At the nursery a grouping of flowers as shown in this picture had two to three Atala's per group of flowers. He probably had two dozen of these plants in bloom with 5 or 6 groups of flowers per plant. That should give you an idea of how many Atala's were on these bushes.

This a nice well stocked native plant nursery with very good prices. I picked up a one gallon Pineland Privet about 3' out of the pot for $6.50. I would have purchased more stuff, but he was in a hurry to get us out of there before I picked him dry of seeds and cuttings...just kidding. He was buisy with his help, which is why he is only open to the public Saturday mornings. I hadn't been prepared for a cuttings/seed collecting trip. But I did manage to pop in a few seeds and one Ironweed cutting.

The owner Chris is very friendly and will offer lots of information once asked. A pleasure to do business with him.

Art
Edited in, this is not my picture. I didn't have my camera with me.

This message was edited Oct 27, 2007 12:22 PM

Those are really good prices. : ) I wish I were closer. You guys and gals have all the good nurseries down there. Sounds like you had a good time. : )
~Lucy

Michael and I have to be in Delray tomorrow late morning, so we're planning to meet ya'll at the orchid show. Who's going? When and where?

Ginger and Sylvain, the show is at the Gymnasium at Old School Square, Swinton Ave and NE 1st St, Delray Beach (Historic downtown). When I googled it for some rewason it gave me SE and Swinton. I think that it is on the North side of Atlantic Ave across from Delray Tennis Center.

I'm meeting Nancy at her house at 9:30 so figure we'll be there around 10:15 or so.

Nancy and Sylvain, I hope you haven't forgotten about the show. Let me knwo if all is OK.

Val:
There is a public parking lot behind the gym - the best place to park. Hopefully, we'll see you there.

I'm on my way to Nancy's , leaving in 15-20 minutes. Although she would love to see the show, Gail won't be joining us. She is still sleeping.

Sylvain.

Been waiting all day yall? I know it's been a while since the last GT and I have missed it sorely. Although I can't be there anymore, I do like to watch the goings ons down there.

And Nancy, are you okay? You've been mighty quiet lately.

Val, I wanted to tell you, although I didn't get your NB Jasmine to survive the first winter, someone gave me a small plant earlier this year. I put it in the orchid/greenhouse for the summer and it is as tall as me now and done some blooming at night. Billy has a karasine heater he will loan me for the coldest nights this winter. As usual it will be a lot of work getting the orchid house converted back to a greenhouse. And, it will have to be done within the next month or 6 weeks.

Art, many of the natives you shared with me are settling in here during the end of their first year here. The scorpion tails are well and the crotilaria have spread their seeds to new and interesting places.

The Pink Miscanthis Capillarius are really showing themselves off, growing in new and unexpected areas. The wind is blowing today and everywhere I turn there is a circle of pink plume blooms waving above the plants in the breeze.

It's 62 this evening and the windows are open. The air quality is priceless right now, low humidity despite overcast skies and light misting rain. Although my gardens will die back and it will seem like a dissicated war zone by January, the winter days of cool dry air with blue skies from east to west make the move up here priceless.

Molly
:^))))

Molly, it's great to hear from you. A few of us went to an orchid show in Delray Beach, followed by lunch. It was very nice.

We attended a masquerade ball Friday night. I went as Fred Flintstone. Someone else got the same idea. Here is a picture of both versions.

Sylvain.

Molly, I'm alive and well, and have been traveling a bit lately. But all is well.

We had a great time yesterday and wish you could have been with us. Any chance getting down here when your garden goes to sleep? You know you have a place to stay.

Take care sweety.

Hi Molly, is good to hear from you. I'm glad that you were able to get a new NB jasmine. The temps. in your area are much colder than here. Do you have some pictures of all your native wildflowers? I'm sure that they are a sight to behold.

We had a very nice time yesterday and it was good to see Joanne, Ginger, Sylvain and Michael. It has been a long time.

Here is a nice picture of the group after lunch.