Saturday, April 17,
Join the Native Plant Society, Federated Garden Clubs and Pink Shovel for Earth Day and a Native Plant Sale at Hugh Taylor Birch State Park in Ft. Lauderdale. The park is located at 3901 E. Sunrise Blvd. at the corner of Sunrise and A1A.

 

A fine Saturday, April 17 at Hugh Taylor Birch State Park Earth Day. Here's a look at who's who.

Katie Whitaker, a regular volunteer for the Humane Society of Broward and other important non-profits, brought her beautiful smile and helped out Earth Day

Anne Wiley Talked About Back Yard Gardening for Birds

More who's who at Birch Park Saturday.

Kay Taylor and Mariana Yi, of Native Plant Society, Sandy Lynch of Ft. Lauderdale Garden Glub,  ME Depalma, Godmother of Wilton Manors wildlife certification, and Zen and Richard White Cloud and family were all in attendance. Formerly injured birds now healed were released on the beach, while attendees savored delectable veggie treats and listened to talks about sea turtle conservation, manatee preservation, and other important ecological conservation activities.

Linda Schuller, Director of Education for the Bonnet House and company

Whitney Nolton and Jake James of Nova University man the table to talk about Manatees

Paddy Cunningham talked about Bird Watching Adventures and the Everglades Birding Festival

Hugh Taylor Birch State Park is located at Sunrise Blvd. and A1A @ 3901 E. Sunrise Blvd.

For information about green gardening check out the blog at www.greengardenersnews.com

January 25, Carol will speak to the Coral Gables Garden Club at the Biltmore Hotel
The topic: Green Gardening
Begins at 10:00 A.M.

Biltmore Hotel
1208 Anastasia Avenue
Coral Gables, FL
305.460.5368 (garden center located at the Biltmore)

Carol will talk about Growing Roses in South Florida, Thursday, September 24th, in Plantation at city hall, 400 NW 73 Ave.  For more information email thepinkshovel@gmail.com.

September 24, Thursday, Carol will talk to the Plantation Shade Brigade about Growing Roses in South Florida, at Plantation city hall, 400 NW 73 Ave.  For more information email thepinkshovel@gmail.com.

Carol will talk about the Best Roses to Grow in South Florida without using pesticides or fungicides and with the need for minimal pruning (based on my personal experience)

Carol will show pictures of her favorite roses and discuss their bloom color and sizes (these are the roses she has had the most success with as easy care, low maintenance garden plants in south Florida's high humidity).

She will talk about growing own root old garden roses verses hybrid teas grown on Fortuniana root stock and a brief discussion about the varieties of roses (species/hybrids - old/new)

She with discuss how to amend the soil, culture, sun needs, and pruning; as well as suggesting some good companion plants. She will discuss bare root vs. potted plants.

She will also talk about ways to grow roses and incorporate them into the garden:  massing as garden shrubs, or individuals on trellis, arbor, espalier, fence or pegged.

She will recommend places to buy roses mail order through the internet.

She will take questions.


At Ft. Lauderdale Garden Club's February meeting I talked about some useful plants which do well in pots. The following list are some of the plants that I discussed at their meeting, which do well in various potted locales, from interiors to shady or sunny patios.

The following is a list of plants that will do well in pots.

Shade or Sunny Patio

Liriope

Ferns: Fishtail, Wart, Macho, Boston

Snake Plant – Sanseveria

Oxalis

Asperagus Fern – 'springeri' and 'foxtail'

Spider Plant

False Aralia   

Schefflera elegantissima

Pony Tail Palm ( can tolerate a windy spot) 

Yucca

Sunny Patio

Herbs – not drought tolerant as a rule – except Rosemary is quiet drought tolerant

Lion’s Tail – great orange colored blooms

Salvias – comes in many varieties and colors – we looked at Salvia greggi and S. azurea

Aloes – drought tolerant, easy care

Kalanchoes – drought tolerant, easy care

Sedum, drought tolerant, easy care

Jade, drought tolerant, easy care

Crassula, drought tolerant, easy care

Pony Tail Palm, drought tolerant, easy care

Snake Plant, drought tolerant, easy care

Bouganvilla  (great color)

Tibouchina urvilleana
Glory Bush

Desert Rose, drought tolerant, easy care

Pony Tail Palm – drought tolerant, wind tolerant

Ming Aralia

Asperagus Fern – springeri and foxtail

Arecas – not as drought tolerant

Spider Plant

Orchids:

Full sun epiphytic vanda species – blooms 1xyr – Papilionanthe teres & Papilionanthe tricuspidata

Epidendrum – terrestrial – full sun outdoor

Shady Patio

Holly Fern

Interiors – Shady patios

(Various light tolerances so experiment)

Aglaonema

Diffenbachia (dumb cane)

Snake Plant

Bromiliad

Anthurium (Misty Rose)

Pilodendrons (Congo Rojo, Autumn)
 
Schefflera elegantissima

Ming Arailia

Ficus (various ones)

Yucca

Arecas - if shade grown thought susceptible to cottony scales

Norfolk Island Pine

Chaaedorea palms – cat palm, bamboo palm

Asperagus Fern – springeri and foxtail

Birds Nest Fern

Begonia (likes more moisture) – Kitchen or bathroom window or counter

Best place for ferns and orchids – Kitchen and bathroom windows

Orchids – (other locations in the house cache pots with water in rock at base)

Phaleonopsis
Doritaenopsis
Dendrobium – some dwarf hybrids are scented
Oncidium – some are scented
Brassavola nodosa – Evening scent
Ascocenda
Vandas
Catleya
Encylclia