Then and now … the back garden

Or … how fast plants grow in Florida!

The first picture here is 1-1/2 years ago showing our back garden pool area; behind the rear screen you can see a row of builder-planted identical shrubs, and beyond is basically just a grass area with a few tiny shrubs against the side pool screen:

These two pictures from a different angle; the first just 9 months ago when all the new plants are in, and then now, showing how much they’ve grown! The fence is 6′ high so the Pagoda plants and the Copper Leaf are both at least that high!

Three months in the garden

Over the last year or so Margaret has made many changes in the garden, especially in the back where more plant areas were created and filled. Back in April I took photos of some areas and the plants as far as they had grown back then; now today three months later, I’ve taken updated photos to compare …

The banana plant, and all the plants behind the screened patio, have grown a lot!

Along the right fence, the plants have done well too – this was a struggle for a while as we expected less sun than actually occurs, but Margaret planted sun-liking plants to shade the others and it’s worked well!

Along the back fence to the left, most plants have grown although the climbing vine is struggling (with too much sun maybe?)

Against the pool there’s not been much change … the milkweed plants did ok till monarch caterpillars arrived (which was the purpose of planting them, but the caterpillars don’t leave much!)

And opposite, there’s still a lot of growth needed, too, though one plant has done well …

In the front garden I don’t have comparison photos, but everything is doing well – especially the potted gardenias on the front porch (and I love how the spider plant is escaping it’s pot!)

Garden tour

It’s the end of May, we have loads of sunshine, and the rain is about to start coming frequently. Meanwhile all the plants in our front garden are growing well, and Margaret’s newer plantings in the back are starting to establish themselves too. Time for more photos …

This is the front garden, with amazing agave plants and beautiful but tiny purple flowers of sensitive mimosa; see too how the spider plant is spreading from its pot out into the rest of the garden …

In the back garden, all the plants are smaller (except the giant sunflowers now much taller than me!) …