Think of it as Fertilizer.

When you walk your dog just think of the many times that you fertilized the neighbors grass. Our dogs always found a new place to help the poor starving grass. But, for my yard, I always religiously spread Vigoro on the grass. Thus the dogs going by need not help me out on my gardening endeavors. I do remember accidentally fertilizing the oriental rug at the front door(not to mention the car), because of some helpful dog passing by the house.

The New House At The End of The Block

The east side of the house.

The north side of the house.

The owners gave the house a name, 'Villa Granada'. Coral Gables has 8 official named houses. Some of them are Blue Gables, Poinciana Place, and Seven Oaks.

West Indian spurge (Euphorbia punicea)

This large shrub or small tree is from Cuba. The eye stopper is growing in Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden (a jewel of a garden in Coral Gables). I tried to grow it and failed. I grew it in the shade, but it is a sun lover.

Isabella and Her Zamia furfuracea

I went next door to get this picture. I was looking for some ripe seeds but all I found was a lot of cones. I guess I will have to check it out in spring.
The seedlings of the Cardboard Cycad are all over the grown. They look like four leaf clovers. Maybe 40 years ago it was very rare and expensive, but now it's so very easy to propagate that it is common and not expensive.

Phoenix is a Mythical Sacred Firebird

The phoenix (firebird) arises from the fire. The Coral Gables light post arises from accidents. On Oct 23 07 the post fell (click to see the damage). Then in Nov. 3 07 the city brought it back (click to see the repair). The old historic parts were put together and the original post seems to be a phoenix.

phoenix is a mythical sacred firebird

New House on the Block

Well at least a block away. This house was finished with in the year. The landscape is so complete that the house looks like it has been there longer. The owners of many of the new homes landscape their property like it was something to be redone every few years. Most people want their yard to look mature. But that only comes with years.

One More Pioneer Vallage Home

It's easy to spot this village. The white fence is not used in any other part of Coral Gables. And all of the homes have the golf course in there back yard.

The Happy Pie Eater

Our grandson isn't quite two years old but he knows a good apple pie when he eats one.

Thankful 24/7

Time to go to grandma's house, maybe. We are going to the grandson's house. This apple pie is cooling off before we put it in the car and go over the bridges to grandson's house. We're going to the Florida Keys, but the water is too cold for swimming (no swimming between Thanksgiving and Easter.

Broughtonia negrilensis

This orchid is a native of Jamaica an it is growing on my mango tree. This is a forth generation USA plant. That means that two plants form Jamaica were crossed (both were the same specie). The best of these plants were crossed and this was done four times. The flowers were improved to the point that an orchid grower would want to grow the improved plant. This is very important, because there is no longer a pressure to strip the plants out of the Jamaica forests. You can see more pictures of this orchid on my web site.

Another Pioneer Village Home

The houses in this theme village are all very large. They are close to todays Mc Mansion, but for some reason the village homes seem to fit the area.

The Finger Pointer

The garage sale in this front drive was for charity and held by the local Rotary Club. The pointing woman was the coordinating Rotarian that put it together. The money that we raised will help to eradicate polio, send water filter systems to areas needing drinkable water and many other programs. No, we are not a group of old people sitting on our rear ends listening to nice speeches.

Pioneer Village

This home is part of a theme village within the city. These homes were built in the beginning of our city to lure buyers from the north. Today they look rather new.


This is the back side of the house. But it looks like it's another front door.

Cookie Kid

This weekend the city has sponsored an art show. It's a part of our seniors program. To enter the competition you had to be over 65 and live in Coral Gables. The entries were better then your average sidewalk show.

Killed by the Name

This flowering shrub was very popular in the 40s and 50s. We called it the candle flower and it sort of looks like a candle. In the 60s we started to have more Caribbeans moving into south Florida and they brought their name for this plant. They called it 'young mans pride'. Over night the plants vanished. I spotted two this year.

Gloxinia perennis (maculata)

It's been blooming in our garden for two months. The only other gardener that I know of that grows this plant is the one that gave it to me. I don't think that it is rare, but it isn't a plant from Home Depot.

The Brown House

I have watched this house for the last 40 years and this is the first time that the owners have a decent color on the exterior. For many years it was a dark brown, the color that you would use for trim. Then it was gray, a very dark gray. Now the house looks happy.

Another Park

This triangular spot of green was upgraded to a park for flowering trees about 10 years ago. Hurricanes have taken out some of the trees, but there are plenty left. I am curious as to the blue package that was dropped into the park 3 or 4 months ago. I stopped to check it out and all I know is that it is marble. Is it someones face or their name for posterity? We have enough. I hope it's art.

Bc. Maikai 'Mayumi' HCC-AOS / Eye Candy

Brassavola nodosa and Cattleya bowringiana are the parents of Bc. Maikai. Yesterdays orchid was also a nodosa hybrid using a little white flowered specie. Todays flower is a cross with a purple flower. So much for science. This pink flower gets as spectacular as yesterdays flower, but it isn't as fragrant.

B. Little Stars

This orchid is growing on an avocado tree. It is one of the 'Ladies of the Knight' group. Every evening our garden and the neighbors garden is bathed with a very pleasant fragrance. The ladies get around. The pink flower is another orchid.

Loggia

This is the north side of yesterdays building. It's attractive, but at the same time it's sterile. It needs some landscaping. It looks like it belongs in a cemetery.

Architecture Center at the University of Miami

The staff must have had fun figuring out which professor would design the building.

Is There a Pot of Gold?

Another view of the fountain. But this time you might see the rainbow ending in the water. You seldom get a chance to see were it ends. It is said that you will find a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. This is only the second time that I have seen such a phenomena. The first time was in our Key Largo garden, next to the water.

Lake Osceola

Lake Osceola and the Cobb Fountain is a nice setting for a few alligators. University of Miami students know better then to swim in this lake. It is reserved for the alligators.

A Private Garden

I have walked by this yard for years, but I never looked through the hedge beside the house.

It Keeps on Going

Just like the right kind of battery the white mussaenda keeps blooming and blooming. The flowers start in late May and blooms until the first of December. With the possibility of a warm winter it might bloom into January. Chick here to see the Mussaenda in our garden.

Refurbished Courtyard

This house was built in the 20's and nothing was done to it except the outside was painted and the roof was replaced. New owners gutted the place, they even had to add support to the walls that were faulty. Walls were usually made of concrete blocks, but this one was built with hollow clay ceramic blocks. This courtyard originally was just an indentation on the side of the house. Now it's the grand front door.

Putting It Together

A vehicle rammed this post two weeks ago. The city has a private company doing the repair. Years ago the city had a specialist on staff to take care of such problems. The expert retired and now the city out sources the work. It's less expensive. The driver who caused the problem, pays for the restoration - or his insurance pays. If you forgot what the broken post looked like, click here.

A view of Mt. Hood from Coral Gables.

The name of this orchid is Bc. Mt. Hood 'Mary' AM/AOS and it blooms off and on all winter. Both the volcano and the orchid make great eye candy.

Festival Miami

The University of Miami has a world class music festival every fall. But the fall retreat brought back memories. When I applied to Loyola Dental School they ask me for my religious preference, that was easy, I'm a Methodist. If you wanted to get into Loyola you must have a faith(at least when I was there). Some said they were Catholic thinking they would have a better chance to get accepted to the dental school. Then in fall the priest came into the clinic and told each catholic student when they would go to fall retreat, I'm sure that the UofM banner is just a pleasant invitation.