Week of June 30

The monotonous heat of the Gainesville summer means two things.  First, we relocate to TAProots farm where it is much cooler and there is lots to do in the vineyards and orchards.  For the next 9 weeks, the blogs will come from Upstate New York.  Second, the late summer bloomers in the Florida garden have shown up and deserve recognition.  Several vines such as honeysuckle and passionflower are in flower, serving as food for the hummingbirds and butterflies.  The passionflower is especially gaudy, so we try to save a few blossoms from the hoards of Zebra Longwing and  Fritillery caterpillars who feed on the leaves.  Some gingers are extremely late bloomers.  The peacock gingers emerge in mid June with their striped leaves and little pink flowers which lie flat like a carpet under the Chickasaw plum trees.  Other gingers have lovely blooms of rose and pink.  The firebush grows quite large after being cut to the ground in the winter, and is covered with yellow and orange flutes that hummers love.  The hydrangeas also produce their blue and white blossoms if they get enough water.  Despite the heat, they keep the Florida garden colorful and interesting.