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Lily

Member since: September 17, 2009

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Location:

Port saint lucie, Fl 34953
USDA hardiness zone 9B

Member since:

September 17, 2009

My Website or Blog:

Garden in Paradise

About me

I live in Zone 9B on the Treasure Coast of South Florida with my husband, two children, two dogs, and a cockatoo. I'm a native midwesterner who relocated from the Chicago area almost 5 years ago for nothing less than the sunshine and ocean! Other than spending time with my family, my favorite pass-time is gardening. I'm really enjoying learning about all the tropical varieties that are simple houseplants in the northern regions.

Current project

Phase I of the new garden / patio space in my front yard is complete although Phase II is still in the works. The patio space (Phase II) will be created by natural flat stone of some sort and the privacy will be provided by the surrounding garden of bushes, trees, plants and groundcover (Phase I). Additional project, while waiting for the front garden to grow in, is cutting out various garden spaces to eliminate grassy areas and make a more maintenance friendly space.

Type of gardener

Obsessed!

Favorite garden activity

Enjoying a glass of wine with family and friends in the garden

garden wall

How is your Oxalis doing? I read your blog from 2009. I just purchased the same plant and live in a similar zone to yours. <br/>Also is that your bird? Just beautiful. I have a 14yr old female.
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CrazyCatLady commented on 04/11/12
Love your pics!
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Mari commented on 11/02/11
Thanks for the friend request!
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terraforms commented on 08/06/10
Love your photos!!
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Lily replied: on 08/09/10
Hi Lily! My bananas are unwrapped up here! Some made it, some didn&#x27;t... I&#x27;ll post some photos this week! Hope you&#x27;re great...
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chief cultivator commented on 04/27/10
Chief, my bananas are doing well, but growing slowly, in my opinion. Maybe I need to step away...just like a watched pot never boils. How are yours?
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Lily replied: on 06/14/10
How are things in Florida now that it&#x27;s spring? Did you lose a lot or are some making a slow comeback? I thought my bananas were gone for sure, but I have two or three that are peeking out now. Hope all is well.
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gardengirl commented on 04/22/10
Hey, Gardengirl! Things are looking up here in Florida...thanks so much for checking up on me! I'm so glad to hear from you! I've been taking photos of the bananas...they're about 1-2 feet high now and looking great! They'll provide my much missed privacy along the back wall by June, I hope! The new poolside garden is coming in nicely,although it's looking too full currently for my liking. Will need to thin some of it out. I've planted a lot here and there on my quest to minimize my lawn space. Yes, all of this needs to be posted ASAP! Although I sometimes wonder if anyone is really all that interested...at least you are! :) I'm excited for the season to kick in so I can post pretty things instead of winter browns. I'm glad to hear your bananas are making a comeback too! They make such an impact on the garden! How's the rest of your garden coming?
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Lily replied: on 04/22/10
Glad to hear your garden is recovering! I would love to see photos, so do post them! So much is in bloom in my garden now, I have been snapping shots, but haven't had the time to post yet. Hopefully this weekend! It's really my favorite season - the Brazos Penstemon bloom once a year and they are really nice this spring. The veggies are doing well and it's time to hill the potatoes again! I also bought a knock out rose and want to get that in the ground this weekend too....all that and put on a birthday party for my kiddo turning 11. Sounds too ambitious! At any rate, I do want to get the pics up soon! Stay in touch!
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gardengirl replied: on 04/24/10
OH! Happy birthday to your little one (not so little anymore!!)!!!
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Lily replied: on 04/26/10
Thanks for the birthday wishes for Julia! I have at last put up some pics and written about the garden status to date. Need to do more, but time is short! Look forward to hearing from you!
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gardengirl replied: on 04/30/10
Hi, i am from the land downunder and working on an Asian Tropical themed garden on the east coast of Australia just 40 minutes north of the Sydney CBD. will be puttung up pictures and look forward to seeing some of yours. <br/>Karman
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Karman commented on 02/24/10
Hey, Karman! So glad to meet you! I like the fact that you and I can grow so many similar plants, but also that you have plants that I've never heard of before! I can't wait to see your photos! I've not been diligent in posting as of late, but nothing big going on in my garden right now except some very slow recovery after a long cold snap that adverserly effected the tropicals! I'm looking forward to sharing our gardens!! - Lily
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Lily replied: on 02/24/10
Hi Lily and nice to meet you too ! i was watering the garden this morning and was planning a few pictures to take. My paradise is in the early stages so is nowhere near where i want it but i will show you how it looks at the moment so you can compare later down the track. we are lucky that we don't get frosts where we live so our plants do OK. It does get cold in winter but rarely that cold. i look forward to seeing you garden too. we are currently having a watering system installed that will give me more time to plant etc
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Karman replied: on 02/25/10
Hey Lily! How&#x27;s the weather down there? Haven&#x27;t heard from you in a while, but hoping all is well in your garden! Let us know how it&#x27; all going!
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chief cultivator commented on 02/02/10
Hi Kimberly... just checking in to see if the cold snap in Florida has affected your garden... hopefully not!
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chief cultivator commented on 01/15/10
Hi, Chief! Yes, my garden has been affected, but I'm not sure about the extent. Plants that had some sort of cover look good...ie anything next to the house (Ti, White Bird of Paradise, ixora, etc). The worst damage is to the bananas (lost...hopefully the young pups were salvaged) and tropicals out in the open (my new front patio garden looks sad!). I'll have a chance to really inspect this weekend. I'm hoping that I'll see signs of hope and even new growth since we've had a couple of warmer days since the freeze. I'll post after I assess. Keep your fingers crossed!!
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Lily replied: on 01/15/10
hi lily- would you mind if I used some of your orchid shots from the orchid show for a small post I am doing? I will credit you in the post. let me know :)
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dig the dirt editor commented on 12/23/09
Please do use them! I'm happy you like them!!
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Lily replied: on 12/23/09
hi lily- thanks for the ponytail palm inspiration... just did a little write up on them as a houseplant :)
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FigTree commented on 12/11/09
I'm so glad you love them too! They remind me of the little Dr. Seuss characters with the skinny little bodies, big head and crazy hair! The photo you posted looks like a bonzai version...do you know how to do this?
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Lily replied: on 12/14/09
I have cajunberry to help me- he's a bonsai master!
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dig the dirt editor replied: on 12/14/09
Hi Lily. Wow!!! What a post you just did- so amazing and I love love love that ponytail palm tree. So Dr. Seuss! <br/> <br/>So there is a new feature we have where you can place photographs in with your text. When you&#x27;re writing just click on the icon in the toolbar that is the upper left-hand icon and it will place a photo in your writing. Then you just upload the photo right where you want it! If you have any questions, let me know.
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FigTree commented on 12/07/09
I still haven't tried the new photo feature yet...
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Lily replied: on 12/14/09
Wanted to let you know there are now bird, insect and pest, disease, tree and shrub, and fruit and nut hubs. Hope you like them!
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FigTree commented on 11/10/09
WOW! I like the hubs. I also like the ability to use a photo from your gallery. Very nice features!!! You guys have been busy!
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Lily replied: on 11/10/09
Hi Lily, I am a gardener and landscape architect in Austin, Texas. I have been in Austin for twenty or so years now, but I lived and gardened in Naples and Fort Lauderdale for three years back in the eighties. I am a total tropical plant geek, so I miss the awesome heliconias, tibouchinas and tababuias, (and Fairchild Tropical Gardens) to say the least. I really like to &quot;push the envelope&quot; up here in USDA zone 8b, you might be amazed at what I have gotten to survive our unpredictable winters here in Austin. I planted three Bismarckia palms four years ago in the ground, and they are about 9 feet tall now and loving it. Pretty good for a Madagascarean plant! Glad to virtually meet you and happy gardening. Cajunbarry
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cajunbarry commented on 10/02/09
So glad to meet you too, Cajunbarry! And remarkable news about your Bismark palm...they're gorgeous! Good for you! Plants really are much more resilient than we give them credit for!
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Lily replied: on 10/04/09
Good to see you making lots of friends here. I love the pictures of your bird.
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in the weeds commented on 09/22/09
Thanks! You've helped so much! Lola, my cockatoo, is wonderful! I'm sure you'll see more of her. She gets very upset if I mow the lawn without her, inspect the yard/gardens without her, etc. She takes it quite personally. I have to be careful as many FL plants are toxic so I try to provide her with her favorite lemon basil first, before she has a chance to grab onto anything else!
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Lily replied: on 09/23/09
Lily- the pictures of the pool construction are so great- really helpful to see a before and after. Serious transformation.
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PapaSpade commented on 09/20/09
It was definitely an experience! What's interesting about these photos is that I forgot how bare the yard was, and how little privacy we had from the neighbor. We have such a great privacy screen now with the bouganvilla vine, orange tree and bananas!
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Lily replied: on 09/20/09
That cork bird house is the cutest thing- very eco craft project.
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Seedling commented on 09/20/09
Thanks, Seedling! My husband made it for me...I have a thing for birdhouses, and for the uncommon.
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Lily replied: on 09/20/09
Hey Lily- so cool to see your garden- one of my favorite pictures is of that little black snake in your pool. And your banana trees are HUGE! Guess that&#x27;s what happens in FL!
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FigTree commented on 09/20/09
Hi, Fig Tree. Glad you enjoyed my photos. I had fun posting them. We had quite a time identifying the snake...I was pretty unhappy until we figured out he's nonvenomous. The bananas are awesome...very tropical and the fruit is a bonus!
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Lily replied: on 09/20/09
Welcome Lily! Great to have you as one of our Founding Members at The Dirt! My wife and LOVE tropical gardening, and love visiting Florida... we manage some tropical plants way up here in Seattle, but we are limited...! Can&#x27;t wait to hear more about patio space!
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chief cultivator commented on 09/20/09
Thanks! Happy to be part of the group! This site is great for the "garden obsessed"...when you can't garden outside, you can garden inside on The Dirt!!
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Lily replied: on 09/20/09

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