Gotta Love Blue and Purple!

Yet another Phalaenopsis has opened in my "basket-'o-orchids" that I have hanging on the lanai.

I had stuck a bunch of orchids that I got on markdown in a basket until I decided which trees to attach them to.  Well, I never got around to placing them, so they're now happily hanging out together and they've all been blooming very nicely lately. 

Speaking of markdowns, I love the sale rack or rescue rack as I like to call it, at the local garden centers.  I got this pretty Speedwell for a buck and I love it's gorgeous lavender color and spikey architecture.

My gardening budget is a little slim this year, so I love being able to try out new plants to the garden on the cheap.

I got these lovely Angelonias as well.  I love their cottage-flower look and deep purple shade.  I've had them planted in back before and they've done well until the high noon of the summer sun and heat hits us.  I figure I'll stick them a little more shaded this time and see if they can last a bit longer.

The Blue Salvias that I got last year on sale are still doing quite well.

I'm a little surprised the blue Lobelia is still hanging on.  I've had a hard time finding a spot that she likes.  Maybe I need to spend a little more time with her and see if she tells me any hints on what conditions she needs to do better...

Yeah, I talk to my plants - a lot.

I think I talked about this blue beauty a couple of posts ago.  I can't help but come back to it though - I just love the color and the Skyflowers dainty shape.

The Duranta out front has a bit smaller and lighter colored bloom.  

I forgot to mention when I was at the garden center I got a new Spearmint plant.  

And a new Lemon Balm.

As usual, I'm having a hard time finding a place to put them.  My herb station on the lanai is full and they need a little less sun than the rest of the gang.  I can't put my herbs outside the screened-in lanai, or they get eaten.

Usually by these adorable visitors to the yard.  We have deer in the yard every day, but this is the first time I've seen a fawn.  I'm absolutely enchanted!

I had a hard time getting a photo as they were on to me.  I started out in stealth mode hiding behind the Giant White-Bird-of-Paradise and slowly sneaking my way around it to try and get a pic.

My shots turned out dark, but at least I got a few.

Our backyard backs up to this huge preserve that runs down into Corkscrew Swamp lands.  We regularly have bear, coyote, deer and everybody else that lives in here visit our yard on a daily basis.  I'm not complaining - I love living this close to such an active wildlife area.

I'm pretty sure not all my plants would agree as they get munched on quite often.

But since we're probably the only yard on the street that is mostly pesticide-free, I don't mind them eating where I know it's safer for them.  I have a couple pots of Purslane that is one of their favorites.

How quickly I forget the theme of my post, haha - and this really doesn't fit it either, except for the purple bougainvillea in the background.  I just had to post another couple pics of the incredibly gorgeous magnolia.  

In fact, I'm headed out back right now to get my daily whiff of her glorious fragrance!  I feel very blessed to have such a lovely tree in our yard and thank the previous owners for planting her!