- April 19, 2024
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"Gardening in Florida is so different from western Massachusetts," say Annette and Wes Rowe, who moved to Palm Coast from Shelburne, Mass., outside of Springfield in July 2012. The first thing they did was join The Garden Club at Palm Coast and attend horticultural classes at the Flagler County Extension Service to learn what plants they should incorporate into their landscape located in the Indian Trails neighborhood.
Wes, a retired risk management consultant, has been interested in gardening since he was young, having assisted one of his aunts in gardening projects for many years. He loves to grow vegetables from seed, so the first project he planned was the construction of five raised beds from pressure-treated lumber to grow lettuce, broccoli, squash, cucumbers, tomatoes and peppers.
One of the unusual peppers was grown from seeds an Italian restaurant owner in Salem, Mass., gave them. He has also built a triangular wooden tower that is planted with annuals and herbs.
Annette had not been interested in gardening until she married Wes 17 years ago. She now has a passion for this hobby and was eager to design their front yard to incorporate the Japanese stone lanterns they brought with them. She started by purchasing plants from Garden Club plant sales and hunting for "the right plants" at local nurseries and those in St. Augustine.
Annette, a former full-service salon owner, enjoys floral arranging and is a member of the Arrangers' Guild of the Garden Club. She has planted numerous perennials for cut flowers and particularly favors those with pink, orange and red blossoms. Foliage plants, whose leaves can also be used in arrangements, like cast iron plant, gingers and palms, have been included in their plantings.
Their attractive yard includes Indian hawthorn, azaleas, bottlebrush, loropetalum, Jack Frost ligustrum, butterfly vine, coral honeysuckle, giant blue flag iris, firecracker, bromeliads, Shilling and yaupon holly, hibiscus, a Meyer lemon tree, succulents, bromeliads, ground covers, and much more.
Coquina rocks, garden art, hanging baskets and colorful containers add an element of design. In just a few months, Annette and Wes have transformed a dull yard into an eye-catching and vibrant setting.
Take a summer break
The high heat of the summer and the afternoon rains limit one's activities in the garden. Fertilize palm and citrus trees, cut back and feed summer annuals to promote bushier plants, and clean up the vegetable garden and cover the soil with plastic and let it rest until fall planting. Check all plants for pests and diseases and spray accordingly. And enjoy the remainder of the summer!
