Being the son of a florist and coming from a long line of professional gardeners and growers, it is no surprise that I have found myself working in what I can only describe as a blooming utopia.
Lately, Wilmot Gardens has been looking less like a garden and more like a living rainbow.
Summers in Florida are notoriously hard when it comes to convincing plants to put out their blooms, but those which make the effort are truly appreciated by the butterflies, visitors and me.
Look no further than the B.J. and Eve Wilder Therapeutic Garden to see the last holdouts of summer blooms putting their best flowers forward.
As you approach, beds of blue chaste tree (Vitex agnus-castus) blooms rise above the garden. Below them, golden lantana (Lantana depressa) sprawls along the ground, while a striking firebush (Hamelia patens) stands guard at the top of the staircase leading down into the garden. And those are just a few of the flowering friends putting on a show here.
Even the walls of the garden hold a treasure trove of heat-tolerant flowers. Zinnias in every color and combination have been populating the brick-built beds, putting out strong growth and large blooms. With such a medley of single, semi-double, and double zinnia flowers in every color of ROYGBIV, you are sure to find one which seemingly speaks to you. My personal favorite is a double bloom in a dark purple, as these were the first, and only, flowers my kid sister ever grew.
For a while, there was even a large collection of various species of milkweed (Asclepias spp.) growing inside small containers along the back wall. These have since found their way to the Ben and Renee Bolusky Garden on the eastern side of the grounds. This new planting is in hopes of providing for a monarch butterfly population, and I am happy to say the milkweed is taking well to their new home.
Among the new residents, a native aquatic milkweed (Asclepias perennis) has found its home in a slight depression of the ground, which gives it just enough moisture to make it feel right as rain. The delicate pinkish-white inflorescences of the aquatic milkweed are a cluster I keep close to my heart as a butterfly advocate and flower fanatic. They are absolutely worth a trip to the gardens for the opportunity to get a glimpse of these precious blooms. I would recommend haste, though, as it won’t be long before a zealous group of caterpillars lays claim to them.
When you do come by, start your visit at the Garden Hub. Not only can you get oriented with the wide variety of gardens and collections here at Wilmot, but you will also get a chance to see one of our newest plantings. A concentric-circle pattern starts with deep blue salvia (Salvia longispicata) at the center, surrounded by a ring of marmalade-orange crossandra (Crossandra infundibuliformis). The blue and orange combination is, of course, the garden’s way of wishing all the Gators good luck as another year gets underway.
The blooms are plentiful and will only continue to increase as the weather begins to cool down a bit. The sasanqua camellias are getting ready to take over the spotlight of the garden, already setting their flower buds for their fall blooms. Did you know that there are two main varieties of camellias grown in Florida? They are Camellia sasanqua and Camellia japonica. The main difference is the timing of their blooms, with Camellia sasanqua blooming from fall into early winter and Camellia japonica blooming from winter into early spring.
Just something to keep in mind as you browse the upcoming fall plant sale inventory.
It’s a perfect time here in the gardens, but to be honest, there is never a time when it isn’t. There are flowers everywhere you look and enough interesting patterns set forth by Mother Nature that you will never run out of things to gaze in wonder at. Around every corner, there is something new to notice, whether it is a flower, a butterfly, a splash of color, or simply the way everything comes together. Why yes, the gardens are truly a joy of color.
Marshall Cooke
Student Gardener at Wilmot Botanical Gardens