Our Garden
Our Myrtle Glen started in the year 2003. All we had was a
blank canvas, meaning St. Augustine Grass the Developer put
down. We built a fence and planted 13 white blooming crepe
myrtles along three sides.
First project were the two compost bins and the Garden Pond. We needed to create a home for all the snails, tadpoles and aquatic plants I brought from our previous home.
Then followed the herb garden, the 'orchard' and the butterfly bed.
In November 2006 we were confident to have our Myrtle Glen certified with the National Wildlife Federation and in February 2007 we joined the HSUS Urban Wildlife Sanctuary Program.
Our Pond
Water is a must for wildlife and for us alike. We are not so lucky to own an estate with a stream and a lake, but we have room for a pond.
This area is our Meditation Room, the sound of bubbling water is the best stress therapy, watching the birds and butterflies visit, and listening to the frogs in the evening hours is just the most beautiful experience there is.
Read more about our Water Garden.
Herb Garden
We like to grow the herbs we use for cooking. This area is also the 'nursery'. I can keep a close eye on seedlings and cuttings to root.
The herb garden is located conveniently by the back door and the
two compost bins are hidden away just around the corner of the house.
The brick edging keeps the grass from growing into the bed and the
soil from washing away.
Herbs that grow well here in Myrtle Glen, Central Florida
And bell peppers, chilies, and tomatoes feel right at home between all the herbs.
Orchard
We love our plants with edible treasures. Butterflies like the giant swallowtail use the citrus trees for laying their eggs, birds come for the figs and bees visit the flowers.
Our 'Orchard' consists of:
Mango 'Carrie'
Kumquat (Meiwa, Nagami)
Banana (Dwarf Cavendish, Siam Red, Raja Puri)
Dragon Fruit (Pitaya)
Fig (Brown Turkey)
Papaya
Key Lime (Patio tree)
Meyer Lemon (Patio tree)
Loquat
Avocado 'Wurtz' (Patio tree)
Mulberry, dwarf
Lychee 'Emperor'
(Patio tree)
Butterfly Plants
Actually, the butterfly plants are throughout the garden, but this little teardrop shaped flower bed is my trial and error butterfly planting area.
Most often I see Butterflies at following plants in Myrtle Glen:
Porterweeds in coral and blue,
Pineapple sage,
Blue pea vine,
Passiflora vines
Lantana
Pentas, red and pink
Salvias, red and pink
Plumbago
Cupheas
Golden dew drop
Citrus flowers
More about Butterflies in Myrtle Glen
More pages about Myrtle Glen
I keep adding pages about our projects and anything garden
related. I also have some of the articles added as pages to the
Myrtle
Glen's blog, but I will keep it all here in Myrtle Glen's
website as well.
Most of the topics below I previously held for the Avalon Park
Garden Club, and I will offer classes and workshops directly in
Myrtle Glen for anyone interested.
Plants trying to take over the Garden
How we create flowerbeds, the lazy way
Plants we tried but gave up on
Organic Gardening in Myrtle Glen
Are coffee grounds good for plants?
Create a Hoop House for winter protection
To see pictures, go to Myrtle Glen's photo Gallery
"When weeding, the best way to make sure
you are removing a weed
and not a valuable plant is to pull on it.
If it comes out of the ground easily, it is a valuable plant."