By host on
7/21/2009 7:32 PM
 This beautiful perennial shrub has its good points and bad points. On the plus side Cashmere Bouquet grows to heights of 5’ to 8', has large downy mid-to-dark green leaves, and flowers in tight clusters that are very fragrant in the evening, with a scent reminiscent (to my nose at least) of the soap “Cashmere Bouquet”. The plant’s biggest negative point is that is propagates itself with underground runners and can quickly become invasive and very difficult to control (like most of the clerodendrums) if planted directly in the ground in your garden.
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By host on
7/19/2009 1:15 PM
 This is a lovely bush also known as Chaste Berry, Chasteberry, Hemptree, Agnus castus, Abraham's balm, Monk’s Pepper or simply Vitex and is a member of the Verbenaceae family.
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By host on
7/13/2009 8:25 PM
 This tiny guy is a full grown Eleutherodactylus planirostris frog -- commonly known as the Greenhouse Frog. If you think this frog is little (about ½” to 1-1/4” long) you should see its babies which hatch as tiny “froglets” from the eggs mama frog lays. This is one of the few frogs that do not have a tadpole stage; instead they hatch out as mini-frogs that look just like their parents, only much, much smaller.
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By host on
7/11/2009 9:08 PM
 On Thursday I reported that Smith & Hawken is liquidating. Today I drove up to the Palm Beach Gardens Smith & Hawken store in the Downtown at the Gardens Mall looking for some bargains. Yeah, I really did not find any. Sure, the sign in the window says everything in the store is marked down 20 to 30%, but when they start out pricing everything high your final savings really is not that great.
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By host on
7/10/2009 9:54 PM
 Also known as White-tipped Black Moth (Melanchroia chephise), these colorful tiger-striped inchworm caterpillars attack Otaheite gooseberry (Phyllanthus acidus), white sapote (Casimiroa edulis), and Snow-on-the-mountain (Euphorbia marginata) plants.
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By host on
7/9/2009 7:45 PM
 It is another sad, sad day for gardeners – “Smith & Hawken today announced it is closing its stores and liquidating the company.
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By host on
7/5/2009 7:55 PM
 This “true bug”, Leptoglossus species aka Leffooted Bug was running around my garden today after I pulled out my tomato plants. Sorry bug, you are late to the party – the stinkbugs and rainy weather already took their toll on my garden. Although I am happy to report that I was able to harvest an abundance of fruit before they ruined my garden party.
Adult leafooted bugs are about 3/4 inch in length and are dark. Although you cannot see it from this angle of my picture ...
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By host on
7/3/2009 8:39 PM
 I saw this plant today when I was visiting Mounts Botanical Garden in West Palm Beach. It is a Buddleja (Buddleia) Paniculata, a Butterfly Bush.
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By host on
6/24/2009 9:06 PM
 Looking for a weekend DIY project? Need a quick and easy stone garden path? An alternative to heavy, expensive natural stones or cement? Try Smart StoneTM made by Greenland CompositesTM, Inc. Smart Stones measure approximately 17"L x 15"W x 2"H and come colored in gray or brown.
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By host on
6/22/2009 9:39 PM
First of all, despite what you might have been told or come to think -- Odonate dragonflies are completely harmless - they do not sting or bite. Indeed, they are beneficial insects because they eat large quantities of small flying insects – particularly mosquitoes.
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