más flores

ginger lily

it grows from a central thingy - sort of like a bromeliad

the last micro-flower on the Mexican heather

miniature roses bloom among the mums

pyracantha aka firethorn

clematis 

rose hip which grows on a trellis with clematis

Usually I do not spray my plants with anything.  Sometimes I will spray with soapy water and garlic.  The camellias which grow in my yard, and there are dozens and dozens of bushes, are between 70 and 20 years old.  Many were planted when the house was built in 1938.  Others were added until about 16 years ago.  My neighbor propagated camellias and is very active in the local camellia society.  From my side porch I can see paper bags on her plants.  Something is going on under there.

My neighbor sits on about two acres and her lot is a wooded paradise.  It is filled with azaleas (hundreds!), camellias, ferns, hydrangea, and just about every other plant you can think of that will grow in southern shade. Dozens of bird feeders and hummingbird feeders attract all sorts of feathered creatures and the rattlesnakes and white oak snakes which like to eat their eggs.  I hope to be able to put in hydrangeas of every variety because I so admire these blooms in her yard.