Couple’s garden a collaboration

Barbara Thompson’s gardening background stems from her time growing up in Key West and Illinois.

When she and husband Mark moved to Brandon 24 years ago, they built their home and started landscaping from scratch.

Mark is the garden architect who decided where the bushes and trees — including five crape myrtles in various colors — should go. He also planted them all. They both share the mowing, edging and raking duties.

Barbara has taken several classes at the County Extension Office and is a graduate of the first Community Forest Steward program with Rob Northrup.

They have a very small but lovely, shady yard in front. The side has more turf and larger gardens along the house, and surrounding the side patio and French doors to the dining room. The other side yard, inside the privacy fence, is very narrow but lined with flowers on one side and young fruit trees on the other.

Mark laid the long brick walk that leads past a screened garden room, and all around the pool enclosure to the back gate. He also put in the patio floor, all with bricks recycled from the Hillsborough Hotel in Tampa.

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Today’s pick, Coleus, is a common plant and yet comes in many different forms and colors. It is a favorite annual bedding plant in the North, but if you bring it in over the winter, it proves to be a tropical perennial. Barbara finds it makes a fine house plant as well as a great source of color in partial to full shade. There also are a few kinds that will survive in full sun if they have enough water. These start easily from cuttings that can be rooted even in water.

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• Today: Master gardener Cynthia Glover will present a free program on caladiums at the Bloomingdale Library, at 1906 Bloomingdale Ave. in Valrico, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Free. For more details, call Jim Mayer at (813) 661-8452.

• Thursday: The Tampa African Violet Society will meet at 7 p.m. at the Common Ground Christian Church, 4207 N. Boulevard in Tampa. Members are asked to bring in plant-related items for the Green Elephant Sale. A plant raffle will be held and growing tips offered. Visitors are always welcome. Free admission and parking. For information, call Jim Boyer at (727) 871-2014 or email jasb39@gmail.com.

• Saturday: There will be an easy walk to see bluebird nesting boxes and spring bird activities at Flatwoods Park (Morris Bridge Road entrance). Meet at 8 a.m.

For information, email limpkin1945@verizon.net.