We hear from so many proud gardeners every week, it seemed a shame not to share their photos and advice with others who are passionate about their plants.
We’ve created “How Does Your Garden Grow?” — a spot on our Baylife gardening page where we’ll run readers’ photos and tips, and let them brag a bit about their green thumbs.
If you’d like to take part, please provide your name, what part of town you garden in, and answer the questions as they are shown here. Email that information along with two or three high-resolution jpgs of your garden (with or without you in it) to baylife@tampatrib.com.
Beatrice Rose, Westchase area
Describe your garden: My garden is full of colors. It cheers me up to see my flowers. Every day I find something to do.
How long have you been gardening?: I have been gardening since I was very young back in the Amazons of Peru.
Who or what have you learned the most from as a gardener?: From my mother, who also loved flowers very much. Sometimes if I’m not familiar with the plant that I want to purchase, I will research it on the Internet. I also have friends that like gardening and we share tips among each other.
What are your go-to plants?: I have so many plants that I can count on: hydrangeas, ixoras, agapanthus, azaleas and many more. But there is one that always steals the show — my bougainvillea. It has the most beautiful purple flowers, and it seems like it is always in bloom. People stop to take pictures of it, and everyone in the neighborhood knows me for it.
What was your biggest gardening mistake?: I planted three queen palms in my backyard. Later, I wanted to add some plants around them and I could not. It was very hard to dig holes, as the palm tree roots took over everywhere. I wish I had planted the palms and my plants at the same time. Well, lesson learned!
What are some challenges you face in your garden?: My biggest challenge is deer. They just have a feast on my roses! They are beautiful animals but can be a gardener’s worst nightmare. So, I’m trying again … I just added a 7-foot-tall fence made of netting. I’m hoping this will keep them at a distance.
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