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469 Colgate Road

Welcome to where one of our VAGC members wanted to show you, her garden. This garden is located walking distance to the other 2 featured on this year’s tour. Please check in with the VAGC members before viewing the plants. This is not a guided tour but a walk around the garden yourself. This information here is to help to guide you throughout your tour. We have 4 different garden locations and the plant sale location for you to see. As you get to each site, please find one of the VAGC’s volunteers to check you in with your ticket. You may use this information found here to assist you with each of the visits but feel free to ask any of the volunteers should you have a question. When I toured it, we looked in the front at one plant and then moved to the left of the house. Please stay on the paths as you tour the garden.

Pictured here is the tour house you will be looking for located at 469 Colgate Road.

After checking in you will see lots of plants. I have some here to help you with your walk around. Some I will not picture here but will list a few for you to make sure you see. Take a look at this one. It is located in the front yard. None of the rest of the front yard will be toured but the lot to your left is the garden tour.

From the front yard move to your left until you reach the rock driveway. The owner here has 2 lots where one lot is her garden and one is her house. The owner prefers that you only walk in the area of the garden and not on her house property. Once reaching the gravel driveway on your left as you look at the house, please walk straight to the back of the property noticing the oak trees and fence line on your right.

As you are walking to the back notice also on your right will be heliconia that is pictured here.

This is the heliconias plant and this variety is called lobster claw and can grow 6 feet tall. Partial shade is best and needs regular attention to show its best. It grows moderately fast and reproduces with root runners creating more plants. It requires zone 10-12 to do the best. Water is crucial in sandy soil but prefers a loamy mixture but well drained. There are several varieties growing in the Florida area but the lobster claw variety is one the best.

Continue to the back.

This is a copperleaf plant known as acalypha wilkesiana and there are about 5 different varieties here. This plant thrives in bright indirect light warm and humid conditions with evenly moist right, well drained with regular balanced fertilizer. Copperleaf is native to the south pacific region specifically the island of Fiji and New Caledonia. This plant loves zone 10-12 for its warm weather. Height can reach 9 feet tall and likes to be pruned if you want a bushy plant. This plant adds another color to your garden instead of the regular green that so many other plants have. Do not eat this plant as it could cause sickness and the sap can cause severe dermatitis in some individuals.

Also shown on this tour are many bromeliads and these two shown here were blooming on the day I took their picture in early February.

These are three of the many bromilliads found around the garden. Hope they are blooming like this as you walk around. As with most bromilliads once they bloom it usually stays around for at least a month. Most bromilliads do not like direct sun but there are some varieties that do very well in full sun so know which variety you are buying. I understand more and more varieties are being made each and everyday so the list of nice ones contiue to be made.

Continue your walk moving leisurely looking at the many other plants available.

The two plants shown here are the Florida Hydrangea. This picture shows you what it looks like in bloom and this picture does not do it justice as the day I was there it was not in bloom but like most hydrangeas it puts on a show when in full bloom.

Florida Hydrangea, Dombeya Seminole on the left and Dombeya Wallichii is on the right is a gorgeous plant to grow in your area here in Venice. It thrives in tropical regions found here in zone 10. Its pink flowers are a show stopper when in full bloom. This plant can survive in soil of sand, loam and clay. May bloom in fall to spring and can grow up to 8 feet high and 10 feet wide. Likes full to partial shade. Prefers moderate humidity and temperatures above 30 degrees Fahrenheit. Moist well drained soil watering regular but do not overwater. Balanced fertilizer is needed to maintain this plant.

This is a monkey brush.

A monkey brush also known as combretum rotundifolium is a shrub native to tropical South America known for its striking bright orange-red flowers. It thrives in well-drained soil and prefers full sun to partial shade blooming primarily in late winter and early spring. Hopefully it will be blooming during your tour but it was not in early February.

Keep on walking down all the trails to see the other plants listed here but not shown.

Parrot beak, brazilian cloak, areca palm, african tulip tree, silk oak, sleeping hibiscus, Louisiana red copperleaf, vanilla orchid, queen’s wreath purple, hawaiian sunset, chalice vine, madagascar orchid tree, hong kong orchid tree, Indian rubber tree, asters, ardisia variegated, silk floss orchid tree, and nut tree. Also be aware that the gopher tortoise is found in this garden and by law you are not allowed to touch this creature as it is endangered so just look and walk should this wonderful animal be out and about out of his hole.

If you like, the VAGC has another tour located around the corner from this house as a matter of fact all three of the yard tours are all within walking distance of each other and so park your car and just walk to all three.

Glad you came by and hope you enjoyed the tour. Please consider becoming a member as we welcome all guest and members including snowbirds.