Cheryl moved to Bayview Heights in 2019 from Rockland, Maryland. After an intensive study of Siesta Key, Longboat, Lakewood Ranch and the San Remo area the Hoffman’s couldn’t resist the lure of Southside Village.  

 

Cheryl calls her sprawling ranch a combination “contemporary craftsman meets Japanese-Asian” and her home is as eclectic as her garden!  Cheryl’s hubby passed away last summer and her garden continues to be a place of beauty, meditation and remembrance.  The property has easy access, since the former owner had installed ADA compliance through-out the property. Multiple entrances to the home and garden utilize tabby texture non-skid walkways. Our stroll was enhanced by the thoughtful and safe planning.

Cheryl shared that the “inherited” landscape has given them joy and appreciation for exotic varieties spicing up the garden.  The special pool Angel metal sculpture blesses all.

 

As you drive past the grand entrance on Mulberry you can’t resist googling at the other-worldly Pandanus surrounded by leather palms and coontie.  The large Banyan tree with its aerial roots and bed of grand-elephant ear Colocasia add an unforgettable tropical feel to the property. A flowering silver-leafed Tabibuia, red Mammy crotons and punctuations of red bromeliads abound. A colorful Fire spike bush with its red blooms lights up a dark corner. Beds of Cocoplum and Dwarf Emerald Carissa fill the beds.  Groundcovers offer texture and interest including  farfugium, wild kopieva (bulbine frutescens) and ferns.

 

Creative bedding of Sea grape and allees of multiple varieties of bamboo offer a Florida and Asian flair with privacy, color and texture.  Varietals include: Buda Belly, Black bamboo, and Green Glaucous bamboo (Phyllostachys viridiglaucescens) the most successful screening bamboo available to the consumer.  A massive Bayonette plant says beware!

Less commonly used varieties of palms punctuate the property including: An Arikury palm (Syagrus schizophylla); Paurotis Palm (Acoelorrhaphe wrightii) and  Florida native beauty Silver saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) offers real Florida flair.

 

Cheryl has had her landscapers try multiple colorful climbing vines.  Thus far the Confederate Jasmine is thriving.  However, multiple attempts at growing variegated Bougainvillea, Bleeding Heart and Bridal vine have not met success.  These Bougainvilleas offer two toned leaves and come in candy colors: blueberry ice, delta dawn(yellow), double delight (pinkish white), fantasy red, golden summers (yellow and white leaves) and a multitude of others! They need around six hours of direct sunlight and well- drained soil.

 

 Bleeding heart vine is a twining evergreen from tropical West Africa. Other common names include glory bower, bag flower, tropical bleeding heart, and glory tree. Scientifically it is (Clerodendrum thomsoniae)  It is not to be confused with the northern perennial- common bleeding heart (Dicentra spectabilis).  It needs direct sun to grow and bloom prolifically and needs to be covered if temps are below 45. Tahitian Bridal Veil (Gibasis pellucida) is a stunning climber with delicate white flowers and intricate foliage. It is native to the tropical regions of the Americas. We tried to diagnose the problem; issues can be poor soil due to close proximity to leaching from new foundation and concrete wall (taking a soil sample to IFAS at Twin Lakes Park for analysis can help); fluctuations in lighting conditions may be affecting growth.  Need for fertilizer boost 3x per year which is specifically made for Bougainvillea or climbing vines may help!  May be “wrong plant in the wrong place”!

Trial and error can, unfortunately, be expensive!

 

So much fun to Stroll, talk and discover botanical treasures as we circumnavigated this Mulberry-Bayview wrap around property.   We thank you, Cheryl, for sharing your garden with us all.