Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Lantana, greeter and May

- When the real estate agent, a lovely lady named Linda, arrived the first time at mom and dad's house to have a look at the home that just hadn't been selling (about three years ago), she said, "Love the Lantana at the top of the driveway!"  I always loved it, too.  The house eventually sold and I always wished I had taken a cutting of the Lantana. 

- This variety is called "Mrs. Huff" and is apparently very hardy.  I found it at Ace Hardware garden center and it looks like the same one mom planted so long ago.  I planted it in a planter that hugs the deck railing in front of my condo, along with some sweet potato vine.  It makes me smile when I come home and it's there to greet me.

- Neighbor Rhonda named this little stranger "May" - since she turned up in the month of May.  Here she is on one of Rhonda's blue chairs;  I am in its companion.  I wandered out to water a plant that looked peaked on Saturday evening and May followed my every step, rubbing her face on my ankles when I would pause.  Rhonda says she is a stray that neighbor Mike (downstairs), started feeding.  Guess she's staying then.  :) 

14 comments:

Joanne said...

Aww May looks so sweet! And I love those lantanas. Don't think I've seen them around here!

Lynn said...

Joanne -

They are definitely warm weather plants - I think they are grown mostly in the south.

I didn't see May when I left this morning - she might have moved on. I liked her - she is such a well socialized kitty, but I don't think it is safe around there for an outdoor cat.

OldLady Of The Hills said...

I've never seen that Variety of Lantana...it is GORGEOUS!! Such deep lovely colors. Orange!! GREAT!!!
What a sweet face May has....I hope she stays---she seems like a perfect addition to your Neighborhood!

LL Cool Joe said...

Oh boy May looks just like our cat Pixie, who was a blue burmese. She was very affectionate too.

Lovely flowers!

Elephant's Child said...

I like lantana - but in some states here it is classified as a noxious weed. It gets away very easily.
May looks as if she has not only found her home - but is very content. Which is wonderful.

Leonora said...

I've seen Lantana with those gorgeous,intense oranges and pinks at the greenhouses. It reminds me of a beautiful sunset/sunrise.

Lynn said...

Naomi -

Sometimes I hit the color saturation button to enhance colors a bit on photos that come out looking a little dull, but these are unedited. That color is that beautiful.

May is still around, I hear, but I haven't seen her in a few days.

Joe -

A blue burmese. Hmmm. And thank you!

Elephant's Child -

It doesn't have a very good scent, for sure. Yes - my mom's lantana grew very tall. I got the idea of putting it in a pot with potato vine from a magazine. I can only imagine how overflowing that planter will be fore the end of summer.

Leonora -

I love it and am so pleased with the result.

Ileana said...

Sweet that you were able to find those flowers and May looks like a charmer. I'm glad she came last month and not this one; May's a prettier name than June. :)

Lee said...

Hi Lynn....lantana is classed as a pest, a noxious weed, down this way and much money is spent on trying to eradicate it.

"The total cost of controlling lantana in agricultural and non agricultural areas has been conservatively estimated at more than $22 million per annum."

http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/agriculture/pests-weeds/weeds/profiles/lantana

May is a lovely looking cat...a lucky one; and knows it, too, I'd say. :) Shama, my female cat, is curled up asleep here beside my keyboard as I type.

Snaggle Tooth said...

Funny reading Lantana made my brain play a Santana guitar tune! It is pretty- My flowers aren't very lively yet, still too cool n rainy-
Nice kitty pic there, She looks so friendly. N she knows a good friend when she sees one-

Lynn said...

Scarlet -

Indeed - I like the name May better, too. I've been calling her Maysie. :)

Lee -

I wonder if that might be a different variety? I don't know - when I look it up, there is indeed a lot on the internet about it being noxious, but only in areas other than the US. I'll ask at the plant nursery next time I go.

Kitties are wonderful companions, aren't they? I'm actually allergic to their fur and dander, so now that I don't have an indoor cat anymore, I'm breathing so much better. But I do miss having them around.

Snaggle -

Ha! Now I'll hear Oye Como Va play in my head every time I look at my Lantana. :)

May has been helping me water my outside plants, but wasn't around this morning.

Granny Annie said...

I don't have a place for hanging baskets or outdoor plants right now but hope to try again soon to fix some up. It almost seems cruel for me to try because I kill them quickly.

So does everyone share ownership of May?

Riot Kitty said...

What a cute kitty! I've never heard of lantanas before, but they are pretty.

Sparkling Red said...

Aw, thanks for sharing May! What a cutie patootie. She has a very unusual coat.