by Troy's Tropics | Jan 23, 2026 | Florida-Friendly Plants, Pollinator Gardens, Seasonal Color
Some plants add color. Pentas add life. If your goal is to see butterflies at breakfast and hummingbirds at lunch, start with Penta ‘Graffiti’, Penta ‘Beebright’, and Penta ‘Lucky Star’—three nonstop bloomers that handle Sarasota’s bright winter sun now and keep going...
by Troy's Tropics | Jan 16, 2026 | Cool-Season Gardening, Florida-Friendly Plants, Seasonal Picks
January in Sarasota is peak “garden again” season—bright days, cooler nights, and containers begging for color. If you want blooms that stay cheerful from now through spring, reach for vinca (Catharanthus roseus), especially the Cora XDR series we grow on our benches...
by Troy's Tropics | Jan 9, 2026 | Florida-Friendly Plants, Seasonal Color, Shade Gardening
Shade spots don’t have to settle for “just green.” Begonia ‘Dragon Wing’ turns low-light corners into lush, blooming focal points—right through our Sarasota winter and into spring. Add fragrant Begonia odorata/alba and ultra-reliable Wax Begonia to the mix and you’ve...
