It's hot! This unusual heat wave that has Florida in its grip has truly been oppressive and dangerous to folks who make their living outdoors. Here on the coast, the temperatures rarely reach the 90's but they have been well above that mark this week. The normal afternoon storms have been hit or miss and not all that cooling.

A bit of shade is a welcome thing when the weather is hot, but sometimes a challenge to landscape. The shade is where variegated plants shine; the light bright foliage seems to glow in dense shade. But there is a paradox, many plants with lots of variegation need more light for good growth due to the fact there is less chlorophyll in the leaves to do the work of keeping the plant alive.

It is easy to overdo variegated plants, from a distance they can look unkempt