At home in our property, some plants are flowering, maybe to produce seeds before the searing heat arrives. We can't blame them, as very very few shallow rooted plants can flower during our dry season temperatures.
Sansevieria trifasciata or mother-in-laws tongue, or snake plant flowers. These are planted under the trees so receive only filtered light, but at least not very strong sun's rays.
I bet not many among us are familiar with croton's flowers. They are born in spikes longer than a foot. They do not flower yearly, so I am also excited seeing them bloom.
This wild Lantana camara is very invasive but favorite of butterflies, sorry for this one as it was captured by the spider web. The stems form a mat of canopy with clearings underneath that serves as covers for resting chickens that feel the searing heat too. We have free-ranged chickens so love to rest under this.
This lily flowered in May when the rainy season started, these are now the ripe berries
fruits of orange Heliconia, but Heliconia doesn't stop flowering even in the dry season
red kalanchoe, cactuses are desert plants so they are at home with our conditions
red-orange Hippeastrum puniceum that flowered out of season
Orthosiphon cristatus, catwhiskers, still giving lovely whiskers.
Turnera subulata never fails to produce the love of bumble bees.
The remaining sepals of the 4 o'clock flowers still look very much like flowers, those seeds turn black when ready for planting, Mirabilis jalapa
Hibiscus rosa-sinenses also continue to reach for the sky even during the hottest days. It is one of the most drought tolerant species in our part of the world. When hibiscus hybrids cannot tolerate dry season temperatures, this traditional variety can. And it is already a big bush.
The side plantings of Ixora coccinea never fail to satisfy the butterflies. At the left is the Euphorbia millii, not stopping to produce flowers too.
Great series of beautiful flowers and plants as well as great info.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing,
Gisela.
But when I look at your greenhouse, I can't believe they are in the cold environments of Canada. You are exceptional in making them grow healthy.
DeleteI feel sad for the plight of the beautiful blue butterfly. It would be good to release it from its predicament, but would have deprived the spider of its meal. Should one interfere with Nature's ways, is it right to do so?
ReplyDeleteHi Stiletto, I am amused with your comment. If you are always seeing things like this in nature, it will just intensify your awe with the wonders of nature! By the way, this butterfly is really not as big as the photo, it is small, it that will at least alleviate your suffering, hehe!
DeleteYou have many beautiful flowers in bloom, a treat to look at that on this cold, gray day. I especially like the Hibiscus. Turnera, and Ixora. You say the Lantana is invasive - is it native to your area? We have some natives that can still be invasive.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jason. Our warm colors seem very redundant for me already, need to see cool colors once in a while. I guess that lantana has been with us since the colonizers days, so we looked at it as natives already.
DeleteVery amazing close-up shots.
ReplyDeleteThese are truly rare to behold - very unique and intricately elegant.
Most of these leafy type don't bloom especially croton & mother in law tongue but you manage to capture the blooms.
Beautiful.
You might be mistaken there James Missier, for saying these plants don't bloom. You are not maybe very observant watching them. You should see their blooms one of these days.
DeleteWhat a fabulous show of flowers...we are all preparing for the new seasons that are coming...thankfully for us it will be spring soon and new life in the garden.
ReplyDeleteDonna, it looks like i see mostly snowdrops, crocus, hellebores, witch hazels among blogs and I learned through the years that these are spring flowers. But I also love winter scenes because we don't have them.
DeleteI'm so used to seeing Croton and Mother in laws tongue as foliage houseplants here - it's great to see what their flowers actually look like. Thanks Andrea and Happy Bloom Day!
ReplyDeleteI know that these plants grow in wider ranges of temperatures, but i didn't know they don't flower in cold climes! Thanks for telling me that Rosie. And there are also some people in the tropics who haven't seen yet how crotons' flowers are like. Maybe I am just a bit observant while looking for the very small insects. Thanks for dropping by.
DeleteYou have such different flowers to me (in Italy), I love the colour of the Hippeastrum puniceum. Happy GBBD, Christina
ReplyDeleteYes, and you have flowers that i also love, like pansies, wisteria and snowdrops that we don't see here!
DeleteSo lovely to see all the exotic flowers at your part of the world, so different from what we have in our garden here in London :-) I especially liked the Turnera subulata, wish I could grow it! Here we are preparing for spring, not long to go now! Thanks for sharing your beautiful garden.
ReplyDeleteI guess a few of them grow in wide ranges of temperatures, so they are growing there too. Crotons and snake plants are some examples.
DeleteYour Bloom Day post is lovely! I see that, surprisingly perhaps, we do have several plants in common, including the lantana, 4 o'clock, and hibiscus. It's such a treat to be able to compare plants with gardeners around the world.
ReplyDeleteOh yes Dorothy, many of these plants have wide ranges of temperature tolerance, and easily adapts their environment. Blogging also let me see the cool colors which are not common here in our hot and humid conditions. Thanks for dropping by.
DeleteBeautiful blooms. I've been to your country a few times during the dry season and it's certainly very warm compared to here in Scotland.
ReplyDeleteI am sure you get very comfortable adjusting your body temperatures with ours. It might be easier for plants to do that. Thanks for dropping by.
DeleteSo many pretty flowers!
ReplyDeleteYes Gunilla, you should come more often to look at our warm blooms, while you are still in your very depressing conditions.
Deletethanx for your beautiful weekend flowers! :)
ReplyDeleteI love to see all your flowers because they are so different from anything here.
ReplyDeleteYes Caroline, i think blogging relieves us from monotony as seeing mine all year round isn't as happy as when i dilute the scenes with temperate flowers i see in yours. I hope mine also have the same effect for you!
DeleteYou take such beautiful photographs of your flowers, and all so different.
ReplyDeleteThanks Alicia.
Deletewow, it's our very own flowers. thanks for the information and pictures.
ReplyDelete