Most of you who follow my blogposts are familiar with my sunset views, direct from my west window. They are most lovely during our dry season, as the skies are clear, and the clouds just sometimes provide dramatic backdrop to the one single prominent structure in my horizon, the Iglesia ni Kristo church. In the big city where i stay most of the weekdays and only a few weekends of the year, i live in a condominium unit at the 5th Floor Window. That is the reason most of my sunset labels are 5th Flr Window.
When you are a gardener living at the 5th Floor, there is no way you can have a space for a garden. Besides, it is not allowed for us to hang anything out of the window or the common areas. Even at the 8th floor which is used for hanging laundry, other things not used for laundry are banned. Being as hard headed as I admit to be, i put a small snake plant in my laundry hanger cubicle, the only plant seen in that area.
Lo and behold, i have plants outside the 5th Floor window. It faces west so the guards are not asking me to throw my plants, I keep them there and they are not complaining. It has been bare this dry season, nothing can withstand the heat from the sun plus generated heat by the cement wall. So i uprooted the bulbs from the province and brought some here for flower forcing. I used empty bottles with mouths just fitting the bulbs, put them there at the height of the dry season, 1 May-Labor Day.
I have 2 species, and the above shows them with the first shooting up scapes. Left is white and at right is the pinkish Hippeastrum roseum. Other bulbs are not yet sending up the scapes.
The white is NOID, i forgot where i got it from. H roseum is from Malaysia, from an exchange.
It was already like this third week from planting, 21 May. By the way, when the scape is already up, i put it inside the closed window in the morning before i leave for the office, as it might topple down when i am not home. That was just to assure its presence when i return at night.
I purposely did not go home this weekend to watch them bloom fully, and of course to take their photos. It is the first bloom of the white so i have to watch it clearly, and document it.
I appreciate the 2 flowers blooming at almost the same time, forming a cross. Hmmm, i envision a cross super-imposed to the distant church.
The anthers open to the golden pollen on the second day from opening of the petals.
Are you not curious why this shot is devoid of the anthers and pollen grains? I actually emasculated this flower, saved the pollen in the refrigerator hoping to pollinate the H roseum that is not yet open at the moment. I hope the above stigma will be able to stay longer for the pollen of the nearby H roseum. I want to play with them, and i will also save some pollen for the H puniceum that are still dormant at home.
So this is my final post, its background is the already cloudy sky signally the not so far rainy season. And the blurred horizon is the structure of the church, my flowers tower among them, so i am satisfied, in fact delighted.
Beautiful photos of your flowering Hippeastrum, especially the last one is of an outstanding beauty.
ReplyDeleteBack from holidays I also saw a Hippeastrum with buds in my greenhouse, so I took it indoors, we'll wait and see.
Regards, Janneke
Hello Janneke, my appreciation for your regular visits here and longer comments, i truly love that. Hippeastrum is a very common plant in your countries there in Europe, i wonder why it is still expensive. I was trying to buy in New Zealand but the price eluded me. I was so disappointed as those i see here sometimes have virus.
DeleteYou seem to be getting round the rules about gardening in so far as you can. I'm wondering why they exist. Are the authorities worried about pots falling from the building? . . . ?
ReplyDeleteOh Lucy that is the beauty of my circumstances, living in this part of the world. But nothing to worry i don't have pots and nothing will fall down there.
DeleteHello, your sunset view is awesome. Beautiful sky capture. I love your pretty blooms, gorgeous plant.
ReplyDeleteHappy Tuesday, enjoy your day!
Thanks Eileen for appreciation and always dropping by.
DeleteThanks Eileen for appreciation and always dropping by.
DeleteLovely flower shots and stunning sky!
ReplyDeleteGood post.
ReplyDeleteYour photos of the sunset is amazing and the flowers are beautiful !
ReplyDeleteBest regards, Synnöve
The sunset photo is so beautiful !
ReplyDeleteGood for you growing those plants! The world can't have enough plants and I am glad your are brightening your world with those little wonders! Thanks for visiting TravelnWrite - hope you'll be a follower soon!
ReplyDeleteYes Jackie and Joel Smith, my life would be so dull and lonely if i cannot get plants growing. I even got a PhD in plant physiology, hahaha.
DeleteSuch pretty plants and I love that sunset. Good luck growing them in the big city!
ReplyDeleteO, my goodness...I love your passion for growing things...:)
ReplyDeleteYour flower is beautiful....
Here from Outdoor Wed
Thanks for dropping by bj, yes growing plants is really my passion. Drop by again for many more plant photos.
DeleteThe challenge of being in an apartment with all those rules, I am amazed at your green thumb and how beautiful these plants are under your loving care. Thanks for showing us these photos and sharing your story.
ReplyDeleteJM, IL
Oh thank you so much, i re-read again what i wrote above that merits your appreciation. I am very much satisfied with the outcome of my small transient garden. Last night they are already planted in small pots with soil so the bulbs will continue to live, be ready again for next years blooming. I hope you drop by again.
Deleteyou are doing well gardening in the "sky"
ReplyDeleteHaha thanks Tom, i agree!
DeleteFabulous! Great photos, and thank you again for sharing with Today's Flowers. :) So appreciate your support.
ReplyDeleteMy heart breaks when I think of the difficulties you have in growing things. There is a chap in NYC who grows vegetables in his living room under special lamps. Long life bulbs do a good job for my houseplants. In the middle of the room, away from windows and prying eyes, you might try that.
ReplyDeleteI grow all my amaryllis inside the house. I will find your email address and tell you were you can see the pictures on one of my blogs. A. 'picotee' is my favourite.
The flower against the sky is absolutely beautiful.
ReplyDeleteWhat a story! Very challenging rules for a garden-lover. These plants are fantastic!
ReplyDeleteLove the last photo :)