GBBD for May 2013

Despite the casualties i posted earlier, there are still wonderful and colorful blooms in our yard. It is just a matter of perspective, or let's say just limiting the photos to themselves, and avoiding wide angle shots. Otherwise, the larger pictures might be a bit depressing. So i would rather convey joy, enthusiasm, life and continuous growth and development in our little corner of the world.

 The gaillardia from its temperate  US home proved to be tolerant of our hot and drought-laden environment.  Its growth is affected, the stems are lanky, leaves are wilted every afternoon, yet it still produce the same lovely and colorful flowers, though very few. The above endemic stingless bee seems to have trained itself already with its pollen.

 These gaillardia flowers are alwasy a sight to behold. I never get tired of looking at them, but most specially shooting them.

Another pot of gaillardia has mostly just yellow flowers. I am glad that there are variations in color from the same packet of seeds. But, I am not sure if this is gaillardia or rudbeckia, can you please clarify my misinformation!

 The Hippeastrum puniceum, which bloomed way ahead of the first heavy rains seemed darker in color. Even the texture of the petals looks velvety with golden glitters, a friend calls it 'pelus' texture.

The drawback of the early flowering is the staggered blooms, and my hope of taking a photo of the hippeastrum hedge with simultaneous flowering will not materialize this year! Of course you know that my hippeastrum is planted on the ground, not receiving extra care or any cultural management.

 This is the red Pentas lanceolata. Despite the dwindling stems, which are very much affected by heat and drought, this photo of the emerging blooms doesn't show the stress.

 The purple Pentas lanceolata photo also looks healthy, but i guess that is how the camera lies! Their stems don't grow beyond 1 ft in height, and the leaves are always wilted in the afternoons. Our pentas receive some watering in the afternoon though, sometimes recycled water from the kitchen are very useful.

Chrysothemis  pulchellia cannot withstand drought, so this is the only one left of the mass deaths they suffered. This is in a pot purposely placed under shade and receives the run off water from the orchids above it. Layering arrangement ensures maximized use of resources.

The drought tolerant Ixora coccinea never fails to provide warmth and beauty, here its hedge hugs the slightly elevated contour of the land, and covers the stones behind it. Butterflies and bees at least have their food in this extreme heat. If you are with us, seeing some of these insects diminish the stressful heat and high humidity in this part of the world. 

One Celosia argentea seedling reached this blooming stage because it happened to be near the bottom of a pot that mother is taking care of. The rest of the seedlings died at infancy (LOL). 

We have a wide clump of this Heliconia rostrata in our garden, i purposely chose only one of them to show here because many inflorescence already dried and it is not a pleasant sight. I've shown the group shots in the previous post. 

The golden shower tree, Cassia fistula, is a sight to behold during flowering. However, ours showed only a few flowers due to constant pruning because it is near the electric post.  Even just a few drooping inflorescence already give a lovely scene. 

Other climates show a lot of flowering trees, full of blooms and almost leafless. This fire tree we locally call 'caballero', Delonix regia, can be our counterpart to them. Theirs show off in spring, but ours show off at the height of the hot dry season. Some of our highways are planted at the sides with these trees, and going through them provides both a very pleasant ride and sight.

GBBD for May

Floral Friday Fotos

Fertilizer Friday