I missed GBBD last month, but it doesn't mean we don't have blooms in September. As long as we are within the rainy season, we will always see a lot of blooms. Never mind if most of them are orange and red, we are stuck with these warm colors as long as the climate change has not yet drastically changed the world's seasons. We are the tropics, warm and humid. Despite the typhoons visiting us in one season through all the letters of the alphabet, we also get the Inter Tropical Convergent Zone (ITCZ) and Low Pressure Areas (LPA). All of these correspond to a lot of rains, and most frequently floods in some low areas, or landslides in soft steep zones. Fortunately, we live, or our garden is located in a safe place.They are all planted on the ground, mostly untended. Rains are actually advantageous to our plants. As long as they are happy, i am happy too.
Chrysothemis pulchella is at its best during the rainy season, dwindling or dormant at dry months
Odontonema strictum loves the rainy season too, but not very happy under shade
Anthurium andreanum shows its lush growth too, evidenced by the bright spathe, this is pale pink in the dry months.
This Hippeastrum flowered for the first time with one bulb having two scapes and one scape having 3 blooms. Isn't it great.
This zinnia has been blooming for almost a year now, it might dry during the next months.
This is a lily I haven't yet searched well for the proper ID, but it is also dormant during the dry season
Butterflies bloom when flowers abound
Hedychium coronarium provides a nice scent for the garden, reaching around a few meter radius when the wind blows, it provides a good lingering scent while i am having coffee in the terrace, while the birds are eating the fruits in the nearby tree.
Even my
Hoya diversifolia flowered for the first time, in less than a year from planting. Can you see the 3rd level of immature flowers under the 2nd growth. I'd like to tell you that the 3 nodes above this are carrying immature flowers too. It's not very busy eh!
The Ixora provides a good nectar source for butterflies, they really love it, and loved also by the photographer because the butterfly just transfer its proboscis from one flower to the next in the same umbel. I can focus and shoot when they stay at one place.
This Impatiens walleriana is planted in that cracked plastic basin, recycling to the max! I guess the basin will have a long service life this way.
This golden duranta hedge is overpowered by the invasive
Asystasia intrusa; bougainvillea is relegated to the side, while the tall Cycas serve as the green background. This Asystasia is truly living its name!
This is just one plant of the blue
Duranta repens (erecta), but it produced lots of new growths and flowers after pruning. This is a favorite of the butterflies and they normally converge here.
I always cut this Sanchezia speciosa leaving only a foot at the base, and it always give this luxuriously healthy growth afterwards. It flowers during the dry season, so prunning is annually.
Dracaena fruticosa is a very tough plant, which can stay long indoors too. This is planted in a rocky surface yet doesn't complain, still produce lots of flowers like firecrackers which eventually will become orange berries resembling Christmas lights.
This tree Lantana has been here for more than 10 years, i don't totally remove it because of the butterflies. It already has a 1 inch diameter trunk.
Lastly, even the white mushrooms are blooming during the rainy season. We still have a lot of blooms, but i ommitted some because there's already a lot of photos in this post. Maybe i will reserve the rest for next month, because some of these here are already getting old and might not be nice anymore for the next GBBD.
Your blooms show what warmth and rain produce, my Italian garden demonstrates what happens with summer drought. Love all the reds and oranges so no need to apologise.
ReplyDeleteSuch fabulous blooms Andrea - great to see what we refer to as houseplants being at home in your garden. Have you any tips for getting the Anthuriums to reflower as I am always getting asked this.
ReplyDeleteOh hi Rosie, i might not be the right person for your temperate anthurium. But the basic requirements of every plant to flower is to give its basic requirements like light, water and food. Diffused or filtered light from sunrise to sunset is required. Our plants are getting 10-11 hrs of sunlight. Water is always present but in well drained media, not very wet. Phosphorus and potassium should be the element for reproduction, as nitrogen produce vegetative growth, so limit N when plant is already mature.
DeleteI guess what you call houseplants are those common here or indigenous to the tropics. They are put inside the house because sensitive to your cold temps. My anthurium is not fertilized at all, it is just left there under the fruit tree getting water from the drippings of the hoya above it. Even not fertilized, the media is well drained because i mixed our goat manure compost with coconut husk fiber.
Lots of beautiful blues and reds - especially reds. I love the Hippeastrum and the Duranta.
ReplyDeleteWhat a colorful garden you have. Just beautiful.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful garden photos!
ReplyDeleteGreetings, RW & SK
Gosh, so many pretty flowers you have, would have loved to have some of these in my London garden! Don’t think they would have liked the coming winter though… I am determined to have some Hippeastrum (indoors) this Christmas, haven’t had that for a few years, seeing yours reminds me to buy some bulbs, they are so lovely!
ReplyDeleteI'm amazed to see so many beautiful colourful flowers in your garden.
ReplyDeleteTruly you are a nature lover who keep these flowers for nectar loving creatures to live.
They are truly wonderful.
Lovely collection of flowers!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful gardens. Love the white mushroom pics.
ReplyDeleteWow!!! they are breath-taking
ReplyDeletemuch love...
Red and orange are my favorite colours and I love your flowers!
ReplyDeleteCalling by from Floral Friday, a lovely selection of photos, my favourite is the one with the butterflies.
ReplyDeleteI have enjoyed seeing the flowers from your country, the reds are gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteYour garden looks so healthy, Andrea. Beautiful flowers - many that I am not familiar with. We grow lantana here but it's an annual for us. Your butterflies look very different from the ones we see in our area. Glad to see your beauty!
ReplyDeleteYour garden looks so healthy, Andrea. Beautiful flowers - many that I am not familiar with. We grow lantana here but it's an annual for us. Your butterflies look very different from the ones we see in our area. Glad to see your beauty!
ReplyDeleteAll your flowers are beautiful. Your Hoya is so far, my favorite. :)
ReplyDeleteGlad you decided to share your photos on Orange you glad it's Friday. Thanks for joining and I hope to see you again next Friday. Have a great weekend.
Wow! - it's all going on in your garden. All your plants are strangers to me, except for zinnia - we have that in common.
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful to see so many blooms and so bright in color.
ReplyDelete