SOS Who are you? Can I grow you?

I was in Illinois attending my daughter's graduation in May and I took a stroll through the campus with my daughter. She was pointing out where she attended classes, this moment I will always cherish . Having THE EYE, I came across several plants that made me hyperventilate. Lauren couldn't help me even though she had spent five years there living on campus and passing these flowers every year! I was enthralled with these blooms and I am asking the world garden community to come to my rescue! Those Illinois garden bloggers who had their spring fling in Chicago in May this year (I'm soo jealous and Oh how I hate you all) will definitely know the names of these plants. Jean I hope you are reading this!

bloomin' friday and garden rant

dendrobium orchid

Barbados cherry

lipstick pink ixora

white dendrobium orchid

anthuriums

hosta or not a hosta can anyone help me?

Here are some blooms happening around the garden today. I am also not pleased with the recent water rate hike by the government. The rates have been raised by 60% so my water bill at the end of this month will determine the plants I will keep and the ones I will sell. This island is one of the most expensive places on earth to live. This island produces very little and imports almost everything. With this new hike in water rates, this will hike the price of locally produced food, vegetables, poultry, fish and anything that uses water in their production. A trip to the hairdresser will cost more, the price of plants will have to go up and hotel rates will go up in a shrinking economy that depends on Tourism for its survival. Since the new government has come into office they have raised the land taxes, the road taxes and the cost of drivers licenses have been doubled. This has and will impact negatively on the general population, the last straw was the water rate hike. This is a vital service and I consider the rate hike extortion at its finest. The political and financial backlash will determine the future of this present government. We are in for a very, very rough ride.

My happy birthday

I had the curried shrimp with basmati rice and veggies

coconut crusted shrimp with fries my husband's favorite

These youngsters waiting for the big one that never came

the view from the restaurant

Yesterday I celebrated my 53rd year of living. My husband and I had lunch at Champers, one of my favorite restaurants on the south coast of Barbados. It was a cloudy day and we've had some rain earlier in the morning to my delight. The location is one of the best on the south coast. The food was good and very consistent. In Barbados eating out is expensive and hit and miss. The prices were reasonable and the service was excellent. Now good service in Barbados is a rarity to bajans (bay-jans) like me. The visitors say they get good service but when it comes to one of their own, bajans seem to think they should not demand nor give the same service. My motto has always been, I am a firm believer in excellent customer service, I give it and expect to receive it. Cheers to Champers!

Flamboyant season

My flamboyant trees have started putting on their annual show around the garden. I have two reds on my property and one yellow I planted at the entrance to my driveway on my neighbours' land. I have planted another yellow on my property but it is still young and maybe it will flower next year. I plan to plant another two or three around the property when the rainy seasons starts. The flamboyant is also known as the Royal Poinciana, Delonix Regia, and flame of the forest. All around the island you can see flashes of red, orange and yellow along the roads, through the tree tops, in church yards and schools and hotels. It puts me in a good mood and I haven't been in one since my dental surgery last week. Today I had the stitches out so am feeling better and with all that colour in the landscape am smiling from ear to ear :-)). We had some rain last night and more is predicted.

My cluttered shade house

I have been trying to upload this video for the past two days and finally it has been uploaded. This is what my shade house looks like. Many of the plants are propagated for landscaping and for my plant sales. I wasn't able to upload the audio but hopefully I will be able to do so the next time.

what's in season

Malay apple, pommerac, wax apple, french cashew

pa louis mango no threads the sweetest mango in my garden and the smell is so distinctive

erwin mango very few threads, a joy to eat, large very fleshy and a small flat seed

julie mango another very sweet mango with soft flesh I just slice and scoop out with a spoon

golden apple, otaheite apple, java plum, pommecythere

star fruit, carambola, five fingers

west indian lime

I will soon be harvesting many varieties of fruit in my garden. Some of them I will make juices, pickles, chutneys, jams and preserves. I have three lime trees that are all heavily laden. I dumped many last year so this year I will to try to sell some to the super market. Will let you know the outcome.

Bloomin' Friday

double pink oleander

single pink oleander

yellow flamboyant (delonix regia) I grew this from seed and this is the first time flowering. There will not be many blooms for the first but many more will come in the next few years.

red flamboyant (delonix regia) just starting to bloom

variegated crinum lily

pink crinum lily

pink orchid tree (bauhinia)

nelumbo lotus changeable

cherry jubilee alamanda

It is very hot and it is the beginning of the hurricane season. My garden needs some rain and I hope that it comes soon. This is the time many plants and trees begin to explode with colour. The flamboyant is just beginning to bloom and in another month it will be covered with flowers. As I am writing this post I am hearing rain, whopppeeee my plants will be very happy. Hope it lasts for a few hours or the day. My mind is calm, now that I know my plants are being watered by the gods. Yippeee horraay for the rain! Meems I will now get to work on your rain. LOL

This will make you smile, cry and dance at the same time

YouTube - Centraal Station Antwerpen gaat uit zijn dak!

Spread the joy there is too little today