Plants I dream of growing

Living in the Caribbean has its challenges when trying to grow plants that we have fallen in love with from North America and Europe. Some of us who live on higher elevations have had some successes, like the farmers who grow beautiful strawberries for export in the Blue Mountains of Jamaica. I have struggled with them from time to time. I had gone to pick them with my mother in law in Miami when visiting and was left in a state of excitement. I occasionally buy them here at the supermarket for around US$6.00 a punnet. I make a strawberry banana ice cream that is delish or make those fancy fresh fruit tarts.

Years ago, I bought a few plants from someone who brought them in from the USA. I started off with about three plants that grew into a bed full and they were multiplying like crazy. I hired a man to help weed the garden beds. When I returned from doing something in the house my whole bed of plants were uprooted. I almost cried...it was my fault. He didn't know what they were and assumed they were weeds . Well I tried to salvage some of the plants and replanted the bed. Things were never the same. I recently bought some imported Gaura plants from a nursery and noticed a familiar plant growing in the same pot. First I thought that it was a weed but decided to leave it to get bigger. I suspected it was a strawberry plant and was convinced when it started to throw the shoots out. Well I was the proudest mother of a strawberry plant! I transplanted it into a larger pot and it has been throwing babies all over. I now have a pot full of young plants that are ready to be transplanted. I am wondering whether I should put them in a bed or large containers. I went to look for them today to transplant and they looked rather poorly due to the shady spot I had them in and the huge amount of rain we have had lately. I do hope they recover.

Another plant I am dreaming of growing are Proteas. These are native to South Africa and have the most beautiful flowers I have seen. I have some Agapanthus I bought a few months ago. I
have them in planters and am patiently waiting for blooms.

I just love Amaryllis and there are some varieties to die for. I have a some white and a few red ones scattered across garden.

all green with no blooms

I first saw day lilies at Epcot center in Orlando and I fell in love with them. I then ordered some from Florida many moons ago. They bloomed soon after I had planted them then stopped for a few years. I then transplanted then to what I thought was a better location in the garden. They still hadn't bloomed. I then transplanted them to the back garden where they will only get morning sun. Well I have had one plant blooming every year while the others just remain very green and healthy. I have begged them, bribed them, and cussed them to bloom with no avail. So I decided to ignore them as if they do not exist hoping one day I will accidentally run into them when blooming.