It's that time of year

I visited a fellow gardener's place and these euphorbias aka crown of thorns had me giddy.

 I was so inspired that I decided to follow suit and put my meagre collection into large pots and wait for them to explode.

 The colours of the Caribbean Christmas season

The table and chairs were recently repainted and what a big difference it made. The colour is blue lagoon I think.

The rustic bajan garden is ablaze with the season's colours. The nights are getting cooler and the days breezier with the trade winds. I am trying not to get caught up with the madness this season and plan to spend it low keyed.  My country is going through some tough times with many facing retrenchment this time of year. If anyone of us can help someone we know who have been terminated please do so. It is a frightening time for those with children. 

Wishing all whatever you are celebrating a joyous and healthy celebration in these trying times. Remember those who are not as fortunate as us and lend a helping hand to those in need. Peace and Love to all!

Garden Ramble this weekend

Garden Ramble at Benthams House St. Lucy Sat Nov 24th and Sun Nov 25th 10.00am to 5.00pm  Located between the St. Lucy Post Office and Rubis gas station. Whatsap / mobile 2639012

Garden Ramble

Cassia alata aka Christmas candles getting ready to light up the garden.

The shade house  is now properly organized and ready to receive visitors.

Last Thursday the Rustic Bajan Garden had some visitors from Germany.  The visit was arranged by garden writer Heidi Howcroft who is no stranger to the island.  Here they are enjoying some iced tea and bajan fishcakes. 

This coming weekend on the 24th and 25th Nov I will be hosting a Garden Ramble from 10.00am to 5.00pm. Admission is $15.00 and children under 12 are free. Refreshments are included in the entrance fee.  Bring your cameras and picnic mats. Sit under the trees and spend a few hours relaxing. Browse the plants for sale you never know what you will find. Mingle with fellow gardeners and visitors. Learn about growing dragon fruit and some fruits you have never seen growing here in Barbados.

Rainy days and Mondays

 Hello friends, lately we have been getting some heavy rains with some places flooding and some under flood watch. Some of our neighbouring islands have been severely flooded with more rain to come. Meanwhile the Rustic Bajan garden is loving the wet season so far as well as my dog Reds.

 Dendrobiums enjoying the weather.

 Night blooming waterlilies, these open around 8.00 pm and close the following day around 11.00 am

 On schedule the rain lilies are now in full bloom again.

 Brassavola nodosa orchids blooming with very little care.

 This is  Dimocarpus longan  aka longan fruit, it is an Asian fruit and the tree was planted 7 years ago. It is fruiting for the first time. It is now grown in Tropical and sub tropical areas around the world.  It has been very difficult to fruit in tropical areas until it was discovered that ordinary household bleach applied around the drip line forced it into flowering. I tried it and it worked! This method is now being used in Thailand and Hawaii.

 Annona reticulata aka Custard apple fruiting for the first time as well.

 

Malpighia emarginata aka Barbados cherry is said to have one of the highest vitamin C content. It was quite popular on the island many years ago  when people kept orchards. Now it is not as widely planted. It makes a delicious juice.

Look who paid me a surprise visit? The Orion butterfly! The adult feeds on rotting fruit and the larval host plant is the cecropia tree.

To my friends in Trinidad and Tobago take care and be safe.

Timber down

 I had taken a break from blogging and I am now back. Lots of things have taken place at the homestead.  One Saturday morning a few weeks ago, I was walking around the garden, it was around 06.30 am. I looked up at an old bearded fig tree (ficus citrifolia) that had died and noticed it was leaning more than it was the day before. I wandered over to the longan tree a few yards away to inspect the young fruit.  I glanced over at the tree and said to myself that the high winds expected later that day will surely bring the tree down. I  continued my stroll and decided to  to pick some snake gourd towards the back of the garden away from the tree.  

Suddenly I heard a horrific crash and I thought the flamboyant tree may have fallen onto my plants. I rushed to where I thought the noise came from, but the Flamboyant was still standing. I then looked towards where the dead tree stood and realized that it had finally fallen. What a colossal mess!

I hired some men to come and cut up the tree and take some of it away. The larger pieces they left behind.

 A week later I hired a Bobcat with a driver to clear up the area.

 I couldn't use the wood since it was a soft wood and will deteriorate very quickly.  Hopefully I will be able to use the compost later on.

 I have now planted some heliconias and a few fruit trees. The rainy season is not quite rainy but am happy whenever we get a shower or two.  Have a great weekend gardening!