Garden Bloggers Bloom Day July 2010

Pentas and Martinique cuphea vying for attention.

Gingers enjoying the abundant rainy season.

White gingers just flourishing in this area under the shade of the bearded fig tree

Bilbergias giving stiff competition to the nearby gingers.

Flamboyant or Royal Poinciana  lighting up the skies with a burst of flames.

Heliconia rostrata, Boston ferns and gloriosa lily make fine companions.

Night blooming cereus or epiphyllum oxypetalum filling the night air with its sensous perfume. The blooms only last a night and  to keep the bloom a longer time, just cut it while it is open (around midnight) and place it in the refrigerator in a plastic bag.

Hello and welcome to Garden Bloggers Bloom Day  where gardeners all around the globe show what is blooming in their gardens. My garden is awash with blooms and greenery. The rainy season has begun with frequent showers occurring during the day and night. It is hot and humid and my plants are loving it more than I am.

My Jamaican rain tree (brya ebenus)fell AGAIN and we discovered after digging around the roots that it was dying, so it was removed. Probably a victim of the great flood I had in April. I have several smaller ones in pots so all is not lost. To see what is blooming in other gardens around the globe please visit  Carol on Friday at May dreams gardens.  Happy gardening my friends!

Garden Blogger's Bloom day June 2011

 I am still enjoying my lagerstromia speciosa  or Pride of India . It is now in full bloom.

 And guess what? I went out and bought myself a blue  Lagerstromia . It has lost all its leaves due to the disturbance but there are some small shoots coming out on the branches. Whoopee!

 My ever faithful cattleya  orchid with four blooms on it. I plan to divide it into three plants when it has finished blooming

 Hello friends and welcome to Garden Blogger's Bloom Day where folks around the world show what is blooming in their  garden  at this time. To see more gardens please take a stroll over to Carol at May dreams garden.

My Jamaican rain tree (brya ebenus)  fell during the storm (Tomas)last year, I got the car to help pull it up earlier this year. It was staked and during the rains we had a few months ago it fell AGAIN. So last weekend  I got the car and pulled it back up and it was staked  AGAIN. Yesterday morning I glanced across the field to see how the tree was doing. I looked  and looked, rubbed my eyes a few times and SHRIEKED "where the hell is my tree?" My garden helper looked at me, I asked him if he knew what had happened to the tree we staked up last weekend and he answered no. So I quickly jogged (I did) over to the spot and found the tree lying on the ground AGAIN.  The stakes weren't properly placed and the wind had blown it down. I went and brought the car down and to my surprise my garden helper had already pulled it back up by himself and re staked it AGAIN. This time we added an additional stake for safety. I checked this morning and the tree was still standing. I don't really know how much more of this I can take!

the aftermath

Today is day nine after the great flood and the cleaning up is underway. I will know in a few weeks time which trees and plants will have survived this. The palms can usually take flooding in their stride however the water normally lasts two days. This time it lasted five days. I don't know if they will make it.

These golden palms were under water  in the photo below.

Bearsie dog checking out the silt covered grass, notice he is always there whenever I am taking photos.

Two days before the flood, I brought my car down to help pull this Jamaican rain tree (brya ebenus)upright. It had fallen during Tomas. It was staked up and we were quite proud of our handiwork. Looks like we will have to do it all over again.

The shade house is all cleaned up and looks like a place to have a cuppa or two.

 Before the flood the shade house looked like a jungle.

Hello friends, the cleanup is underway. The water has finally drained leaving a musty like smell in the air(more like sour).  Hopefully this will go soon when things become drier.  The sun is out hotter than ever so the ground should be dried out by weekend if it doesn't rain again. The air is very heavy with moisture, and this can bee seen in the early morning on the grass and plants. Take care folks and I will post soon. Have a great day!

Almost there

 This cassia javanica will be righted soon, we trimmed off the top and hope that it will regenerate quickly.

 

This Jamaican rain (brya ebenus) tree didn't waste any time blooming even though Tomas had blown it sideways.

This yellow flamboyant will be straightened and staked

The Mc arthur and foxtail palms seem to have weathered the storm and floods very well.

my faithful vanda

Rusty here enjoying the freshly cut grass

It has been ten days since Hurricane Tomas had passed  and the clean up is almost completed. Just a few more trees to be straightened and staked and a few fallen ones to be cut up around the back garden.  It is blistering hot as well so I am working early mornings and late evenings.  To my fellow bloggers and followers, Flowerlady, Kris, Lotusleaf, Andrea, P3Chandan, Stephanie, Glenda and Gail, thank you all for checking in on me and for your kind comments.
Happy Diwali to all my blogging friends who are celebrating this festival of lights.

showing off

Jamaican rain tree

For the past few days, I have been putting off cutting the grass because of the frequent rain showers and the hot sun (any excuse not to sweat and get wet). So this morning I decided to bite the bullet and get on with it. It was quite enjoyable zipping around on my mower. I happened to glance over towards the island beds and suddenly this bolt of yellow struck me. I exclaimed with a loud "WHOA" "OH MY GOD"! I had to go get my camera! My Jamaican rain tree was in her glory and so was my flamboyant . Anything for a break and a kodak moment. Well sadly the break is now over and I have to get back to work......... Tah dah until we meet again.

it's a bloomin' Friday

The flowers of the Jamaican rain tree (brya ebenus) This was given to me by a fellow gardener and friend. Thank you Philip!

It  flowers in high humidity and has done so at least three times for the year . It is a tough tree with tiny spines along the branches and it grows up to 30ft when mature. To enjoy more blooming Friday take a stroll over to Katerina at roses and stuff. Have a great weekend my friends!