Garden Bloggers Bloomday

Sorrel our traditional Christmas drink made from the calyx of the Roselle plant (Hibiscus sabdariffa).

The calyx is removed and rinsed in plain water then covered with water with flavouring spices such as cinnamon, cloves and a couple leaves of West Indian bay leaf. Some people add ginger as well. This is brought to a boil, taken off the heat and then covered left to simmer overnight. The next day it is strained and sweetened to taste. If it is too strong more water is added.

The finished product! Sorrel ranges from smooth to acidic in taste depending on the variety grown. It is very similar to a cranberry like taste.

It has been very dry as it is the start of our dry season and I decided to water some recently planted fruit trees. In between watering, I cooled out with some snacks and tried reading a classic...didn't finish and will let you know.

Sunflowers are all around my garden, it is a shame they don't last too long.

 

These petunias are forever blooming up a storm.

My garden poinsettia with the snow on the mountain in the background will remain like this until March.

This is the flower of Muntingia calabura, aka Jamaican cherry. Suriname cherry and Singapore cherry. It is a small red cherry like fruit with miniscule seeds and tastes like bubblegum. 

Garlic vine (mansoa alliacea) with a few blooms.

Raspberry ice bougainvillea

Coral bougainvillea

This pergola is the latest project I am working on with my gardener.

Osteospermum aka African daisy, these were the last three I got from a nearby nursery. I have tried growing these from seed but they didn't grow well so I gave up until I saw these.

These double petunias look like pompoms, were given to me by my friend Nelcia.  Thank you Nelcia!

Kalanchoes brightening up this planter. 

  

Happy New Year to you and am hoping that things will change for the better for everyone. We are officially into our dry season. There is very little rain so the island is becoming less green. Those of you in North America The United Kingdom and Europe keep warm and I wish you all an early spring.

I am working on a garden project and will reveal the whole thing when done. 

To see more blooming gardens please go over to Carol's blog at maydreamsgarden 

 

Blooming Thursday

 The garlic vine (mansoa alliacea) is blooming, the colour of the flowers will change tomorrow to pink and the day after to white and then die.

 I am growing orlaya grandiflora for the first time and I am quite pleased even though it took some time to grow from seed.

I planted out one of my loquats recently and am hoping to get some fruit in another year or so.

 Alocasia tea cups doing well in a soggy soil. These can be grown in shallow water and are great for pond banks.

 Remember the blackberry I had grown from seed? Well I transplanted it into a tyre pot made from a recycled tyre. Since I have read the roots do not grow deep I think this is an ideal container for it.

 The other two seedlings are doing well and I am looking to transplant them soon.

 I am also growing jicama for the first time and they do resemble a terrible wild vine we have call cow itch that is dangerous if the fine hairs off the seed pods get on your skin.

 The tuber is edible while the flowers and seed pods are toxic. The tuber is sweet tasting and is used raw in salads or stir fried with other vegetables.  These should be soon ready for harvesting as soon as the seed pods are dried. I read they can be eaten about now but I am waiting for seeds to replant. These were grown many years ago here in Barbados by the Taiwanese who were assisting our farmers on agricultural projects. When they left the jicama was forgotten.  I plant to resurrect this crop again.

 The leaves, flowers and seed pods contain rotenone a natural pesticide however that doesn't deter the slugs and snails. Rotenone is the pesticide most often used to kill fish. 

Rotenone is a naturally occurring compound derived from the roots of certain tropical and subtropical legume plants. Humans have been using it for centuries to harvest fish and manipulate fish communities. Rotenone kills by interfering with cellular use of oxygen.

I had some sweet potatoes that started growing so I cut off the growing tips and planted them in a container. I peeped and look what I found. Will harvest them at the end of the month.

The morning sunlight across the the orchard.  We have had rain almost every day in January. That was the wettest January I can remember. The garden is loving the extra moisture. I am hoping our dry season won't be as dry as last year. Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Garden Blogger's Bloom Day Feburary 2017

 Chinaman's hat

 Yellow Kalanchoe

 Red Kalanchoe

 White Lisanthus

Pitaya aka Dragon fruit

raspberry ice bougainvillea

Coral bougainvillea

 Garlic vine in bloom

 Lobelia

 Heliconia

Tree orchid

 Hello and welcome to GBBD  where gardeners around the globe post what is blooming in their gardens.  We are officially into our dry season, however  there were some showers last night and today. Temperatures dropped to a low of 23C last night. The mornings are a cool 25-26C and the plants and I are enjoying it.  

Seeds are being sown for my Spring fling some time in April. To see more blooming gardens please visit Carol at may dreams gardens  Have a great week folks!