Drying out and Happy moments

 

 We had another week of rain and my garden is drying out again. I have become rain weary and today is the first day without any rain.

 Some areas are very muddy and when I walk on the grass I get that squelchy sound underfoot.  

The beautiful colours of my maidenhair fern in my shade house this was given to me by my mother.

I have been busy trying to keep these seedling alive with the heavy rains we've been having. This is day ten and they are doing well. Many are from seed that I had stored in my refrigerator for the past five years. Some are cooler climate annuals like california poppy, linaria, godetia, nigella and delphihinium but I am giving them a try  to see how they adapt to our climate.  In the mix are some warm weather plants  like cosmos, asters, salvias, morning glory, zinnias marigold and  phlox.  I am also trying some tall snap dragons and lobellia.  I am pleasantly surprised that so many seeds actually sprouted after such a long shelf life in the fridge.

 dendrobium

 Heliconia rostrata growing in pots

Miniature anthuriums growing in a tree stump

I thoroughly enjoyed the Royal Wedding last Friday, it was nice being a Royal watcher for the day. They seem so in love with each other and it was heart warming to see the wedding.  I wish this couple a happy life.

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!

Oh what a night!

 

Many of my plants are under water

My dog Bear exploring the water's edge.

I have never seen anything like this, look at the water on the floor.

water has flooded my shade house

Many shorter palms are now under water, I am worried for my island if this continues.

Last night it rained heavily the WHOLE night into the morning and it is still raining.  I spent the night mopping and shovelling up water off my laundry room and downstairs  bathroom floors. One of the gutters in the laundry room  was blocked and had overflowed. At one stage was so overwhelmed that I almost gave up. Luckily whatever was blocking the gutter shifted and the inside deluge stopped. I then had to scoop up water  off the floor and mop. There was nearly an inch of water in some areas. I have NEVER had this happen in the fifteen years living here.

This morning was another new experience as well. My garden which usually floods in heavy rains,  had flooded up to my shade house. I had never seen this happen before. And this is supposed to be our dry season. My husband ventured out to take my daughter to her ride to go to work. On the way he told me there were cars washed into drains at the side of the road.  He tried going to a gas station in Speightstown and that was also flooded. He had to make several detours to get back home. I am now going to try to get some badly needed sleep.

Blooming Friday ....Eye Candy

Welcome to Blooming Friday and the theme today is eye candy. I have in this pot some of thornless crown of thorns and some petunias. They make great eye candy for all who pass by.

 The pot of bougainvillae sets the tone here.

The petunias in my patio are now coming into bloom and they give the area a delightful  feast for the eyes. To see more eye candy from around the world, please go over to Roses and stuff to have your fill.  Have a sweet filled weekend.

One man's trash

One woman's junk is another woman's treasure. I discovered these pieces of junk that have become  treasures for me and my plants. These stands were destined for the junk yard. I first got a call from someone who was on the look out for me for metal racks that can be used for plants. 

One day a friend who works for a wine importer,  came to visit and she recognized two racks that she had sent to the junk yard.  I told her that I bought them off someone who had salvaged them. She told me that she has some more to dump and she will let me have them if I can use them. Well I went to have a look and came home with three  racks. Thank you Rym! Merci beaucoup!

Catching up

Golden chalice (solandra grandiflora) sharing a spot with the yellow mandevilla now called  vine allamanda.

A plumeria seed pod waiting for wind dispersal

Shaving brush (bombax ellipictum) tree flower bud

Shaving brush tree flower

Hello friends, I decided to take a little break and I am back. I fell ill with a very bad sore throat and then a second bout of gastro.  I was puking from both ends.  I felt really bad because my daughter was at work and my hubby was in Miami. I had looked like something the cat had dug up.   I also had some computer problems, my old faithful finally died on me and I had to resurrect my daughter's. I had used it for a week then it died on me. I diagnosed that it was the fan that had stopped working and had to put in a new one. It then worked for a while then it died on me AGAIN. I figured it was the power supply so I took the old one from my dead computer and installed it. Now my  computer is working fine zipping along nicely. (And I did all of this by myself).  

Lotus leaf begonia (begonia nelumbifolia) in bloom

The dry season is now here and it has not been too bad. We have been getting some rain  so the garden is still looking good. Take care and I will post again soon. Have a great weekend!

Blimey it's Blooming Friday

This is an area at the furthest end of the garden in the shadows of a huge banyan tree, (the bearded fig tree)  where I have planted several gingers lilies, clerodendron bleeding heart, Antigua heath (Russelia equisetiformis)and showers of gold (galphimia glauca).

They are all thriving with very little care. 

There are some bald spots where some plants had died  and  will be replaced in due time. The terrain is very rocky and I am surprised that the plants are doing so well.

Hello friends and welcome to blooming Friday. The theme today is verdure, an old  French word meaning the lush greenness of flourishing vegetation. It is derived from the French word verd meaning green. To see more of Blooming Friday why not stroll over to Katarina at Roses and stuff to see more greenery  from around the world.  

As you can see from the above photos, the lush greenness that surrounds me even though we are supposed to be in our dry season. I am thankful for the showers we have been getting saving me water. We started this morning off with another shower of rain and hopefully that will continue .

Have a  verdant weekend my friends!

Moby Dick

 For nearly ten years he had been in solitary confinement. I heard about him from my husband and I thought that he was seeing ghosts. Many days and many months I would try to get a glimpse of him and see absolutely nothing. Then one day I heard a large splash and ran to the pond, at last I had seen this ghostly fish whom my husband had nicknamed "Moby Dick"

 He resided in this large growing  pond for about  ten years. Initially there were four butterfly Koi  that my husband had put in hoping that they would multiply. Soon after we decided to get rid of all our Koi  from the show pond because they were wrecking the water lilies. We managed to capture two of the butterfly Koi  in this growing pond. Later we found one floating so there was just one left. Years passed without a glimpse of him  so naturally I thought that he had died too. A few years later my husband said that he had spotted him. I laughed and told him that he was seeing ghosts. Last year I started going by the pond at night with a torch light. And lo and behold I spotted "Moby Dick"!  I tried capturing him but by the time I returned with the net he was gone. The nets remained by the ponds for several month but nothing happened.

Last week around midday,  we were  chatting with some visitors around the pond when "Moby Dick" made an appearance. So lately my husband started waiting by the pond with nets around noon time. He said that "Moby Dick " usually comes  around a certain area of the pond  at the same time everyday. I smiled to myself and thought, boy he  has a lot of patience. Some days he can be seen sitting around the pond at midday the hottest time of the day. When I approached him,  he would signal for me to stay away. So I happily left him to his own devices.

 Yesterday  Sunday around midday,  I heard my husband bellowing  my name.  I ran out of the house quickly thinking that something  terrible  had happened.When I got within earshot he shouted to me to get a large container. I ran like the devil was after me. I collected a large tub and ran toward him. He was standing by the growing pond with a net in the water.  I asked incredulously if he had caught "Moby Dick"? He asked  me to fill it partially with the pond water. I did that and he placed "Moby Dick" into the container.  "Moby Dick" was taken to the show pond  where he is now ensconced with other fishy companions. Hubby says that he hopes he survives the move and not die of a heart attack.  When I last checked  "Moby Dick" was doing fine.  Well done fisherman Chuck!

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day Feb 2011

 

Hello friends and welcome to Garden bloggers' bloom day  this  windy month of February. I have the Clerodendrum splendens or the flaming glory bower blooming in my garden.  With its red and hint of white flowers and heart shaped leaves I consider it a perfect Valentines plant. And a belated Valentines day to all. There over  four hundred species of Clerodenrums, this one is a native to Western Africa. It is found in most tropical  climates and as far north of central Florida. It is sometimes mistaken for its' cousin the Pagoda flower or the Clerodenrum paniculatum. Like most beautiful Clerodenrums,  they are invasive and must be controlled. It is easily propagated by root suckers, seed and softwood cuttings. To see what is blooming in other gardens around the world please take a stroll over to Maydreams gardens.

Trials and tribulations

 I have been growing these sky vines (thunbergia grandiflora) by seed for the past four to five months. I got the seeds when my friends and I went on a countryside jaunt last September. They are supposed to be the white but I have noticed a difference in the shape of the leaves on one of the plants. Perhaps one may be the blue. The seed took about three to four weeks to germinate.

I am also trying to grow this Pride of Maderia (echium candicans / faustuosum). I grew this from seed and I have never heard anyone on this island growing this shrub. I am excited and hope that it continue to thrive. From what I have read it grows well by the seaside and is drought tolerant.

 

 My citrus crops of oranges and grapefruits have been destroyed by the birds, yes birds. They have pecked the very young fruits to the semi mature ones. This is the first time I have seen this happening. I will have to try to come up with a solution for this problem. I may have to get some fruit nets to prevent this.

They are finally here in my garden. The island is under siege by the Giant African Snail. I have just recently discovered them  and have been trying to control them. I go out at night and on early mornings with my headlamp scoop and bucket.  I collect them and burn them. I have now  baited around the areas where they have been sighted and I have been seeing a few dead ones. They are not too bad as yet and I do hope that they stay away from my plants. Another blogger friend Lotus leaf has them in her garden in India. She has mentioned that there is a natural predator, a bird by the name of a coucal a member of the cukoo family, loves to gobble them up. Sadly we do not have these birds here so we are down a gully with these snails. I read that Florida had them and it took ten years and many millions of dollars to get rid of these snails. Our government was giving free bait to householders and because a lack of funds that has come to an end. There is also a bounty on the snails and many people have been making some money. However that scheme hasn't seem to put a dent  in the snail population. I am also concerned about the use of the bait poison getting into our aquifers and contaminating our drinking water.

Blooming Friday

 

 OMG please do not stare at that untidy mess under these Starbursts!  I will get around to tidying up as soon as my back is able LOLLL

Hello and welcome to Blooming Friday.  The theme today is contrast. I am showing the contrasting colours of the starburst clerodenron  (clerodendron quadriloculare) For more of blooming Friday please go over to Roses and stuff to what is blooming in gardens around the world. 

    

I haven't been posting lately because of a back injury. A week  ago I had injured my back. How I did I manage to do this? Well... you see, I was tidying up the garden hose because I was expecting an important visitor. 

 As I wound the hose in a circle on the ground, I felt a very sharp pain on the right side of my back that made me stood still for a moment,  however I continued to finish the job. I then went on to mow the grass at the front with the push mower (it was self propelled) . The pain intensified  during the night and the next day. I couldn't sit up, bend nor lie on my side. Going to the loo was a feat for the fearless. To be honest I felt helpless and sorry for myself. Hubby went off to the druggist who sent me some anti inflammatory  tablets. The pain eased on the third day. Now I am almost pain free. Yesterday I mowed the grass, it was a bit painful sitting a long time on the mower but I bit the bullet and finished the job. Afterward I took another painkiller and was good to go when it kicked in. I tried touching my toes and with a bit of effort I touched them...Yipeee!  Have a great weekend my friends!