First, let's look at some Pretty Happy Flowers, shall we???
Bird of Paradise flowers are in bloom!
(wish the pool cover was "off" - but, Oh well!)
Looks nice 'n tropical, dont'cha think?!!
While we're on the subject of Birds of Paradise... We've got a Super-Bold hummingbird who frequents our yard, from time-to-time. He sucks nectar from the BOP's and does his little "dtsp! dtsp!" chirp, all the while. Sometimes he'll flit up *under* the tiki-bar's thatch umbrella and "buzz" the party lights that are strung underneath it!
I've seen him a couple of times, as has dear-hubs, and I do the whole "kiss my tongue against my teeth" thing in an attempt to mimic his chirp. Well, damned if he won't fly RIGHT UP to my face and look me straight in the eye! It's actually pretty cool! And it's so mesmerizing, I *forget* to grab my camera and snap a pic!
(By the time I think of it, he is long gone! LOL)
First hibiscus of the season!
Droid pic really doesn't do it justice - the pink is incredibly vivid!
I *love* my hibiscus flowers!
Most of the perennial yard-plantings are geared-toward "big, tropical foliage" - I'm generally not a big flower-fan. Don't get me wrong, flowers are NICE, but - for the tropical vibe - nothing beats BIG foliage (especially multi-colored canna leaves!).
In the background of the above hibiscus pic, you can see our star jasmine - which is "vigorous" to the point of being invasive! - but it smells divine in the evenings (would that we could spend much time out in the yard in the evenings. It tends to get pretty cool at night - even during the hottest summer nights!).
I've also got the plumerias, which, thankfully DID survive winter outdoors (under a bed-sheet!). They're too damned big to fit through the greenhouse door anymore! Some of the branches got frozen and died back, but overall I think they'll bounce back. No flowers yet - just smidges of new leafy growth. But talk about a HEAVENLY scent! OMG - Plumeria blossoms will take you *straight* to Hawaii!
My banana trees are coming back to life. I believe these are Saba bananas, which grow to mammoth heights! (and are planted in a *very* bad location! Between a queen palm and the Italian Cypress that line our fence).
I bought ONE plant on eBay, several years ago. One actually produced an inflorescence and *seemed* like it was gonna produce fruit - a few years back - but our "warm season" just wasn't long enough so all of the Baby Nannas perished. Anyway, every year, the banana trees die-back and I think they're goners. But then, the following year, they come back! Right now, I'm looking at three very-much-alive banana trees, appx 8-10 feet tall (that desperately need their dead leaves trimmed-off!)
"Sooooo... How's that veggie garden coming along???"
:::sigh:::
Well, I haven't KILLED anything, yet! But I haven't made nearly as much progress as I might've liked! This morning, I did drag a couple of old (heavy) pots of soil out to the "overflow bed" and dumped 'em in. Over time, this may end up resembling a raised bed... I wanted to stick a few tall garden stakes in the ground - in preparation for planting my pole beans - but I ended up going severely hypoglycemic ("Thanks, Diabetes!") and had to run into the house to ingest glucose, and rest - dammit!
Tomorrow... K???
"Overflow" bed is ready for garden stakes, bean-plants (which - Thanks to Finny - I understand *can* be planted close-together!), vining melons and squashes...
So yeah, tomorrow morning, I hope to get out in the yard and stick the rest of my crap in the ground (Gawd willing!).
Annnnnd.... I *might* (if all goes well) have another Garden Experiment to futz around with this year! (Yes, roll your eyes - I won't mind!). Found this today and might give it a whirl - what the hell, right?!
Stay tuned... Film at eleven... Yada yada!
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