On My Walk This Morning 3d

"Queen of the Night" Orchids

"Striped Pajamas" Orchids

The Orchid Tree is a large ficus tree near a lake, and someone has attached six or seven

white orchid plants to it.  Each day as I go by, there are more flowers in bloom.

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"Delicate Dolly" Orchids

A spray of white "Light Whimsy" Orchids

If planted outdoors, plants down here grow pretty large.  A number of years ago,

someone was moving and they couldn't bear to throw away their Pothos , so they

stuck it in the ground outside their building.  Today it is up to the 4th storey.

Some of the leaves are more than two feet long.

"Song of India" is a broad leafed evergreen of the Dracaena family from Madagascar.

There it is a very large tree; in Florida they are small decorative trees.

That's a Croton on the left and a Yucca standing tall.

A bed of colorful New Guinea Impatiens.

New Guinea Impatiens are widely used, very hardy, and very colorful.

This "Star Jasmine" had only two flowers on it for a month, and now suddenly

it is covered in beautiful snow white blossoms, each 3 inches in diameter.

They are mush larger than the usual jasmine.

New Guinea Impatiens

New Guinea Impatiens

"White Wings Orchids"   More blossoms on this plant open each time I walk by.

"Dainty Blush Orchids"

Here is a "White Candles / Whitfieldia Elongata" as it is beginning to bloom,

and you can see why people think it looks like a candelabra.

"White Candles Bush"

"Shall We Dance?" Orchid

Yellow "Crown of Thorns."  Today it comes in all colors and sizes.  This one is only

one foot high, in contrast to that "Red Splash Giant Crown of Thorns" in front of the

neighboring building.

"Pitter-Patter Orchids"

On My Walk This Morning 3c

 

The orchids continue to open new blossoms.  "Lemon Chiffon" now has six

blossoms open.

"Lady Stanton" now displays ten blossoms.

"Palest Pink" next door has eight blossoms, and all of the neighbors love it..

This unusual bush is the "Star Jasmine."  Usually the Jasmine is a small spiral,

but this bush has large star shaped blossoms.

"Blood Orange" New Guinea Impatiens.  The Impatiens are some of the most

popular decorative flowers around.

"Red Wax Begonias."

"Red Wax Begonias"

"Coral New Guinea Impatiens"

"Red and White Wax Begonias"   They come in many colors.

"Pink Wax Begonias"

A bed of brightly colored "New Guinea Impatiens."

"Japanese Privet"

"Desert Rose."  These grow in the desert and do not have many blossoms, but they 

are popular around here as potted plants.  This one is quite high.

"New Guinea Impatiens"

It's the time of the year for "Starburst Clerodendron."  They are all over

our neighborhood.

Close-up of "Starburst Clerodendron."  They look like fireworks exploding.

"Baby Blue Clerodendron"   They grow as small bushes about three feet high,

but their color makes a nice contrast to other flowers.  They also come in white

and dark blue.

"White Candles / Whitfieldia Elongata."  The bush looks like it is covered in

miniature candelabras.

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On My Walk This Morning 3b

The building to the west of us is a two story building of eight garden apartments.

One of the ladies on the ground floor has hung several pots of orchids on the wall

outside her door.  Two of them were in bloom today.

"Empress of India" Phalaenopsis Orchid

  "Daphne"  Phalaenopsis Orchid.

Several bushes of mini-ixora.  The Normal Ixora flower is about 5-6" in diameter;

these are two inches.  But they are quite lovely.  "Radiant Pink" Ixora.

"Radiant Pink Ixora"  two inches in diameter.

The "Copperleaf Plant" actually comes in many colors, from dark chocolate brown

through tans and yellows to pinks and whites.  It grows about five feet high, so it is

a wonderful plant for background and you choose the color.   "Gypsy Rose" is a mixture

of pink, orange, green, and brown, with spots.

"Gypsy Rose Copperleaf Plant"

"Arboricola" grows about three feet high and makes an excellent hedge or background.

It is the variegated version of the Schefflera plant.

"Whie Candles / Whitfieldia Elongata" is a beautiful bush with clusters of white

flowers which look like candelabras.  It is a member of the coffee family of

plants and has leaves very much like a coffee plant.

"A Touch of Blush" Orchid

"White Winged Beauties"  Orchids

"Giant Crown of Thorns" and "Agave Angustifolia"

The "Agave Angustifolia Marginata" (with the white margins) is a highly

decorative accent to any yard.  You may also make mezcal, an alcoholic beverage, from it.

Tequila comes from a relative, but not this agave.

Most "Crown of Thorn" plants grow to about two feet high.  This is the "Giant Red Splash

Crown of Thorns" which grows to five feet and the flowers are much bigger than

the usual ones.

Close-up of "Giant Red Splash Crown of Thorn" flowers.  You can see its

stem with all the thorns.

"Giant Red Splash Crown of Thorns" with thorny stem.

One building has two very nice large urns by the front door with red and white 

"New Guinea Impatiens."

A very colorful morning today.

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On My Walk This Morning 3a

The outdoor orchids have begun to bloom.  Here is "Lady Lavender."

"Striped Pajamas" Phalaenopsis Orchids

"Winged Beauties" Orchids

This lovely patio has six blooming orchids already.   "Merry Magenta."

Many more buds will open up.  "Lady Stanton."

One of my favorites each year is the "Orange Popsicle" double hibiscus.

"Bubblegum Pink Hibiscus"

"Golden Tabebuia" Tree.  These are all over town.

Close-up of flowers on Yellow Tabebuia.

Fancy Pink Hibiscus

"Feathery White Hibiscus"

Ground plantings of "New Guinea Impatiens."

"Palest Pink" Orchid is in front of the building next door.

"Lemony Clouds Orchids"

Quite lovely for a Thursday morning.

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