On My Walk This Morning 4l

"Dark Beauties" are a midi-size orchid which is very hardy and blooms profusely.

This branch has been in bloom for over two months now.

"Stairway to Heaven" is an orchid with several stems and white blossoms

which cascade downward.

"Ophelia" is a very dark and rich and mysterious purple orchid.  It is close to the

white orchids and makes a beautiful contrast.

"Funny Face" shows the two white eyes on each of the large purple blossoms.

This was one of the very first orchids to bloom this year, and it is still going strong.

"Rosemary's Raspberry" is a large reddish purple orchid with a cluster of blossoms.

"Ingrid" is a beautiful white orchid with a throat of purple and orange and

specks of purple.

The "Sonic Impatiens" are doing well, as long as they are watered regularly.

This beautiful circular mound has looked this way and gotten a little bigger and

higher over three months.

"Spanish Shawl" is one of the ground cover plants set out in the Succulent Garden.

It is spreading fast, and I'm not sure how the garden will look when all the

plants spread out.

"Pistachio Delights" are one of the stems with pale, greenish colored blossoms.

The blossoms are large and seem very hardy and long lasting.

"Regina" is a handsome dark purple orchid with several stems on this tree.

"Agave Americana" is a very decorative plant used in front of many buildings.

It will bloom only once, with a stem fifteen feet tall and clusters of flowers.

Then it will die, and these smaller plants will grow larger.

"Aechmea" is a variety of Bromeliad, although it tends to be much larger,

and the colors are in the orange family.  This one is getting ready to bloom.

I love this "Aztec Yellow Hibiscus."  After being pruned too severely

for too long, the landscapers now leave it alone.  And if you just leave hibiscus alone,

it will reward you with tons of blossoms.

"Gaillardia / Indian Blanket" is a beautiful low growing plant, also comes up in the North.

There are two beds in front of one of the buildings, and as long as they get regular

watering, they keep producing more flowers and beautifully shaped.  Drought

will harm them.

"Dulcinea" is a beautiful purple and wine colored orchid.  It opens its flowers

very slowly, in contrast with other orchids.  This one has been weeks in development.

"Fanchon" is a lovely orchid put out by the man who likes miniatures.  This is not

a miniature, but a full sized orchid, and so he has it on a tree to the side.

"Blue Siberian Iris" have appeared by several buildings.  These iris also come in

yellow and white.  Clusters of them make attractive settings.

A bed of "Blue Siberian Irises."

"Blue Siberian Irises" with some "Orange Heliconia."

"Easter Egg Bromeliads."  Bromeliads seem to come in every color and many sizes,

so they are a nice plant to be used in a variety of ways in a garden.

"Green and White Liriope" is one of the decorative grasses which are used

in many places.  This is a good size, neither too large nor too small.

Two varieties of purple orchids at the base of a tree.

"Finlandia" is one of the most interesting orchids I have found.  The plant produced

only a single flower, but it is stunning.  I will have to watch for it again next year

and see if it has more blossoms.

"Aphrodite Wings" is an unusual wine and peach color.  It was slow in developing 

and grew only two flowers, but I like them.

"Variegated Alcantara" makes a very dramatic single plant.

Four white orchids with a colorful wall behind them.

"Oopsy Daisy" is a cluster of puffy purple and white orchids.  The petals look like

they are inflated.

 Another stem of "Pistachio Delights."

Colorful day in the neighborhood.

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