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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Autumn Flowers in Fort Lauderdale

                                                    Autumn in Florida

The Tibouchina or Princess Plant has rich purple flowers and leaves as soft as velvet.

There are a number of different varieties, and some bloom at other times of the year.

This is a lovely tree not far from my condo.

Although flowers bloom all year long in Florida, and some flowers bloom in all

seasons, other flowers make their special appearance in various seasons.

Here are some of the flowers which  are blooming now.

Tibouchina flowers and leaves

Some Tibouchinas grow as large bushes, and this is the top spike of one.

Queen's Wreath is a beautiful autumn vine, much like wisteria.  Clusters of flowers in various

shades of blue and violet will cover trellises and fences.

A cluster of "Queen's Wreath" flowers.

Queen's Wreath on a trellis.

Pale Blue Plumbago.  Clusters of flowers cover a bush or hedge.

Medium Blue Plumbago

Pale Blue Plumbago.  It also comes in white.

A hedge of Plumbago

There are many different varieties of Cassia, and they bloom at different times of the year.

This is Cassia Alata, or Yellow Candlestick, and it blooms in autumn.

Cassia  Alata

Crown of Thorns is a very common flower in South Florida; its has spines all along
the stem.  It comes in various sizes and colors and is very hardy.

Yellow Crown of Thorns

Hot Pink Crown of Thorns.   Notice all the thorns.

Siberian Iris.  These are small, usually yellow, and quite delicate.

Dipladenia are beautiful flowers in shades of pink and red, and they grow as
vines or bushes or plants.  They are similar to the Mandevilla, but they are a distinct
plant; the leaves are smaller and the growth is more dense.

Dipladenia Flowers

Dipladenia in a pot.

Dipladenia  Vine

Mums are very popular in the fall, purchased at Lowe's or Home Depot. and
planted in gardens.

A Mum Bush in a garden in my neighborhood.

Lavender Ground Orchids.  These grow in the soil and not hanging from trees.
They spread quite rapidly.  Most orchids are tied to palm trees and get their moisture
from the air; these obtain their moisture from the soil.

Pink Ground Orchids

Yellow and Peach Ground orchids

Purple Ground Orchids

For Fall color, the deep red-orange Ixora is very popular for hedges and bushes.
In autumn, the flowers are so thick, you scarcely see the vegetation.

A hedge of red-orange Ixora.

Another fall color is Harvest Gold Ixora; here it is trained as a small tree.

Harvest Gold Ixora

This is a popular Combination Tango Ixora.

The English Marigold  / Calendula is a bright autumn flower.

English Marigold  /  Calendula.  They are twice the size of the usual marigolds.

English Marigolds  /  Calendula

For colored foliage, we use two plants which come in hundreds of shapes, sizes, and colors.
This is a Copperleaf Bush, which may stand 10-12 feet high.  It comes in red, pink, peach,
orange, brown, and all mixtures.

Copperleaf Bush

The other colored foliage plant is the Croton.  It also comes in many shapes and sizes
and colors.  Some plants grow up to 8 feet high.  The variations in colors and shapes
are enormous.  This is a multi-toned Peach Croton.

Peach and Apricot Colored Croton

Speckled Croton in shades of green, yellow, and orange.

"Java White Copperleaf."   Copperleaf comes in many colors ranging from brown and red 
to pink and cream and white with green and pink speckles.

 Java  White Copperleaf
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