Monday, March 31, 2008

Petrea volubilis.

Queen's wreath is a real traffic stopper when in full bloom. It's also called tropical wisteria, queen's wreath, bluebird vine, sandpaper vine or its real name Petrea volubilis. The vine on this house was bright blue for two weeks and now it has turned blue gray. It is still beautiful.

This is a close up picture. Notice the true flower is the purple part. There is a pure white form, but it's rare.

Sunday, March 30, 2008

Yellow Tabebuia


On Friday March 21 08 Lan of Miami Every Day Photo posted a very nice Tabebuia Chrysantha now it's my turn. These trees are all over south Florida. They bloom for about two months since they don't all bloom at the same time. A tree like this one well be eye catching for about two weeks. They have a problem, a weak root system and are prone to topple over in a hurricane. The town of Pinecrest, just south of us, removed all of the Tabebuia trees in their public land. I guess they don't want to pick up after the next storm. And they used to have some great ones on their main highway.


Since we have different flowering trees through the entire year, spring doesn't have quite the impact that is seen in temperate areas.

Saturday, March 29, 2008

The Flower And The Bud

This tree produces flowers on the trunk of the tree right down to the ground. It also blooms on the small branches at the top of the tree. Our Brownea grandiceps from Ecuador is a large tree.




Friday, March 28, 2008

Another hint

This is a close up picture of yesterdays picture, but two days older. Can anyone figure out a general name (like orchid)? But it is not an orchid.

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Can You Tell Me What It Is??


For me it means spring. Tomorrow I will show you more.

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

More Blue Than Jade

This last stem for the season is more blue then I have ever seen. I think it has to do with the temperature.

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Another Italian Village Home


It's an interesting house, but the plants hide the beauty of the building. It's hidden behind ficus hedges. The ficus is dieing all over south Florida due to an exotic white fly that just popped up last year.

Monday, March 24, 2008

The Biltmore Hotel Tower

We had some friends from Canada visiting last week. This is there take of the Biltmore Hotel. It looks pretty nice to me.

Sunday, March 23, 2008

A White Flower For Easter

This orchid has an easy name, dove orchid. My plant is very large and when it flowers there are a few hundred flowers. It blooms many times a year. But the flowers last for only one day. I have faith that it will give me joy, but I have to be alert for the day that it will come my way.

Saturday, March 22, 2008

The House Needs Help


This beautiful home has come to hard times. The elderly gentleman who spent has last years in the house didn't keep up with the repair of the house. The housekeeper inherited the house and she has not been able to repair this home. Nor has she been able to sell the property. The windows get boarded one by one. This house just waits for someone to love it and restore it.

Friday, March 21, 2008

Waterlily 'Southern Charm'

A friend gave me the water lily last fall. It had one bloom but then it lingered all through the winter. I thought that I would lose the plant since they don't rest over the winter here in south Florida. The three flowers opened all at once this Wednesday.

Thursday, March 20, 2008

An Old Spanish House

This red bougainvillea will take over. With out trimming it could cover the house in 5 years.

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Art In The Park


Botero is an artist from Colombia. All of his work seems to portray fat people or animals. To my surprise the man and his wife are thin, but one of the statues (the head) is a self portrait. The show is at the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden. The torso might look better with a larger fig leaf - for balance.


Tuesday, March 18, 2008

The Party Begins

We have a Irish tavern in the middle of town. Once a year the traffic stops to honor an important Saint. The numbers of Irish in the area are sparse, but we had a lot of people dressed in green. The beer started at 4PM and the live music went to 11PM and by midnight every one disappeared. As the evening progressed the short line became a problem. But the long line was even worse, I think people thought it would be cleaner in the tavern.

Monday, March 17, 2008

Of All Of The Tropical Flowers...

Bougainvillea must be the most popular. This red one is a very old variety, but it is the most ofen seen.

Sunday, March 16, 2008

It Doesn't Have To Be Big

This bougainvillea is beautiful at the end of a long green hedge.

Saturday, March 15, 2008

La Granada

This is the note that the city sent out to the residents.
'La
Granada Is A Gift From Spain
>>> If you're driving by 5151 Granada Boulevard near Doctor's Hospital, you're probably wondering what is that monument in the middle of Granada Park. You're looking at la granada or pomegranate, a sculpture by artist Miguel Ruiz-Jimenez of a locally abundant fruit known for its mythical and metaphorical symbol that appears on the City of Granada coat of arms. The figure is a gift from the people of Granada, Spain to Sister City Coral Gables. It is modeled after a similar piece which appears in a public square near Granada's City Hall. Two years ago, the Mayor of Granada along with a Spanish delegation visited Coral Gables looking to strengthening the ties between the two cities. After the visit, Granada created and shipped at their expense this pomegranate which is now erected on a base at Granada Park built by City employees. Coral Gables and Granada, two cities rich in history and urban beauty, have been Sister Cities since 1992.'

I guess that in time I will learn to like it. My problem is that I know what a pomegranate looks like.

Friday, March 14, 2008

Historic Colors

This house was built in the late 20's and was painted in an earth color that was rather light. Without air conditioning no one would paint their house in a dark color. Beside that, dark pigments weren't on the market. But in the last 20 years these darker colors are being used. They get by when they call it historic. Any owner that wants to have their house painted must go to city hall and have the color approved and the painter must by licenced painter. I have painted my own home for 40 years and now it is illegal. But I can paint if it's just a touch up. So I do one wall at a time.

Thursday, March 13, 2008

The Alba Form of Techmanthe

Link
This white Techmanthe is a rare form of the pink one. This one is growing in the Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden. Nice, but I like the one on our oak tree (Lans picture).

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Adansonia digitata

The common name is Baobab tree and often spelled Boabab. This is the tree that sometimes is used as a jail. The center of the wide trunk base can be carved out for the cell. Google any of the three names and you will find some interesting reading.


Tuesday, March 11, 2008

A Rare Cycad

Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden has one of the major collections of cycads in the world. Some of the species are among the most likely plants to become extinct. The orange cones of this cycad should be full of seeds. That is, if a male of the same specie is near by.

Monday, March 10, 2008

If a Bear Was Chasing, Would You?

No I would not, I would let the next guy climb it.

Sunday, March 9, 2008

Starting My Second Year

Our grandson (19 months old) was just learning how to use a fork but the cherry pie got the best of him. Now he is a mature 2 year old. The short movie clip has my favorite picture of each month.

Saturday, March 8, 2008

Jabotacaba

We have two Jabotacaba trees. The other one has produced heavy crops for 40 years. But this tree lagged behind until now. Both trees are over 70 years old. It tastes as good as it looks.

Friday, March 7, 2008

Cought In The Act


A David Goode bronze sculpture in a friends garden.

Thursday, March 6, 2008

Just a Pile of Leaves?

Yesterday I raked up the oak leaves from the parkway. There are piles up and down our street. Notice the light circle on the lower right of the picture, it's a special leaf. Click here and see a leaf that you are not likely to have raked in your garden.

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Fall Was Last Week, This Week is Spring

For three weeks the oak trees dropped there leaves. Now for the last two weeks they have bloomed and put out there bright apple green leaves. Ahh! it's spring.

Our oak has an extra perk. This vine has a flush of flowers now and in the fall, and then a few flowers off and on the rest of the year.

Be sure to click on this picture and see the beauty of the Tecmanthe blossoms. Lan took a picture of my vine March 6 08. Please look at his picture.

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Coral Gables High School

The original building was built around three patios. Each room had an entire wall of windows. In warm weather the windows were opened. But when the building was fitted out with air conditioning the windows were removed. No more gazing out of the windows. And we wonder why we have problems in the school?

Monday, March 3, 2008

Orchid Show at FTBG


This red orchid hangs out in my garden with full sun. It's a strong flower to sit in the sun. The movie clip is just some eye candy for people that like orchids. Most of these orchids can grow in my garden with ease.

Sunday, March 2, 2008

Red Costus

The leaves have washed out green areas and brown spots due to low temperatures. But the red petaloides are perfect. The petaloides protect the bright yellow flowers that will pop out in a few weeks.

Saturday, March 1, 2008

Wall Mural


Graffiti or street murals are removed as soon as they appear in our city. This mural is on an interior wall of my old high school. Many schools in our school district (greater Miami) have interior murals. Most of the art is done by the students.

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