Coelogyne pandurata And It Is That Green

This orchid tried to bloom in March but a late cold snap killed the flower stems just as the flowers started to open. Now in late June a single stem popped up. That's a first in my yard.

The Rotunda Of The Coral Gables Colonnade

This room was once part of the major bank in our city. The room was full of wrought iron and as a youngster it looked like a prison. This room is now the entry room to the Westin Hotel. It's often used for weddings and parties. Since the Coral Gables Country Club closed, it is meeting place for the Coral Gables Rotary Club.

The Leaning Tower Of Coral Gables

This high rise office building was semi-imploded early this morning. The plan was to open the street for business by 9AM. Now no one knows when the area will be safe. The leaning tower went done Sunday at 7:20AM and we heard the sound at our house. It was good that we knew what was happening.


The party is over. The builders, the owners, and the politicians most of had a strange breakfast.

Asian Exercise Comes To Coral Gables

It's a good start. Now we must get more people out. It looks like a pleasant way to stay healthy.

A Giant Fern

This fern is not a tree fern. The fronds are bigger then most tree ferns and mine touches the roof.

Rain Lilies

We had three days of rain. That means that the rain lilies are all over the town. Displays like this are usually pink. This white type is a one of a kind.

Made From The Local Rock

Often this rock is referred to as coral rock, but usually it is oolitic limestone. Oolite is the local rock while the coral rock is from the Florida Keys. The coral rock homes in Coral Gables are really oolite. Coral rock is usually used as a veneer on a house, maybe because it is much more expensive.

Diamonds In The Glass.

These windows are original from the 20's. In the 40's there were a few homes that had these windows, in our neighborhood . But now this is the only one that I know that has them. Click on the picture and get a better view of the windows.

The Blue House

This is the largest house on the block and everyone knows it. But not because it's big, but for the blue paint. That's not a complement. A blue house is very hard to sell.

Barnes and Noble Being Noble

Today the Coral Gables Rotary Club is having a sale at Barnes and Noble.


This is the left side of the store.

City Of Colonnades

There is a busy cafe at the end of the colonnade. The sidewalk cafe is in the shade.

At The WOC 19

Five months ago the World Orchid Conference was held in Miami and I came home with pile of jpgs. I made some movie clips from my pile of pictures and I'm not finished. I should have some more movie clips by the evening, thanks to the rain (I posted 3 new movies by 6PM). Today's picture of two Macaws at the orchid show caught my eye and I wanted to share it.
My movie clips can be seen at: www.togofcoralgables.com

Pretty But Dangerous

This bromeliad looks harmless. The leaves look smooth and if you enlarge this picture you will not see the spines. I have been stuck and had a hard time getting the nano spine out of my hand.

Yesterday The Flower, Today The Tree

This last winter was warmer and dryer then normal. Now the old leaves all dropped off and every flower gets a chance to be seen.

Gold Rush Tree

This tree has many names, such as Gold Rush Tree, Golden Shower Tree, Indian Laburnum, Pudding Pipe Tree and Cassia fistula. It's formal name is Cassia fistula, but most people call it golden shower. I like Laburnum and I call it Florida Laburnum. The Laburnum is a temperate tree that has chains of yellow flowers shaped like a sweet pea. The tropical tree stays in flower much longer then the temperate one.

A Green Orchid

Green is a seldom seen color in this type of orchid.

Banaba

Lagerstroemia speciosa is the formal name but most people call it Queen's Crape-myrtle. It's a common small tree in Coral Gables. But when it's called banaba it becomes the producer of a fantastic snake oil. A tea made of the leaves will cause the loss of weight and it comes only from a small island in the Pacific Ocean. For more magic cures go to: http://www.banabaherb.com/

I believe that this is the tree that Lan posted today.

Lotus At The End Of Day 3

The petals will drop off on the 4th day.

Bermuda?

This Bermuda style house looks like it's on the island except for the terracotta roof of the house in the background.

Clock Vine

I grew this vine when I was a teenager, and have not seen it for 40 years. Last Saturday I found it in Sarasota FL. in the Selby Botanical Garden. I made a movie clip about the Selby garden.
You can see it at: http://togofcoralgables.com/MovieClips.aspx

The vines formal name is Thunbergia Mysorensis and it comes from Mysore India. It's also sometimes called "Brick & Butter Vine" & "Dolls' Shoes".

Up To It's Name - Flamboyant

This Poinciana is a bright orange but we tend to call it yellow. The one in my garden is more yellow and I know of one that's canary yellow.

Just Like A Poinsettia

This red Mussaenda has a small yellow flower with bright red petaloids. The red parts are more like a leaf then a flower.

Another Red

This Mussaenda blooms from May to December. Many visitors to the garden think that it is a poinsettia. This is just a bud, not the flower.

More Red - Well Maybe Orange

This tree is only six years old.

Old Spanish House With A Touch Of Red

This poinciana tree is just starting to bloom. Next week when it's showing more flowers you would not bother to look at the beautiful house.

Seeing Red On The Granada Golf Course

The Poinciana trees are in full bloom.

I'm Seeing Red - Royal Poinciana or Flamboyant

The trees are aflame all over the city.

Den. crumenatum

The common name for this orchid is the dove orchid because the bud looks like a dove perched on the stem. The flower lasts for only one day, but they do it for 10 to 15 times during the year. On Jan. 7 08 Lan posted this orchid and called it the cockroach orchid. Yesterday when it bloomed I checked it for fragrance. I found it to be a light fragrance and very pleasant. You can see Lan's picture at:

Cockroach Orchid

We Live In A Jungle

This Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) has been in the garden for a few days. Yesterday I saw the bird perched on the water fountain. I hurried to get my camera and hoped that the window is clean. I took a few pictures, back side and front side. As soon as he started to leave I snapped the picture. And by luck I caught him.

June 2008 Theme Day: My Corner Local Shop

If you're over 50, this is your corner shop. Bugger Bob has been there longer then I can remember. They serve breakfast and lunch in the middle of the city golf course. We pretty much know every one there.

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But if your under 40 you would pick Houstons. Most evenings people have to wait out on the sidewalk and talk to strangers.