Gardeners know how easy it is to add color to their landscape. The choices nowadays are truly endless and the list expands daily. What a great time to be a gardener. Red, orange, yellow, green, white, brown, purple, pink. All easy. Getting black and blue in the garden, however, can be a different story. So why is blue…
The first part of my month-long trip through Madagascar was spent around Andasibe. I’ve blogged about those four days over the last few weeks here. The second stop of the ten key areas I would visit was to Sainte Marie Island (now known as Nosy Boraha) for the annual Board of Director’s meeting for a non-profit organization I serve on….
The first thing to come to mind when somebody mentions the word Croton I instantly think of Southern Florida. From what I have witnessed it must be one of South Florida’s most popular shrubs and this is due in part to a long history with the plant. For others, the first thing to come to mind might also be a…
My wife wanted to do something different from our yearly routine this 4th of July weekend. I told her that if she wanted to plan something, I would temporarily relinquish my role as the Family Event Coordinator. So what does she plan for her first family trip with the new title? Palm Desert. In the middle of July! Not sure…
I love growing tropical hibiscus. The many challenges that come from the endeavor are certainly subdued once you witness them in flower. The beautiful blooms attract attention from a great distance in the garden and some flowers have such unique colors and patterns that you’d think only an artist could come up with them. Currently my two favorite…
If all goes well this post will automatically load from a pre-scheduled time right as I am touching down in Yangon, Myanmar. Between trip preparation this week and two days on a plane (thanks to the crossing of the International Dateline) I knew I wouldn’t be motivated to work on this week’s entry much. I had been asked by a few people…
When it comes to growing exotic hibiscus there is no better time of the year than right now to see them in bloom. As any gardener who cultivates these beautiful plants in the ground here will tell you, September and October are the best two months for hibiscus in Southern California. By now all the branches you artfully pruned late last…
Well the title says it all. My Brazilian Red Cloak really is going off this year. I believe the hard pruning I did two springs ago and the unseasonably warm weather all year are the main contributing factors. My neighbor even stopped over to ask what that plant was called in my backyard “that looks like it…