Cheer Up Gloomy Sky!
Monday, December 16, 2013
There are always flowers for those who want to see them -- Henri Matisse
When everything seems gloomy (it has been raining daily!) and not many plants are in bloom, my Petrea volubilis, commonly known as Sandpaper Vine or Queen's Wreath, produces racemes of purple flowers to perk up the garden. What a pleasant surprise :-)
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The vine is a native to West Indies and regions from Mexico to Panama. Its sprays of purple blooms looks somewhat like orchid to me whereas the leaves reminds me of guava leaves, haha... What do you think? And do you like the colours?
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I think light purple flowers are generally outstanding. The other plant that blossoms purple flowers is Cuphea hyssopifolia. Though the blooms are small, they do stand out against the dense bush with tiny green leaves.
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Gypsophila is another shrub that has purple hues. The scented blooms are like glitters as they appear to be floating above the plant.
Here is its second flush of blooms...
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The tiny blooms are so difficult to snap with my point-and-shoot camera as they move with the slightest wind!
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These days, my dwarf Arundina Dwarf pops out a flower or two quite frequently. I like how they could stand up so straight even with the pouring rain :-D
And talking about blooms, white blooms are the most obvious ones compared with other coloured ones. But they can be glaring when the sun is shining brightly.
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Here are two Torenias with yellow 'tongues'...
Besides being outstanding, they look pure and pretty. The shrub is a real blessing. Not only did it grow on its own, it also aid in filling the empty spaces at the edge of the porch and injecting bright colours to the group of pots.
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And the brightest of them all (white flowers) is non other than blooms of the Serissa foetida... they are little stars in the night :-)
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I left a pot of wheat berries planted in a small pot in the open. Not many seeds germinated hence I just let some grow and mature for the fun of it ;-) Below is the inflorescence...
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The warmest blooms are the flowers of my Epidendrum ibaguense or called Crucifix Orchid. They are long lasting and gorgeous...
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Don't let the sky or weather dictate your mood, have a happy December ;-D
Posts
22 comments
So many colours! Good advice about the sky - though it's electric lights which put a downer on my spirits. As long as I have a warm place to come home to, or a cool place in summer, I always find the outsides uplifting.
ReplyDeleteHello Esther, that's right! Glad you stopped by and thank you for taking time to write a comment here. Have a great December!
DeleteHello Stephanie,
ReplyDeleteI missed you. I have not forgotten you.
Your plants fill the eyes of beauty. They are beautiful and very well cared for.
The simple look at a flower now gladdens our day, regardless of the rainy weather or closed.
Your Christmas be as wonderful as your flowers and plants. The Light of Christmas shine in your heart, bringing you peace and joy. A Happy 2014!
Great parties!
Kiss.
Oh Vera thank you for not forgetting me! You just made my day :-D I wish for you the same... a wonderful Christmas and lots of peace and joy!! And yay Happy 2014!
DeleteAdorei o pequeno pé de trigo, gostaria de arranjar sementes também , gosto da brincadeira.
ReplyDeletetenha uma bom ano cheio de realizações.
beijinhos
http://eueminhasplantinhas.blogspot.com.br/
Hope you will be able to find wheat grass at your place soon. It is a good plant with lots of benefits. You have a great year ahead too :-D
DeleteThat's lovely bloom in wet weather! I like the purple flowers too!
ReplyDeleteGlad you like those purple flowers as well Malar! It took me awhile to find out its likings ;-)
DeleteYour garden is looking pretty. I have the Serrisa foetida, but I do not know what to do with it. Shall I prune it into a compact bush or leave it tall and slim as what it is now. I will have to start all over with the sandpaper vine one of these days.
ReplyDeleteTq Stilletto :-) My S. foetida is growing in a medium size pot only. So I keep it short and compact. I think tall and slim looks great too. As for Sandpaper Vine, a mature and flowering vine will give you a good start ;-)
DeleteI'm surprised that you had managed to grow Gypsophila.
ReplyDeleteI'm very sceptical about this plant thinking that it is a temperate one - would not able to do well in our lowland hot climate.
You must share more details about this interesting plant - truly it look so cool like baby's breath.
So tiny and absolutely lovely.
Glad that the blue and violet of sand paper vine bring so much colour in your garden.
They are truly exotic.
James, shortly after I brought the Gypsophila home, the plant looked like dying. I thought that's it... but after a prune, the plant just regrew and rebloomed :-) Re sand paper vine, I really like the current state now as it has been flowering quite regularly :-D
DeleteStephanie, Petrea is my favourite climber, there is just something about it, the beautiful colour and the very special flowers, how it slings through other bushes and up my trees. Love the ethereal looks of the Gypsophila, so not very successful in growing them. Like the Torenias but have never been really captivated, never seen the white ones, that's why! Serissa, such a pretty name, languishing somewhere in my garden...and wheat, excellent, the ears are so pretty and you can bake bread! Give me any day Epidendrums, so good to me, flowering, not to much work and gorgeous colours.
ReplyDeletealways enjoy your flower garden be it sunny or rainy days. Merry Christmas and a very happy New Year for you and your family.
Titania, you have a merry Christmas and here is wishing you and your family all the joys of the season! Torenia is such an adorable little plant. This time round they pop up at several places and all white! Other time in blue and also purplish. Actually they are weed in disguise hehe... They tend to just grow freely in my pots of plants. I pull them out most of the time. Those that get to flower, I must have missed seeing them hehe...
DeleteLovely pictures!
ReplyDelete(⁀‵⁀) ✫✫✫
.`⋎´✫✫¸.•°*””*°•.✫
✫¸.•°*”˜”*°•.✫✫
.•°*”˜˜”*°•.✫✫✫ MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Thank you Claudia! I wish you and your family have a Merry Christmas too :-D
DeleteI love purple bloom too.
ReplyDeleteYour sandpaper vines if glorious. Outstanding.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Happy New Year Malay-Kadazan girl! After the long holiday, me and my Sandpaper vine is resting now hehe...
DeleteYour photos are lovely. Greetings from Montreal, Canada.
ReplyDeleteThank you Linda! Happy New Year to you ^_^/
DeleteStephanie, I wish You all the best and happiness in New Year !
ReplyDeleteEla, thank you for your greeting. May you have a wonderful and joyous New Year!
Delete