Alocasia Plumbea"Indica metalica"
“Splat!!” An over-ripe guava, hurled across the driftwood fence had just torn through the newly unfurled leaf of my Alocasia Plumbea and exploded in a gooey impact on the trunk of a Bismarkia palm next to my head, covering my face and chest in sticky, stinking shrapnel.
Bismarkia nobilis
“Farrel, knock it off!!” I yelled at my 70 something neighbor, a former crab fisherman now turned scrawny garden troll… one Mr. Farrel Torchwood.
“Better duck next time, ya fish belly swab. Ya knows I’s at war with them iguanas.” came the screechy reply.
Wiping the glop off my face and shaking my head at the old pirate’s antics I returned to my digging, trying to carve a new home to my formerly perfect Alocasia, while keeping one eye open for incoming fruit.
Dracena marginata"Tricolor"
This event happened many years ago. It came to mind when I was gazing at a killer Alocasia in a Key West garden. It also reminded me to tell you folks some many stories, or the Torchwood Chronicles, as I like to think of them, regarding Farrel and Randia Torchwood…but those are for other posts.
Monstera deliciosa
Tropical gardening, like temperate gardening is often about the stunning flowers that we are able to incorporate into our landscape. Both types of gardens has their share of vivid colors, hues and shapes of blossoms that are sure to turn the heads of even the most jaded, concrete jungle dwelling, bright-lights of the city loving, urbanite.
Codiaeum varigatum "Croton"
However, in this chilled out, coral rock digging, star-light loving, islander’s opinion tropical gardening leads the pack in the foliage department. We have immense array of vibrant colors, soft or crisp textures, wispy or audacious shapes from which to choose when conceiving of a whole development sized landscape or a small corner vignette.
Crinum spp.
Now don’t think for a second that I disparage the temperate gardener, those hardy souls among you that have to deal with frost, winter’s bitter chill and snow. Oh no, these fine gardeners ALWAYS find a way to incorporate magnificent foliage into their gardens, it’s just that I feel nature has blessed the tropical gardener with a larger foliage palette to work with. So enjoy a tiny sample what we are given to play with.
Platycerium spp."Staghorn"
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4 comments:
Is the Crinum tropical? I know we have one in South Africa.
This first picture of Alocasia is like our Elephant's Ears which we also use extensively for landscaping our private homes and resorts. The Foliage in your post here is truly Fantastic! Thank you very much for helping me name my mystery plant in my Garden By The Beach post. I'm so grateful.
Great dialogue. I like your foliage.
Don't you ever miss the changing of the seasons, just the tiniest bit? I live in the sub-tropics, so we have frost and some plants die back to the ground, but we never, ever have snow. I can do without snow and sleet. I can do without close neighbors who lob things into my gardens, too.
My tenderest tropicals are moving inside for winter so the cat and I can have lunch in the Tropics when the wind blows cold.
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