CONVULVULACEAE AND FABACEAE

 editors note

Merremia umbelata is the dk yellow flower in the picture at right, found out on 10 December 2011.

IT has been a while since I posted anything on  the premises.  Let the record show that in this particular blog, I try to stay away from what is posted, thought as pertinent in other gardening blogs in the same territory.

That yellow flower belongs to the first group in the title. I have been trying to find the botanical without much luck.  I know fifty percent of what I need to know.  Perhaps some kind spirit will tell me exactly what it is.


The one below is Centrosema pubescens. Sorry, you can not buy either one in any nursery down here, or perhaps there, where you reside in the tropics. These two are part of the vine collection, a number between 5 and 10.


When I look at photos from nurseries I can not recall seeing any vines of these kind on sale.

THAT being written, the other photo shows the north garden fence covered with the vines mentioned. It is the view from the village feeble minded side, next door.  

that is that

FORMER SAN CARLOS HOSPITAL PIMPED PAVEMENT V

BACK TO WORK

I  was away for some time,  but have kept my interest in the horticultural scene, mostly my own, for reasons discussed here or in endemismotrasnochado, the original blog...There is nothing much happening beyond me humble garden.

Here a couple of photos that have never appeared in any of my multiple blogs, since they have never bloomed until now.

The Brunfelsia pausiflora, a Solanacea was a present.  Cut stem in  water until it developed some roots. Planted in the west garden, front of the house. It is significant for one reason. It is not tolerant of the surroundings where I live, a mile from the Atlantic with  salty breezes, heat, sandy soil and no humidity.  It prefers altitude, humidity and some shade.  The common name in the photo in case you do not know refers to  the change in color as time go by...Just like another rarity in my  collection the Gloriosa Rothschildiana. It starts yellow....passing away red. I have never seen either one out of me garden  in the San Juan Metro Zone, except for one variety of the second  in Centro Equestre, not too far from here.    

The Plumeria has Catholic roots...It was confiscated from the Archbishop Office in Baldorioty de Castro Avenue, 3 years ago. Cut stem in sand.  Plumerias are resistant to drought, heat, salty breezes, rust, and the green/black caterpillars  that twice a year attack their leaves....becoming huge beautiful moths later. 

Any Plumeria will compensate gardeners with their unique fragrance, in my opinion  only comparable to Gardenia augusta and Polianthes tuberosa.      However in  my  collection yellow, pink, red and white, the latter have the most intense scent. 

that is that

MY FIRST CUT FLOWERS POLIANTHES TUBEROSA

IT is a little difficult to explain how these small delicate flowers fill a room with their sublime scent, only comparable to Gardenia augusta, or Plumeria rubra.

To possess it, to have it in my room, close by while I write these lines, an horticultural trip like no other..

The truth is  that Polianthes tuberosa does not have any beauty worthy a grain of salt.  Its follliage,  Allium like, weed wise, the stalks can reach 52 inches.  However, the ivory flower itself, is a delicate beauty, with a distinctive scent I can trace back 50 years in my dusty memories.




That could be a wide subject for future arguments. Flowers: Fragrance or Beauty?   A great majority of blogs and gardeners are stuck with having the biggest, best looking flowers of this or that..Not your humble servant....give some fragrance anytime. Beauty in the tropics is not abundant, heat/sun/rain are enemies of flowers...

Others may refute with heliconias, gingers and bromeliads, but sorry, I do not care for them...

that is that.

Some more  information about Polianthes,  in a wider secheme of things:
antigonumcajaneveningpost.blogspot.com

Stygmaphylllon flloribundum New Inductee in the 100 Club

IF the subject is of your interest, click on the the photo.

if that does not work:

antigonumcajaneveningpost.blogspot.com

 That is that

POST WORTHY FLOWERS

I decided that to be able to claim being a trend setter, spanning the globe...I could not follow the herd..Not that there is anything wrong with it. However I always wonder, as a critic, why should I post a photo that anyjuan could find a hundred times in the web or any gardening post?

That is why Calathea loeseneri and Chrysothemis pulchella appear here. The fine flower from this Calathea has the texture and colors of Bird of Paradise, an impressive, excellent flower for arrangements.
The next one, has an exuberant foliage, shiny and attractive. Neither one is a common place in any garden down here or many blogs anyjuere.

The agavacea to right of the last mentioned was bought from a catalog during the New York exile.

It is eleven years old.  The first two have been in my collection for the last year. I have to thank Rengui, my inlaw and collaborator with many decades of expertise.. 

The green scary iguana, is the bonus...Scared the hell out of your humblenees this morning. Not native or endemic, has become a plague in our environment. The urban and rural, including sea shores, mangroves, everyjuere...They are the result of scum bags who imported them, followed by the mentally retards buying and throwing them away when bored.

The vegetation is in the north garden. The iguana, in the west.

that is that.

NON BOTANICAL CONSIDERATIONS

I believe gardening should be a pleasurable activity without any high intensity shores. Hedges, bonsais, turf, pruning and trimming are out of the question, not in my garden, with very few exceptions.

The white house right in front of ours has new owners. The old fart had already marked his territory destroying for good all the little vegetation in front.  The house in question had this shitty, ill pruned croton/hibiscus hedge and a couple of Dracaena marginata.  Nevertheless,  it served some purpose, at least from my critical view. It offered privacy for them and myself. When I sit in our porch, I did not have to look/see  their ugly mugs..

It reduced the noise and glare.  Theoretically, vegetation for hedges should be any with small leaves, like bonsais, more or less, preferably small, slow growth bushes. 


Not in Puerto Rico. The fools for hire, property owners plant  three or four varieties of Ficus. Such stupidity most be native/endemic.
But I will not get into that aspect of our island nation gardening trends in the asphalt/concrete isle. Not today.

Back to the studio.

With the passing of time, I am learning that perfection is something not everyone achieve and or aim for.  The hedge featuring in this post is an example. It was not perfect, aesthetically dubious,  but it was useful.

BONUS

  wet picture of 

me garden...The first ever...

that is that