Post Rainy Season
Before we went to the US I chopped the trees down to small skeletons, hoping to spur some thickening growth. I got exactly what I was hoping for,
They've never been this thick and healthy in eight years. It helped that we had a particularly strong rainy season. They cast a lot of shadow now.
We planted a pink-flowered vine near the front door of the roof and it took off, growing eight feet inside a month. I had to add a net so it had something to keep growing on.
The bees are particularly fond of it. There are dozens of bees here every day, all day.
Along the low planter near the wall, we added some color. These guys thrive in the shade of the trees.
We also added a small, delicate purple leafed plant that kicks off white flowers. This one definitely wouldn't have survived without the increased shade of the trees.
I always have a batch of basil. I planted this one recently. It shot up very fast.
We have a lot of ginger, it's very tasty. We use it to cook with. We recently noticed that there is another patch in one of the planters, hiding behind a thatch of bamboo. Not sure how it got over there.
The most shaded corner of the roof is like a jungle now. The ferns, which grow to seven or eight feet, have taken over part of the planter. There is bamboo in the middle and another flowering vine that has grown up and out onto the roof.
The roof over the hot tub is almost completely covered by vine now. It's never looked so lush.
We bought the plant on the right at a local florist and we got the one on the left for free. Apparently the seed for it was riding in the pot since it popped up out of nowhere while we were in the US.
By the sink we added a bunch of flowering plants. The middle one has beautiful purple funnel-shaped flowers. The far one grows pink flowers on its fingertips.
I bought it because I noticed at the nursery that the sun birds loved these flowers. They visit every day and dip their beaks.
The pineapple tree has started a new pineapple.
It's still pretty small but I give an extra dose of water daily to spur it on.
Not so the papaya tree. It grows and grows but never fruits. Most likely we got a male.
The two Australian bushes are thriving. They flower constantly. Each flower lasts exactly one day. It blooms in the morning and by night it is on the ground.
We bought a vine that is a relative of Wisteria. It has leathery leaves and a sturdy vine which hopefully will flower in bright purple like the ones we saw in the nursery.
It has already climbed eight feet. I added some old branches to the top of the wall so it has something to grow along and hang from.
The bougainvillea is constantly in bloom. It doesn't need much care.
At the far end we've added a new tree.
These are planted along the roads in Singapore. They go up about 15 feet.
They have white flowers which give off a beautiful scent, like a mix of orange and cinnamon.
Near the hot tub are two plants for cooking. In the rear, Pandan. In the foreground, lemongrass. Pandan is used in SE Asia for its green color but it also adds a bit of flavor. I use it in my stir fries. Lemongrass is used in most Thai dishes but we mainly boil it to make a sort of iced tea. It's a nice flavor.
My lime bush has started a new round of fruit. They're still small at this point but they only take a month or two to get big.
At the far wall are some hardy ferns and cacti. These are not on the water line, they can survive just on rain, even in the dry season.
Last but not least, the vine next to the dining table is starting to flower again. Bright yellow flowers.
We've added some plants to our downstairs balcony as well. Birds of Paradise and a rubber plant on the right side.
A small tree and two flowering cacti on the left side.
The cacti bloom non-stop.
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