December garden in Orchidland

 

 

Its time for garden bloom day again, I haven’t participated in quite awhile due to recent travels and holiday gatherings with friends that have kept me occupied.

 

But, this morning was a clear and sunny day, a nice change from a cool rainy night seeing the Christmas parade in Kea’au town last evening.

 

 

After a month’s travel in Japan, I was greeted by large grass, junky castor bean plants and various weeds popping up in my new back yard garden bed almost full grown within a month’s timeframe.

 

The weeds below are already taller than my six foot height – things grow exceptionally quick here – especially the weeds that love the new garden beds below.

 

 

 

After clearing out one section of the garden, I can finally see the bones of the garden I planted the month before starting to appear again- its looking pretty good again.

 

In the jungle area behind, I was able to find a variety of my bromeliads hidden in the tall grasses. I only spotted them because of the bright yellow blooms from this beauty brom below peeking out through the thick grass.

 

 

The area around my water catchment tank is another area that needs to be weeded completely, here you see it crowded out with ferns, grasses and the ever present purple princess flower (no blooms in the photos)– tibouchina urvilleana – a real pest that reseeds everywhere.

 

 

 

The front yard is still in decent shape, even though I haven’t tended this part of the gardens in also because of the holidays. A beautiful spike from a group of bromeliads are at their third month of blooms now. My bright yellow croton adds more color and is one of my favorite yellows in garden.

 

 

 

Here’s a sweet bloom from one of my ti plants, they are pretty up close, but insignificant at a distance.

 

 

Not too many of my hibiscus flowers in bloom at this time of the year except for my stalwart yellow dazzler at my side gardens.

 

 

 

I think its time to start trimming the leggy impatiens, they are so easy to propagate here, especially this orange variety below.

 

 

This is the 3rd round of blooms from my white bauhinia orchid tree…yeah!

 

 

I have large swathes of pink flowers coming out from my medinilla magnifica, almost the size of miniature trees in my front yard.

 

 

More colorful impatiens, red ti and strobilanthes to add a full spectrum of color.

 

 

A last sweet bloom to great me this morning, one of my favorite purple hibiscus flowers.

 

 

 

Hope you enjoyed the tour, to visit other gardens around the world for bloom day, go visit

http://www.maydreamsgardens.com

Hilo Orchid Society Show 2012

 

 

One of the best orchid shows to experience in Hawaii is at the annual orchid show by the Hilo Orchid Society.  The combination of commercial orchid growers, enthusiasts and orchid lovers makes this one of the must see shows for all orchid lovers.

Every year a new theme is chosen and this year’s title ‘ Islands of Orchids’ creates the lure of these exotic orchids throughout the island chain.  This three day event is jammed packed with educational seminars, musical entertainment and pre-view parties, complete themed displays and of course the opportunity to purchase some of the most exotic, unusual and newer hybrids that are being introduced into the market, many not available in your regular garden centers.

Its definitely worth a visit to put this in your itinerary when visiting Hawaii Island since it's the biggest show in all of the state focused on just orchids.

Here are a few highlights from this year’s events.

 

Beautiful vignettes created like this one below with a victorian attired model in Hawaiian regalia along with live orchids details on her costume.

 

 

Another orchid vignette with an exploding volcano and lava flowing in the midst of this colorful orchid forest below.

 

I stopped immediately when I saw beautiful light illuminate the petals of these intensely colored cattleyas, making them appear to take flight.

 

 

Another grouping of beautifully backlit cymbidiums, making them more vivid and alive.

 

 

There were lots of exciting and unusual color combinations to be seen like this vivid hot pink

and maroon cattleya orchid.

 

More subtle and textural, these vandas give you a moment of calm and respite to the

shocking and bright colors all around the show.

 

I usually am not fond of pale colored orchids but this light pastel cattleya drew my attention right away…I think the quiet orchids also can demand a lot of attention if you spend the time to look at all their amazing details.

 

 

I’m guessing this is a variety of oncidium, unfortunately I did not have anything to write on and I wanted to really just enjoy the flowers and photography at this point.

 

 

Another dramatic paphiopedilum variety, I love the showy petals on this beauty.

 

 

These paphiopedilum or lady slippers have so much presence and color assaulting me with their strange forms and inviting a more detailed observation.

 

 

Following are more unusual or colorful varieties I spotted while walking around the show.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This years event was truly spectacular. I enjoyed it thoroughly and even sang with our men’s chorus on the weekend event when the general audience attends and the audience enjoyed our music while seeing some amazing flowers.

 

This is my contribution to garden bloom day, to see other gardens in bloom today go visit

http://www.maydreamsgardens.com

A Bloom Day Show

Its Bloom day again in May and my garden is happy with all the rains we have been getting this May.

The back yard is finally looking good again especially with the back border and new central island.  The back side garden is filled with blooming hibiscus, nasturtiums, impatiens and gardenias.



I just started a batch of nasturtiums and they shot up from the ground very quickly and blooming various yellows, reds and orange blooms.











Tropical Amaranthus Spinosus is really giving us a show this morning.


























Here's the central bed again, finally planted in the back yard. Even though there’s no flowers in this bed, its quite colorful with bright bromeliads, succulents and other tropical plants.




At the back side of the central bed are some interesting bromeliads and tillandsias, this one below is a dark maroon with a red inflorescence just starting to branch out.








The side area with the lion has a variety of mini neoregalias, tillandsias and aechmeas, beautiful lighting in the morning, makes them glow in surreal colors.






The front garden is giving a beautiful floral show this today. I love fuchsias and this red/white variety in the vegetable is profuse with blooms.






A tillandsia with a beautiful red/purple inflorescence and purple flower.






Combination plantings with impatiens, croton, geraniums and dracaena.





Facing the home is an island berm with just about to bloom Medinilla Magnifica and Aechmea Blanchetiana.





















I love this small bed with black taro, impatiens, crotons, begonias and a huge medinilla about to start blooming.





An orchid cattleya blooming on my lanai.






The side garden is also coming alive with blooms, my banana transplant is already sending out a beautiful blossom.






My red torch ginger is sending out its first bloom in the side garden.





Even the pitcher pants are happy in the side garden with all the rain they have been getting lately.






Lots of anthuriums to greet me this morning in the side shade garden, this one is magicially front lit.




Is this an amazing color on this thin leaved bromeliad?









Another bromeliad all aglow in the late afternoon light with double impatiens blooms.





I really am enjoying spending more time in my garden and starting some big projects. But its also nice to just enjoy time spent outdoors and taking some wonderful shots to document this month’s progress. Hope you enjoyed the tour of my gardens with me this morning.

To see other gardens in bloom around the world go visit http://www.maydreamsgardens.com/