A Caribbean Garden

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-24T06:42:00.000-08:00

Click to view card:
Merry Christmas to all!

Blooms Day December 2011

2011-12-14T00:39:00.000-08:00

Its December, when my blooms are at their peak, while the Northern gardens are winding down

Above: zinnia from Baker Creek seeds and red purslane. I love red flowers. I think that is the favourite bloom color of many Caribbean gardeners. However my erythrina (immortelle) trees have wasp galls and my red hibiscus succumbed to mealybugs

Above: another of my favourite flowers, bougainvillea. I want every color!

The big show is put on by Cassia alata, also known as CandlestickTree and Candelabra Bush. Blooming for the first time. I grew these from seeds I collected in Barbados a couple years ago.

Must have been a rather pious person to look at this and call it candlestick tree or candelabra bush

Rather than, uh, some other kind of tree

Bee Action

Rudely interrupted

Soft, pillowy tree morning glory

Fuchsia purslane, known in the Caribbean as "jump up and kiss me"

Pink Pride of Barbados, from seeds collected in the Botanic gardens in Guyana.

Yellow oleander

Check out Carol's May Dream Gardens for blooms around the US and world.

The rock garden rocks!

2011-12-08T05:29:00.001-08:00

One year later and the rock garden has taken off beyond expectations. Indeed there is very little rock left visible!

Above: Agave desmetianna, indigenous pillar cactus and red berry shrub, date palm and kalanchoe

Agave beaulariana, with spineless prickly pear and blooming kalanchoe flapjack

In the center is aloe maculata in bud. Other plants in pic include sea grape, Aloe arborescens, and Sansevieria

Agave taken from wild (possibly karatto) in front of yucca aloifolia

Almost all the plants in the rock garden were free-grown from seeds, cuttings/offsets or taken from the bush

kalanchoe "donkey ears" in bloom

I love this pretty blue agave (with red Russelia equisetiformis) though I don't know its name

Cactus in bloom. This one is spineless and the young pads are edible

another view of the agave

mini rock garden on porch (:

Seedpods and Blooms Mauritius

2011-11-30T06:55:00.001-08:00

Some interesting seedpods on these trees at Domaine Les Pailles, I do not know what type of tree it is.

Behind a friend's house these on the side of a gorge these agave like plants were blooming

Anyone knows what these are?

You can see some of the water in the gorge

Beautiful backyard views

Mauritius: flower market, sugar cane juice and sculptures

2011-11-20T07:55:00.001-08:00

The flower market at Quatre Bornes with lovely fresh local grown blooms

waxy anthurium lilies-these last a couple weeks

pretty white lilies

hollyhocks?

got me some of these geberas at US 50 cents each

friendly flower vendor

pink lilies at US$3.50 per bunch

Now, onto the Caudon waterfront:

a picture perfect cart of sugar cane

squeezing the juice

another view of the cart

Also at Caudon, great facial sculptures. The ones in the first photo are by the artist Pem. I think also the second but not sure.

Agave update

2011-10-04T09:09:00.000-07:00

A update on the large agaves that were put into the ground. All are doing quite well. This one (was not labelled, any ID assistance will be appreciated) is so pretty

This one was taken from the wild, I believe it is A karatto. They can get really huge, like 6 feet wide

Perfectly symmetrical. Another "freebie" found self sown in a friend's garden . Possibly A. Angustifolia

Powder blue A Beauleriana Jacobi

Agave desmettiana

Steely blue upright leaves on huge agave. (A. Americana?) Or something else?

Harvest Monday

2011-10-02T17:47:00.000-07:00

My post for Daphne's Harvest Monday

Mild cayenne peppers

I love okra. Those are seasoning peppers

More pumpkins!

Of course cooking with fresh organic home grown produce is so delicious!

Yasawas and Mamanucas, Fiji

2011-09-21T12:36:00.000-07:00

Beautiful clear waters off Octopus Island, Yasawas, Fiji

The Yasawas and Mamanucas are two chains of islands off the mainland Veti Levu, Fiji. The Yasawas are more remote, and at the end is the famous Blue Lagoon ( which I did not get to).

The sails of the Seaspray, an original schooner from an Australian TV series in the 6o's and 70's of the same name.

Cool and efficient crew

Mondriki Island, where the movie Cast Away was filmed

Sailing these islands is very similar to sailing the Grenadines or British Virgin Islands but the water is probably clearer and the reef comes up to the shore. Which is nicer for snorkeling but not for swimming.

Fall veggie planting

2011-09-19T14:44:00.000-07:00

Here's my list of seeds ordered from Johhny's Seeds for this fall's planting. The planting season here is October-December, when its cooler and after the hurricane season

Raveena (F1) Eggplant-250 Seeds

Vegetables > Eggplant > Green

Sweet Olive (F1)-1/128 Ounce

Vegetables > Tomatoes > Small-fruited > "Grape"

Blue Spice (F1)-Packet

Herbs > Basil > Specialty

Jade (F1)-Packet

Vegetables > Gourds > Edible

Cha-Cha (F1)-Packet

Vegetables > Squash > Winter > Kabocha > Green

After the stupendous success with the calabaza squash (West Indian pumpkin) that grew from compost and gave us at least 20 pumpkins so far this year, decided to try my luck with kabocha

Fernleaf-Packet

Herbs > Dill

Bronze & Green (OG)-Packet

Herbs > Fennel

Sweet Thai Basil-1/4 Ounce

Herbs > Basil > Asian

I have basil and arugula growing 365 days

Green Shiso-Packet

Herbs > Shiso

Its been a few years since I've grown shiso

Orient Express (F1)-Mini

Vegetables > Eggplant > Asian

Estiva (F1)-Mini

Vegetables > Tomatoes > Indeterminate > Truss

Fordhook 242-Packet

Vegetables > Beans > Beans, Bush Lima

Mariana (F1)-Mini

Vegetables > Tomatoes > Saladette and Sauce > Determinate

Red Pear Piriform-Mini

Vegetables > Tomatoes > Indeterminate > Traditional Italian

I love tomatoes but have had mixed success growing them

Astro-1 Ounce Vegetables > Greens > Arugula/Roquette > Salad

Mellow Star (F1)-Mini Vegetables > Peppers > Sweet Specialty Peppers

Antohi Romanian-100 Seeds Vegetables > Peppers > Sweet Specialty Peppers My pepper growing has also been mixed. Some years great crops, others barely a pepper I also have seeds from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds like the Costoluto tomato and red zinnias for that cheery touch. Their Jing okra just started to bear and its very delicious. What is your veggie garden looking like?

Maracas Bay

2011-08-19T19:02:00.000-07:00

Its not every day that a trip to the beach entails first driving through a primeval rainforest. But if that trip is to Maracas Bay in Trinidad, that is precisely what one experiences:

Huge towering rainforest canopy of many species

Magnificent giant bamboo culms!

Along the way you get glimpses of the coast

And right as you arrive all manner of food and sea gear:

A river runs through it

Finally there!

Trinidad Corn Soup with corn/cassava dumplings

2011-07-22T11:24:00.000-07:00

Trinidad corn soup is sold as a street food/restorative, after fetes and events, especially at Carnival time. In my not too distant younger days I had my share in the wee hours of the morning. Vendors sell portions in Styrofoam cups out of big silver vats. Quality is not consistent, the best is sold at a premium price from vendors with long lines and wait. Somehow the plump middle-aged ladies tend to make the best tasting street foods in the Caribbean. This one tastes like the best Trini cornsoup I’ve had.

Like many Creole recipes that originated with the working classes, the quantities in the ingredients don’t need to be precise and there is no difficult method of cooking, it’s just a little time consuming.

Collect all your ingredients this weekend at the farmer's market. The freshness of the produce is key to the taste.

Ingredients:

2 Tbs oil

1 yellow onion or other sweet onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup cubed West Indian pumpkin or butternut squash or kabocha squash

1 carrot, sliced into rounds

4 seasoning or aji dulce peppers, chopped (optional)

Hot pepper to taste (optional)

½ bunch fresh scallions (green onions) or chives, chopped

1 tbs chopped fresh thyme

1 blade shadon beni (culantro), chopped or 4 sprigs fresh cilantro, chopped

1 large potato or 1 peeled cassava, cut into large cubes

1/2 cup yellow split peas, or 1 can chickpeas (channa), drained

6 cups vegetable or chicken stock or water (if using water add a stock cube)

½ cup coconut milk

Salt and black pepper, to taste

4-6 ears of fresh corn, cut into 2 inch pieces (can also use frozen or canned corn kernels if you have no choice).

Dumplings:

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup cornmeal or cassava farine

1 ½ tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. salt

1/3 cup water or coconut milk

Method:

Heat oil in large pot over medium heat.

Add onion, garlic, pumpkin, carrot, seasoning and hot pepper, and sauté 3 minutes.

Add chives, thyme and potato or cassava and cook another 5 minutes stirring occasionally.

Add split peas or chickpeas and stock/water.

Add salt and black pepper to taste and cilantro/shadon beni.

Bring soup to a boil then cover pot and lower heat to simmer. Cook until split peas are soft (about 25 minutes)

Use the pot spoon to crush most of the pumpkin and some of the potato/cassava in the pot, or using an immersion blender, puree soup slightly, leaving some of the potato/cassava and pumpkin in small chunks.

Some people like their soup creamy so if you do blend until creamy before the next steps, but I prefer some chunkiness for “authenticity”.

Add corn and cook for 10 minutes.

Make dumplings using method below. Add dumplings and cook for another 15 minutes until dumplings float.

Adjust seasonings if needed and add some water if the soup needs to be thinned. Cover and let sit 20 minutes for flavors to develop.

Makes about 6 servings

To make dumplings:

Combine all dry ingredients and butter together.

Add coconut milk to mixture and mix to a medium-soft dough

Roll small pieces of dough into half inch ropes in your hands and break/cut into 2” pieces.

The Kitchen Garden

2011-07-19T08:06:00.000-07:00

A proper kitchen garden or potager was indeed planned, prepared and planted a few months ago when we moved to the new house.

See the nice big curvy bed spanning the dining room and kitchen? That was supposed to be the potager, a mix of herbs and veggies to be snipped for the garden, combined with complementary ornamentals.

However, even the best-laid plans can go awry:

After 2 months it looked great, with loads of basil, arugula, salad greens and tomato vines. However most of the tomatoes, okra and roselle planted did not thrive, the peppers and eggplant never germinated, the dill and basil dried up after a few harvests. The arugula was the one saving grace. But now even that is gone. The veggie bed was also a favorite romping and laying down spot for the puppies (who destroyed much of the aforementioned basil, arugula, salad greens), so for that reason I am reluctant to replant with herbs and veggies. So now its mostly all ornamentals except for a few square feet.

However, nature had different plans for our “kitchen garden” as within 3 months there were food plants popping up all and thriving in different parts of the yard.

First, several vigorous West Indian pumpkin (calabaza squash) vines emerged from the bags of kitchen compost we had added to the holes for the palms and other ornamentals.

There's a pumpkin in the rock garden!

Above: pumpkin and passion fruit vine invasion!

Then we got loads of cherry and plum tomatoes from some tomato vines that also grew from the compost.

Passion fruit vines were planted in various parts of the fence.

A few papaya trees were planted and some volunteers also popped up.

I got a lot of help doing the new garden from one Bonnie, who worked for a landscaper and grew up gardening. He planted unknown to me until I started seeing the squash on vines, planted bottle gourd.

Bonnie also planted taro at the point where the kitchen water empties into the garden, this is the only moist “boggy” spot in the entire yard. he leaves are essential in making three of my favourite Trini dishes-dasheen bush bhagi, saheen and callaloo.

Pumpkins on the front wall –oh, gasp what would the homeowner’s association or city council say?

Check out Ivette's post on This neighborhood madness

Thankfully that sort of nonsense is almost non-existent in the Caribbean. Though on some islands and in some areas that won’t be a good idea as the produce will be promptly stolen.

The lesson here: while I haven't achieved my dream potager, nature had other plans, and I am grateful for the bounty of fresh, tasty and nutritious fruits and veggies I have been able to grow.

Textured Foliage

2011-07-16T12:03:00.000-07:00

For Pam's Foliage Follow Up I highlight some of the textured foliage in my garden.

I love the delicate pink or white blooms of antigonon leptopus, but I would grow it just for the textured leaves alone.

Lacy, crinkled coleus

Bamboo texture: papery

Accordian pleated Fiji fan palm

I love to feel the leaves of this tree morning glory, soft and velvety. The blooms look and feel like silk

Texture: bed of nails!

Royal poinciana young plant, looks and feels soft and lacy

Pandanus/screwpine: no explanation needed for common name

Bromelia pinguin texture: don't touch!

A mix of textures here, this agave feels a bit sandpaper like, with wispy fountain grass and fleshy portulaca

What texture is this opuntia? Needle spines?

Happy July Blooms Day!

2011-07-14T16:41:00.000-07:00

I will start with once a year bloom the African Blood Lily (Scadoxus multiflorus). I have two plants in this and hopefully they will multiply and I will get more than two blooms per year!

Close up:

Fragrant Murraya paniculata, commonly called orange jasmine. In the Caribbean its known as sweet lime.

Looking true to its common name "bridal bouquet" is the Plumeria Pudica

Rubber vine on the picket fence

Sunflower on the front wall-didnt notice until now that it looks like a botanical print

Cordia

Yellow oleander (my favorite color oleander)

Portulaca (with plumes of fountain grass). I dont know how I gardened without this easy cheerful plant for so many years.

Scarlet/orange in the rock garden and against a blue agave

Harvest Monday-its all about the pumpkins!

2011-07-11T08:51:00.000-07:00

My first post for Daphne's Harvest Monday and its all about the pumpkins, or to be more precise, the calabaza squashes.

These are two varieties that grew from seeds from pumpkins imported from Dominica. Actually, the vines seeded themselves from compost. The vines can grow up to 50 (!) feet and I actually have several vines running and bearing into the two empty lots next door as well as in the neighbour cum friend's yard. There are at least a dozen more pumpkins on the vines at various stages of development.

The striped one is a bit sweeter and dryer but both taste really good. You can use these any way you use pumpkin or butternut squash. I make all kinds of soup with these, as well as Thai curry pumpkin, baked casserole with goat cheese and Trinidad "pumpkin choka".

Cheerful Annuals

2011-07-05T04:52:00.000-07:00

"Autumn Beauty"

I love the look of cheerful annuals-sunflowers, zinnias and celosia, ubiquitous in cottage gardens from my childhood, but I don’t usually have the time to plant and nurture them for the first month.

"Polynesian Pink" ( these are reseeders)

"Kniola's Black"

These morning glories are an “import” I don’t remember them being grown in the Caribbean when I was a child, though I do see wild varieties of morning glory in various islands.

Portulaca getting ready to open-these are really perennial here

Porterweed volunteer

Wild MushroomTart

2011-07-01T10:31:00.000-07:00

I made this recipe for Wild Mushroom Tart from Epicurious .com with some adaptations and it was just fantastic. I an making again today. I don’t like eggs so I made the custard instead with thick milk, a tablespoon of flour and grated cheese.

Also many cheeses would work with this eg Gouda, Swiss, asiago, parmesan), it doesn’t have to be Gruyère.

Happy cooking.

Return to Rock Garden

2011-06-24T11:32:00.000-07:00

Looking lush

welcome down the rock garden path

which looked like this 8 months ago:

today, with sculptural kalanchoe luciae or thyrsiflora ( I am not sure which), aloe vera and veld grape

You can also call this rock garden the home of many unloved plants, as it contains many plants most people in the Caribbean don't appreciate. Which are among some of the best adapted plants for the climate and soil on a dry coral island. Mind you, people will carry on about how the rock garden is so lovely, not realising it has many of the same plants they throw away!

Beach Morning glory (volunteer plant)

Donkey Ear Kalanchoe

Backlit spines of aloe maculata

Yucca Aloifolia. Most people consider these pests here, or at best, security hedges. It was amusing to see large yuccas selling in California for $200-the very same plant most people in the Caribbean would pay to have chopped down. That's because they don't trim or shape their yuccas. All you have to do is spend a few minutes a year trimming your yuccas to get these lovely no care, drought tolerant, architectural plants-for free. I had the pots turned on their sides in order to get the stems to grow undulating ( they turn to the light)

Detail of desert rose sculptural stems

The most pedestrian of plants-aloe vera, porterweed, sensevieria and-all obtained without cost, and all usually cleared out of gardens here, make up this vignette.

Pakse Waterfall Trip

2011-06-22T16:48:00.000-07:00

Above: our first sighting of the waterfall. Pakse means "Mouth of the river Se") and is a city of 70,000 in southern Laos, situated at the confluence of the Xedone and Mekong Rivers.

Below: scenes from rural Pakse on our way to the waterfall

This is the most undeveloped inhabited place I have ever been to. It was only on the boat I understood the meaning of the term "backwater"

It was a long way ( 2 hours drive from our hotel, plus 30 minutes by boat, plus 20 minutes walk through bamboos, but worth it.

Just so scenic

A long shot-still could not get the entire falls in

Happy June Blooms Day!

2011-06-14T18:51:00.000-07:00

Just a few highlights, as I am rushed with work but thanks to Carol for hosting another Bloom's Day. We had some rain in recent weeks and everything seems to have made a big foliar push, so the masses of blooms should hopefully follow. Its gratifying to see the plants growing and establishing themselves.

Above: Purple bush bougainvillea in lime green Vietnamese glazed pot

Desert rose in rock garden

Fragrant white frangipani

Plumeria alba: native to Central America and the Caribbean and naturally growing on the land

Garden gate

Agave update

2011-06-10T10:54:00.000-07:00

Here are my big agaves in the ground, having taken off after 6 months out of the pot.

Above, Agave Beauleriana with opuntia. While this agave is still seen in islands such as Barbados and Antigua, its hardly seen in most other Caribbean islands. It has always been a favorite of mine as I like the powder blue color.

My octopus! ( Vilmoriana)

Karatto ( I think, as I got it in the bushes)

Sisalina, another agave that grows in the wild, most people here would'nt dream of having this in their garden

Lophanta-like a perfect artichoke

One of my many desmetianas. I built a rock garden to showcase some of the larger agaves

Another self sown freebie I plucked from a friend's yard. I think angustifolia

Two agaves in the rock garden

Lilies

2011-05-23T14:07:00.000-07:00

Aztec lily also known as Jacobean Lily (Sprekelia formosissima)

I never grew a plant from bulb until the wonderful Helen of My Rustic Bajan Garden gave me a Barbados Lily (Hippeastrum puniceum) bulb.

Within a few weeks there was this lovely bloom!

Did some Internet research and discovered that there is a plethora of bulbs for tropical climes so I ordered some from American Meadows. Four weeks ago I planted them and today I was surprised by the red Aztec Lily bloom (first above)

I have several bulbs now growing in this large planter: dahlias, gloriosa lily, croscomia and another aztec lily. Looking forward to their blooms.

Of Lychees and Longans

2011-05-21T01:45:00.000-07:00

A photogenic bunch of bananas

The market in Pakse in Southern Laos, while not as big as most Asian markets had some really fresh and sweet fruits and great tasting veggies/herbs.

I arrived in Laos just in time to catch the first one and a half weeks of my "favourite fruits season": mangoes, lychees and longans.

Above: Fresh lychees, a most aromatic fruit, with a floral taste. Below: rambutans

HUGE sweet pineapples (though I actually prefer the ones from the Caribbean, which have more complex flavors).

Mangoes with pittaya behind. Oh I cannot tell you how much all this fresh tropical fruit is heaven for a girl from the Caribbean!

I really enjoy Asian food and cooking. The different vegetables here are so tasty and healthy. The Laotians eat a LOT. You won’t believe the large meals quite slim people, including 90 pound women, have. But then, its all fresh and low fat, not smothered in all kinds of fat.

Herbs used in cooking: above lemongrass, galangal, ginger. The tiny white "eggs" are eggplants.

Chilis and yummy pumpkin ( I saved seeds). The yellow marble sized fruits are eggplants.

The purple things are banana flowers and the green vegetable in the foreground is bottle gourd (like a summer squash). I saw seeds for this bottle gourd at http://www.evergreenseeds.com/bogoassh.html

Many people don't know that the luffa sponge is actually a vegetable, delicious when picked young

April Blooms Day

2011-04-16T11:56:00.000-07:00

The garden is now looking pretty good at 6 months (most blooming plants were put in 4 or 5 months ago). But its still too young for huge masses of blooms.

The bougainvillea on the front wall is looking pretty:

Pink and orange zinnias. I don't have too many annuals but plan to sow more

Since I started growing it, I just love flowering purslane/portulaca

This is the old fashioned one from childhood, known as "jump up and kiss me"!

Above: with Chinese violets (Asystasia gangetica. A really easy vine here I am trying to get the yellow/cream flowered types.

Grevillea

Blooms in the rock garden and succulent planter

lavender bougainvillea

Two wild plants-below is the native lantana and above is Summer Poinsettia, Mexican Fire Plant (Euphorbia cyathophora) which grew for itself in several places. I am keeping the ones that grew in suitable areas.

opuntia

Aloe maculata

Wat Sisaket

2011-04-03T07:07:00.000-07:00

First built in 1551 AD by King Phothisararat Wat Sisaket was rebuilt by King Anouvong Chao Anuvong, the last king of the Lan Xang Kingdom, in 1818. It is the oldest surviving original wat (or temple) in Vientiane.

There is a cloister that surrounds the central sim, that contains small niches that house tiny silver and ceramic Buddha images. These were made between the 16th and 19th Centuries. Sitting on long shelves below the niches are over 300 mostly Lao-style Buddhas.

Naga Trough, used in the annual festival

Old (pillars and front) and new (back roofs)) architecture

Flying dragons!

Pumpkin and fruits

2011-03-18T00:42:00.000-07:00

On a roadside stand a few miles outside Vientiane, Laos:

This pumpkin was extremely delicious, with a rich, sweet nutty taste, nothing like the watery stuff you get in the US

Front to back: Finger bananas, dragon fruit, caimite, sweet tamarinds

Chrysophyllum cainito L

Native to the West Indies ( though no longer commonly found) the caimite or star apple has a glossy leathery skin that is either green or purple ( both kinds shown above). Inside is a sweet white milky flesh with a texture and taste similar to a ripe persimmon.

I bought one and saved the seeds. Will see how it goes

Bloom's Day March

2011-03-16T10:53:00.000-07:00

The new garden is now 4 1/2 months old so the blooms are here and there. Plus I have been so busy with work and work travel I haven't had time to do the watering and feeding to coax the spectacular bunches of blooms.

I love bougainvillea and planted as many colors as I could:

I like how this one shows the emerging blooms

This gold one is to grow up on the trellis at the kitchen stoop

love these purslane in the front planter, busy with bees

see bee in opening bud

long shot of planter

Now onto the rock garden:

nicely self sown porterweed-looks perfect

above: flowering purslane and orange mini bougainvillea

below: gold mini bougainvillea

a grass from St Vincent called "lavender grass"

desert rose

billowing puffs from tree morning glory

self sown Mexican poppy

Back to the front:

Erythrina-I love red flowers

Grenada

2011-02-26T17:30:00.000-08:00

Classique Ceramics and Pottery

Love that wooden sculpture

Cool original Amerindian pottery fragments inspire new interpretations for sale

And I got to spend a lovely afternoon with fellow blogger Heather and her husband T of Free Spirit

One of her lovely paintings of a banana leaf

T cutting some sweet coconuts

Their puppy

Go to Maggie in the market for the freshest spices

and artisanal soaps and candles

View from Fort George

More Fab Flora Grubb

2011-02-25T13:20:00.000-08:00

I had these to post since September, from my return visit to the fabulous Flora Grubb in San Francisco.

I loved agaves even before I lived in a dry rocky/sandy island

can't remember the name of this one

The Edsel planter

Really cool garden art

Striking carnivorous plants

I like these aloes above and the combo of reds below

The famous vertical succulent planter

Another cool plant

The famous jumbo succulent planter

Piet Oudolf

2011-02-11T16:54:00.000-08:00

Check out the beautiful slide show

and article:

Q&A: Piet Oudolf on Designing a Winter Garden

in New York Times

Wat Pha Kaeo

2011-02-06T07:12:00.000-08:00

Wat Pha Kaeo is my personal favourite Wat in Laos, because of the beautiful statutes and serene feel on the terrace. This temple was originally built in 1565 by command of King Setthathirat, as his personal place of worship.

The temple was rebuilt with French help between 1936 and 1942. Wat Pha Kaeo is now used as a museum housing some beautiful Buddhist sculpture.

above: naga detail on staircase
below: hand detail on sculpture

Back to Laos

2011-02-05T06:01:00.000-08:00

Naga detail

I have hardly time to breathe for the past two months with work, moving house and work travel. I do have lots of pics to post and will try to do these regularly this month.

These are pictures from the That Luang Stupa in Vientiane, Laos. According to Wikipedia, Pha That Luang in Lao legend was originally built as an Indic temple in the 3rd century. “Buddhist missionaries from the Mauryan Empire are believed to have been sent by the Emperor Ashoka, including Bury Chan or Praya Chanthabury Pasithisak and five Arahata monks who brought a holy relic (believed to be the breast bone) of Lord Buddha to the stupa.[2] It was rebuilt in the 13th century as a Khmer temple which fell into ruin.

In the mid-16th century, King Setthathirat relocated his capital from Luang Prabang to Vientiane and ordered construction of Pha That Luang in 1566.

In 1641, a Dutch envoy of the Dutch East India Company, Gerrit van Wuysoff, visited Vientiane and was received by King Sourigna Vongsa at the temple, where he was, reportedly, received in a magnificent ceremony. He wrote that he was particularly impressed by the "enormous pyramid and the top was covered with gold leaf weighing about a thousand pounds". However, the stupa was repeatedly plundered by the Burmese, Siamese and Chinese.

Pha That Luang was destroyed by the Thai invasion in 1828, which left it heavily damaged and left abandoned. It was not until 1900, when the French restored to its original design based on the detailed drawings from 1867 by the French architect and explorer Louis Delaporte. However the first attempt to restore it was unsuccessful and it had to be resigned and then reconstructed in the 1930s.”

We got some great pics of the monks-these were not as effortless as they look as we had to "stalk" the monks for quite some time.

Hot blooms in the new garden

2010-12-05T15:06:00.000-08:00

Orange dwarf bougainvillea in the rock garden. I am so pleased to have so many blooms after just 7 weeks of starting to plant.

Zinnias from seed.

Vitex in the front planter bed

I love this hot orange/coral. I think its a new type "sundown orange". This is planted to climb on the garage wall

crown of thorns, flapjacks, blue agave in the rock garden

Long shot of part of the succulent garden

The Rock Garden

2010-11-24T08:18:00.000-08:00

It all began with a pile of rocks. The rocks were from the digging the holes for the palms trees and are composed of limestone.

For the most exposed and barren corner of the new garden a rock garden was the obvious choice: no need for high maintenance and a great opportunity to showcase my large and medium agaves as well as larger succulents. All well out of the way of traffic where anyone can get jabbed.

Agave bovicornuta

Aloe vera with yucca and a date palm in the back

Agave beauleriana Jacobi

Six weeks later it’s looking great. Still have to fill in with smaller plants including flowers and grasses.

Lots of inspiration form Debra Baldwin’s Designing With Succulents and her blog. http://www.debraleebaldwin.com/ as well as my Visit to the SF Botanical Garden.

A succulent garden

2010-09-03T12:46:00.000-07:00

The perfect symmetry of agaves

San Francisco is a garden bloggers dream-with gardens, nurseries and farmers markets galore. This was my second visit to the San Francisco Botanical Gardens but my first time seeing the succulent garden.

This was an enormous lovely specimen

Grass tree

aloes galore

Got some ideas for the succulent rock garden I an planning on doing soon

aeoniums

Helen had a tea party!

2010-08-10T06:53:00.000-07:00

My work trip to Barbados coincided nicely with Helen's Tea Party so I got another wonderful visit to the Bajan Garden

Greeted by Monet’s lilies (: and a pack of friendly dogs

I forgot to ask her if her fab toolshed used to be a stable or servant quarters.

All manner of delicious eats and drinks were served-I was so enjoying I forgot to take pics. Helen is a marvelous cook! Here are some of her Irvin mangoes

Moving on to the garden now...

My brother admiring a Bismark palm

Below: white musseander

Flamboyant in bloom and vines in the gazebo roof

Towering traveler's palms

Akee fruit

In the Gully

2010-07-21T05:11:00.000-07:00

Barbados gullies are formed when a cave passage close to the surface collapse. They are rich in a wide variety of plants, like these lianas in the top pic and incredible philodendron in the pic below. Traditional uses for plants found in the gullies are for food, fuel and medicine.

I love this dark leaved vine

The grit behind the glamour or why I why I missed July Blooms Day.

2010-07-16T11:21:00.001-07:00

Yes, from my blog it sounds like a dream job, frequent trips to foreign locales and all. Like my recent trip to organize and co-conduct a workshop in Barbados. Sounds fab doesn’t it? I had thought so: hotel on the beach with powder white sands, night swims in the pool, excellent restaurants, visit to the wonderful Helen of My Rustic Bajan Garden

Yeah, that and Crazy Woman. I invited Crazy woman, a consultant, on the recommendation of someone. She received full funding (including ticket and hotel) to attend the workshop. None of this would have happened without me. Crazy woman then proceeded to bad mouth me with various participants, interrupt the presentations constantly to criticize AND then launched a complaint with the implementing agency that the workshop was a waste AND galvanize a couple people to also complain. So I have been busy doing “damage control”, defending ourselves and our presentations.

What could possibly be the motivation here? When I was new to consulting, I attended every local workshop I could get invited to for the specific purpose of learning and networking. A few times I actually paid my airfare and hotel to attend workshops in the US just to meet people! I’ve wined and dined many a North American and European colleague when they worked in the Caribbean. Sometimes I cooked dinner for them. Introduced them to my garden and pets. These are the things that build relationships and help you get work. I can’t see how going around bad mouthing and trying to discredit persons who helped you and are in a position to help could possibly achieve that. The only reason could be that there are people who get satisfaction and joy from causing others distress and loss.

Well here are a few blooms; I do have a fun post coming up of the Tea Party at the Rustic Bajan garden

Some first time bloomers: white orchid tree ( as I recall 4 years ago I planted seeds from a pink orchid tree) and yucca.

I dont know how I never got such an easy, cheerful flower as portulaca/purslane before

My cool new bi-color euphorbia milli

tithonia

Travel scenes

2010-07-01T09:23:00.000-07:00

A few pics from my work travels the week before. Gorgeous annuals-fuchsia celosia cristata, purple gomphrena and pink zinnias in Guyana. On a road "roundabout" no less.

I collected some seeds from this plant-can anyone identify it?

Onto the countryside in Trinidad, with soaring trees and royal palms

and coconuts

June Blooms

2010-06-15T10:12:00.000-07:00

For Carol's venerable Blooms Day, this month I have Aloe maculata

Bouquet of euphorbia milli

Another bouquet-plumeria pudica

Simple cottage garden flowers-Mexican sunflower, portulaca, coral hibiscus and bougainvillea

Pretty Portulaca

2010-06-09T12:56:00.000-07:00

I wonder why I never thought of growing this plant before, after all its related to the edible weed that thrives in my garden. I remember as a child that my mother and aunt grew the double ones-a pink and white kind and a bright pink. I prefer this single form, and think these shades are just luscious. Imagine I bought these10 days ago in 4 inch pots! They have more than doubled in size.

This pink is the exact shade of a favourite piece of Thai silk. The petals really do look like delicate silk.

Barbadian Pottery

2010-05-29T14:54:00.000-07:00

The Chalky Mount district in St Andrews, Barbados is known for it clay deposits and a number of potteries. Potteries were established here since the nineteenth century.
This is a piece of artwork by Hamilton Wiltshire, an accomplished Barbadian Potter.

Above, by Hamilton's Pottery

Lots of colorful and practical pieces are made by Earthworks Pottery (though not of local clay). I picked up the most neat soap dishes and mini vases. I loved these large serving platters.

Earthworks entrance

But my heart belongs to Hamilton's Pottery as Hamilton works on redesigns of traditional pottery, as well as lovely glazes, reminiscent of fine Japanese glazed pottery.

The artist's studio

Spring Blooms: both sides of the Atlantic

2010-05-15T12:15:00.000-07:00

My friend, Aoth, sent me these pics she took in her new hometown of Horsham, England. Just in time for Blooms Day, since I have only the same blooms to show. So here's the blooms on her side of the Atlantic first: I will love to learn the names of these.

And here are my flaming, color saturated blooms: desert rose, tithonia, bougainvillea, oleander

Meet the Basils

2010-05-12T10:40:00.001-07:00

Blue Spice with its slightly fuzzy leaves

One of my favorite herbs, and one of the easiest to grow in tropical and sub tropical climates. It always puzzles me why basil is hardly ever grown in the Caribbean. Above, the classic, Genovese, the best tasting for pesto and with tomatoes.

The variations in the varieties of basil are so great its like growing more than one herb. My marvelous discovery of this basil growing season has been Blue Spice basil, which lives up to its description of smelling “fruity with vanilla”. It’s the most delightful smelling basil. It tastes like it smells, too, so its nice in fruit salads and drinks.

Thai basil

I sowed Johhny’s Queenette-Thai basils are so aromatic and totally necessary for certain Asian dishes. Great also sprinkled on pizza and pasta. Queenette ties with “Siam Magic” as the best Thai basil I have grown. You can keep Thai basil plants going for a couple years in warm climates. Many Asian recipes in the American media which call for cilantro actually use Thai basil in the original.

I also sowed “Johnny’s Bouquet mix” though I really can’t tell for sure which types came up (except for the Thai, purple and lemon varieties) and but all plants are wonderfully fragrant, with tasty leaves.

The best lemon basil I ever had was from a plant grown from a packet of Samen Mauser brand seed I picked up in Geneva. It was the first lemon basil I ever grew, so I did not know that all others were not as equal, hence I did not take the time to save seed. The plant lasted for about two years.

Lemon basil

A complement to basil in dishes, this one is grown all over the Caribbean-habanero pepper-this particular one wickedly hot. One pepper pod equals use in an entire week's cooking! I use a tiny chip when making pesto.

Rural scenes: SE Asia

2010-05-05T11:40:00.000-07:00

Lyrical rural scenes, taken by friends, Phouc, Mini and Aoth's friend in SE Asia: rural Laos, Vietnam and Phi Phi islands.

Silky Coconut Pumpkin Soup

2010-05-04T13:05:00.000-07:00

With our indigenous “pumpkin”, calabaza squash, in full season we buy a wedge every week and I try a new recipe. Epicurious.com has been a good source for recipes, some are great as is, and others, like this one, needed some tweaking. Here’s my version which turns out to be very much like those I had in South East Asia. Note that the roasting of the shallots is important for the flavour.

Ingredients

3 shallots, unpeeled (1 small onion can also be used)
11/2 to 2 pounds kabocha or calabaza squash, unpeeled and with seeds removed, cut into 2 inch cubes. If calabaza squash peel is tough do peel before cutting into cubes.
1 cup canned or fresh coconut milk
2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 cup loosely packed cilantro or Thai basil leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon grated white part lemongrass or a few blades of lemon grass
Hot pepper to taste ( eg chili flakes, thai chilis, bird peppers) (optional)
1 teaspoon grated ginger (optional)
2 aji dulce ( seasoning) peppers (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce (optional)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Generous grindings of black pepper
To garnish: 1/4 cup minced scallion greens (optional)

Method

In a heavy skillet, or on gas grill, dry roast/ grill the shallots, turning occasionally until softened and blackened. Peel, cut the shallots in quarters.

Place the shallots, pumpkin cubes, coconut milk, broth, lemongrass, hot pepper, aji dulce pepper, ginger and coriander leaves or half the Thai basil leaves in a large pot and bring to a boil. Add the salt and simmer over medium heat until the pumpkin is tender, about 20 minutes. Stir in the fish sauce (if using), the sugar and soy sauce and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes.

Remove lemongrass leaves, whole hot pepper, cilantro or basil stems, and any other coarse parts. Puree soup. If using Thai basil add the other half after pureeing.

Taste for salt.

Serve with generous grindings of black pepper, garnish with chopped scallion greens. Serves 6.

Wild tomatoes, moss and bark

2010-05-03T07:57:00.000-07:00

Who is the curtest little tomato? Yes you are! Ok I did not talk to these adorable currant tomatoes that a friend gave me from her plant-look, these are in a teacup! I did of course save seeds. The flavour in one tiny, currant sized tomato is amazing.

And knowing my interest in these things, my friend Aoth sent these pictures of moss and of this most fabulously textured bark in England ( yes that's her, and yes she was a model).

The Plant Hunter

2010-04-29T04:01:00.000-07:00

Agave ( and other plant) fans will enjoy this article The Plant Hunter on Plant Delights Nursery in New York Times. Their online catalog is one of my favourites for agaves-and I know for many bloggers/readers, too.

Garden Fair

2010-04-25T08:58:00.000-07:00

The Anguilla Garden Fair was toned down his year due to the effects of the recession, but there were still a variety of interesting things, like these orchids:

Fresh vine ripened tomatoes ( other veggies as well as basil plants were also on sale)

I really like this ceramic goat

Local artwork

The church

My sunflower tree

2010-04-22T19:06:00.000-07:00

I hardly ever grow annual flowers, though I love those that were ubiquitous in Caribbean gardens in my childhood-sunflowers, zinnias, dahlias, celosia. That’s because annuals aren’t easy to grow to bloom from seed with my work travel schedule, as so many things go wrong in between trips. Perennials are much easier.

On my second attempt to grow tithonia, or Mexican sunflower, which I learned about in Scott Calhoun's The Hot Garden, I succeeded with two plants; the first just opened its first bloom, less than three months from seed. I’ve dubbed it my sunflower tree. I just love the plants fast growth, heat tolerance and of course flaming orange blooms against dark velvety leaves-the stems feel wonderful, like the softest velvet.

I really do like it, I am looking for a yellow one. Given my success I will try again with annual seeds.

Happy Spring Blooms!

2010-04-15T15:14:00.000-07:00

All over the Caribbean, the bougainvillea is blooming away in the drought

A long shot towards the sea

I took this pic in Barbados, both because I love bougainvillea and also because I have that agave-I believe it is the all green augustifolia.
Spot the yellow birdie on the orange tree

Coral hibiscus
The sweetest bouquet-mock orange

Basil lovers, you have to try "Blue Spice" the most wonderful fruity vanilla smelling leaves-great for drinks and fruit salads. Pretty lavender blooms.

The neem tree is abloom with fragrant (at night) blooms and bees a buzzing

More cool places and things, Barbados

2010-04-11T08:47:00.000-07:00

Crane beach-picture perfect

The Soup Bowl at Bathsheba,site of many local and international surfing championships. Name comes from the foamy surf.

Beautiful platter from Earthworks Pottery

Hamilton's Pottery
Well I had to put in one garden ralted pic-if anyone know what kind of agave this is I'll be grateful. It pups prolifically.

Visit to Bajan Garden

2010-03-31T11:43:00.000-07:00

Tuesday 5th May, 2009

Work took me to Barbados and my Bajan friend, Joy, and I were so happy we were able to visit Helen of My Rustic Bajan Garden

Set in Benthams House in the idyllic Barbados countryside, one felt transported to another time. Red Frangipani and Black Pearl in bloom

Helen was generous with her delicious homemade preserves made from cherries, carambola and limes from her garden.

Rusty did not want to miss out on the photo taking-he jumped up in front the camera!

The faboulous Helen, and one of her water lily pond creations

Her place is a garden photographer's delight.

Debut Foliage Follow Up

2010-03-15T19:28:00.000-07:00

My debut Foliage Follow Up hosted by Pam of Digging catches me away from home, so I am posting 3 photos of my one of my favourite foliage-bamboo. The first was taken by my friend Phouc at the zoo in Laos, the second I took in San Juan, and the last is from my friend Aoth, taken at her family's home in Laos.

Orange and Yellow

2010-03-15T13:41:00.000-07:00

Once again I am on the road with work travel, so I am going to do my blooms day continuing the Rainbow Challenge.
This time its orange and yellow.

Who can resist sunny yellow sunflowers? My pretty yellow hibiscus

tecoma elata. blooms of aloe maculata sometimes described as orange and sometimes coral. in bloom right now

moving on to hot Mexican flame and even hotter orange cordia

Trinidad Carnival 2010

2010-02-17T10:55:00.000-08:00

Images from Trinidad Carnival 2010
captured by Stephen Broadbrideg. All photos copyright Stephen Broadbridge Caribbean Discovery Tours

masqueraders heading to crossing the stage

San Fernando mas

Pictures from Jouvert Morning. From the French Jour Ouvert, it is the ritual opening of the carnival before dawn on Monday morning. According to Definitive Caribbean
:J'ouvert is the raw heart of Trinidad carnival. It is a massive, night-time street party and procession which crystallizes in central Port of Spain in the early hours of Lundi Gras, before the daytime carnival parades. "