Happy plants

I think mulching the garden thickly before I went away was a great idea......the garden has survived well - of course it helps that it is the rainy season and so there has been plenty of water.

My neighbours compost bin is on the other side of the fence and a nasty vine has joined into the loofah and passionfruit climbing the happy plant and the fence.  I pulled away what I could, but it really needs to be attended to at the root....  I am thinking I might eventually get rid of that passionfruit vine as it has been going for more than three years now, and they have a short life in the tropics. A new vine has started in the corner and I might start another one out front.  I do love having passionfruit - it changes regular fruit salad into sublime fruit salad in a moment.  A few little pawpaw trees are springing up as well - I have two that produce steadily - my oldest one has a fungal infection, so might have to cut it way back again, or remove it entirely?  I keep hoping that one of the new ones will be a red pawpaw.
Once I have cleared the vine away though I had a bare spot where the birdbath is.  There are  a couple of cannas there, but I keep thinking I need something with a bit more coverage in this area - what do you think?  This photo is a bit dark - I took it before work, and I start work quite early!

After I took this photo I moved the patio lime and fig trees that I have in pots out here.  They will get plenty of sunlight and  room to grow.  For now though I will leave them in pots as I am not sure I could contain the size once in the ground.  It is a balancing act to use some of the neighbours garden features (such as the big trees at the back that make my garden seem bigger) and hide other features.  does anyone else do this?
I have heard that nutrients get washed out of the soil when we have massive amounts of rainfall,  and since I came back have watered with seaweed tea.  I am not so sure I want to add anything to the soil until the wet is really over, if it is just going to wash away.  I think foliar feeding with comfrey tea, and seaweed, is what the plants will get for now.   I do worry that my plants need more phosphorus as that is what is supposedly lacking in  tropical soils.  That would improve the fruiting and flowering in my garden.  I think a natural way to add it is chook poo, so I might look for some pellets.
For now though I think all that is needed is some trimming back of the more vigorous plants.

The amaryllis are continually flowering and volunteering more plants which I share with my neighbours and friends.
 This bromeliad flowers a lot during the wet season, so also adds a bit of colour.


I had the most amazing trip of a lifetime backpacking around Malaysia and Borneo with my two daughters - if you want to read a bit more about that do log onto my travel blog.   It is in three sections - see the link in the sidebar .....

Comments

  1. Seu jardim traduz muita vida, as cores das plantas que nele habitam são fortes e lindas!
    Ter um lugar mágico como este é uma benção!!!
    Bjs

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  2. Your garden is looking so lush and green - I am envious, mine is so dry at the moment.

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  3. You have a beautiful piece of Heaven to tend to. I always love visiting your garden.

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  4. I do admire the way you keep your garden well tended. It shows by how healthy your plants are growing (except maybe for the pawpaw tree which I believe you will find a way around its fungal problem).

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  5. Zelia said: This garden reflects a lot of life, colors of the plants that inhabit it are strong and beautiful!
    Have a magical place like this is a blessing!

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  6. Zelia, thank you! I do feel very blessed.
    Garden girl, we are actually not experiencing as much rain as usual for this time of year.
    Carolyn, aww :) you have a wonderful way with words - that's why I enjoy visiting your blog!
    Solitude Rising, well, I am lucky it is a very small space. Fungus is something that comes with living in the tropics. I noticed a milky water spray helped last time so might do that again.

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  7. Well done. You've got an interesting blog and plenty of followers and the fact that Fotheringills found you simply means they have a pretty clever marketing department.

    I've used some of their seeds before and had good results. I predict you're about to be burried under a great harvest. Keep us posted...

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  8. Hi Laura,
    are you back yet? I am hoping this year is going to be a bumper harvest...

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