Tropicals & Tender Perennials: Tropical Plants and Gardens #128, 5 by sunkissed

sunkissed wrote:
Catching up on the last thread and this one, I love the photos and sure do want one of those nun orchids.

Dyzzy, I've been noticing out on my morning walks how amazingly gorgeous the bougainvilleas are this year...just stunning. I don't have one in my garden because I don't have a place for it to grow without getting stuck with the thorns, but do think they're pretty.

I've not noticed any damage from any of the cold nights we've had here, I did keep my orchids in my makeshift green house, which is my easy-up with drop down clear tarps. I have some peppers and tomatoes blossoming and put them in there when it dips to 40 or below. I noticed my Phal orchids are starting spouts also.

Here are some plants in my garden from a couple days ago that are usually frozen back by this time of the year.

Canna my Dad gave me is starting to bloom.

Powder Puff, not the dwarf plant so common in the nurseries...Calliandra haematocephala

Mexican flame vine is going crazy, another one usually frosted back by now.

Last two photos...Firecracker plant....This is my favorite plant in the whole garden, I bought it well over 8 years ago at Lukas gardens (the only one they had), not the common firecracker plant (Russelia equisetiformis) seen everywhere, this one is Russelia sarmentosa. It usually freezes back by December's end but not this year or last year...just a spectacular display of a red fountain in the garden. I do cut clippings each year, if anyone interested when I cut it back. I just never see this one in the nurseries.
-Sherri