Hi !!! To Every one .
I would like to start off with This Exotic Plant "Heliconia ".
It's called Sexy Hanger .
Gardening In AUSTRALIA . Way Way South !
Hey there!!!
Welcome to the new forum!!! Thanks for all the support getting it done...
I tried a Heliconia here last year and not sure what happened. The nursery had a very poor selection and I think it got too much sun. The nursery was wrong in telling me that it would do fine in the spot I planted her and it did not make it. I have a native bull rush in that same spot which can take full sun and is doing great. At that time, the Heliconia was surrounded by Pandanas and thought it would provide adequate shade but the Caribbean sun just too hot there.
Kell, do you have any recommendations on where to plant??? morning sun, shade, etc? I have moved my orchids into trees to try and shade them and it seems to be helping them....I would love to have the Heli's...along with birds of paradise....next to my ginger would be great but that area still gets full hot sun....thanks in advance and welcome!!
aurabest,
john
p.s. a mate of mine is moving to your land in the next few months..just needs to sell his house here in Cayman and then he is off the Ozville.....I think he said about 150 km from Brisbane....don't remember exactly...just wondering where you are.....
Ginger, should have said 150km's north of Brisbane...Somewhere around Maryborough???? just curious, i know it's a big place.....and from the pix you post, a beautiful place....would like to dive there someday.....
aurabest,
john
Hi John ,
And thank you for the welcome .
These are grown in Tree shade .
They get filtered sun all day .
Right next to them are Gingers ( Wild )
And birds of paradise , They seen natural together .
In this Pic. You can see the filtered sun through Gum Trees .
I am about 80 Kilometers south of Brisvegas .
The Gold Coast . Best Beaches you will ever see .
eeeeks, those are huge. I almost bought seeds of them cause they were supposed to be a good houseplant...glad I didn't....
Lovely, lovely, lovely. One can only dream....
Kim
Here is another Pic From the shade ,
Looking out into the sunny area and lawn .
We went out for a dive on Sunday, and were actually wetter on the boat than in the water. Dodging torrential downpours all afternoon. But during one lull in the precipitation, we saw the largest pod of dolphin we've ever seen in the lagoon.... they were everywhere, playing in the wake and doing their lovely acrobatic thing. I guess they were trying to tell me that good things were coming our way. I got home and dumped all the excess water out of my plants and found new babies in two of my orchids! Then I noticed the Kamani was in fruit again. Anyone know anything about this one? The Marshaleese call this the "medicine tree", but I can't find anyone who can tell me why it is called that, or what to do with it.....still researching, but thought I would ask. I adore Australia! One of my very favorite places. Maybe the dolphins were telling me about our new forum!?!
Nice looking tree Shari .
I will do some research tonight on your tree .
Is the Fruit edible ?
Looks a bit like our Ficus .
Sharks, too, eh Ginger!!! Spent 2 weeks in Cairns in 2004...best botanical collector lives there...greenhouses full of the most exotic stuff he collects!!! Arden Deardon. David Little lives off the road going to Mareeba...biggest Hoya collector/grower in the world. We drove to Cooktown for 2 days...FUN!!!
Cairns is my favorite! Love it love it love it!
No, the Kamani doesn't look at all like a ficus in person. Guess my pic was way off here is a close-up. All I have been able to find out is that they decoct something from the fruits, which are green on the tree, fall, and you realize that they are probably filled with cement, turn brown, and start growing all over your yard!
Now the False Kamani or Sea Almond is a beautiful tree, large round leaves that can be used as plates. The foliage turns various shades of red and gold, and is beautiful. We had one in our yard when we moved in, but it was terribly diseased and had to be cut down.
I sure wish this island could sustain a pod for more than 2 weeks...absolutely the highlight of a trip aboard the Nekton for Katie and I in '05....we do get alot more men in grey suits than dolphins, so any siting is a bonus dive trip!!
Thanks for sharing!!!
j
ok, one or 5 more...
last one....
shari...leave your yum-yum yellow fins at home....wear black, no bait dangling from ears or wrists!!! LOL!!
j
John! i don't know how you do it! When the dolphins are playing I completely forget the camera. Gotta go for the slow stuff.....this is more my speed!
Get close and use strobes...more than 1 if you can...remember, the color red disappears in 15 feet, after that, it's all green/blue without flash help!! more than an arm's reach is almost too far away!!!! (these weren't shot with a point and shoot)
what kind of turtle is that...we have a large population of Hawksbills, Greens, occasional Leatherbacks and Loggerheads....
This forum is going to be mad......in a good way!!! I haven't stopped smiling all day.... I even have one of the local thieves moving rocks next door....giving him water and a wheel barrow that has air in the tire!!!! More on that later too!!
j
Will do my friend! Lol! Okay, this is my last post for the day! I have GOT to do some laundry, and packing, and house cleaning! My husband is probably going to steal my computer if I'm not ready to go when the plane leaves! Love to you all and keep our new forum busy!
Yokwe and aloha for now!
Shari
I'm excited about your trip, Shari. Have fun, and a safe trip. John. Keep those dolphins and the seaworld pics. coming. Ginger, what can I say about gingers. Luv, luv, luv, them all.
Okay, I lied.....posting in between chores, ha ha. I'm visiting some of the other forums that may have an interest here and inviting them over. Hope some come to join in the fun.
Ta for now,
Shari
All right!! Off to a great start!! Love all the pictures!! I wish we hadn't had the big freeze in March. It killed all the buds so we have very few plants blooming. I have to live thru you guys. lol
Pepper23 - Yea! - you made it! No negative waves now, this season's lack will be next season's glory! This has been a weird weather year for everyone. They keep telling us that the El Nino has met up with the La Nina and that is the problem. My daughter's name is Lanina, so she gets all the bad jokes. Poor thing, little did I know when I named her all those many years ago....sorry darlin!
LOL. Poor girl. Yeah, very few of us are happy with our gardens up here this year which is why I am hanging out with you guys. Then I can enjoy your gardens. lol
Well, we have our share of problems too ya know! I lost three begonias to rain melt down....I don't know what is wrong with my pikake, and my firecracker flower is pouting from too much rain.....didn't think that was possible for firecrackers! Also, I can't get my thumbergia to bloom to save my life! So, you are welcome to share our troubles too! We can commiserate together!
LOL. Yeah, it started out as a blockbuster year then BAM the freeze hit AND stayed. What a mess. lol. I consoled myself by spending too much money on new plants. lol
Hmmmm, sounds just like me! Logee's loves me,,, they are one of the few that will ship out here. But when my babies don't make it, my husband pouts more than I. He's also looking at $$ going in the compost bin!
LOL!!
Teehehehehe, Shari never would guess Thunbergia is growing here in my neck of the woods. When she returns, I'll post mine. Though, this vine won't bloom here until Autumn.
Kim, maybe that's my problem! Maybe I need to wait till autumn, but how will the plant know that it's fall???? School back in session, oh - guess I gotta bloom now....... Look - scarecrows and ghosties - guess I'll put out a flower or two. Hah! I think I cut it back way too far when I had the wind panics, and now it is punishing me. Be sure you post a pic - I need to give mine a suggestion on what she's SPOSED to look like!
LOL, I'm growing some Pumpkins too, so maybe I send you pumpkins to signal your vine, it's autumn, hurry and bloom. I'll post some pics.
Looking forward to them!
Ginger, what a strange and beautiful flower.
I had to come over for a look at the new forum. Think I'll hang around. Have logged over 2,000 dives in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean so feel at home (and drooling) with the way the thread is going. Great fun, Thanks!!
Bill
Welcom Bill! Thank you for getting us back on track. Ginger's flower truly is beautiful, and deserves much more attention than it got. Heliconia can be so intimidating to some, but her's shows that the beauty is well worth it.
Thanks everyone for your Kind Words about my Sexy Hanger .
There is also a Red Holiday .
I just loved the Pics Of the Under Water stuff ( like Bill )
I know this Forum is going to be be Fun / Active .
Well done folks for Making it So . Kell
Kell - hope you will continue to always be a part of the fun! Have I mentioned how much I LOVE Oz?!?!?
Yes you have mentioned it thank you .
I was born in Denmark, and lived there for 9 years .
So you see I am a foreign invader to OZ .
But this is my home now and always will be .
Just goes to show that transplanted plants can sometimes be the most beautiful in your garden!
Just changing the subject a little .
One of our Lawn mowers Making babies .
LOL. Lawn mowers.
Hey Pep ! what's you doing up at this time ?