Mellow afternoon;

Today in the garden;

Brugmansia;

The sheer exuberance of flowers is amazing. Each flower is at least 30 cm long.

This tree is fairly large, standing under it, surrounded by these bells, slightly swaying, is utterly wonderful. At nightfall and early morning its fine perfume is released; a true double whammy.

Solenostemon; this one with its red splashes looks like done by an unskilled painter. Still quite attractive colours,

Solenostemon, commonly known as Coleus is a genus of flowering plants in the family Lamiaceae. Several species formerly included have been moved to the genus Plectranthus. They are native to tropical Africa, Asia and Australia. 

Here highlighted by the sun.

Roots produced by a Crucifix Orchid/Epidendrum.

Autumn is announced by the papery blossoms of a Camellia sasanqua. The first to bloom. 

Cordylines are always attractive. Especially these strap leaves in soft gelati colours.

Geraniums/Pelargoniums  have a comeback now.

Penta, attractive in many beautiful colours, a must have in subtropical gardens.

Vanda orchid, pure white flowers always a delight this time of year.

Just a  snapshot of a few flowers belonging to a huge shrub, Lycianthes rantonettii.  All summer long it is a  hub of  bees and butterflies. Generally the flowers ar e much darker, but it may sport a few white ones or in soft blue hues.

Clytostoma a strong climber may become a favourite with its lovely trumpet flowers weavin  through trees and waving them high above into the sky.

Believe it or not:

MISCHIEF shows in the leaves, but lies at the root.

©Photos/Text Ts  Lavender & Vanilla

Purple...yellow...pink, blue and red...

...a colourful March in the subtropics.

Purple; Jules, a low growing Tibouchina. Flowers basking in the morning sun.

Purple is  the most powerful wavelength of the rainbow. It is  a powerful colour with an ancient history.

Purple dyes date back to about 1900 B.C. It needed 12,000 shellfish to extract 1.5 grams of  pure dye . Purple dye was precious and very expensive and used only for garments of the nobility.

Now we know, Purple is the most powerful visible wavelength of electromagnetic energy.  It’s just a few steps away from x-rays and gamma rays. 

Roman emperors Julius Caesar and Augustus both decreed that only the Emperor could wear purple. When Nero became Emperor, the wearing of purple and even the sale of purple was punishable by death!

Yellow  Tecoma capensis and  Easter Cassia, Senna pendula, might be an undeclared weed but it is a beautiful shrub. One is supposed to look after it and take care of the seedpods and destroy them. Driving everywhere here they light up the bush with their golden colour. I can not help myself but I love them weed or not. Native bees and other insects love the pollen and nectar they provide.

Tecoma cpensis, a softer yellow may be teamed up with any colour and it looks stunning. I have some shrubs growing together with a washed pink  and another area where it grows together with a soft mauve, both look beautiful together.

EasterCassia, Senna pendula.

Yellow, I see as a color of sunshine, happiness and optimism. It is such a joyful colour. I do not believe or agree with  its  association  of cowardice  deceit and jealousy. 

Bright yellow in combination  with black is easy to read from long distances and therefore also used for traffic signs. 

Pink, Busy Lizzy , Impatients walleriana, have been for ever in my garden. Pop up here and here for a period to bloom profusely and then disappear again. Clytostoma callistegioides, Violet trumpet vine, has climbed up with long arms on the nearby Magnolia grandiflora. High up it shows it beautiful flowers. 

Buzzy Lizzy

Clytostoma callistegioides

 Pink is a positive colour, associated with kindness. Pink inspires comfort and warm feelings.

Blue; Pickerel weed/ Pontederia cordata love to grow in ponds or bog areas. Since it has started to flower at the end of spring it is still going to the contentment for the blue banded bee visiting any time of the day. 

Blue for peace and tranquility. Blue promotes physical and mental relaxation.



Red; Bromeliads,  some have spectacular flowers, fantastic patterns  and many more great attributes.

Aechmea fulgens;

Mussaenda erythrophilla grows high up into trees . When finished flowering they will be pruned back. They are deciduous in my climate.





Philodendron "Dark Lord" freely climbing and spreading. It is a spectacular, beautiful plant for the warm climate garden.




Red is warm and positive. It is energizing and excites our emotions.

©Photos/Text Ts  Lavender & Vanilla