Saturday 17 March 2012

Hand painted windows

Hand painted flowers on the entrance of Andromeda

Refreshing look for the chairs

Flower Power

Tuesday 13 March 2012

Magical Garden. Iris Bannochie designed this so thoughtfully in 1953.

Iris' bougainvillea tri colour

Nairobi Orange Bougainvillea

Dwarf Pink Ixora

Dendrobium Orchids in Bloom

A plumeria flowers rests in the clorophytum

More Dendrobs

Friday 9 March 2012

Easter Craft Ideas for your Garden and Table...

Here are some simple craft ideas for your Easter decorations.
Herbs in Pastel egg Shells. Simply paint your broken egg shells and add a little potting mix and Fresh herbs. A beautiful gift or decoration for your tabletop. 

Use BRIGHT Caribbean Colours on your Easter Eggs, this will WOW your guests.

Using non toxic markers, paint floral patterns on to your eggs for a personal Touch...Add names if you like and use them as place markers.

Mini flower arrangements and mini candles are so cute. Simply use small delicate flowers such as Angelonia, Lantana, Begonia or any garden herbs. For candles use Tea lights and take them out of the metal wrapper, shave them down to size to fit in the eggs.

Decorate with Frangipani!!! The beautiful tropical flowers are in bloom everywhere at this time of year. Sprinkle them across your table on even on a garden bench for a fresh, cheerful look. 

Use old terracotta pots and jazz them up for Ester using scrapbooking paper and fill them with surprises for the children!

Friday 2 March 2012

Wednesday 29 February 2012

The Travelers Palm

Ravenala madagascariensis, commonly known as Traveller's Tree or Traveller's Palm, is a species of plant from Madagascar. It is not a true palm (family Arecaceae) but a member of the bird-of-paradise family, StrelitziaceaeRavenala madagascariensis is the sole member of its genus, and is closely related to the southern African genus Strelitzia and the South American genusPhenakospermum. Some older classifications include these genera in the banana family (Musaceae).
It has been given the name "traveller's palm" because the sheaths of the stems hold rainwater, which can be used as an emergency drinking supply, specially for the traveller (its bangladeshi common & local name is 'pantho padop')[1], and also because the fan tends to grow in an east-west line, providing a crude compass.[2] The enormous paddle-shaped leaves are borne on long petioles, in a distinctive fan shape aligned in a single plane. The large white flowers are structurally similar to those of its relatives, the bird-of-paradise flowers Strelitzia reginae and Strelitzia nicolai, but are less attractive. In tropical and subtropical regions, the plant is widely cultivated for its distinctive habit and foliage.
Ruffed lemurs are a known pollinator of this plant, and given the size and structure of the inflorescences, as well as the lemur's selectivity, method of feeding, and long muzzle, this relationship is thought to have co-evolved.[3]

Foliage

The traveller's palm has paddle-shaped leaves which are lined symmetrically on a plane and this symmetry gives it a fan-like shape. The colour of the palm varies slightly from the tip of the leaves which are green, to the end of the leaf stem which is yellow.

Trunk

It has a trunk which develops as it matures. During its early years its trunk is covered by the leaf bases, but as it grows older, it progressively loses the lowest or oldest leaves and reveals a sturdy grey trunk.


Tuesday 28 February 2012

Iris Bannochie, creator of Andromeda Botanic Gardens. This photo was shared kindly by Ms. Valarie Shepherd.