Hamelia paten ~ Firebush

Good morning Friends,

This bush is one of my favorite, easy to grow plants in our gardens here at Plum Cottage.  I got this as a little cutting about 17 years ago. It took awhile to get going, but once it hit it’s stride, it hasn’t stopped.  Around our area we see these as tightly clipped shrubs and hedges.  I don’t remember ever seeing one that grows like ours is.  Of course, I’m a procrastinator when it comes to pruning, but I love the way this has taken over my shed, along with roses and several flowering vines too.

Hamelia paten is a butterfly magnet all year long, and hummers visit too during the time of year that they are here.

I went out this morning with camera in hand to see what would catch my eye, and it was while taking a picture of the caravan garden area that I thought to make a post showing this wonderful bloomer. It comes up out of the hedge behind the ‘solar dryer’ and heads over to arbor, then over the lattice grotto area and over the shed east and south, and west too for that matter.

Here are a couple of the main branches.

Beside butterflies and hummers loving this, bees do to.

This is a view from the east/driveway side.

This is looking north and it’s now out to the front edge of my shed.

This is inside the secret garden looking up and northeast.

This is our state butterfly, the zebra longwing, which just LOVES the nectar of this shrub. Some days there are lots of zebies gently flitting around. They make me feel happy and relaxed and thankful to God the Great Creator.

That’s it, I’ve got to get ready to head off to work today.

Don’t forget to count your many blessings.  We all have them even on bad days.

I read a great post this morning called * I always have enough *, click here, for the story.

FlowerLady Lorraine