Friday, July 31, 2015

Beauty at the workplace

 

Hello Folks ~ Here it is Friday already.  This week has zipped by fast. My going to visit, feed, letting Bella and Max out three times a day, plus my own life, is keeping me busy. My quiet little life has been altered for this period of time. I will enjoy getting back to my needlework projects after this is done.

***

I took some pictures of the beauty surrounding this home.

This is a ponytail palm,

with a staghorn fern attached and growing at the center.

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Looking from another angle.

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Here is a smaller one. 

(I have a real small one in a pot, but after seeing these two, I’m inspired to plant mine in the ground.)

Bella and Max also in the picture.

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I love this chair, one of a pair.  The little potted tree behind it is a Norfolk Pine.

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This is a Royal Poinciana, with a close-up of one of the pretty blooms.

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This is a neat head with a lovely patina.

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This is Mock Orange, or Orange Jessamine, Murraya paniculata.

I have this growing here too. The scent is wonderful.

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This is a lovely, thick arch of greenery and flowering shrubs.

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Hibiscus

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The Lady of the house loves orchids and has them hanging in several of the trees and from the wall in the area beside their patio. This plant is massive. I can only imagine what it must look like when it is loaded with blooms. Orchids are hidden everywhere.

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There was this one spray on the other side of the tree.

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This is a great piece of artwork, made by an artist that the husband and wife whose garden this is, and myself and my DH both knew. I have a different piece in my gardens.  In fact, I have two different ones, I just remembered a smaller one of a horse.

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This is a beautiful bougainvillea at the corner of their patio area.

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A gardenia picked from their huge shrub.

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Hope you’ve enjoyed these lovely bits from this garden.  Being here inspires me to work more in my own gardens.  It gives me a different perspective and way of looking at things.

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It’s hot and humid here, but not as bad as it is in TX and other places. We’ve had some rain, not as much as was predicted though. I mowed yesterday.

Stopped by a new little off the wall plant nursery the other day which I’ll tell about in another post.

Have a nice weekend wherever in the world you are, and count your blessings.

FlowerLady

30 comments:

Ruth Hiebert said...

Beautiful gardens and plants. I understand lowlife can get a little busy and we look forward to a more relaxed pace.I am at a point right now where I wish it wasn't quite as busy,but at the same time,I'm enjoying life.

Eggs In My Pocket said...

How lovely your place and blossoms always look! Do you have a special place that you like to sit in your garden?

Rebecca said...

I AM counting my blessings :)
What a beautiful environment you have enjoyed....I can see how one might draw some inspiration from it. How unique (at least to this Northerner) to see the orchids tucked here and there!
I really like the sculpture, too...

Yesteryear Embroideries said...

So beautiful! Is there a certain favorite place you like to sit in your gardens? I wish I had more shade.......it is also very hot here.

Terra said...

That home where you are dog sitting several times a day is surrounded by beautiful greenery and wow, those orchids.

susie @ persimmon moon cottage said...

How fun it would be to live where I could plant orchids in the trees and have them bloom and be so beautiful. Beautiful plants there.

Janneke said...

That ponytail palm is so interesting and unusual for me. I suppose it's nice to have those two dogs around, but I understand after some weeks you are looking forward to go home again to your own garden. Great to see orchids hanging in trees outside, we have lots of orchids here in our surroundings, but......in glasshouses grown for commercial purposes.
Last best, the beautiful Gardenia flower, picked from the shrub......I have a Gardenia flower too, only one on a tiny shrub in a pot in my greenhouse. Will show it once on my blog.
Have a nice weekend!

Jessica Jarrell said...

What a gorgeous property! I look forward to one day many years from now and having that many plants, flowers, and blooms on my property. Some day :) Have a great weekend Lorraine!

Janice said...

Lovely photos. I've always loved arches, made of any type of greenery.

I can see where going back and forth three times a day, wouldn't leave you much time to get your things done. You'll be back to 'normal' before long, probably missing your two, four legged friends.

Take care...Janice

Leslie Kimel said...

The little lacy garden chairs are so pretty. South Florida is certainly a magical place. I love the ponytail palm--it's very aptly named!

Jane said...

Everything is so exotic looking. It seems that we live in two different worlds, Rainey. Nothing like a bit of busyness, to remind you how nice the simple life is!

Hugs
Jane

lil red hen said...

Lovely tour of the gardens! Does the stag horn fern grow in a pot or is it a parasitic plant?

L. D. said...

I will be fun to visit the other garden while taking care of the dogs. That is quite a responsibility but the dogs will become you bets friends. I like seeing the other garden and the flowers at your place are also beautiful in the past blog.

Susan said...

Thanks for the tour of your friend's garden. It is very pretty and nicely done, I love pony tail palms but have never seen a staghorn attached to one. Very clever idea. I do wish I had good size trees to attach or hang my orchids from. Perhaps some day soon. Stay cool - only 2 more months of REAL hot weather.

Deborah Montgomery said...

Beautiful plants and flowers there, so exotic to this northerner. Especially love the orchids and gardenia.
You are a good friend to take care of the dogs. I'm sure they are waiting expectantly for you every time you go over there!

Deb J. in Utah said...

Your garden is, as always, lovely. Thanks for sharing and have a great week!

Carol- Beads and Birds said...

Heavenly! Like a retreat of sorts. Nice for you to be able to switch it up a bit. Do you like the dogs?
xx, Carol

Deb @ Frugal Little Bungalow said...

It's beautiful there! An oasis :)

Melanie said...

That's a lot of work to be going back and forth to someone's house three times a day - bless you for doing that for the dogs! The homeowners are lucky to have you to do that for them. Beautiful flowers and trees on their property. It's interesting to see what's blooming in other parts of the country. Here in the Midwest, we of course, don't have palm trees and orchids. Hope you have a wonderful week!

Rue said...

I count my blessings that I met you through blogging ;)

They have lovely gardens. I'm always amazed at orchids growing in a garden. We can't grow them here, but they're beautiful.

Don't work too hard!

xo,
rue

BeachGypsy said...

Love all the pictures! Thanks for sharing the lovely garden! I loved the gardenia most of all.

M.K. said...

I'm glad your temp. job is going well, the puppies are doing well, and you have such a beautiful home and garden to visit each week! Lovely.

jerilanders said...

They look like pretty well behaved pooches,(I am assuming they are in the front yard and not sprinted off through the neighborhood) That is a very interesting tree, it looks like a shaggy dog!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the tour Rainey. I always love seeing other people's gardens. And I have to say I have never seen a pony tail palm that big ~ wow!

Have a great week.

eli

CraveCute said...

Your tropical garden is lovely! That archway is so nice, makes a great transition and gives that "Secret Garden" feel to your yard.

Unknown said...

Hi Lorraine! I've enjoyed the garden tour too - I just love seeing how others put plants together and how they've enhanced their growing spaces. What fun to wander around eyespying new things you didn't notice before! And I haven't seen a ponytail palm that big ever! Love how it looks. Hope you're enjoying the week - it always goes by so fast.

GRACE PETERSON said...

Nice photos of your friend's garden. I love the Royal Poinciana! I wish it grew here. If it did, it would be in my garden, for sure. The Bougainvillea looks a lot like the crape myrtles blooming here now. Have fun with the puppies.

Joy Junktion said...

I have never seen or heard of ponytail palms, I think that is something I might try to find here. Not sure if it's too hot though, we get some humidity but not as much as you do, I'm going to have to check. I think something like that would be great in my yard. I absolutely Love the smell of gardenias! Have a wonderful upcoming weekend, Cindy

Rebecca said...

http://meanqueen-lifeaftermoney.blogspot.com/2015/08/the-bespoke-summerhouse-is-ready.html Have you seen this, Lorraine? Especially watch the video! Made me think of your "caravan"....

Dewena said...

I enjoyed seeing this garden where Bella and Max live! Their folks are missing out on a lot of garden beauty while they're away. They are so lucky to have you watching over their sweet fur babies.