Posts tagged Mussaenda

Mussaenda

January 23, 2013 · Filed under Barbados, container planting, tropicals · Tagged

The first time I saw this strange plant I though the flowers were wilted as they were hanging down. Looking like a poinsettia, is also a plant growen for its colorful bracts. Hello to the genus, Mussaenda. A tropical shrub with colorful bracts that come in pink, white and also a double red. We have both the pink and white planted at my complex in Barbados.


 Its common name can be Tropical Dogwood, or Buddah’s Lamp.

Mussaenda is native to tropical West Africa,

where it can grow as tall as 30 feet,

and it makes a terrific tub plant for areas with hot and humid summer weather like Ontario. It can be used as a substitute for Poinsettia, as the genus Mussaenda is more disease resistant and less likely to have insect pests.

Perhaps another one to bring back to Kilbourne Grove as a little reminder of my time in the tropics.

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Garden Visits: Garden House

January 10, 2012 · Filed under Barbados, garden visits · Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The ‘Season’ has started in Barbados, and that is good for me and for our house guests. Until the end of April, there is lots and lots to see and do in Barbados. Between horse racing, polo, concerts, plays, National Trust open houses, etc., etc., Ian and I shall be very busy. Even better, the Barbados Horticultural Society has started their ‘Open Garden’ for the next two months. These are small private gardens that the owners are graciously opening for a small fee allowing the BHS to raise money.

For the first open garden it was the home of Mrs. Jean Robinson, in Constant, St. George.  She is the past president of the BHS and the Co-ordinator of the Barbados exhibit at the Chelsea Flower Show from 1988, when the Society first began exhibiting, until her retirement last year. And we all know how Barbados cleans up at Chelsea,  15 Golds, 8 Silver-Gilt, and 1 Silver, quite the record. I got a chance to see a replica of their 2011 Gold winning exhibit when it was displayed at Limegrove Mall this summer.

The garden at Garden House, is over 2 acres of lawns divided by shrub borders. You enter via the poinsettia walk,

and through an opening in the wall.

A path takes you through the first garden room.

In the shrub borders that surround this first garden room there is a lovely combination of Dracaena marginata, Ixora and variegated Mahoe.

The variegated Mahoe up close and personal. We have this plant in my complex as well, and I love it.

The borders surround a beautiful 18th century Bajan house,

 and the vivid colours of the shrubs and trees, whether in flower or not, lend a sparkle to the garden

Mussaenda

 

Bromeliad planter

 

Loved the Euphorbia lactea ‘White Ghost’, so striking against the dark  ivy backdrop. 

On one side of the house a lovely lily pool,

and a closeup of the dark tradescantia planted at the base.

Walking back towards the house, you pass this tree, wish I had been there when the orchids were in flower

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I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that a lot of the material that is used at Chelsea came from this garden, there is so much beautiful foliage that would be perfect in a floral arrangement,

Variegated Heliconia

 

Red Leafed Banana

 

Variegated Banana

This is  a yellow leafed form of Crinium, love  it.

In the back 40, were a number of fruit trees and this huge bamboo.

a very handy plant for any floral designer, and you can cut your own canes for staking as well.

Although there is no formal design (and you know how I like that), I was amazed by the colour throughout the garden, and the huge number of plants that I had no idea what they were. (And some I recognized as house plants in Canada).

And how to end a perfect afternoon, but a lovely tea in the shade, how civilized...

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