Superb indeed

Gloriosa superba

Barbados Horticultural Society's Show of Shows.....

 

The Barbados Horticultural Society  horticulturebarbados.com was formed in 1927 and their infamous flower shows were hosted at members homes. In the 1970's they started to acquire buildings and adjoining lands at Balls plantation giving them a permanent headquarters for their annual flower show. I  heard about this society from attending other garden shows in Toronto and Chelsea,London. They have won a treasure trove of gold medals at Chelsea.  I have been in the Caribbean for 5 winters and have never had the opportunity until now to attend this Show of Shows.

The cut flower entries were plentiful. I was amazed how fresh the Hybiscus stayed.

The BHS is world renowned for their flower arrangements and displays here are a few standouts

They also had a fine cactus and succulent display as well as potted plants and bonsai.

Outdoors were plenty of local vendors selling a wide array of plants.

A wonderful day out with my Bajan/Canadian gardener Deborah http://kilbournegrove.wordpress.com/

Carry the Torch

Etlingera elatior

Repatriating Episcias

Planted cuttings of 11 named cultivars and one species....such diversity in leaf patterns and colour......do a google on episcias and youll see the variation. http://www.gesneriads.ca/genepis.htm
Episcias from what Ive observed in St Lucia are resilient, growing in full sun on rock to deep dark moist shade. It makes an effective groundcover or as a trailing plant in containers.

                         12 fresh  Episcia cuttings

Growing in rock walls

Episcia does very well in containers majority growing out of the pot and not in soil. it prefers to attach itself to  the clay pot or chunks of coconut husk used in potting mix

Lunch in La Belle Helene

Lunch  prepared for me by the incomparable Miss Leoni. Always delightful meals of local fare cooked to perfection. Fresh fruit juices...Soursop, Lime, Sour Orange, Golden Apple.

On the menu today battered flying fish, mixed veg, plantain, dasheen, salad with avacado and topped with Gayla Trails yougrowgirl.com  Pickled Cherry Tomatoes....washed down with Sour Orange juice Soursop juice and a Heineken.

Fall surprise

This was a great surprise this fall a new Chrysanthemum cultivar "Matchstick" the handiwork of Rika Bronsther of Hempstead, Long Island.I purchased this plant from www.garden import.com

A Visit with Vita

Sissinghurst : A Clearing in the Woods

 Vita's Private Study in the Tower

Under a cloudless sky and 29C...in the Kent countryside I had the special opportunity to visit Sissinghurst. It was the highlight of my 3 weeks in the UK. This home and garden was the passion of aristocrat Vita Sackville-West and her husband Harold Nicholson.From a dilapidated Saxon / Elizabethan manor rose a garden and personal home in the 1930's that rivals and sets the standard of innovation in garden design. It is a garden I could visit again and again....food for the mind and soul.