Positive Focus Sunday - Or A Continuation of Seedy Saturday

Sometimes what you plan or envision for your garden fails to meet your expectations. Other times, it far exceeds your wildest dreams. 

Since I put things outside when the weather warmed, I pretty much left them to their own devices. Oh, I watered them (somewhat) and maybe added a stake or pole, but for the most part I talked to them, petted them and left them to do their thing.

Take my vanilla orchid.



In June I had to order a coconut husk wrapped pole for the orchid. Now it's outgrown the two feet of pole and I need to order another couple of poles.

The Christmas cactus at its feet is more than doubled in size, putting on tons of new leaves. I can't wait until the weather turns cooler and I bring it inside. That should trigger a lot of buds for flowers.

Another 'idea' which got out of control was this water feature. 

First it started out as a wild hair to buy some lotus seeds to see if I could grow them. Well, that worked. At the same time, I picked up a LITTLE cup with water lilies in it. Yep, another water feature is now needed!

Oh, and the water hyacinth I bought...

I am now approaching three buckets of water hyacinth. And in true gardening fashion I can't stand the thought of getting rid of it. If I can nurse it through the winter, I will probably try handing it out on Craigslist or something.

My sensitive plant, which is taller than the 1 foot they say it grows, has put on flowers. And hopefully some seed pods. Can we say 'seed saving'?

In April I bought over these plants from my 'plant sitter'. The banana trees were about 4 feet tall in the pot.

Look at the back of the garden. There they are about 5-6 feet tall. And their trunks are now about as big around as my arm.

My little avocado in April...

About 2 feet tall and the trunk about the size of a pencil. 

Now...

Four feet tall and a second main branch.

But my favorite...

Miss Jamie Plumeria...

Just a little thing in April. About 18 inches tall and a couple of 'branches and leaves starting.

She has gotten a bit of a 'lean' and I will have to repot in the spring and attempt to straighten her out, but she is now 4 feet tall and has 4 branches and covered in leaves.

So I guess I've done pretty well over the summer.