Best Things Are Often Unexpected

By Stephanie
My variegated Gardenia produces inconspicuous flower buds so when I spotted one flower recently, I was surprised by its sudden appearance. Anyway, I love the smell and its white petals. It's such a charming flower!

Btw, giving gardenia flowers to someone means telling the person that "You are lovely!" Have you given one to someone before? ;-)


A few all-green leaves emerged from my Peperomia obtusifolia 'Variegata' plant. The green shade is so different from the green on the variegated leaves. Still they look really healthy.


On the same plant rack, and in the same pot, as my Gloxinia plants, I am rooting a leaf from my African Violet. Hope to see a baby plant soon. Looks promising!


My blue Plumbago was happily blooming last week. The mild sun made the flowers look extra pretty (not glaring at all) :-D

And the red bloom in the next pot is Portulaca. The annual is everblooming!


The pot of Portulacaria atria that I placed at the top of the strawberry pot below has grown bushier than before. The flowering plant behind is Spider Tresses (botanical name: Strophanthus preussii). The blooms however didn't last long due to the heavy rainfalls. 


And the unfortunate has happened... my mini watermelon had cracked (or was it eaten by a garden intruder?) even before it has fully ripen :-( So now, I have to wait for another fruit, sigh...


Meanwhile the bloom of my Tillandsia 'Multiflora' is still morphing and I can see more red leaves flourishing from the center this week.

Here is a combo planter I planted two months ago. It is a combination of an Aster laevis, a Gypsophila and an Alternanthera cultivar.

Have a lovely day!