Cheer Up Gloomy Sky!

There are always flowers for those who want to see them -- Henri Matisse

When everything seems gloomy (it has been raining daily!) and not many plants are in bloom, my Petrea volubilis, commonly known as Sandpaper Vine or Queen's Wreath, produces racemes of purple flowers to perk up the garden. What a pleasant surprise :-) 

The vine is a native to West Indies and regions from Mexico to Panama. Its sprays of purple blooms looks somewhat like orchid to me whereas the leaves reminds me of guava leaves, haha... What do you think? And do you like the colours?

I think light purple flowers are generally outstanding. The other plant that blossoms purple flowers is Cuphea hyssopifolia. Though the blooms are small, they do stand out against the dense bush with tiny green leaves.

Gypsophila is another shrub that has purple hues. The scented blooms are like glitters as they appear to be floating above the plant. 

Here is its second flush of blooms...

The tiny blooms are so difficult to snap with my point-and-shoot camera as they move with the slightest wind!


These days, my dwarf Arundina Dwarf pops out a flower or two quite frequently. I like how they could stand up so straight even with the pouring rain :-D

And talking about blooms, white blooms are the most obvious ones compared with other coloured ones. But they can be glaring when the sun is shining brightly. 

Here are two Torenias with yellow 'tongues'... 

Besides being outstanding, they look pure and pretty. The shrub is a real blessing. Not only did it grow on its own, it also aid in filling the empty spaces at the edge of the porch and injecting bright colours to the group of pots. 

And the brightest of them all (white flowers) is non other than blooms of the Serissa foetida... they are little stars in the night :-)

I left a pot of wheat berries planted in a small pot in the open. Not many seeds germinated hence I just let some grow and mature for the fun of it ;-) Below is the inflorescence...

The warmest blooms are the flowers of my Epidendrum ibaguense or called Crucifix Orchid. They are long lasting and gorgeous...

Don't let the sky or weather dictate your mood, have a happy December ;-D