After the Rains.....

Some pictures I took this afternoon, a rare tranquility that allows me to just loll around and be whimsical. I don't know if any of these are even interesting, but they are beautiful to me especially in their living presence.

I don't finagle with pictures, changing their lighting, adding textures or watermarks....these are as they are, simple and real.


This is a huge tillandsia in the old oak tree.

This is a large glass jar filled with birdseed and a seashell for the scoop. Through the glass it appeared as though water lights were on the sea shell. My housemate took this one. You can see a dot of light, the sun reflected on the glass. This is beautiful with the textures of the seeds and the water lights on the shell.

This is a specimen of a pitcher plant. The new pitchers are not only growing different rims than the older ones but now with lids!!

A vanda orchid in my favorite colors of blue and purples.

Some of the Virginia Creeper growing on the outside of the back porch where I have crystals, and air plants in sea shells hanging on copper wire with spanish moss. The bluejays love these tiny berries and swinging from these vines....what a laugh!

Some of the big fat black clouds forming for their usual rains. Our rainy season arrived 3 months earlier.

The tree beneath those clouds is one of the Mango trees that feed me all summer long with sheer decadence!














My tomato wall getting taller as we speak. These are now my height. They have some gridding to hold them up to feel supported so they will grow their fruits. But I think the rains have been too much. I'm working on it.

A corner next to the tomatoe wall. Here is some lemon grass an intoxicating herb to simmer in the kitchen and a most delicious and cooling tea to make during summer. And a cloche arrangement. Yes I use cloches in the gardens.....imagine using something for its intended purpose? lol

Another cloche in the shade garden protecting a kalanchoe and living moss.




The specimen Pitcher Plant, their funny lids, and its musical companion. You can see Mr. Ficus Repens growing on the chimney.

The shade garden outside the Garden Cafe window. These plants are all loving the rains !

Some old grapevine wood and ivy and some kind of curly leafed plant.

Another specimen plant that I had moved because the grasshoppers had eaten most of it last year. But this year we hand collected all the grasshoppers we found, (yes we did, around a thousand of them, as babies) put them in nice big plastic bags with some leaves to eat and transported them to another location...many times we had to do this. And my plants decimated by them last year, have all expressed gratitude this year!  Like this Split Leaf Philodendron.

I can't believe how the grapevines have grown and I never got round to pruning them.....OY!

Showy splashes of color.

The drapey lysimachia. 

And the secret to all my meals......
Herbs are all doing well....lets see.....we have here some chives, oregano, 3 kinds of basils, 2 kinds of mint, tarragon, rosemary, scallions,  milkweed for the monarch butterflies, dill, sage, lemon thyme, cilantro, and others not visible. I do not have to buy much in herbs at all, and this garden is a joy forever!
On the fence is the monster Muscadine Grapevine growing in all its glory which spreads to both the right and left around 25 feet from its one main stem seen here......and on the right is a lemon tree.

This delicately flowered bush called Thryalis is one of the greatest pleasures of this garden because its tiny flowers are highly scented and I smell it every day. Combined with the Almond Bush, it is heavenly back here! The fluorescent green plant is my beloved faithful sweet potato vine....I love this thing! Such a vibrant green you never saw. You can see the pond behind it, with lots of algae which the goldfish love to eat, thankfully! and what I call Lizard Lounge Pagoda.....lol.....they live it up in there!  :D

Another lemon tree and we have 2 lemons growing so far.....this is one, they do get huge!

A beautiful purple Bacopa in an algae covered pot...
In the background is my curbside table I found which I recently saw in a Pottery Barn catalog selling for around $1500.00....yep, they threw it away. :D:D:D
I will have to finish sanding it as soon as I can when the rains stop. In the mean time it is under the gazebo, under a plastic tablecloth.

This is "Lampost Square" ! LOL....my newest toy box garden, just planted with .....more....tomatoes. My housemate has forgotten there are other plants. I reminded him and so there is still room for other things now.
On either side looking like nothing right now are two newly acquired bougainvillaeas in white....Can't wait !!

The Bromeliad Garden under my Mango Tree. Another specimen of a plant, the Bears Paw Fern....came back brilliantly when I re-potted the poor thing with peat moss....its very happy now.

Australian Fern in the shady part of the Garden where the wild places lie, and the Zebra Butterflies sleep.

Mr. Ficus Repens on the walls of this house. It is everywhere, quite charming actually, if a bit scary. LOL

A newly acquired antique rose garland pot filled with yet another specimen of Foxtail Asparagus Fern....gorgeous!

Goddess Tara covered up to her hips in Zoysia grass.....we'll have to move her soon, she just weighs too much.

The pink that is my heart.....in a seashell......also loving the rains outside on the white bistro table.

 Mr. Ficus Repens, again!.....who makes his appearance several times in this post !..... growing up the walls of the front porch to the ceiling, over the windows and the rafters.

 He is adorable, even beautiful, and I am telling myself I will not be afraid !

The lavender vinca are doing well under the fountain, and I decided I need much more of this color in the front.

I only took a picture of this geranium because I thought the red looked particularly bright and even unnatural, but sure enough it shows up in the picture! sheesh! talk about ostentatious ! :D

 The back porch with erhm....ahem.....the now famous Mr Ficus Repens who has joined in merry matrimony with Ms Virginia Creeper....boy what a fecund combination of growth this is! They are both happily growing over the walls, outside, inside, the ceiling and close to the door. Not to worry, during the winter when Ms Virgina Creeper goes back to the quiet underworlds, I trim down the vines and make wreaths. :D
I now have a lacy curtain of green vine over the bathroom window and don't need fabric curtains anymore!

Coming inside from the drapy vinery of the Mr and Mrs in back, into a tiny cottage of Tuscan warmth and lacy elegance.












An inviting corner at the Garden Cafe with chandelier light and Tuscan warmth, soon to be filled with the scents of garlic roasting, and cream sauce in a dish of Prosciutto and Peas Pasta...when I get off this pc ! LOL
The window sills filled with apothecary jars and on the table the Moroccan Tea Platter, a bloomed Cattleya Orchid, a loaf of french bread, and a Fairy for Green Blessings to all!

                               A new Peony moment on the window.....
 

 I had a dream of something similar to this and just had to do it, and I'm glad I did....this is speaking to my soul and saying exquisite things in a secret language only my spirit knows.


I hope you have enjoyed this tour of this Fairy Cottage and Garden.

blessings to you and yours.

I'm sharing this post with A Delightsome Life: Home and Garden Thursday


and with No Minimalist Here: Open House Party

and with Savvy Southern Style 

and with FRENCH COUNTRY COTTAGE: Feathered Nest Friday