Golden Liriope

Lavender or purple is the usual color of Liriope but it occasionally presents itself in a golden or silver color, as above and below. Enjoy!

Liriope

Liriope is a popular ground cover or an edging plant on the perimeter of flower beds. For most of the year, they are just a mounding, evergreen plant. But then the violet flowers come alive here in Houston in June, with just the right touch of rain and sun. Today it was raining and I took the opportunity to photograph some of the blooming liriope.

In recent years, a new variety has appeared with silver and golden flowers in place of the lavender color of multiple flowers on a small stalk. I have a few that are of the golden variety and will post those later.

What Is It?

This will be impossible to guess... I'll explain it tomorrow...

AND THE ANSWER IS... I drink a kind of tea that comes in a cylindrical tin from The Republic of Tea, and the tea bags are shaped in a circle or round, packed 50 to a tin. On this day, the tin was empty, and I noticed some very fine tea remnants in the bottom of the tin; I tapped the edge of the tin against my sink. Because the the sink was wet, the fine grains of tea formed a sort of geological, interesting shape. I just had to take a photo of it. If you look very carefully at the bottom right hand corner, I think you will see the faint edge of the drain strainer basket.

Canna Lily

The canna lily is a beautiful, showy plant that produces spectacular blooms and large, broad leaves. This plant is indigenous to Central and South America and has now spread to many tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Cannas are one of the most popular plants in gardens throughout the world and professional growers who offer these plants for sale are easy to find.

This plant comes in a wide variety of colors and the leaves can be variegated as well. Many beautiful canna lilies are a product of hybridization. They require about 6-8 hours of sun for healthy growth and they do need to be protected from the cold in winter.

Canna leaves are in themselves quite beautiful and come in a wide variety of colors and shapes - curved, curly. In India, the leaves are processed to make paper. In other instances, the seeds are made into jewelry, or become part of a musical instrument or may be added to a gourd to make the rattling sound.

In Thailand, the Canna is given as a traditional gift on Father's Day. In South America, cannas were grown as a starchy food source derived from the rootsource, particularly in Ecuador and Peru. For information about how to grow canna lilies or to purchase a canna lily, go to www.easytogrowbulbs.com.

Hibiscus

The hibiscus plant is a favorite the world over. They remind me of the many places I have lived and indeed, they thrive in many geographical locations. Generally regarded as a tropical plant, they can grow in other more adverse conditions, but they do like an acidic soil.

This variety reminds me a bit of the mallow flower. The interior is made for attracting those insects that pollinate flowers. I took these photos during a rainstorm today, balancing the umbrella and the camera atop the tripod. It is easy to spot the rain drops. I think the rain drops add something to the photos.

Snake Plant

The leaves of this houseplant are thick and leathery. The plant gets its name from the obvious cross-banding. Some cultures call it "mother-in-law tongue" because of the sharp ends. Not very complimentary. Other cultures call it Sword of St. George because of the leaves' blade-like shape. I find it an interesting plant, hardy and desirable indoors because it removes toxins from the air. This plant should be watered sparingly. Ooops, I hope I have not over-watered it!

Esperanza - Back From The Dead

The Esperanza plant literally means "hope" in Spanish and I can vouch for the hope this plant represents. Not too long ago, I had given it up for dead, having died in the sub-freezing winter of 09-10; however, it began to show it's beautiful leaves recently and then came the buds and the flowers.

Thank goodness these plants have made a come-back. They are so beautiful with their jagged leaves and tubular flowers in lemon yellow. Enjoy!