Last year one of my fellow Floridian garden bloggers, Karen from small house/ BIG GARDEN invited me up to Gardenfest in Vero Beach. Gardenfest is held in a beautiful park on the banks of the Indian River, shaded by old growth Live Oaks. This park reminds me of the Lowcountry of the Carolinas in the US, with lesser Oaks. Spanish Moss is still oozing off of all the trees providing ambience for buying plants. Of course I went and of course I bought some plants. Last year, an Nam Doc Mai Mango and Leafless Bird of Paradise.
Mango Flowers
The Mango is now blooming, so I am hoping for an actual edible Mango this summer. What is interesting about the Mango flower is it seems you have this 12″ long panicle that eventually might produce one Mango on the other side of the tree. It should be interesting to watch, to say the least. Still waiting on color from that Bird of Paradise but the plant has such an interesting texture I will forgive it the flowers.
The Leafless Bird of Paradise with no leaves or flowers!
This year I succumbed to the siren song of the Bromeliads, the Burgundy and Pink ones – who cares if they bloom? The foliage is spectacular enough.
Neoregelia ‘Galaxy’
Billbergia “Hallelujah”
My thoughts are Hallelujah I bought a Galaxy and a Jacobinia as well.
The Jacobinia is a new plant to me, I have been looking for one. This is supposed to be a small shrub, I have seen it called Brazilian Plume and apparently it is related to the Shrimp Plants as is comes up as Justicia when researching it. I have not decided what to with it yet. I have to say a shade container with some of these plants comes to mind…
Jacobinia
The Shrub Queen 
I like the Mango tree! My grandfather had a farm in tropical Queensland, and when the Mango trees fruited, it meant that there would not be a hurricane that season. I don’t know if it was always right, but it’s a nice thought 🙂
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That is interesting, as long as I have been here, there have been mangoes and no hurricanes!! It is a nice thought.. all the mangoes are blooming madly and they are saying the oceans are warming and the storms are going north!!
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Matt, do you know the Wine Wankers? I thought Wanker was bad?
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I think it used in a self-deprecating manner (In Australia, ‘wanker’ can mean ‘full of oneself’, which is an extension of wine ‘connoisseur’, I guess). I prefer beer, myself 🙂
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I think you got off easy! I usually have a wagon full when I go to those.
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My policy is never get a cart.
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A good plan!
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Oh lucky you being able to grow such exotic plants. It must be wonderful to grow your own mangoes.
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I am hoping for a Mango!
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Thank you for the nice shout out..Loved seeing you again this year…Gardenfest is sensory overload for we who love plants!!
That Neoregelia Galaxy is pretty impressive and Jacobinia such a lovely pink…my fave color!
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You too – went to Botanica in PSL Botanical Gardens this past weekend, bought Palm Trees – Thatch and Lady and more Bromeliads, nothing is planted yet!
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