My quest for Autumness continues. To me, Fall means fruit to harvest, red and orange foliage and the end of hurricane season. Not this week, South Floridians are collectively holding their breath as Hurricane Matthew spins into a nightmare in the Caribbean. There is nothing to do but wait at this point, so I decided to look for some autumnal color in the garden and was gifted with some produce from neighbors.
The vase began with the selection of the Turk’s Cap (Malvaviscus sp) in red, this shrub is naturalized in Florida and pops up in the garden flowering nearly year round – it had an especially nice burst of flowers this week, followed by something passing through that left the foliage in tatters -the flowers were put to good use and the shrub got a cosmetic procedure. Next I added some orange Firebush (Hamelia patens) flowers followed by red striped Dwarf Pineapple foliage and Dwarf Heliconia foliage, the mystery weed with frothy off white flowers completes the arrangement.
The fruits are from my neighbors. I confess to buying the pumpkin, I live too far south to grow pumpkins for fall. The long fruit is another Papaya from my neighbor, my husband weighed it and it weighs 5 pounds! My plan for this is Papaya Bread and Papaya Pineapple Granita, so I hope to freeze what we can’t eat. The Avocados are from a friend of another neighbor with a prolific tree. These are really good and I have been eating Avocado and everything sandwiches for the past couple of days.
As for Hurricane Matthew it looks like it will bypass us to the east – I am keeping my fingers crossed.
The Shrub Queen 
Fall is very different in warm climates, but you did well to illustrate it. The Turk’s Caps look much bigger than what I have. I have been watching the hurricane too, but we seem to be safe over here. I guess I’ll never get to use the generator we bought after the last one.
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Thank you, I don’t recall seeing the Turks Cap before although some of the North Carolinians seem to have it. Buying a generator ensures you will never need it, money well spent!
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Nice fall vignette. That is an enormous papaya. Hope H. Matthew avoids you. We’re watching it warily here also.
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Thank you, North Carolina looks a little scary right now – but, it is just too early to tell.
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It must be worrisome to live where storms can wreak such havoc. Like earthquakes, I don’t know if I have the nerve for it. I guess one adapts.
I like the frilly weed and the combo of orange and red to offset it. It must be hard to give the traditional autumn (or Christmasy) feel when you live in the tropics, but you’ve made a convincing job of it!
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Well, I couldn’t adapt to frozen precipitation. Ugh. I have been growing that weed for a couple of years, I may figure out what it is someday! There is seasonal adaptation as well. Flamingos are a featured Christmas decoration!
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My son sent me a surfing Santa ornament from Hawaii, so it isn’t all snow and conifers!
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Palm trees with Christmas lights take some getting used to but it happens! We have Norfolk Pines here.
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I love your cheery red flowers and what amazing produce. And your cake looks wonderful. Hurricane Matthew sounds terrifying. It must be horrendous to be in its path.
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Thank you, that is Papaya Raisin Bread. Matthew is terrifying, prayers for the people in the islands tonight.
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The firebush and Turk’s cap make great companions. I expect that papaya makes a tasty bread, not that the fruits I bring home each week have any chance of making it into the oven. (I really should try growing a papaya tree, given the amount of fruit my husband consumes.)
I’ve been following the stories about Matthew’s path. I hope it gives Florida a pass – I was sorry to hear this morning that that’s unlikely in the case of Jamaica and other Caribbean islands.
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Thanks, my neighbor grew that one from seed and must have 50 lbs on the tree. I am hoping Matthew goes out to sea and stays.
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I’m glad the hurricane has passed you by, it must be very worrying when there is nothing you can do to stop it. Your autumnal vase is lovely. I very, very envious of the avocados
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A lovely vase and a delicious looking harvest – what a huge papaya! And your own avocados… oh how envious I am! I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed for you too with regard to the storm.
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Thank you, I recently planted a Cuban Avocado – they have fruit the size of footballs! Our storm shutters are up and I have stockpiled canned food. This is going to be close.
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All the best!
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Ah man, what I’d give for an avocado tree! I hope you, your family and friends, and your beautiful exotic garden and all its wonderful blooms keep safe from the hurricane.
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Thank you! going outside to faff a bit before the storm.
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Enjoy your faffing!
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