This vase is about as tropical as it gets. It holds the first Frangipani flowers of the year and the last two Shell Ginger blossoms (I think). I have another Shell Ginger that has always received less water and attention and it is flowering with much smaller, infrequent bursts. The fragrance of the arrangement is pure Polynesia, sweet Frangipani foiled by lightly spicy ginger. I should start making shampoo or suntan lotion from this combination. I have a small foyer and it is filled with the scent. We have finally gotten some rain here in the form of a 4 inches plus deluge over about 15 hours. The flowers are a great counter to Eau d’ Wet Greyhound.
The flowers in the vase are in pink, Shell Ginger (Alpinia zerumbet), in white, Frangipani (Plumeria ?) I was in Maui last fall and this is different from the White Plumeria there, the flowers are actually bigger and less waxy. I found there are many varieties of Frangipani but am not sure what this is – another garage sale find (as are the Shell Ginger) The orange flowers are Mexican Bush Honeysuckle (Justicia spicigera) I actually bought at a nursery and have never seen another. The foliage is cut from the Shell Ginger and some long fronds of Asian Sword Fern.
The latest visitors adding a tropical vibe to my garden.
A White Heron on my shell driveway and a Gopher Tortoise stopping by to eat the fruit of the Surinam Cherries.
Happy Monday!
The Shrub Queen 
Only you could produce a real heron in your Monday vase post! 🙂 Love your descriptions of your gorgeous tropical blooms and their scents which we will have to make do with as we cannot smell them for ourselves! Thanks so much for sharing
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I get Herons and Ibises who are fooled by my crushed shell pathways and come looking for fish.
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You aren’t tempted to trick them by leaving the odd fish lying around on your path then…? 😉
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I adore the perfume of Frangipani , lucky you to have it in your garden!
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Yes, I have one new one and 3 rooting so I hope I won’t be overwhelmed.
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Your tropical vase is absolutely gorgeous. Wish we had gotten your rain, less than a 1/4 inch here in Vero Beach.
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Thank you, amazing no rain in Vero. I was working up there last week and it was raining – but none here. Question from your blog post – did you get the Korean pepper paste at Publix?
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I got it at Fresh Market.
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Aha! Thank you. That recipe sounds wonderful.
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It is my pleasure, thank you too!
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I want to go on vacation now to someplace warm and tropical!!
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I finally looked up where you live, thinking jungley Africa – Not! We are on the verge of hot here, I recommend Hawaii.
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Hawaii sounds awesome! Humidity, lush tropical plants, the sound of the ocean, warm breezes….. maybe one day.
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I love your tropical vase. My shell gingers are in bad shape after the freeze and I probably will not see flowers until next year, so I’ll enjoy yours.
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Thank you, I think it takes a couple of years for the Shell Gingers to get going, these have been flowering for two months, I have really enjoyed them
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Your wild visitors are wonderful. Does the tortoise stop by often? (I can’t imagine a roving garden tortoise.) I love your floral antidote to the “Eau d’ Wet Greyhound.” The shell ginger is gorgeous and always so perfect that it almost doesn’t look real. Technically, Alpinia will grow here but their water requirements take them off my planting list. Plumeria is more tolerant of dry spells but I’ve had problems getting it going here and just passed my last plant off to a friend.
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The tortoise does stop by often, I have a hedge of Surinam Cherries that is good turtle chow. I have some crushed shell pathways with drifts of bigger shells that fool the Herons sometimes. I agree about the Shell Ginger it looks like china.
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Ooh, frangipani and shell ginger – gifts of tropical living!
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Eliza – I am soo excited my Lobsterclaw Heliconia is finally starting a flower, red yellow and chartreuse so far.
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You know how to break a girl’s heart. I love heliconia!
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I know I am taking pictures
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😀
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Oh, Frangipani, that must be such a lovely scent. I would be tempted to fill the garden with them. Beautiful photo of your heron.
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Thank you, I keep adding Frangipani – probably should stop. Was chasing the bird with my cell phone, lucky shot!
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Great shot of the heron – good you could move as fast as him! Frangipangi is just a dream here – wonderful to ‘smell’ yours on my computer screen this morning!
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Thank you, maybe we should start a Frangipani/Narcissus perfume?
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What a plan!
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Frangipani, ginger so exotic and so beautiful (and good for disguising wet dog smell). Ha that made me smile.
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Thank you, smiling is good and so are dogs! Wet dogs, not so much.
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