The Shell Gingers (Alpinia zerumbet) are flowering again. This is such a dramatic plant, I think it should be displayed on its own. Of course, me being me, I had to do something with it. Feeling there was a bit too much foliage in the arrangement I cut a lot of it out, enjoying the gingery fragrance and wishing for a Thai food lunch. As I was in a state of ‘garden dress’, lunch out was out of the question; so I persevered with my arrangement. I rolled some leaves into loops and added a few red burgundy Blanchetiana Bromeliad leaves.
Shell Ginger needs a bit of shade to be at its best. Last year, my neighbor destroyed all the shade, removing trees on the other side of the fence. Oddly enough, the Ginger has responded with lighter foliage and a bounty of buds, the likes I have never seen before. It will be interesting to see what happens next.
News from the garden. I have been reporting/complaining about my Papaya experience. Well, the tree added some newly hermaphrodite flowers and now I am getting female and mixed (hermaphrodite) flowers – and more fruit. Four, so far. I can’t wait to see what the tree produces. Here is the first fruit from last week.
The Shrub Queen 
Your shell ginger does so well. I like the creative way you looped the leaves. My shell ginger hasn’t bloomed in a couple of years. Maybe this will be the year.
LikeLiked by 1 person
thank you – do you have the varigated one? The flowers are rare on those.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes I do. They bloom about every 2 years, but were frozen back for the last 2 years.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The green ones flower a lot more. Supposedly, 3 times a year south of Orlando – I have not ever had that happen! But mine will never get enough water.
LikeLiked by 1 person
My goodness that looks as if it should be in the foyer of some grand hotel, how elegant. I love the shiny Alpinia flowers. Very exciting about your papayas.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Liz. One of my tropical spa arrangements. If only my Avocado, Lime and Mango would follow suit! I forgot about the Jaboticaba.
LikeLike
Ooh that IS exciting about your papaya – such good news! And Chloris is quite right, your vase is so elegant and stately – you have such a talent for visualising how it will work out
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Cathy. I am finding flower arranging makes a lot of people scratch their heads.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I like the effect of the rolled leaves perfectly adding to those delicious flowers. I’m very excited to see the Papaya, I don’t think I’ve ever seen one growing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, one of those things that just popped into my head, the leaf rolling. I will post some more Papaya pictures as they grow, it is a really interesting tree and fruit.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes do, it is fascinating to see something growing that I’ve only seen in the shops as a mature fruit.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think you struck the perfect balance between foliage and flowers with this arrangement, Amelia. How I’d love to have shell ginger growing in my garden! My husband of course would much prefer a papaya.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Kris. I like the Ginger and the Papaya!
LikeLike
Gorgeous arrangement – very professional– like in a spa hotel in Tahiti. 🙂
Your papaya has really grown a lot! I love papaya doused in lime juice – delish!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Eliza. I am in my tropical spa mode. Waiting for a massage and a breakfast Papaya.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love what you have done with those leaves – a lovely touch although those ginger flowers are simply gorgeous as they are. I love ginger and a plant that smells of it must be something!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, when the plant fully flowers I will have to post a photo, the ginger fragrance is pretty subtle – I think you can eat the tubers.
LikeLiked by 1 person
How 1985! but without the prominent lines. This is what floral design looked like just before we studied it in school. Yes, flower growers needed to study it somewhat, just so we knew how our crops were being used. We did not learn about shell ginger though.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I guess this would go with California Cuisine, interesting what is happening in floral design now.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well, California cuisine is a completely different topic. There are more distinct cultures here than there are in the rest of North America. It makes fun, but also impossible to generalize about our culture. Much of what is considered to be ‘Californian’ is a joke to Californians.
LikeLike
Lovely. An Asian influence, maybe?
LikeLiked by 1 person
No idea where that came from. I went to Japan in 1989. Did not really like the flower arrangements.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s funny – it varies from being very sparse, almost bare, to being exuberant – like the chrysanthemum festival each fall. I was there for it when working in TV.
LikeLike
I know and think on some level I just don’t get the aesthetic..very contrived to me.
LikeLiked by 1 person