One of the few benefits of increasing humidity in South Florida is the appearance of the more tropical flowers. Their scents perfume the garden and I am currently enjoying them indoors, sans humidity. The fragrances of tropical Gingers, Frangipani and Gardenias are floating through the air. Ever so lightly.
The vase is a Crate and Barrel candleholder from the 1970s. Bought during my husband’s first marriage and similarly has lost its mate. Though I do love it (and him) for the occasional vase. Another view of the vase:
A close up of the flowers. The yellow and pink flowers and buds are Frangipani (Plumeria) A friend gave me a cutting a few years ago and I have no idea what the name of the variety is. This one is more fragrant at night and before sunrise (my greyhounds love this time of day, me, not so much – chasing rabbits and armadilloes are low on my life priorities). The white flowers and most of the green foliage is from Florida Gardenia (Tabernaemontana divericata – or something like that); these are not from Florida, India I believe is their real home and they are mostly deciduous here. The pink flower is Shell Ginger (Alpinia zerumbet) – these flower off and on year round and it is nearly a pleasure to prune them for the fragrance.
I am hopeful everyone has enough food and lav paper (I love the English term) – our supplies are still a bit weird. My husband, who has never joked about the quality of the paper – is doing so. And we are both laughing as circumstances are so, well, absurd. I am hoping not to be attempting to grow Papyrus for personal use this fall.
Happy Monday and Happy Gardening.
Amy or Amelia – I answer to both.
The Shrub Queen 
Ah, my daughter is called Amy – means beloved – 🙂
A beautifully exotic vase to my UK eyes – I’m trying to imagine the scent – all thick and sultry and sweet – mmmmmmmm.
LikeLike
Beautiful flowers and photos again
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you.
LikeLike
I can smell that frangipani from here (east coast of Scotland) – such a rich and heady scent! I remember it from the time we lived in the Bahamas, and also a trip to Darwin in Australia’s Northern Territories, when our son got married there! I love it! Your vase is great, bold and beautiful. Amanda https://therunningwave.blogspot.com
LikeLiked by 1 person
Long distance fragrance! They must be wonderful in the Bahamas and tropical Australia..Thanks, Amanda.
LikeLike
That must smell heavenly! I esp. love the look of plumeria.
Did you get a lot of wind with Arthur passing by?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Heavenly, indeed. It was windy over the weekend and now we are in the grips of a different rainmaker.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, it shouts sultry and tropical, and I am trying (but failing) to imagine the fragrance! The candlestick makes a great vase, doesn’t it?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Try imagining a not overpowering gardenia with a bit of Jasmine and Ginger…I like the candlestick once in a while.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That arrangement is so perfect it’s almost unreal. Beautiful. My maternal aunt loved her frangipani. She lived in Leisure City south of Homestead for many years until Andrew finally chased her home to NC.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you – it’s so real the Frangipani fell off! Andrew chased a lot of people off, for good reason, predicted to hit where I live it took a hard left..Homestead was flattened I went down there on business, yikes.
LikeLike
I always love your shell ginger and now you’ve upped the ante with addition of the Plumeria. I have one Plumeria in a (probably too small) pot. It didn’t bloom for me last year and hasn’t done anything yet this year but I remain hopeful!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, the Plumerias need a few years to get going. If your soil is well drained I would plant it in the ground.
LikeLike
Just the name Frangipani is enough to evoke daydreams and fantasies…I can only imagine what it smells like. Gorgeous vase!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Chris it does invoke Polynesian visions..
LikeLiked by 1 person
Makes me feel warm and sultry (and not like chasing armadilloes!) – I like your description of the scent above! And glad to hear that the toilet paper situation is kind of working out and that you won’t be reduced to papyrus in the autumn!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It has been raining and is warm and sultry, thank you.
LikeLike
It has been raining and is warm and sultry! Now if we could just settle the paper towel situation….
LikeLiked by 1 person
It evolves – and I thought it was just a toilet paper panic!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, I was surprised to be thrilled when my husband brought home paper towels..
LikeLiked by 1 person
But it’s the little things, after all!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Florida is like another planet. There are so many species that grow there that could be grown in the milder spots of Los Angeles, but would not be happy there without the humidity. That is why there are so many different palms in Florida. I intend to grow a few plumeria here, but they must be potted and sheltered through winter, and really do not bloom as well as they do in Florida.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is another planet, though I think LA might be one as well. I think there are only 4 native palms in Florida the rest are imported. Many from Australis and the South Pacific, there is some crazy plant material from Madagascar that is in South Florida.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Los Angeles? (I do not think you mean Louisiana.) It is pretty crazy too, but not as foreign. Although there are many things there that do not live here, much of what grows here also grows there. It does not look as foreign as Florida does. The best palms in California do well with aridity. Those that are here are also in Los Angeles, but there are a few more in Los Angeles. The tropical sort in Florida do not like the aridity here. A few of them live in San Diego. The only palm that is native to California is the desert fan palm, Washingtonia filifera. It used to do well in the Santa Clara Valley, but is not so happy there now. It really likes warm and dry summers, and dislikes humidity. It is my all time favorite palm anyway. It is so stately in the right situation.
LikeLike
I can only imagine the fragrance as these flowers are only known to me by name and photos. But I love the sound of Frangipane as well as the look. Does it smell of almonds/marzipan? It is the word for almond cream/paste here and I love that smell!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think the scent of Frangipani is closer to Jasmine and Gardenias but not as heavy. We have a Sweet Almond shrub here the flowers do smell like Marizpan..it’s native to Argentina.
LikeLiked by 1 person