Last Saturday I didn’t think there was very much going on in the garden, then the temperature heated up a bit and the more tropical plants responded. This week is a different story, ripening fruit on the trees and the sweet scent of Frangipani in the air. To see more SOS posts, visit Jim in his garden and follow the link GardenRuminations
It doesn’t get much more tropical than this. ‘Aztec Gold’ Frangipani (Plumeria rubra) These are sometimes called Key West Yellow or South Florida Gold. They are a very common passalong around here. A friend gave me cuttings some years ago, now I have a 5 foot tree.
Miss Alice Bougainvillea is back in her full glory. I am giving the last two branches a little more time to leaf out.
The summer tomato experiment has begun. On the right, the tomatoes are at the end of the season. On the left, some new cuttings that are just starting to bear fruit. I usually stop growing tomatoes during the summer and start seeds in late summer to grow in winter. This year, I researched and found the most heat tolerant cherry tomatoes, started cuttings on a staggered schedule and just started a few seeds. The types are Sungold, Yellow Pear and Sweet 100 in pots. I am trying the native Everglades tomatoes in the ground. These are currant tomatoes and a bit weird.
The cuttings and seeds. Instructions say to add mulch and cages. Fingers crossed for homegrown tomatoes through the summer. Sometimes the night temperatures are too high for the flowers to be pollinated.
The first Thai Dessert Mangoes (Nam Doc Mai) of the year. Varmints eat the mangoes if they ripen on the tree. These are apricot colored when fully ripe.
Desert Rose (Adenium obesum) perking up with the warming temps.
These are all succulents that hang out under a roof. This is east facing and the roof prevents over watering from rain. The grey plants are Graptosedum. There is some Green Haworthia and a bit of Flapjack Kalanchoe in the strawberry pot.
Happy gardening to all!
The Shrub Queen 
Mangoes! Did I mention that I potted four mango seeds? I removed them from their shells first. If they grow well, I could graft them later, although I am more inclined to see what they could do as seed grown trees. They are the common sort that are available from supermarkets, perhaps ‘Keitt’. Another small honey mango is also available, so I may try their seed as well.
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no, though you should probably graft them. maybe if they are Keitt or Kent. They are notoriously not true to seed and you end up with turpentine mangoes
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turpentine mangoes? I have no idea what that is, but I can guess. Grafting seems to be in order.
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The seedlings produce mangoes that taste like turpentine – then they get cut down.
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I do not mind cutting a mango tree down if it is to graft onto it.
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What a colourful six, so full of summer vibes. Thank you.
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glad you enjoy the florida vibe.
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Feeling tropical, things are heating up! 💖
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indeed and it finally rained!
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Yay! 👏🏼
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So many exotic plants and pretty flowers! I’m still waiting for my first frangipani flowers (sown 4 years ago and fingers crossed for this summer.) About the adenium that I sowed last fall, the pseudo trunk is already formed but only measures 10 cm with the first leaves starting to appear. I’ll have to wait a few more years before having a plant as gorgeous as yours. And finally, your mangoes obviously look appetizing…
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Thanks, Fred. These have never produced seed, every time I prune them I save the cutting – they are very easy to root and now I have too many.
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The desert rose is beautiful. I tried to grow one and failed. Good luck with your tomato experiment. I love cherry toms.
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Thank you. I think the best thing to do with Desert Roses is ignore them.
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WelI, I am very envious of that stunning frangipani, there is nothing quite like the scent. And your own mangoes. Tropical heaven.
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I need to figure out the fertilizer for it, the tropicals are a bit weird.
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All I can say is “wow!” to the photo of the frangipani, the photo is amazing and it doesn’t look real (but I know it is!)
I’ve really enjoyed reading about the exotic specimens I’d never be able to grow here, thank you for sharing.
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Your post had me smiling because of all the beautiful blooms and yummy produce. Tropical fruits and flowers, indeed! Those Mangoes look so delicious!
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thanks, still waiting for the mangoes to get ripe.
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Good luck with the tomatoes. I only recently found out you can grow tomatoes from cuttings and may have to try that as one of my seedlings is doing weird things at the base of the stem. Good to hear yellow pear is heat resistant as I have a couple of those too. The desert rose is beautiful – not sure I have seen one before. Do they get more leaves afer the flowers?
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Thanks. I have picked some tomatoes already from the cuttings, you should try it. The Desert Roses do get a bit more leafy, the trunks are called caudex and are really unusual, they are a feature of this plant.
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Well, it was really refereshing to look at an SoS post of yours and see a bit of your garden as well as the bouganvillea – and what an interesting discussion about the tomatoes. Sungold is one I grow every year
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Thanks, Cathy. My neighbor is a big fan of Sun gold. The seedlings are growing now, so I hope I get some fruit.
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