Category: Garden

Both my gardens and ones I visit

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A Rare, Unique Jewel Hiding in My Garden

Hiding in the shadows of taller Red Ginger plants & their own tall stalks,
Cellphone photo of Zingiber zerumbet, also known as
Shampoo ginger, bitter ginger, and pinecone ginger
And my gardener calls it Moraca plant 
 Atenas, Costa Rica
CAN YOU SEE THEM?
Left of center behind and below Red Ginger
 (click photo for enlargement)
 Atenas, Costa Rica
FOR YOUR RESEARCH ASSISTANCE: 
A description in Wikipedia       A TripAdvisor photo post from Pura Vida Gardens visitors
My first post on this plant as a baby 2 years ago  –  I’ve given some to a neighbor who has about this many blooms this year also, all from my one little beginning plant. A hidden jewel for me!
Or a Google Search of images of this flower       A FloriData description
Use as an Alternative Medicine        Useful Tropical Plants  post
A ScienceDirect article on the plant        CABI scientific info & distribution maps
And Google gives many more information sites on this rare and unique plant.
Of course for all flowers I see here: my Photo Gallery Flora & Forest
Flowers… 
are a proud assertion that a ray of beauty 
outvalues all the utilities of the world. 

~Ralph Waldo Emerson


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Who Rules the Roost? Rufous-tailed!

For 2 years I refused to have feeders, only flowers.
But gave in when Anthony left me with this feeder.
I do see more hummingbirds, but only one species now.
Atenas, Costa Rica

Like this juvenile Rufous-tailed,
they do still eat from flowers, but not totally.
Atenas, Costa Rica

The Rufous-tailed Hummingbirds dominate the feeder.
I believe there is a large family of them that had many babies.
Atenas, Costa Rica

This is an elder who may be in charge.
Atenas, Costa Rica

They even chase each other off the feeder or a “Pecking Order?”
Atenas, Costa Rica

I still have mixed emotions about using a feeder, though it does seem to keep more birds here year around. Not sure why I’m not seeing other species now which may be the work of the Rufous-tailed Hummingbirds chasing them off. I’ve thought about another feeder or two which most of the lodges I visit have even more of and many varieties of hummingbirds. We will see. I don’t like the extra work of boiling water and adding sugar every few days!  🙂   I’m lazy in retirement! And more feeders would mean more sugar water!

For many different birds, see my Birds Photo Galleries

Today I restart my Spanish blog titled ¡Aprendo Español en Atenas! for those who want to see me struggle with español. My teacher requested it!




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Today’s Butterflies in Garden

Pale Spotted Swallowtail Maybe
Or could be Red Spotted Purple Or Female Tiger Swallowtail
Atenas, Costa Rica

 

Banded Peacock 
Atenas, Costa Rica

 

Chisos Banded Skipper 
Atenas, Costa Rica

AND a great big yellow one (maybe a Sulphur) who would never land for a photo!  🙂

See my photo gallery of Costa Rica Butterflies & Moths

And see my photo book:  My First 50 Butterflies in Costa Rica  Review for free.

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Happiness is a butterfly,

which when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp,

but which, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you.     

Nathaniel Hawthorne

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Bringing Flowers Inside

I haven’t been sharing the bouquets I pick for the house,
but this one was different than most, so thought I would share.
Atenas, Costa Rica

“A garden to walk in and immensity to dream in–what more could he ask? 

A few flowers at his feet and above him the stars.”

― Victor Hugo, Les Misérables

See also my photo gallery Flora & Forests
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Old Man’s Joy: Having Gardeners!

A team of 6 young men come every two weeks to cut grass, edge beds,
weed, and trim shrubs, flowers or trees as needed.
6 guys swooping over my yard in two hours. Neat! And just $50!
This is Cristian in my garden, Atenas, Costa Rica

 

They save my back and other potential aches and pains as well as time,
and they do it fast and very well. I am fortunate! And they are my friends!
This is Alfredo in my garden, Atenas, Costa Rica

 

My back garden is still the centerpiece, but the whole yard is a garden!
I love living here among the tropical plants with doors/windows always open!
Atenas, Costa Rica

My gardeners were here today and halfway through their work we sat down together on my terraza as they call it (my tiled deck) or patio for water, root beer and cookies, chatting in Spanish with my limited understanding but great enjoyment! In addition to the regular chores, they climbed up my Nance Tree and trimmed out the top with a machete. It had grown so much that I had lost nearly half my vista which is now opened up. They had already done that to the Yellow Bells Trees on the left and they too will need it again soon it appears. And in two weeks they are going to plant an Elephant Ears plant in my back garden where something else died. What a joy to have gardeners!

Tree-trimming opened up a view that was decreasing  rapidly. Probably an annual chore now.
Atenas, Costa rica (on a cloudy day)
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Surprises in the Garden

Blue-winged Sheenmark, Eurybia lycisca
In my garden yesterday. Only the 2nd one I’ve ever seen.
See last year’s sighting inside my house! Better photo! This is cellphone.
Atenas, Costa Rica
Maraca Plant or Shampoo Ginger
Is spreading like wildfire! Each flower will be a new plant!
Atenas, Costa Rica
Caladium Lily
Not expecting flowers from my caladiums!
Atenas, Costa Rica
Guardian Mom! 
She sits on top of hummingbird feeder, chasing adults off so
her children can freely feed when they wish. See below.
Atenas, Costa Rica
Guardian Mom!
Atenas, Costa Rica
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The Good, The Bad, The Ugly in One Morning!

Rufous-tailed Hummingbird
On Heliconia in my garden, Atenas, Costa Rica

Yeh, it is unusual for a hummingbird to stay still very long, especially on a flower! Thanks Lord!

Bark Scorpion
On my kitchen floor, Atenas, Costa Rica 

Both of these shots were made before breakfast this morning. The scorpion crawled out from under my electric dishwasher. You can see that on his tail and left hand he has collected some cobweb.  🙂  I just used the broom to sweep him outside off my deck or terrace. In 2 1/2 years here it is only the second scorpion I have seen, both in my kitchen. I am going to spray under my dishwasher, stove and frig, the best hiding places. Though, last night I opened two cardboard boxes of old genealogy books and that is also a good place for scorpions. Part of living in the jungle!  🙂

Check out my Birds photo gallery and my Other Insects photo gallery for more creature shots.
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Rufous-tailed Hummingbird

Rufous-tailed Hummingbird
Rancho Naturalista, Turrialba, Costa Rica
Photo by Charlie Doggett

These guys have been feeding a lot in my garden and at the hummingbird feeder I inherited from Anthony.

Watch One Feed on Porterweed Flowers – A VIDEO
You can see what it is like with this video another nature photographer (Steven Williams)  here in Costa Rica posted on an Expat Facebook page. He calls it a Berylline Hummingbird, but I disagree. Those live mainly in Mexico with a few as far south as Honduras, still a long way from Costa Rica! I think it is a Rufous-tailed Hummingbird which is what we have a lot of in Costa Rica. Either way, this is how they feed in my garden:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3F2Hw_Zctoc   (Video is slow-motion, not real time!)
See also my Costa Rica Birds photo gallery

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Tropical Blossom Haiku

In My Home Garden
Atenas, Costa Rica

-o-

INTERESTING NEWS FROM COSTA RICA: 
Environmental agency orders suspension of pineapple farming project
which means that the American imperialists (Del Monte) cannot destroy any more of our wetlands and forests. Yay! I’m glad that the government here is defending our environment. This particular case is on the Osa Peninsula near Corcovado where I just traveled. Costa Rica is recognized internationally for protecting its land and environment and has 25% of the land set aside as national parks or reserves. And don’t feel sorry for Del Monte. There is plenty of legal land they can build pineapple farms on with plenty of cheap labor to make them rich!

The Dollar is at its highest value in Costa Rica right now, meaning a good time for U.S. people to visit or vacation or buy property here when you get more colones for the dollar, as much as C581 this article says. It had been at around 530 for a long time which was good, but this is better!  🙂 Best in the last 7 years says the article!