Under the warmth of an evening’s golden light, two carefree woodpeckers dart here and there amongst the leaves of a mango tree, impatiently waiting for the fruit to ripen. The heat of the day slowly dissipates into the welcoming cool of dusk as a soft breeze flutters gently over flowers in a container garden resulting in a soothing display of delicate colours and beautiful textures.
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Slowly but surely bees, a few butterflies and even the occasional hummingbird have been visiting this little garden oasis. Firm favourites for the bees are the zinnias, jasmine, gomphrena and rain lilies.
These white rain lilies are gorgeous reminders of crocuses as well as the hope and joy that accompany the spring season.
Zinnias are not a flower I knew much about until recently. Many of the them have very bright, cheery colours, but I find the softer, neutral tones more appealing though they are not as easy to find here.
These Dianthus have a truly exquisite beauty with frilled petals that look as if they have been painted in watercolour.
Growing plants from seed has been an exhilarating experience. It is really wonderful to see each tiny green sprout breaking through the soil surface and to watch them grow stronger and taller each day.
Seedlings that have germinated so far include cosmos, dahlias, cherry tomatoes and some wildflowers that I sowed from a mixed packet of wildflower seeds – they unexpectedly had a high germination rate despite the intense heat and humidity here, which is very exciting. The packet included cosmos, flax, forget-me-nots, bachelor buttons and gypsophilia so it will be a lovely surprise to see what all the tiny seedlings turn into.
All photographs were taken by me.