My yard, the cabbage patch

In the early months of the winter, my gardener who I adore, asked me if I would like decorative cabbage in my yard. Would I? Of course I would. I LOVE decorative cabbage. I think nature (AKA Heavenly Father) has a way of putting the most perfect shades of color together to brighten our earth. Colors one may not want to wear, but truly are beautiful together. Like, for example, the purple and green of the cabbage above. Also, I think the orange and blue at sunset is the prettiest time of day - the complimentary colors sending the day off with perfection.

So, he says that he can get me "Cabbage, just leaf. No. (laughs here) No, Madam, just the leaf." I said, "Ooooh. Can you get me the purple and green? I see it all over camp and I would love it!" Really, it just shakes things up a bit on camp, a little color, something different. I just like it. "Oh. No Madam. Just green only." I say, "Do you mean green and white?" The other variety I know of. "No. Just green. Leaves only coming." He says. "Ya know what, you do whatever you want. I don't really care, and anything will look nice. Do what you'd like."

Remember that A LOT gets lost in translation. Dulal thinks he speaks good English. Let me tell you, you know my French? Well, if he speaks good English my French is AWESOME.

So the next day there were teeny tiny little decorative cabbage starts in my yard, lining a walkway in the back. I thought for sure they would die, a lot of things here do. But nope. They've grown and grown and grown. And now.....well, they're huge.

Want to see?

My "decorative cabbage". Pretty, huh?

Oops.


Oh well. I actually love them. I think cabbage is a beautiful plant anyway, and heck, it tastes good. But this totally makes me laugh. There must be at least 20 that line the side of the house.

They're almost ready to eat. Care for any?


Just for fun, I'm posting some of the other plants around the yard. (and that's fun how, Teresa?) Again, I just look at them and make sure the touchy one's get sweet water instead of raw every now and then. Dulal keeps them alive.

These grow all along the inside wall of the back yard. I have no idea what they're called, but in the morning they're all closed up and look like this:



This is the same spot mid day. I love plants that do that.



Banana tree. I'm pretty sure if we decide to live here until we retire, another 21 years, we MIGHT see actual bananas. But until then, I feel a little tropical, and that's about it for benefit from the banana tree. Well, that and we all like to sing the Daylight Come and I Wanna Go Home song. You know, Hey Mister tally man, tally me banana. Or WHATEVER the words are!


Angel wanted tomatoes, and since we share the same gardener, and we're both American, that MUST mean I want them too. But really, I don't care. Dulal planted them anyway. Hey, you wanna take care of 'em, great! They are looking very sorry, if I do say so myself.


Sugarcane. Booooring.

Now. Here's something to be jealous of. And I HAVE babied these little darlings. These are my poinsettia's left from Christmas. I have no idea how long they'll live, but they like it outside these days. They made me very happy this past holiday season, so they deserve to live.


Bougainvillea. Boring as well, but really pretty and I do love her.

I know that petunia's aren't exciting. But they bloom all winter here and add color to my front porch. They are on their way out. But they were pretty nice a few weeks ago. A little bit of the western world anyway.

Gardenia. This has been a beauty, but haven't had a bloom for a while now. She sure smelled good though. I'm trying to decide if I should keep her or not. We'll see.

And now, for my pride and joy. My Hibiscus. And I'm not even partial. Okay. I am. I LOVE LOVE LOVE my hibiscus. I have an orange and a coral, and they are gorgeous. They make giant blooms and brighten my walkway. They are tropical and remind me of Hawaii. And ANYTHING that reminds me of that, must be wonderful.


Wait! What's that?!!!! There's a Chach growing in my Hibiscus pot! Oooh. Isn't he cute in his jammies?
I know we only have a few weeks left until the furnace is turned back on. (that means it's ROASTING again) Most of these beauties won't make it. Some I'll take inside, some will be back next year, and lots will die. It's been fun though. And hey, it gives me a few more weeks to make a whole lot of coleslaw. haha.

*Pic of the deco. cabbage from here http://www.homeandgardenideas.com/gardening/fruits-vegetables/care/tips-growing-ornamental-cabbage