While going through old pictures for my mom’s service, I was surprised to find old photos of Cora’s garden in full bloom. They weren’t the best photos, probably from one of those disposable cameras, but the number of blooms was incredible. And I wanted to share them with you (and I guess she wanted to do the same).
Mom with her Honohono orchids
I’m not sure when these pictures were taken. I probably was on the mainland. I asked my neighbors if they remembered the garden filled with blooms, and they said yes. My parents were always in the yard, working on the plants. I wish I loved gardening as much as they did. My goal is to cut back the number of plants in the garden so it is easier for me to take care of them, keep a few of them alive, and get them to bloom again.
In bloom: Honohono, phalaenopsis, daylilies, amaryllis, desert rose
Killing time as my parents get ready for an outing to Costco, I roamed around our small front yard and decided to take pictures of the flowers in bloom.
Desert Rose
Desert Rose
There’s a row of these rimming the front of the yard. They are odd looking plants. The stem and base are grayish, gnarly, and tangled with leaves here and there topped with bright dark pink blooms. Mom likes these plants they are all over the yard. Notice in the bottom left corner of the image, the orange-yellow pile of stuff are the papaya that Mom feeds the birds in the morning and then turns into compost.
Bougainvillea
Bougainvillea
The bougainvilleas are potted and run up the side of the front yard. They are very old and a few have worked into bonsai by my dad. Most of them in old cement pots some of them made by my dad (That’s another post). There are all sort of colors from this fuchia to lilac to orange.
Cup and Saucer
Cup and Saucer
The finches favorite, at different times of day they come to get the nectar from the flowers and play. These birds blend in with the plant and are hard to get on camera–no pictures. I usually know there because the cats are staring out the window at the tree.
Ice Flower plant
Ice Flower Plant
This beautiful intense magenta colored flower is so delicate and last for a day. The plant looks like a succulent and I don’t know why it’s called ice plant when it seems to love the hot dryness of Waipahu.
CAT BREAK!!!
Orange watching me. And yes that is purple on the trim and I had nothing to with that choiceLady’s Slipper
Lady’s Slipper
Since I arrived I wonder what those long leafy plants were. There were no flowers. Mom told me they were lady’s slipper and will bloom in the winter. As winter starts to arrive, buds start poping up. Then these fabulous flowers appear.
Hydrangea
Hydrangea
Almost missed these, the flowers almost blended in with the leaves. Just that little hint of pink made me give it a second look.
Azalea
Azalea
These bloom like crazy in NJ in the spring but it’s in the middle of February in HI there are few blooms on this azalea bush. Big blossoms.
Rose
Rose
Last but not least this pink rose plant. Two buds plus a bloom on the plant. The bloom was already spent so that’s why took a picture of the bud.
Princess Hot Flash 