Real Tropicals in Stunning Displays

Having been inspired by discussions about tropical plants at a recent Chester Garden Club meeting, it seems timely that two members of the club recently found themselves surrounded by tropical plants, although in a sub-tropical setting, which stretches between 26 degrees latitude north (Naples location) and 26 degrees latitude south.

Naples Botanical Garden has expanded in the last year, with the addition of an Asian garden, a water garden and a Florida garden that incorporates a variety of features including wildflowers, an "enabling" garden and a "river of grass".  The Asian garden offers temples and plantings that reflect cultural practices from Southeast Asia. The river of grass represents nature's filtration system, by which a filter marsh slows down water passing through and removes contaminants, thus improving the quality of the water. 

Strolling through the well-manicured paths and marvelling at the variety of plants, we kept an eye out for some of the tropicals that Susan had mentioned in her February talk. The Ti plant (Cordyline fruticosa) above is an example of the showy colour that Susan spoke of as one of the appealing features of tropical plants.  Below, we see the young bananas emerging from a flower that has just opened. 

Architectural features are another appealing aspect of tropical plantings. At the Botanical garden, the many varieties of palms are used to good effect but there are also many smaller plants (bromeliads and bougainvilleas ) that add a structural element as well as vivid colour to the winding paths.