**Heliconia
The heliconia could almost be a symbol of the Caribbean tropical forest and they will grow in full sun or shade depending on the variety. The height varies as well; some are huge.
From: These extraordinary plants are native to the West Indies and South America
Planting and Care: They require lots of water and fertilizer and when they are happy they can quickly get out of control. Try to plant them in a place sheltered from strong winds as the leaves tear easily.
Text and Photgraph Copyrighted © KO 2008

To see more photographs of red and yellow heliconia just click the photograph above or click HERE!

**Hens & Chicks Echeveria elegans or Sempervivum Sp. or Sempervivum soboliferum or Graptopetalum or Aeonium arboreum
This is a lovely plant with circular rosettes of fleshy ice green leaves. This plant thrived in a pot on our Taxco, Mexico, apartment terrace and we now have a small one growing in a pot here in Montserrat.
From: The Mediterranean
Planting and Care: It likes some shade from the hotter mid-day sun and a medium amount of water. It multiplies wonderfully as its name implies so there are large, medium, and tiny rose like sets of leaves at all times. It benefits greatly from a twice yearly cleaning of the old leaves and stems; it will look scraggly for a short while then be twice as beautiful as before.
Text & Photographs Copyrighted © Krika.com 2008

Our herb garden at our home in Montserrat in the Caribbean West Indies

While it is traditional to grow only herbs in a garden like this, I thought it would be more interesting and provide more places on the property for herbs to grow if they were growing intermixed in ornamental garden beds. This garden became a real centerpiece for herbs for a while and though we still call it the "Herb Garden," it is now taking on a more exotic flavor with several varieties of canna lilies now planted. The herbs have moved on to other garden beds.
Text and Photograph Copyrighted ©Krika.com 2008

**Hibiscus Bush Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L.
(Red, purple, light and deep pink, white & yellow, double and single flowers along with different variegated leaved bushes)
We have varieties and colors too numerous to mention, including the Japanese Lantern or Coral Hibiscus Hibiscus schizopetalus. All of them flower for at least six months of the year. Buds picked in the evening will bloom all the next day and make lovely dining table centerpieces.
Benefits: Apart from their showy flowers, hibiscus plants are a source of food and beverages, medicine, perfume and dye. Here on the island, our friend Roots told us how to make a refreshing drink with the flowers. In the Caribbean, the lovely hibiscus flower is also used as a treatment for colds and to relieve menstrual problems.
Planting and Growth: Normally hibiscus bushes thrive in full sun and they prefer to be planted in an acid soil which is great here in Montserrat where we have regular acid rain from the still active Soufriere Volcano.
Insects: The pink mealy bug has infested most of the once tall and beautiful red flowering hibiscus hedges in Montserrat with disastrous results. In other parts of the world biological controls have been used. Insect predators of the pink mealy bug such as the half inch anagyrus wasp from China and the crypto laemus ladybug have been introduced into hibiscus gardens, the latter is considered a more effective treatment because it will dine on enormous numbers of mealy bugs.
With a small number of reachable plants mealy bugs can be eliminated by hand with cotton swabs dipped in alcohol. For larger applications a mixture of soap and warm water has had beneficial effects.
Here is a recipe for insect control:
Mix 1 Tablespoon of dishwashing liquid and 1 cup of vegetable oil

Use 1 Tablespoon of the above mixture in 1 cup of water.
Test one plant first to see if there are any negative effects. Apply as a spray and check 24 hours later.
We have also had good results with regular spraying of neem leaf water. The quick and dirty recipe for this is to fill a bucket with neem leaves and add water to cover. Leave the bucket in the shade for a few days, then filter and use as a spray. It doesn't smell wonderful, but it does work.

**Coral Hibiscus Bush (Japanese Lantern) Hibiscus schizopetalus HOOKER
This is one of the most appealing of the hibiscus varieties. Ours lives down by the papaya.
Text & Photo Copyrighted © KO 2007

Variegated Hibiscus Bush

To See More Hibiscus Click The Photo! Or click here!
Text & Photographs Copyrighted © Krika.com 2008

**Honeysuckle Vine P. edulis flavicarpa Degener
This is another variety of passion fruit that produces edible yellow fruits from white flowers.
Text Copyrighted © KO 2004

Horseradish Amoracia rusticana
This is an essential ingredient in the most popular dipping sauce for cold shrimp and other similar seafood. In a northern garden growing it should be a snap, but here in the Caribbean who knows? We have yet to get any seeds.
Text Copyrighted © KO 2007

Hydrangea Hydrangea sp
From: Germany
Planting and Growth: This old traditional garden bush loves an acid soil with lots of organic material. It is perfect for New England gardens because of the acid soil and apparently also for the South as a friend from South Carolina once spoke of the poor country farms there being loaded with hydrangea. She couldn't bring herself to have it in her garden which is a shame because it is a beautiful bush with large showy flowers in blue, purple/blue, pink and white.
Text Copyrighted © KO 2008

**Hylocereus Hylocereus undatus (Haw.) BRITT. and ROSE or Selenicereus sp.
We found one of these growing in the forests on the way to Tenerillas a small village outside of Taxco, Mexico. We took a piece and brought it here to Montserrat where it is doing just fine.
From: Mexico and Central America
Planting and Growth: Liking sun or semi shade and routine water, the hylocereus is easy to care for and appears to be resistant to most insects.
Text Copyrighted © KO 2008