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OUR TROPICAL GARDEN

 

Click below to see our garden plants alphabetically listed by common name.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
I page

Ice Plant, Highway Iceplant, Hottentot Fig Dorotheanthus or Lampranthus or Carpobrotus edulis
This is a succulent annual or perennial from S. Africa which we saw growing in pure sand by many of the beaches we visited on the Greek islands of Corfu, Naxos, Paros and Antiparos late in the spring of 2007. The flowers come in brilliant colors and this is one tough plant to grow so happily on almost nothing in a climate where high temperatures can be well over 100° F., where rainfall is not so common and where winter brings freezing temperatures. I liked it so much I saved some seeds from the ice plants and some from other wild flowers in Greece and am hoping to have a "Greek Garden" at home in Montserrat soon.
From: South Africa
Planting and Growth: This is a peculiar plant liking full sun, any type of soil and almost no water.
Text Copyrighted ©KO 2007/2008

 

To See More Ixora Please  Click Here!To See More Ixora Please  Click Here!Impatiens Impatiens sp.
This is perhaps the best known and most commercial of shade garden flowering plants. In tropical climates they are perennials, but not in places where winters bring freezing weather.
From: Asian and African tropics
Photographed: At the Hacienda San Buenaventura on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala.
Planting and Care: This is the proverbial shade garden blooming plant and it is as easy to care for as it is unremarkable. Plant it in good soil in the shade and give it routine watering and you will have a bit of color where there was only green before.
Text and Photographs Copyrighted ©KO 2010

 
**Iguana See The "W" Page -- WILDLIFE - Iguanas

 

To See More Ixora Please  Click Here!**Inch Plant, Wandering Jew Tradescantia albiflora, Tradescantia fluminensis, Zebrina pendula or Tradescantia zebrina
With its tiny leaves and spreading nature, the inch plant might be a good option for a ground cover. Once you plant it though, plan to live with it forever. It is very difficult to get rid of.
From: Tropical Americas
Photographed: At the Hotel Atitlan on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala.
Planting and Care: This plant is a true survivor. It will grow in full sun or full shade and will tolerate a wide range of moisture levels.
Text and Photograph Copyrighted ©KO 2008/2010
 
Indigo Iochroma See the "P" Page -- PURPLE BELLS
 
India Carnation, Crape Jasmine Gardenia jasminoides or Tabernaemontana coronaria or Tabernaemontana divaricuta
Here in Montserrat we have a bush locally called a gardenia, but it has no scent and so can't possibly be even in the gardenia family. It has shiny deep green leaves and abundant creamy white flowers.
Photographed: In our terrace garden at our home in Montserrat.
Planting and Care: The crape jasmine is a hardy bush that grows at an alarming rate and all the while provides lovely white blossoms. Sadly, they don't have much of a scent. Ours survives in a semi shady area with little care; we have seen them also growing as well with no care so these are wonderful plants to consider for a tropical garden, but the flowers lack the size and scent that truly defines the gardenia of my dreams. This variety prefers bright light shade, moist soil and a lot of fertilizer.
Text and Photographs Copyrighted ©Krika.com 2008/2010
 
**Indian Borage See The "T" Page -- THYME -- Spanish Thyme
 
Indian Mulberry See The "N" Page -- NONI
 
**Indian Tree Spurge See the "P" Page -- PENCIL TREE CACTUS
 
**Indian Tulip Tree See The "P" Page -- PORTIA TREE
 
Indigo Spires Sage See the "S" Page -- SALVIAS -- Indigo Spires Sage
 

Infusion
An infusion is made when you pour boiling water over plant parts and drink it as a tea. When it is suggested that you make an infusion, do just that. Do not boil the plant materials as they may prove more damaging than helpful. A continuing struggle between me and my husband over "cures" might be summed up well for everyone, "Some is good, more is not better."
Text Copyrighted ©KO 2008/2010

 

Insects in our tropical garden See The "W" Page -- WILDLIFE

Please also See the "P" Page PESTICIDES
Those listed are the only ones we use and all are natural products.

 
 
 
IRISES
 
To See More Ixora Please  Click Here!Iris Mystery #1
Photographed: At the Hotel Atitlan on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala.
Text and Photograph Copyrighted ©KO 2010
 
To See More Ixora Please  Click Here!Twelve Apostles, Walking Iris Neomarica gracilis
These are not large iris flowers, but they do stand out for their lovely combination of colors and patterns. The foliage of these plants is no larger than about 2 feet tall.
From: Central and South America
Photographed: At the Hotel Atitlan on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala.
Planting and Care: Plant in full sun as I have seen them growing or in bright light and they'll do just fine with routine rainfall or regular watering.
Text and Photograph Copyrighted ©KO 2010
 
To See More Ixora Please  Click Here!
 

**Walking Iris, Yellow Walking Iris Iris Neomarica Longifolia or Trimezia martinicensis
This is a delightful variety of iris that starts off flowering in a very minimal way and then works itself up into producing a lovely show. It has proved to be very hardy, handling droughts and acid rains along with falling ash from the Soufriere volcano here in Montserrat.
From: Central and South America
Photographed: This photograph was taken in the garden by our driveway at our home in Montserrat.
Planting and Care: The walking iris is able to grow well in full sun or shade and pretty much with or without water. It produces flowers on an ever extending branch that eventually falls over and takes root; hence the name walking iris.
Text and Photograph Copyrighted ©Krika.com 2008

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
**Ironwood See the "C" Page -- CASUARINA TREE
 

**Italianelle Pepper See The "P" Page -- PEPPERS

 
 
 

IXORAS

To See More Ixora Please  Click Here!**Ixora Uxorial martyrs Talisman and Binned or Uxorial cochineal
A member of the coffee family, this flowering bush blooms almost all year, though summer and fall are best. We now have only red and yellow varieties and I like the yellow ones best. I had the pink ones dug up as they never seemed to thrive.
Benefits: Ixora is said to have medicinal uses from the flowers and from the bark, though I don't know what they are. In Asia the roots are used to treat diarrhea and stomach problems.
From: The East Indies
Photographed: In our garden at our home in Montserrat. The white ixora we photographed at a friend's home in Woodland's, Montserrat.
Text & Photographs Copyrighted © KO 2008

To See More Ixora Please  Click Here!Ixora, White
Ixora are not my favorite plants. Until I saw the white flowering ixora in the photograph to the left I felt that only the yellow had any merit and even then not much. I had removed all of the pink ixora from our garden and many of the red as well. We still have a few red flowering ixora and one huge yellow flowering plant. In our nursery garden we now have a few cuttings of the white ixora which seems the best of all. The white flowering ixora is wonderfully scented and its delicate flowers seem more at one with its leaves.

 

 
 

 
Click below to see our garden plants alphabetically listed by common name.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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