Noteworthy in Nola

Walking home from getting coffee on Magazine Street, we came across this gorgeous bunch of Wisteria:

The day was grey and threatening rain, which would knock the delicate clusters off, so I grabbed the shot while they were still there.

I will admit to a certain amount of jealousy here- we have the stuff in our backyard, but it’s never really bloomed at all, although it spends the entirety of the warm months trying to reach out and strangle anything it can. I swear I’m going to do a time lapse over the summer to show just how fast the stuff grows. I’m constantly wacking it back, and for a show like this it’d be worth it. Around August I’m always wondering if an execution is in order, I’m so tired of it…but hope springs eternal and I always think “maybe next spring- maybe this will be the year!”

At least now I know where I can go for my spring purple fix.

For just a few weeks in spring, these pink magnolias are everywhere. Despite being about a third of the summer magnolia blooms they’re even more impressive in their way- with no leaves to hide amongst, they really pop.

We, like so much of the south*, had all kinds of rain here the last week or so, and if it’s not coming down, it’s thinking about it.

Charlie spotted this one over the backyard last night, and although we often have hints of rainbows, this was about the strongest one we’ve ever had.

Happy Holidays, southern-style:

Christmas lights & banana palms!

The moon and a queen palm frond- I have no idea what that other round object is, but it’s interesting:

Another from the June AHS show; it hasn’t been blooming much, but it’s tripled in size overall. Hopefully we’ll see lots more huge bloomslike this one as we go into the fall. The flower is about 9in across, creamy white and ruffled.

This is a pretty constant bloomer, a delicate pale blue/grey/purple mid-size flower.

I took a detailed inventory of the hibiscus today, because I’m going to start A Project.

Every so often I have to have A Project, one that I’ll make unduely complicated, in order to play with databases, etc. I’m still a geek-girl at heart, and don’t get to do these things nearly as often as I’d like, hence, Project Creation occurs.

This Project is a hibiscus accouting. I knew I had a lot…I didn’t realize how many. But many of them haven’t bloomed in a while, and there are always more out there, crying out to be brought home and lavished with attention, so I’ve put all of them on notice- bloom or face extermination.

And just how many did you count, I hear you ask? 61.

Sixty One.

Five Dozen. Plus One.

And that doesn’t count the two that are in dire straits and will likely die. Nor does it count the hardies, or the Rose of Sharon that’s technically in the same family.

So far they’ve had a pretty easy life. Cushy, even. Water appears regularly as if by magic, as does a low-grade fertilizer that doesn’t push them too hard. The weeds may not be pulled up the instant they pop their nasty heads up, but things never get too bad in hibiscus land.

Well, no more. I’m going to take a stroll every morning and mark down with a flourish who’s performing, and who’s slacking off. Who’s shamefully dropping their buds instead of popping them open- you hear me, Persimmon? How about you, Curly Top? You think I don’t see your pitiful droppings despite your lush green leaves? What excuse have you?? Hmmmmm?

And if I can whip these buggers into shape, then maybe I can tackle my daughter…lol…

It’s hard to tell with nothing in the background for comparison, but this one is a solid 10 inches across. Very delicate ruffled pinks and yellows. She was hit pretty hard by the caterpillars this year, but is making a comeback.

Another Dupont; blooms in bunches. There’ll be nothing for weeks, then several will pop at once.

The Quaker parrots have been back out and about with the cooler weather. They’ve been much quieter over the hot summer months, and who can blame them? The queen palm in the courtyard has grown like crazy over the summer, and we’re rapidly losing our window onto the big dead tree where they like to hang out; I’m going to have to return to my project of attracting them into the yard pretty soon.

These are a little blurrier than would be optimal. First off, it’s pretty far away, but also I was standing on the bed to get higher than the palm.

Still, they’re pretty cool.
And what are you looking at, hmmm?
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