Thanks.

Two and a half weeks (and some nights) straight through at the office finally over. Ridiculous. 

I guess I should be grateful to have a job. The bird of paradise are growing in, new growth has emerged. Really looking forward to the controlled, tropical structure of the orange bird. The jack fruit threaded through the handrail as a curiosity has become a gaggle of heavy, green arms with short piercing needles down their sides, their very strong growth is cause for alarm. The longest arm is 4' - 5' from the neighbors below. I've been neglecting the orchids, only wet weather keeping them hydrated. My chicken wire orchid tower is a success holding vandas and teretes tight -- the bark filling keeps roots inside hydrated.

 (see below)

The half- ass gardener

I bought a gallon pot of orange bird-of-paradise for 14.95 at Living Color nursery- seems awfully cheap to me.(I hope they don't turn out to be white which would be a VERY inappropriate choice). There were 3 nice plants coming up in the gallon container. I finally got around to planting today, which I did rather sloppily; separate the plants by splitting apart snake-like roots from one another. It hurt me probably more than the plants. 2 birds into large square planters, one per, already crammed with wart fern red bougainvillea and sanchezia. I watered in well. The desire to live is very strong in plants. They will probably out grow the pot in a few years. The 3rd replaced a tall (too) leggy plumeria in a large rectangular planter one half of which is overflowing with burle marx. Below is a 'Pixie' bloomer with small, double magenta bracts. A charming type of boug for a bonsai.. Remember imaginary readers, that beautiful bonsai was purchased at Richard Lyons Nursery.. I think I paid $50, great deal for that thick trunk.

First bloom after getting the bonsai chop-chop. Slow raining Saturday does not get this wizened old boy down.