Saturday, February 13, 2016

Tropical Color for Valentine's Weekend!

A tropical treat for those still in the grip of wintry weather.  The Lucile Halsell Conservatory at San Antonio Botanical Garden hosts special exhibits such as the holiday poinsettias featured in my post here.  Crotons, Bromeliads and other tropicals welcome with bright color all year, especially nice when things are a bit dull outside.  In the heat of summer, it's refreshingly cool in here where the temperature is kept the same year round.  


Croton rarely blooms at home so I enjoyed seeing this bloom.


An enormous epiphyte tree is the centerpiece of the exhibit.


Tillandsia and Spanish Moss which is our native Tillandsia.



Bromeliads covering the trunk



Anthurium and Crinum at its feet


Crinum thrive outdoors in our San Antonio climate, indoors it's blooming out of season.



Forgot to check the tag on this bloom, it's a beauty.


Exquisite Orchids near the entrance.


Nepenthes, pitcher plants in bloom.


Nepenthes are sold locally but require a humid jungle greenhouse environment so I prefer to enjoy the plants here.


Fascinating carnivorous plant


Can't get enough of these bright Crotons on such an amazing scale.


Sprays of white orchids cool bright colors



Moy Grande Hibiscus, developed here at the gardens, is the signature flower of the San Antonio Botanical Garden.


I think this is a plumeria though I didn't keep track of labels on this visit.  Just the right colors to end this Valentine's weekend post.


Happy Valentine's Day to all my gardening friends!

9 comments:

  1. The carnivorous plant looks like our pitcher plant except that ... it's climbing. As intriguing as pitcher plant is, that type looks even more intriguing as a climber!

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    1. There are a variety of them and some are native and quite hardy. These are very tropical and quite striking.

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  2. Beautiful! I especially love conservatories in winter when its dreary outside. This one looks really nice.

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  3. It looks so warm in there! Love all the color. :o)

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  4. Such a beautiful post Shirley! Makes me want to go check out the garden for myself.
    Thanks for a gorgeous Valentine's Day greeting!

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  5. Shirley this is just what I needed to warm up from our -20F temps this weekend!

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  6. Thank you ... that's all I can say. Thank you!

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  7. How I wish I could grow crotons like those. But with humidity near zero the past week, that's not going to happen. Thanks for the colorful tour!

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  8. Beautiful color and so welcome at this time of year! Can you imagine living where crotons would happily grow in the ground? My garden would look even more like a circus train exploded.

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