Whew, I have finally made it outside. I’ve been stuck in the Tropical Display House for the last two weeks. At first, it wasn’t so bad – nice and warm and lots of interesting plants. But I’m the rugged outdoor type and long for fresh air. Besides, several things happened that made me want to get outside. First the Heliconia horror I talked about last time – very frightening. Then groups of people continued to show up, which means I had to hide for long periods of time. I could never understand what they were doing, but I do remember somebody mentioning “hothouse yoga.” It’s not so bad to hide behind begonias, but I got stuck under the cycad one day and that was a prickly time. And finally, the other day I overheard a gardener talking to someone else about a job fair this weekend and the sap drained from my leaves. They’re going to hire more gardeners! The horror. Then I remembered they will also be hiring teachers, guides and other positions for the spring and summer and I calmed down a little. Just the same, I decided to get outside and back in more familiar territory.
After some reflection, I think I did enjoy that stay indoors. I met a lot of great new friends in there. One that I have to mention is the Buddha’s Belly bamboo. There are a couple of plants that use that common name, so for you plant fans, this one is the Bambusa vulgaris ‘Wamin.’ This is an unusual cultivar of the regular bamboo that has been grown all around the world for commercial purposes. This plant can get as tall as 16 feet and will spread. Of course the name gives away the most interesting trait – swollen internodes that make it look like little fat bellies. It’s a fun plant to be around and since it is so unusual, people don't consider it a weed like some types of bamboo. I’m starting to think I need to grow some orange tips on my petals, give myself a fancy “cultivar” name such as ‘Fireglow’ and then everyone would want to grow me in their garden and not call me a weed. It’s an idea . . .
Today, I’m just going to sit and enjoy the sun here in the Japanese garden. I’m right under the flowering apricot – it’s in full bloom right now – and loving all this fresh air. The next day or two should be warm and I’m looking forward to some good rain. It’s supposed to get cold later, so maybe it’s time to go visit some of my winter blooming friends. Now to avoid all those gardeners along the way.
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