Tribute to Mom

Tribute & Mom does agree ... Belize is GREAT!

Anyone who knew my mom, for even a short length of time, knew she loved plants!  There were plants in every room of the house that had sunlight; all the flowers, bushes, trees in the yard and the garden she planted every spring received her loving care & attention completely. 

When we purchased property here, I told her she would enjoy Belize due to the large number & variety of plants here - especially since they grow nearly everywhere; and the plants she normally had to coddle inside grew with wild abandon outside.  As we were transplanting some Bird of Paradise a week ago, I found a "loopy log" to place them alongside - in hopes of making some type of "attractive grouping."  (Let me just say... plants, creativity & putting something together that would be "eye catching" ...hmm, not exactly my forte`.  It must skip a generation! =)

As I walked around & around the log to decide where to place the plants I realized - right next to the log - were a number of small Boston fern-like plants.  Mom grew Boston ferns easily - inside and out (even tho` we lived in Idaho)!  I immediately thought of her & teared up & smiled at the same time - realizing I was trying to do something she'd do easily & naturally.  It seemed like she was there with me - encouraging me and confirming to me that she also knows ... "Belize is great!"  

                                          All the baby ferns among the new palmetto

                                                       Work, in progress...

The ferns are at the end of the log, mixed in among the little palmettos.  The broad leaf plant (this end of the log) is also a transplant from along the creek near our property.  Another type of "house plant" Mom grew inside.

                      
                              More plants Mom grew that I'm finding here in the wild...

           

            I'd love to transplant these to the property but it seems they REALLY  

like quite a bit of water! 

Michael, our caretaker, has planted plantain & sugar cane along the drainage ditch.  These have only been here about 5-6 months, tho he does plant them as small plants, not seeds.

These plants remind me of the big, Philodendrons Mom had growing in the planter by the front door.  It is actually taro (or the locals call it coco from Malanga coco) and has a root  vegetable very similar to a potato.  They are growing along the ditch-bank, as well.

                                            Taro root - "coco" if you ask any Belizean.  

The house will be in the area behind the logs on the ground & between the trees.  You can see why we had to transplant the Bird of Paradise.  (The logs have now been moved.)  We are waiting on the ground to be drier & solid before the house is brought in.  It's still rather "spongy" in many areas the truck has to drive over.  

It will be interesting to compare these pictures with what's growing a year from now!