Boat work is keeping us tied to the marina. It seems the water maker and refrigerator are getting grumpy after 10 years of use and require attention, rebuilding and new parts.
However, that doesn't mean I can't explore the neighborhood around the marina and find joy in the fading spring blooms and the unfolding of summer's burst of color. Local homeowners fill in their flowerbeds and borders with annuals I recognize, like marigolds and petunias. Other Midwest annuals like Geraniums and Fushia seem to be akin to perennials, their size dwarfing what I've seen in Minnesota. Everywhere are the vibrant reds and oranges of the cannas, none of which appear to have been 'over-wintered' inside where they wouldn't freeze.
There's drama in the landscape anywhere you look. Just as I used to gasp at the glory of Minnesota's flowering crabapples, I marvel at the local jacaranda tree - perfectly purple.
More blues to be found in hydrangeas, some forming eight-foot hedgerows along the highway. I chuckle to recall how Minnesota gardeners pampered a single hydrangea just to get fullness and color.
Bright yellows and oranges abound in Torch Lilies, Nodding Pincushions, and waxy-leaved Rhododendrons. And, everywhere, palms and what I would call super-sized succulents.
As I wander through neighborhoods, I have stumbled upon narrow, almost hidden beach access paths and, to my delight, long stretches of nearly empty beaches. These are my treasured places with spectacular views and sandy footings, especially as the tide goes out. Jutting out over the shoreline are trees with masses of fuzzy red flowers and lush evergreen foliage attached to gnarly limbs. I love that my iPhone has a photo-feature that allows you to quickly identify plants. This coastal evergreen tree is the Pohutukawa tree, also known as the New Zealand Christmas tree.
I am incredibly grateful to witness the summer beauty in this island nation.
