Every morning for the last three days the orchid-like flowers of the sand ginger (Kaempferia galanga) have greeted me on the terrace. By early afternoon they have faded, their petals turning transparent and limp before they disintegrate. They must open in the night. I don't even see the buds forming.
This might be the year I divide their rhizomes. The wide, flat, aromatic leaves are crowding the pot.
The season marches on. It's hard to grasp that in just six weeks the plant must come indoors, along with the Thai limes, yuzu, Meyer lemon, fingerlime (above), galangal, and myoga - but I do like the indoor jungle through winter.
But for now I know to head straight out with my cup of coffee to catch these fleeting blooms and to watch the bees visiting all the other flowers: the annual basils, summer savory, and portulaca, and the tough and floriferous calamintha (above) and hyssop (Agastache) collections, both hardy to survive whatever the winter brings.
And we are still hoping for a hummingbird.
Fingers crossed.
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Saw my first hummer last week! on a zinnia, of all things. Why, oh why, do I bother to find the red lantana, if they are happy with zinnias? Maybe it's for me, after all ...
ReplyDeleteZinnias! That's good to know.
ReplyDeleteHello from deep south Texas! I read about you and your blog in the September Better Homes and Gardens issue. Congratulations on your lovely garden and beautiful blog. Guess what? I had a hummingbird come straight up to my door on Saturday. It was trying hard to find nectar in my fake tulip wreath. I still feel so sad that the little guy tried each flower all for not. I need to make it up to him. I am happy to find you publishing such uplifting material in such a stressful time.
ReplyDeleteHi Patricia - thank you! So sweet about your hummer. Have you bought a feeder for it???
DeleteHow many months of the year can your finger lime and other tender plants be out of doors there?
ReplyDeleteI just came upon your blog for the first time but it won't be the last. I also love plants, and taking pictures of bees. That is a lovely bee photo; I've never heard of calamintha before.