Daphne's Boys

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Pistia stratiotes.

A very vigorous water weed. They call it the water lettuce, though I have no idea why. You can't eat it and it is distinctly hairy.

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Pilea cadierei.

The Aluminium plant is a good house plant for a bright windowsill, In a warmer climate I can imagine it romping around in the undergrowth.

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Phytolacca americana.

The American Poke-weed is a startling herbaceous plant with black fruits and bright pink stems. It grows easily from seed and spreads readily. Unfortunately it is also rather poisonous and not the sort of plant you would want to brush through while out walking naked.

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Ophiopogon planiscapus 'Nigrescens'.

The Black Mondo Grass crops up around the world. It doesn't usually need to be as hot as this but it's a jolly thing wherever you find it.

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Nelumbo nucifera.

The Sacred Lotus is wonderful in a pond where the summer is warm enough. One can judge the appropriate temperature from the gardeners clothing. This one is quite hot enough.

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Musa 'Cavendish'.

I certainly find that bananas are popular with the gardeners.

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Musa 'Cavendish'.

It may seem a bit odd to post a picture of a boy with a banana in his hand, but it is worth remembering that the Musa species are spectacularly decorative where they can be grown. They never ripen here, but my garden is full of fruits.

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Kalanchoe blossfeldiana.

The gorgeous tones of winter flowers from the Kalanchoe. Splendid, robust house plant.

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Cupressus arizonica glauca.

The Cupressus struggling to squeeze into the picture. Good blue colour right down to the ground. Adorably cute as a youngster, gets a bit more wayward as it matures.

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Averrhoa carambola.

The Star Fruit is a remarkable thing, though it is more decorative than useful. Slices look very pretty in a fruit punch. You might have to look quite hard to see it in this picture.

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Matteuccia struthiopteris.

The Shuttlecock fern, with the boys having a bit of a giggle. They are so naughty. The fern is vigorous and does well in damp shade though it isn't all that fussy.

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Amaryllis belladonna. Growing well in a light soil in the sunshine. The gardener gets an all-over tan as well.

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Clusia rosea.

Fantastic tough foliage plant for a frost free area. Forty years ago it was quite rare in the UK, but now it is much more common as a house plant. Leathery leaves with an irritating white sap.

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Hyacinthoides non-scripta. The English Bluebell is a magnificent thing to find growing in the woods in May. Flowers open just as the temperatures start to rise.

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Coccoloba uvifera.

The Seagrape is a spectacular foliage shrub for coastal locations in the subtropics. Gorgeous, rounded, firm ... foliage.

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Brahea armata in the desert with some supporters. It's an easy and spectacular palm to grow but it won't tolerate a frost. I don't think supporters would either.