Tag Archives: Flowers

Evening Stroll at Harbour Club Villas

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Zenaida Dove perches on the back stone wall by the pool area at Harbour Club Villas

A beautiful, still and calm evening for a stroll around Harbour Club’s grounds and down to the Marina. An over abundance of opportunities as I wander around taking photos of the flowering plants, animals and sunset views. Here’s a selection and I hope you enjoy seeing them.

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The pool at Harbour Club Villas in the late afternoon. Look at the flowering desert rose.

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A perfect bridal bouquet of orange island honeysuckle favoured by the hummingbirds.

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Pesky woodpecker that’s drilling holes in our coconut palms…….he’s a yellow bellied sapsucker.

 

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Cankyberry, a species of nightshade found on our islands with its sharp prickles.

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This little anole lizard was perched high on my frangipani licking I don’t know what off the budding flowers.

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A bright yellow spiny orb weaver. Quite pretty really even though I don’t really like spiders.

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Neighbours out for an evening sail coming in to the Marina at dusk.

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This little anole was curious and posed for the camera.

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The sunset glow of golden colours is so amazing looking towards Five Cays from Harbour Club Villas and Marina

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Aqua TCI divers boat gently rides out the evening in the Marina, ready and waiting for another great dive day in the waters of Provo.

All this in a casual evening stroll around Harbour Club Villas and Marina. Love the peaceful quiet as the sun sets over our islands.

 

Marta

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Rainy Day Walk in the Bush

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Oh so pretty.....the bush is alive with a mass of purple flowers.

Oh so pretty.....the bush is alive with a mass of purple flowers.

We’ve had so much rain this past week and the liquid sunshine has created an abundance of flowers in the bush surrounding us here at Harbour Club Villas. I took a guest out to show him some of my favourite spots for bonefishing and discovered the rain had revived the parched bush.

The flowering Prickle Bush was everywhere with it's long trailing branches more like a vine than a bush.

The flowering Prickle Bush was everywhere with it's long trailing branches more like a vine than a bush.

Heavy cloud cover and just a few rain drops but still that wondrous turquoise ocean

Heavy cloud cover and just a few rain drops but still that wondrous turquoise ocean

The bush was alive with all kinds of flowers and of course new growth everywhere.

The bright yellow flowers of the Wild Senna bush were a stand outfrom amongst the greenery.

The bright yellow flowers of the Wild Senna bush were a stand out from amongst the greenery.

Pinkish Sea Sage with a yellow eye at the centre is a favourite attracting butterflies and hummingbirds.

Pinkish Sea Sage with a yellow eye at the centre is a favourite attracting butterflies and hummingbirds.

I caught a glimpse of something white and there it was, a beautiful passion flower.

I caught a glimpse of something white and there it was, a beautiful passion flower.

You may have noticed a dried twig like low bush........what a transformation as the rains bring out a mass of delicate white flowers.

You may have noticed a dried twig like low bush........what a transformation as the rains bring out a mass of delicate white flowers.

A heavenly scent as the Frangipani or plumeria flowers appear in clusters.

A heavenly scent as the Frangipani or plumeria flowers appear in clusters.

If you have a chance, look around you at the beauty and colours in our native bush right now. How lucky we are to see the many wild flowers and flowering bushes and vines.
Marta
http://www.harbourclubvillas.com 

Wild flowers

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On our way back home from the gym, I spotted a brilliant flash of red in the bush. I told Barry to stop and back up. Sure enough it was my first sighting of the Wild Potato that starts blooming before Christmas.

On our way back home from the gym, I spotted a brilliant flash of red in the bush. I told Barry to stop and back up. Sure enough it was my first sighting of the Wild Potato that starts blooming before Christmas.

 

Stunning red flowers on the Wild Potato also known as Ipomoea Microdactyla.

Also, the other day I spotted my first flowering wild orchid at Harbour Club Villas. Beautiful tall Encyclia Altissima with its yellowish brown petals and purple and white striped labellum. The labellum is the lip like part of the orchid which attracts those insects that pollinate the flower, and acts as a landing platform for those insects.

The tall, slender Encyclia Altissima orchid in bloom and such a heavenly scent too!

The tall, slender Encyclia Altissima orchid in bloom and such a heavenly scent too!

The Turks and Caicos Islands have so many different wild flowers that visitors can watch for as they enjoy their island  holidays.

 

 

 

Marta

 

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Beautiful Bush Part 2

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White starlike flowers of the Jacquemontia Havanensis growing all over some small shrubs and trees.

White starlike flowers of the Jacquemontia Havanensis growing all over some small shrubs and trees.

Chains of white stars covered the bush, bright yellow Necklace Pod with pea flowers hanging off the end of the branches, a lone Marsh Gentian in hues of purple and clusters of pink with yellow Sea Sage and orange coloured Black Sage also known as Lantana. There were so many different wild flowers in bloom!

The Necklace Pod had long sprays of brightly coloured yellow flowers and apparently flowers throughout the year here.

The Necklace Pod had long sprays of brightly coloured yellow flowers and apparently flowers throughout the year here.

I think this is a Marsh Gentian....there was only the one and it had four petals in a beautiful lilac shade with dark purple centre.

I think this is a Marsh Gentian....there was only the one and it had four petals in a beautiful lilac shade with dark purple centre.

Pretty pink with yellow clusters of the Sea Sage or Lantana. It was used as a tonic for chicken pox and skin irritations.

Pretty pink with yellow clusters of the Sea Sage or Lantana. It was used as a tonic for chicken pox and skin irritations.

Black Sage or Lantana with its' bright orange flowers on a small bush was in full bloom. Often used as a sore throat remedy in bush medicine.

Black Sage or Lantana with its' bright orange flowers on a small bush was in full bloom. Often used as a sore throat remedy in bush medicine.

There were numerous other flowers but I’ll leave those for another time.

 

Our beautiful island bush is filled with all kinds of interesting and colourful plants and wild flowers. Have a look for yourself!

 

 

 

Marta

 

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Starfish Flower

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This has to be one of the most unique and strange looking flowers I've ever seen.

This has to be one of the most unique and strange looking flowers I've ever seen.

I’m not sure where I got a cutting for this cactus like plant and was amazed one day to see a spectacular flower appear. It is called Stapelia Gigantea or Starfish Flower.

The starfish-shaped flower of the Stapelia Gigantea is a subdued yellow covered by miniature purple hairs.

The starfish-shaped flower of the Stapelia Gigantea is a subdued yellow covered by miniature purple hairs.

The flowers can be 10 to 16 inches across and are fleshy and shaped like five pointed stars. The interesting thing about this plant is the way pollination occurs.

The center of the flower is fleshy and exudes a horrid smell!!

The center of the flower is fleshy and exudes a horrid smell!!

The flowers are known for their foul smell which resembles the odour of rotting meat. The fine hairs, colouration and surface mimic decaying animal matter and attract mostly flies, which act as pollinators.  Before I knew the name of this plant, I called it the “shit” plant but it is also known as Carrion or Toad plant.

Stapelia Gigantea blooming at Harbour Club Villas

Stapelia Gigantea blooming at Harbour Club Villas

This Starfish Flower grows well in direct sunlight and has an interesting bud shape which opens to show a beautiful star like flower with tapering ends.

 

 

Marta

 

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Lignum Vitae….Tree of Life

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The beautiful Lignum Vitae is found throughout the Turks and Caicos Islands

The beautiful Lignum Vitae is found throughout the Turks and Caicos Islands

The other day I noticed a Lignum Vitae just loaded with bright yellow-orange fruits. The fruits are capsule shaped and they split open in September and October to expose black seeds that are enclosed in a fleshy red pulp.

Lignum Vitae translated from Latin means "tree of life" and was used in folk medicine as well as being prized by carpenters.

Lignum Vitae translated from Latin means "tree of life" and was used in folk medicine as well as being prized by carpenters.

Commonly called ironwood, the wood is so dense that it will not float even in seawater. Lignum Vitae is the heaviest and densest wood in the world and will rapidly sink to the bottom when placed in water. It resists rot caused by insects and moisture that lignum vitae wood used as posts for dwellings by Taino Indians have been found. Loyalist settlers also harvested valuable hardwoods from the Caicos bush and exported them to Europe.

When the lignum flowers, the whole tree is laden with beautiful blue-violet blossoms.

When the lignum flowers, the whole tree is laden with beautiful blue-violet blossoms.

The resin has been used for many years, in the treatment of arthritis and other ailments. At one stage it was thought to work both a contraceptive and a treatment for syphilis. Teas have been prepared from various parts of the tree and have been used to treat boils, swollen glands, fevers, aches and pains.

Close up of a colourful seed pod.

Close up of a colourful seed pod.

flowers bloom at different times and is generally because of seasonal rains.

flowers bloom at different times and is generally because of seasonal rains.

What an amazing tree…………even the insects and nectar drinking birds love the nectar of the Lignum Vitae.

 

 

Marta

 

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Desert Rose Seed Pods

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What do you think this is a photo of?

What do you think this is a photo of?

I was cleaning up the pool area today and discovered my desert rose had a large seed pod that had just burst open. There was a little bit of a wind today so I had a great opportunity to take photos of the seeds before catching the wind and being dispersed.

The seed itself has fluffy, dandelion like tufts on either side of the seed itself

The seed has fluffy, dandelion like tufts on either side of the seed itself

Brownish casing with seeds ready to burst out

Brownish casing with seeds ready to burst out

The Desert Rose has bean-like seed pods. When the seed pod is fully ripe on the plant, it will split open revealing seeds with beautiful “wings” so that seeds can blow away.

The seeds were just waiting for the wind to blow them away.

The seeds were just waiting for the wind to blow them away.

Desert Rose and a mass of seeds ready to fly away

Desert Rose with seed pods holding a large mass of seeds

 

Here's one of my large Desert Rose bushes when it was in full bloom a month or so ago.

Here's one of my large Desert Rose bushes when it was in full bloom a month or so ago.

 

 

Marta
http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Frangipani blooming

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You should see my Frangipani right now........beautiful blooms and the scent is divine!

You should see my Frangipani right now........beautiful blooms and the scent is divine!

Outside our bedroom window, my Frangipani is blooming to beat the band.  A profusion of white blossoms with yellow centres.

Several commercially cultivated Frangipanis grow here bearing beautiful pink, cream or red flowers

Several commercially cultivated Frangipanis grow here bearing beautiful pink, cream or red flowers

There’s a stunning pink Frangipani out at Da Conch Shack in Blue Hills. These next photos were taken there a few years back.

Such a pretty combination of pink blossoms with yellow centres

Such a pretty combination of pink blossoms with yellow centres

The Frangipani is also known as Plumeria

The Frangipani is also known as Plumeria

Last but not least is our local Plumeria Obtusa or Frangipani which has smaller, white and highly fragrant flowers that appear in clusters at the end of the branch. Usually the frangipani grows to the hight of a small tree or shrub reaching about 4 meters.

Local Frangipani or Plumeria grows wild with beautiful clusters of white flowers

Local Frangipani or Plumeria grows wild with beautiful clusters of white flowers

We have several wild Frangipanis growing at Harbour Club Villas. They are drought resistant and have large seed pods which burst open releasing winged seeds.

Seed pod on a wild Frangipani

Seed pod on a wild Frangipani

Wild Frangipani flowers have oblong petals that are five lobed and with yellow centres

Wild Frangipani flowers have oblong petals that are five lobed and with yellow centres

Frangipanis bloom in the spring and summer and as you drive around our island be sure to look in the bush. You’ll surely sight numerous trees covered with white blooms. Be sure to stop and smell these fragrant flowers.

 

Marta

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com