Gottfried Green

Floss Silk Tree (Chorisia speciosa)

We should be getting our initial design on the table soon to finalize the drawings and get ready for their submission to the buildings dept. The summer rainstorms have finally arrived and seem to occur daily- fingers crossed. This is a good time to start landscaping areas that are not going to be affected by construction. It is a full year of growth we could get underway before the house is built. I've been looking into some unique tropical plants and trees. Many I like are available around the corner but there are a few that could thrive here but would need to be sourced. I hope to incorporate giant ferns, colorful vines etc to create layers. This will give certain areas the look of a rainforest. The beauty of it all is that it will further reduce the lawn. Also, I am going to try to pick species that will not require special irrigation. I picked up the "layer" concept from Ben Appel in Sarasota who created his own oasis by seeing what thrived and what didn't. He is starting his own business landscaping tropical gardens for others. His website is now under construction. The photo above is a Floss Silk Tree with blunt like thorns and in the Fall it produces a giant orchid-like flower.

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