Rain in the Dry Season

When it rains in the dry season, it's as if the flowers themselves open to welcome the drops. This morning's early shower was just enough to wash the dust off the blooming orchids and freshen the air. My vandas are really in form this year. But I am ever alert for the batchacs who I know are in the shadows biding their time! This red vanda is particularly attractive to the iguanas and I have seen a baby patiently crawl his way to the top to take a munch. Yes, I could have stopped him but he worked so hard and he was so pretty. I haven't seen any around in a few weeks.
My new Datura. It is a different colour to our regular peach and white ones. This variety is distinctly orange. The smell of Datura is truly intoxicating; a strange mix of ginger and jasmine. It is highly hallucinogenic and in fact, can be poisonous. I didn't allow it in my garden for years. But now that Hayley is older, I've introduced it again.

This alocasia is growing in a basket and has done very well in this environment. I believe that it is Alocasia Frydek but will check this information. Over at Dave's Garden there is an excellent post on how to tell the difference between the alocasias, colocasias and xanthosoma which all fall loosely under the "Elephant Ears" umbrella. I have started growing my more higly srung begonias in hanging baskets as well as I find the combination of being off the ground and being able to drain properly has helped with my problem of fungus and root rot with the begonias.