28 August 2012

Edible landscaping


   Most of our heavy rains roll in from the Caribbean and so I opted to put as few openings across the sea-facing front of the house as possible.  Thus the front presents a blank expanse and to lessen that effect, after finishing the house, young hibiscus were planted across the front joining a marvelous curving old palm tree.   
   As the project at False Bluff continues, more structures will go up.   A north-south 'roadway' bisects the land we've cleared to date and it's lined on both sides with young coconut palms.  Although there will eventually be buildings on both sides of this roadway, the only house now is the one pictured in the blog so far.  The house sits just to the east, or the lagoon side, of the roadway close to both docks.
   A path leading to the house breaks off from this roadway.  Clumps of lemon grass line the path between the house and the roadway.  In a gentle curve - connecting the hibiscus planted across the front of the house and the lemon grass planted along each edge of the pathway - is planted a woody mint that has stems which twist and turn in all directions.  It doesn't have much of a bloom but it makes really interesting shapes.  
   Both the lemon grass and the mint make great tea.  I've read that parts of most hibiscus plants are good for tea as well, but haven't tried it.  Sustainability!
   The plantings are new enough to not put on much of a show yet, but it'll all come together in a couple more seasons.
Hibiscus, lemon grass, and mint
   Each hibiscus is a different color and each has a different bloom shape.  Until False Bluff I never knew there was such a variety among hibiscus.  Some of the plants withstood transplanting better than others and some didn't survive at all.  The slow growers will catch up and new hibiscus plants will fill the empty spots.
Hibiscus and mint