I've missed a few months participating in @simplymike's Garden Journal, so here's an update; I feel so fortunate to have this large space to work with :)
BEFORE: August 22/18
AFTER: October 22/18
It's amazing what two months of sunshine, watering and a little love will do! Yep, I'm one of those people who talks to her plants :)
This guy needed a little extra TLC, especially on the right where you can see he was in a sorry state after moving here from our last place. And see all the little shoots coming out on the more recent pic? I'm able to snap those off and plant them in all of the larger posts that were already on this patio. They act as a bit of ground cover and trailers. I don't know what the plant is because I just "picked it up" somewhere, literally, and stuck it in some dirt to see what would happen. So, I'm curious to see if it will bloom or just keep growing like a cornstalk!
We inherited this guy at our last place; the previous occupants had left him limp and dying ... how rude! Poor thing. Anyway, he had been planted in a cut-off water bottle and desperately needed to spread out. Straighten up and fly right ... that's my daily advice to him :)
I guess he was too smooshed in that little bottle to be able to bloom, but now I notice at night these little pods open up and have tiny white flowers in them; then they close up during the daylight again :) The whole plant has grown so well that I've been able to break several pieces away and transplant them elsewhere.
This palm has taken off like crazy,
as well as the fern used as a ground cover in the large pot. The before photo is kind of blurry, but you can see how much it's grown regardless.
That "grass" in the white pots are both lemongrass! I had no idea until Buddy was chewing on it one day and when I picked him up, his breath smelled of lemons :) I looked it up, and apparently lemongrass is good for cats; ferns, not so much. That's why I've got the fern somewhat surrounded.
Now I use the lemongrass to make tea; just boil it with a bit of ginger ... great for digestion. And yes, there's Wolfie, the latest edition, always a big help when I'm gardening; it's a good thing kittens are cute haha
Here is the row of Bougainvillea that came with this apartment, and although there was some greenery, they were all very 'twiggy' and quite dry.
This one had very few leaves and no blooms, but looks pretty good now.
This one blossomed beautifully and reminds me of those "flowers" we used to make in elementary school art class with little squares of tissue paper folded on the end of a pencil and glued on paper. Do you have any idea what I'm talking about? haha
So did these :) There are five in total, and these bloom year round with a little care and attention.
They even show off in the rain :)
Do you remember when our palapa was being repaired? The worker left a bare branch running up through the new one; at the time I wondered what he was doing, but look what bloomed there!
He obviously knew what he was doing :)
These plants will grow huge, like a tree, and continually bloom all year round. This is the house two doors down that we see from the patio; notice the pink flowers? :)
Anyone know what this is called? I call it Elephant Ears :)
Before:
After: 
I've planted a pineapple, just by cutting the spiky top off, trimming it, until you find the "roots" and planting it! If anyone wants pineapple, I'll have some for you in about 7 years or so :)
I also took a slice of tomato, stuck it in the dirt (literally just buried it), and look at what happened!!
Last but not least, my landlord surprised me with two things because he knows how much I love plants, and he does as well :) He brought me a red and white Calla Lily that I planted together,
and these seeds he brought home from a vacation in France; zucchini, basil, mint and lavender. He said to me, show me your magic :) Yikes! Cus that's not pressure at all haha :)
Kudos to you if you managed to make it this far in a rather lengthy post! Thanks for hanging in there :) There are more plants here, but they'll just have to wait for another post next month; and no worries, I'll talk to them so they get through the heartache of being left out without too many scars:)
You also may have noticed what appears to be a bathtub in the middle of the patio, and that's because it is one :)
Stay tuned...that's for another post!
This has absolutely NOTHING to do with gardening, but look who's getting along :)
Cheers!
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Wow, that's an impressive change for two months! Meanwhile, I'm yet to get my arse in gear and plant the tulip bulbs I was supposed to get... oh well... I"m only leaving home again....
Not crazy... it's only when they talk back....
hahaha I've been seeing you talk of planting tulip bulbs here for a bit now ... we do follow in some of the same circles you know? :)
The plants only whisper to me. Does that count?
Well, when I get home next week... They are going in... Although, there may be some still in the ground from last year!
Whispering, I guess is only silently crazy?
what a lovely balcony! i try to have plants but i fear im too forgetful to have any success. you are quite the good mom!
awww thank you @torico! I used to forget to water sometimes, and have killed a few plants along the way, so now I water when I have my morning coffee; it's like I've scheduled it in now, so I don't forget :)
i am really happy to see your effort come out beautifully... 2 months work and care is a result of a beautiful patio garden... just wow... i love gardening though i can't do it as i live in studio apartment but still i have plan for some plants... love how that garden turned out...i hope you will enjoy summer and fall afternoon there with a cup of tea or coffee... love you...
priyan
Thank you so much @priyanarc :) We are in a studio as well, but so so fortunate to have this huge outdoor space as well! I love having my morning coffee out their especially :)
@lynncoyle1 "Straighten up and fly right ... " weirdly that resonates within me ......as a human! Haha
Btw, So much love for wolfie and buddy <3
And I hope you do show your magic! Cuz I'll be here back again to check on how the plants are doing in your next post :D
aww we could all use a little "straighten up and fly right" sometime in our lives :)
Glad you like Wolfie and Buddy; they were rippin' it up tonight, playing! It's so funny to watch :)
Thanks! The pressure's on now :) I best get to it because at the moment, those seeds are still in their packets on my dresser!
Thanks so much for stopping by @blind-spot!
Wow garden doing great! imagine my surprise at Buddy randomly eating things lol btw I love lavender so I am waiting to see that one :) And no wonder Buddy is tolerating Wolfie. She looks like she adores him in that last picture
hahaha right?! It's strange to think of Buddy eating something :) I love that picture of the two of them for that reason! And even though he can be a real you know what to her, he's sometimes so sweet too, and she's really becoming his little side-kick. It's pretty cute to watch :)
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Hey, @lynncolyle1.
So, you've been off gardening. Looks like it's paying off. Everything looks very well cared for and vibrant. Like you've been talking to them or something.
Glad to see Buddy and Wolfie getting along. You wouldn't want them to fight like cats and... well, cats. :)
Google Images says your mystery plant is an Empress Tree. I don't think I believe it, but I guess we'll know if it basically outgrows the patio roof. :)
hahaha fighting like cats and cats :) Buddy is becoming like any big brother I think; He's sweet and loving sometimes and picks on her the other times!
I'm hoping that plant doesn't grow that big! Thank you for appreciating the work I've been putting into the plants; it's therapeutic for me; that and swimming. Both the plants and myself should be looking really good soon haha
Rather lengthy, really? You must have been saying that to everyone else.
Hmm, 🤔 I’ve seen this method done before, now where was I when I saw that?? Where uhm, what was I sayin? Oh ya, “fly right!!” That’s exactly what I say to my darts, “fly right,” do ya’all throw darts?
Hey @dandays! Now that looks like a better kind of tea :) And of course the "lengthy" post comment wasn't meant for you, but it would look like I was playing favorites if I singled you out. In my head, that's what I do though :)
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Lynn, your garden is looking so great! Everything is just flourishing there! Good job! I like the branch going through the roof. That's super cool. It all just looks so lovely. Makes me re-think why I don't live in a place like that.
So good to see the kitties getting along. That makes things much more peaceful.
Thanks so much! It's been a lot of daily maintenance, but I really enjoy it; it doesn't feel like work at all.
Keep re-thinking that! Maybe we could be neighbors one day :) The man who lives downstairs kept track of every penny he spent on food for a month here (eating at home most of the time), and he spent only about $225 Canadian! That's it! :) Tempting, right?! :)
Most things in life are like that. If you really enjoy it, then it doesn't seem like work. That's probably why they say that it's best to do something you love.
$225 Canadian?! That's not so bad. We do spend more than that per person here.
Hey @lynncoyle1 it is so great to see such beautiful greenary all around. Fantasti way to have suc nature all around close to you. The love and care that you pour on this garden are clearly visible. It is because of it that each one of them is spreading and blossoming everywhere.
Love to see them ...grow...have s nice day....steem on 👍
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Thank you so much @steemflow! So sweet of you to say, and to notice the care of give these plants :)
The way they are blossoming it was quite visible how much you have taken care of it.....lovley one...
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Thank you again @steemflow :)
Your work has sure paid of what a delightful garden
Hey thank you @tattoodjay; I appreciate that :)
Most Welcome
◎ 1st do your cats know Spanish?
◎ 2nd I remember when your roof was being repaired and love how that branch grew flowers. The roof guy should charge extra for that. Eww the snakes I remember them too.
◎ 3rd I stole the page divider with the plants on it and plan to use it.
:) thanks for this fun post. ☆星
1st, I think they do, but they pretend they don't understand when I'm asking them to do something.
2nd, thank goodness, no more snakes! That's cool you remember that :)
3rd, I stole it too haha, from @simplymike,but I'm sure she wouldn't mind if we both use it!
Thanks so much for stopping by; fun post...fun comment :)
I enjoy your posts @lynncoyle1
Thank you @rebeccabe!
Ahhh… the kitties look so cozy together. Love it.
Are you kidding me with the tomato slice? I didn’t even know that was possible. I guess if there are seeds in that slice then why not!?!? You’re amazing. Such a green thumb and I can’t wait to see how well those French seeds do. The pineapple is really cool too. So, seven years huh? And it’ll only produce one pineapple right? What a trip.
Very cool Ms. @lynncoyle1. I’m looking forward to your ovation in two more months.
The cats have their moments, but overall, things are going pretty good!
I couldn't believe it myself when those tomato plants started to grow. And the coolest thing it that it's best to use a tomato that's already on its way out. So instead of just throwing it away, boom, plant it!
I exaggerated about the seven years, but check out the comment I left to wildwanderer for some cool pineapple tidbits :) Yes, one pineapple per plant. Doesn't quite seem worth it, does it?! :)
Stay tuned for what the seeds do. AT the moment, they're still in their package on my dresser haha
I’ll definitely keep this tomato info in mind for when we settle down a bit. I never would have thought, love it.
Pineapple has got to be my favorite fruit so one per plant, I’ll take it. The good of the fruit fam.
Your kitties will fight like brother/sister until kitten grows up a bit and starts acting like a normal cat. Haha… it’s all love though. I’ll be looking out for those French seed updates 😉
That's not in any time soon, if I'm reading between the lines of you and @dandays :)
I think Wolfie is keeping track of all the times Buddy's ticked her off, like any girl haha, and I pity Buddy the day she decides to come collecting haha
The seeds are still in their packets, looking pretty on my dresser, but I did get the soil ready in two planters today :)
Good job. That’s a lot for a Saturday :) Wolfe sounds like such a personality. Buddy will soon bow down like the good sounding boy he is, I’m sure of it. Haha
I'm thinking it was plenty for a Saturday! And I worked out and went for a swim, and had a drink or two, and watched the hockey game tonight. Phew, I'm tired just listing it all haha
Like any good guy, Buddy will eventually bow down to his girl ;)
That is a lot! We did absolutely nothing… watched a movie, I made cookies after we had dinner and that’s it. Party animals over here. Haha
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Wow, it's looking great. Everything here is putting on their fall colors, and my garden has been plowed to prep for next year. I'm kind of glad that season is over for a few months.
BTW, we call those elephant ears also... I think I have a pic somewhere of my daughter using one for an umbrella when she was like 8...
Thanks so much @coinsandchains :) I do miss all the Fall colors here ... it's perpetually summer time, although I'm not complaining, especially considering my options in a few months at home would be rain or snow :)
I'm going with Elephant Ears because I love that image of your daughter!
Wow those plants are doing so great. Good Job. It is crazy to see how much they can grow in a few months.
Thanks @stever82! Truthfully, I was shocked when I put the photos together; like kids, you see them everyday and sometimes don't notice the growth :)
Awww it looks like your kitties are also talking to your plants and giving them lots of love 💕 ooooh pineapple! Do they really take 7 years! Wow! I have a new appreciation for pineapples!
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awww thanks @wildwanderer! My trouble is not keeping the little one out of the big pots :)
I was exagerating a bit, but I've read about 2-3 years for one pineapple, then up to 5 more years before another pineapple comes. Check this out though! Each plant only has one fruit at a time; I had to hit up Google images to see:
So cool, right?! :)
Wow. What a brilliant job you've done with your garden @lynnecoyle1. That must be very satisfying.
I love those purple flowers and you've completely turned around the Bougainvillea.
There's so much to love in fact. that tree sticking out of your umbrella thing is a triumph as are your pineapple and tomato.😁
It's quite a step up form the little balcony you had before.
Great job! 😍
It is pretty amazing, isn't it @gillianpearce! Thank you so much :) I'm soooo happy to be here instead of our other place. It takes a while to find the perfect place when you move somewhere so different, but I think we've finally done it!
Bravo! Love all your greens! I especially like to look at before and after photos, can really amazed by them!
Me too! I was shocked when I looked back in my photos to find them :) It's just like kids, you see them everyday and sometimes don't notice the growth :)
Thank you so much @roselifecoach :) I appreciate you stopping by!
The pleasure is mine, @lynncoyle1!
Wow, Lynn, that's a whole lot of growth.
It looks so beautiful! I guess the plants reflect how you guys feel since you moved in :0)
I'm so in love with the purple one...
@lynncoyle, please remember to leave a comment on the contest post with a link to this post to make it an official entry and earn your part of the bounty!!!!
The purple one is pretty cool! I agree :) It's crazy how much growth happens here in the right space; that area has almost full time sun, and the heat is full time too! I'm looking forward to seeing where it's all at next month too.
Thank you for hosting this initiative; it's pretty cool :)
'Pretty cool'?? Ouch, that hurts, lol . It's one of the better ideas I've come up with here on SteemIt, if you ask me.
I know that I'm only a mediocre Member of the community but 'pretty cool' is not the feedback I waw hoping for, and a little disappointing...
Naah, just kidding; ,I would definely settle for 'pretty cool', especially ,hen it clmes from you.
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I realize that I used "pretty cool" twice in that comment! Now that's pretty cool :) And you and I are both pretty cool as well; just ask either of us :)
Looks like you guys are settling in real nice to your new place.
LOVE that patio!
Thank you @goldendawne! I feel so fortunate, every single day here :)
Hope you are doing well; haven't talked with you too much lately.
That little garden sure did grow and shine. It looks lovely and like a really nice and cozy place. 💚
Thank you @zen-art :) I feel very fortunate to have this space to call home ;)
I so love your garden. It's just great to have such a huge compound. I used to do the same until I got really tired cleaning the entire house ( inside & outside).
Now that we've moved to a condominium, it's just indoors for me and Steemit.. ha ha
That's pretty smart of you @ireenchew :) Actually, our apartment is only a studio that we rent, so there's someone else who does all the work haha We are just lucky enough to have the outdoor space as our own too!
You have a lovely patio! I love how you have all the plants around the hammock. What a cool spot to kick back and relax. I really enjoyed seeing all your plants! And I've heard talking to your plants really is good. If nothing else you are breathing out extra CO2 for the plants to breath in! I love the way the Bougainvillea looks when it's blooming. But I hate trimming it! lol. It's so dang spiky. And I also call those plants Elephant Ears. I think that's what they're called, but I could be wrong.
You hit the nail on the head with the hammock! I absolutely love hanging out in it, literally :) and looking at all of the plants. I've heard talking to them works as well; just seems natural for me to do that; not sure why that is. And your right about the spikes on the Bougainvillea! I got one stuck into my back the other day and it poked through my shirt and skin, no problem!
Thanks so much for stopping by :)
You have mint and basil seeds, so soon you will have the plants. You also have lemon grass. This is the trinity!!! This is the famous ‘bush tea’ in all Caribbean. Try it, you will love it! You can sweeten it with honey, I drink it as is. Enjoyed your post, as usual. Lots of love 💕
So that's bush tea!! I've heard about it so much but didn't really look into it any further :) I will certainly try it when the plants are grown. At the moment, they're still all sitting in their packets on my dresser haha. Because it's hot year round, there's not the "passing of the seasons" nipping at my heels :)
Thank you so mush too; I'm glad you enjoyed the post! Lots of love back atcha :)
So happy to see wolfie. She makes my day each time i see her. Please don't stop posting her. She is cute!!!!!
In the next 7yrs, I will be seeing pictures of mature pineapples in your garden. Let the count down begin. Haha
Oh wow, your garden looks amazing lovely @lynncoyle1
Such a lush Sacred Space you have created/are creating <333 :) Love it!
Wow! How rewarding! You really must have green fingers! Wolfie is adorable! I hope he's giving the catsmother some peace now that he's getting on better with Buddy? Gandal lost a scab on his nose today, so is looking a little less like a thug. Oh I'm replying here to your other comment because I'm low on mana - again....
Glad to hear you sounding so chipper!
Take care
That branch sticking out from the palapa turned out beautiful. Now that palapa turned out to have it's own character. My aunt also talks to her plants which I thought was weird back then but surprisingly all her potted plants always blooms and are so alive. I guess it works giving your plants a little TLC. Cheers!
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Look at all these comments saying exactly what I want to do - what a change for the better! I'm glad you are enjoying your new larger balcony and making good use of it I see with a Hammock :D
Thank you Asher I appreciate that! And of course it wouldn't be Mexico without a hammock 😊
I could do with a hammock, although maybe not here for the next 6 months :)
Do you have good weather all year round?
I've been looking through my delegations and rounding up some SP from those over 500 now, and you are one! Thank you for taking great care of it, it's a pleasure to have you here!
The pleasure was all mine Asher! Thank you so much for giving me a boost when I needed it :)
Yes, we have hot weather all year round; like you, I have "issues" with lack of sunshine, so being here is sooo good for my mental health. Vancouver has up to eight months of dreary, rainy, overcast weather. Enough to blow your brains out :)
Well done Lynn! Wow you really have created a special little paradise for the two of you. Ummm... well for the cats and their two humans! Such healthy plants really give off a peaceful atmosphere. I love your entry @lynncoyle1
Thank you so much @buckaroo :) It does feel like a happy home for the four of us for sure!
haha! first of all look at Wolfie and Buddy! it IS Buddy isn't it? anyway what a perfect shot. And now you're the miracle plant lady! my gosh..it's amazing. The climate must be very good down there for plants also right? But good on you for nursing all those plants back and helping them to thrive again, wow!
Yes, it's Wolfie and Buddy! I just happened to have the phone camera ready because he had been sleeping and I could tell she was going to jump up there. He licked her for a while, and this is how it ended. I love the look on her face especially ... she's so in love with him already! Like any good big brother, he's sometimes sweet and sometimes horrible to her :)
The climate is conducive to growing here; hot, humid, lots of sunshine; I just need to water them daily, sometimes twice a day...like there in the summer time.
Thanks for the kind words though. How's your poor cattle-trampled grass coming along?
That relationship between the two cats is so cool!
I'm working on the damaged areas, slowly filling those deep holes in but there's so many it's crazy so I'm only working on the ones around the house.
Grass is pretty forgiving, so hopefully a lot of it takes care of itself, and you can speed up the process around the house. I still can't get over the neighbor not offering assistance or money or anything. His mama did not teach him many manners :)
haha! very true. Well if this was in Ohio or Canada all the snow sitting on it all winter would really tend to even out the ground but there's no snow here. Which Mrs. J really likes. I like snow.
Of course, I didn't think of that! I love the snow too!! I think it is soooo beautiful :)
Keep Mrs. J happy.
it is beautiful. I'll try and keep her happy yes. lol.
You do have a knack for helping life to thrive. It surrounds you and I think it rewards you for love. The plants, the cats, Brian--I'm willing to bet your landlord and neighbors also.
This is a lovely photo essay.
Awww thank you so much @agmoore! What a lovely thing to say :)
@lynncoyle1,
Lynn, this surprises no one.
Always excellent advice and he seems to have taken your words to heart.
Lynn, you've created a Garden of Eden. Everything's beautiful. And, maybe, that Lemongrass is satiating Buddy's hunger ... and hence, his less cannibalistic attitude towards his brethren. :-)
BTW: This is Day 8 so I'll go upvote one of your comments on a more recent post.
Quill