
When I'm not working at my job, or working at home ... I'm usually working on something else. I can "relax" (as my wife calls it) when I've gone the way of the dodo; I like to stay busy. Must be the German blood in me. Anyway, since it's summer, that means one thing. Turning my yard into Hawaii - no, seriously, I literally am turning my yard into Hawaii. I've spent the last year and a half in my new home working weekend after weekend (when it was warm anyway) landscaping. It's my "hobby" gone obsession. See for yourself how I've progressed (most of it this year):
http://www.pronetworks.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=770803#770803
And I love that many of my plants are actually from Hawaii - one mail package at a time. Last trip we sent back 7 boxes (or 30lbs) of plants.
A few of the things I grow (many you won't usually find around here):
BANANA - Basjoo Banana, Dwarf (and Super Dwarf) Cavendish Banana, Pink Fruiting Banana, Abyssinian (False Red) Banana, and an unknown Hawaiian Banana.
GINGERS - Blue Ginger, Red Ginger, Torch Ginger, Kahili Ginger, Butterfly Ginger, Beehive Ginger, Elizabeth Ginger, Curcuma Elata Ginger, and Shampoo Ginger.
ELEPHANT EARS - Colocasia (Gigantia and Traditional), Alocasia (Odora and Macrorrhiza), Borneo Giant
PALMS - Christmas (Manila) Palm, Royal Palm, Majesty Palm, Windmill Palm, Sago Palm, Chinese Fan Palm, and Bottle Palm
BIRD OF PARADISE - Giant White Bird of Paradise, and Orange Bird of Paradise
TRAVELERS PALM - One of my favorites and I guarantee no one else has them (I have 12)
PLUMERIA - Various colors (Red, Yellow, Pink)
HAWAIIAN TI - Red and Green
HIBISCUS - Various types (Red, Yellow, Off White, etc)
HELICONIA - Various types (Parrots Beak, Lobster Claw, etc)
PHILODENDRON-LIKE - Pothos (lots of Pothos), Monstera Deliciosa, Tree Philodendron, Congo Green (and Moonlight). I'm especially proud of my very rare variegated Monstera.
CANNA - Banana Canna and the regulars (lots of them)
SCHEFFLERAS - Various types
BAMBOO - Various types (mostly clumping types)
HOSTAS/CROTONS - Various types
TREE FERNS - Australian Tree Ferns and Hawaiian Tree Fern
SUCCULENTS - Agave, Century Plant, and some giant Hawaiian Agave (literally as big as a house)
Problem is, I'm now running out of yard (I only have one undeveloped back corner to go). Might not be a bad thing, if my yard were any larger I'd probably go broke. Having these nice warm temps all year round would be nice too. Half this stuff has to move into my garage and/or greenhouse all winter. It's our own little paradise though... sorta