Texture

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–noun

1.the visual and esp. tactile quality of a surface

…………………….

When the day is hot(I mean 90 degree hot!),and you’re floating around in the pool,there is nothing better than gazing up at textures of green-ness.It is such a feeling of the tropics and coolness.

I don’t classify the plantings around our pool area by name.I’m just not into the whole classification thing.They look good.They make a “pleasing to the eye” grouping.

Most of them are kept in containers.Intermingled with Giant Liriope.(the foundation planting on TheGreatWall).

I classify them by shape…..

Leafy ……

clockwise,starting with upper left:parsley(used as a border plant),Brazilian Tree Fern,Ficus,Bird-of-Paradise,Fig,Banana

Don’t they just make you feel like you’re in the tropics?

Spikey…….

 clockwise:Tillandsia,Purple Cordyline,Green Cordyline

Grassy…..

clockwise:grasses moving in the breeze,Bulbine,more grasses,Dwarf Papyrus,Giant Liriope(notice the visitor)

I love the movement these bring to the garden.As an added bonus,when they move in the breeze,they make one feel cooler.

Also intermingled with these are Heliconia,palms(s-l-o-w-l-y being replaced with more native palms…),Caladiums(for color),and various green ground covers.

All in the interest of bringing a sense of coolness in the hot and humid Florida summer.

All are low maintenance.Who wants maintenance,when you could be floating in the pool?

‘cept for lazily reaching up from the water and picking off the stray leaf or two?

Or maybe reaching for that cold glass of sweet tea,sitting on the pool edge?

 

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