Plumerias and Ylang-Ylang Trees in the Gardens of Chateau De La Mer

Besides my orchids/hibiscus collection( http://chateaudumer.blogspot.com), euphorbias
and cactus collections(http://planningtovisitthephilippines) and bougainvillas collection (http://marinduquemyislandparadise.blogspot.com), I am also a lover of plumerias and Ylang Ylang trees. I have three varieties of plumerias, and two Ylang Ylang trees.

My white plumeria is the standard tree now about 20 ft tall and 10 ft wide. I planted them along the beach by the side of the fence. I have 20 trees currently. It likes the ocean breeze and flowers the whole 6 months from December to June. Its white flowers are very fragrant. My red plumerias are semi-dwarf. The red flowers are clustered but not as fragrant as the white standard tree. My pink plumerias are dwarfs. I have a dozen trees of this pink variety. One of them, I made into a bonsai. The bonsai plant is my favorite.


I have only two Ylang Ylang trees, I planted them in 1996. Now they are about 30 ft tall and loaded with fragrant flowers. The fragrance of the blooms permeates in the air even up to 20 meters away and farther if the wind direction is favorable. It reminds me of the perfume Chanel N0.5. The subject of my master thesis at the University of Illinois in 1962 was on the volatile constituents of Ylang-Ylang oil.

Bougainvillas in the Gardens of Chateau De La Mer

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Besides my orchids and hibiscus collections (http://chateaudumer.blogspot.com) and Euphorbia collections (http://planningtovisitthephilippines.blogspot.com), I also collect bougainvilleas. They are drought-resistant, pest-free and blooms 10 months of the year. They love sunshine and thrives even in a pot near the beach. I fertilize them with 1 part human urine and 1000 parts of water. They will grow into a small tree if not pruned. I have a dozen varieties of various colors. I used them also as hedges to cover the hollow block fencing surrounding the beach resort. My favorite is the red variety (top photo). Here's a video of beautiful Gardens featuring bougainvillas and other flowers as the focal point of the landscaping.

Cacti and Succulents in the Gardens of Chateau De La Mer

Besides my collection of orchids, hibiscus and euphorbias, I also collect cacti and succulents. I have only a dozen varieties, half of them I grew in pots and the rest outside. I planted them in pots, so during the rainy season, I could move them away from the torrential rains of Marinduque. The outside cacti, I planted under the overhang in the west and south side of the house, so it will have plenty of sun and protected from the monsoon rains during the month of July and August. They have red flowers(photo below). I have dozens of aloe veras on the side of the house.



Aloe vera in my Garden



One variety that grows tall, I planted along the fence facing the ocean. This serves as deterrent for mischievous local children to climb the fence because of it thorns. I have one favorite that belongs to the Agave specie. It looks like a big rose. It is a slow grower. I think it is called the century plant.It will not bloom after 50 years or more. I planted it 10 years ago( only about 2 inches). Now it is only about 12 inches high and 10 inches wide. So far, it has only one shoot( I call it the cactus baby), that I transplanted into a pot and watch it grow very slowly. I try not to over water it. For as they say, cactus and succulents thrives well with neglect. Here's a video about cacti!

Zinnias, Cosmos and Wild Flowers in the Gardens of Chateau De La Mer

This wild flower was photograped in Marinduque. Do you know its name?




Do You know the name of this Flower?






Photo of Wild Flower on the Seashore(second from top photo) by Gabby Del Rosario

Zinnias, impatiens and cosmos self-seed every year in my garden. They grow like wild flowers. However, I replaced them with new seeds every other year. If allowed to grow, they will suffocate other plants around them. Zinnias comes in a rainbow of colors. There is a zinnia known as Envy( light green) that I used to grow in Kansas City. However, I can not find seeds here in California in the garden shop. I will probably have to order it via the Internet(see note below). Anyway, I am happy of the varieties that I have currently. The purple Zinnia looks almost like a dahlia. My cosmos is light orange, although I have seen other colors from garden catalogs. I have both pink and white variety of impatiens. The natives called it "apat-apat" because they have four petals. They are drought resistant and blooms all summer.

Another wild flower (second photo from top) grows like a ground cover and a vine along the seashore outside the fence of the beach house. It has light purple flowers that blooms for about three months( December to February) every year. I encourage it to spread along the shore in order to minimize sand erosion during high tides. The locals have a name for this wild vine, but I can not remember it. During its blooming season, the seashore looks so beautiful. It reminds me of the wild California poppies, blooming in the prairies. Every year, I remind my gardener to trim it, since it will occupy the seashore that we used for sun bathing and picnicking. If you know of the name of this wild flower, please let me know. Enjoy the flowers above.

Note: I went to the garden store today. They have a stand for Burpee Seed Products. I found the Green Zinnia( Envy) seed packet for $1.99, but not the purple double Zinnia.

Hibiscus in the Gardens of Chateau De La Mer

Aside from orchids and bougainvillas, I also collect Hibiscus, known in the Philippines as gumamela plants. I have a dozen varieties in a rainbow of colors both with single or double flowers. My favorite is the canary-yellow variety (second photo). Above are some of the hibiscus in my garden. The most common variety is the single red, but the flowers could grow as big as a small plate. The white and yellow varieties are susceptible to white molds and aphids. I have to literally hand washed each stem with soapy water as well as spray it with anti-aphids pesticide. Most of these plants, I purchased locally, but the white variety I purchased from a nursery in Manila. Enjoy my hibiscus collections. Here's a short video about Hibiscus, I am sure you will enjoy the flowers and the guitar background music !