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Published
Friday, May 28, 2021
 By Victoria Torley Well, it was a long and interesting vacation, even restful in a way, but here I am again. I don’t know where you are in Costa Rica, but it seems to us here at Lake Arenal that the dry season passed us by. Still, then, that’s our country for you – unpredictable weather at all times. Someone even told me that the temperature hit 108 degrees Fahrenheit at the beach the other day and she was glad to get back to the mountains. A temperature like that is worthy of some succulents and I’m sure that some of you on the beach are growing cacti and Portulaca and watering everything else like mad. Temperature and rain aside, there are a couple of things I usually talk about at this time of year, so here it goes. The end of May and early June is when ICE, our wonderful electric company, gives away plants. That is not to say that the pandemic hasn’t slowed them down a bit but, trees being trees and growing with little care, there is probably something in the offing. Contact your local ICE offices or check online for the when-and-where of any plants they want to give away. Why do they do it? Reforestation. I have a Guanacaste tree that is doing very well and I hope to find a few more frangipani to plant here and there. Then there is my usual nag. If you haven’t had a tetanus shot recently (in the last 7-10 years), it’s time. I will be getting my booster this year. Tetanus is a nasty little disease and we can all do without it. So, on to flowers. I took a lot of pictures of the usual sights on vacation and some unusual ones, mostly pictures of flowers that don’t, as far as I know, grow in Costa Rica, so I am going to be sharing them with you as long as they last. Plant for the Week
 The angel trumpet is a shrub usually topping out at about eight feet, although taller trumpets are not uncommon. The entire plant is toxic, the fragrance is not. Lots of sun, slightly acidic soil, good moisture and occasional fertilizer are all you need. Plant the angel trumpet near the house to enjoy the fragrance. In Costa Rica, the shrub is also called the queen of the night as it is most fragrant at that time to attract pollinators – long tongued moths and bats. The flowers, which can be 10 inches long, can also attract some hummingbirds. The flowers are commonly white, pale pink or salmon and single flowered, but intense work has produced flowers in purple, red and orange and double ruffled like the one below which shows a blossom and a long bud. They all grow easily from cuttings. Editor's note: More information on this article or about gardening, Ms. Victoria Torley, gardener columnist, can be reached at victoriatorley1@gmail.com  Real Estate For Sale
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