Published on Saturday, February 15, 2025

By Victoria Torley

What perfect weather for a walk here is Aguacate. The tropical sun is beating down from a cloudless sky. The thermostat marks 74 degrees F (okay, Metric Man, 23 degrees C), and there is not a breath of wind. It is a perfect day for a walk in an arroyo.

An arroyo is just a fancy name for a seasonally flowing stream, although some contain water year-round. In Costa Rica, arroyos usually have steep banks and a rocky bed that can be strewn with boulders. Since we live in a geologically folded area, we have a lot of arroyos, most with only a very short period with no running water. So an arroyo equals a perfect day for a walk.

Back to that big question: why take a walk in an arroyo? As we all know from practical experience, it feels cooler in the shade, usually ten to 15 degrees F cooler. It really isn’t cooler, but that is a science thing and this is a garden column.

Also, for some reason, there seems to be a breeze in the arroyo even though there is no breeze in the sun. It’s another science thing.  Plus the running water just seems to make you feel cooler. I have no idea what that’s about, probably a psychology thing. If you like to walk for exercise, then an arroyo is the perfect place. Just take a walking stick and watch out for slippery rocks.

Another reason to walk in the arroyo is, of course, to hunt for broken branches and dead trees with orchids, bromeliads, and assorted new plants hanging from them. Plus other interesting things like new frogs and tadpoles, different ferns, and really pretty things to take pictures of, so take a camera. Naturally, I came back from my walk with a bag full of things that need a new home. These were mostly orchids but also some things I couldn’t identify. Take the plant of the week for example.

There is one drawback to walking the arroyos:  they can be seductive. There are so many fine large rocks to sit on while you dangle your toes in the water. So many places where the only things you hear are water and birdsong that you can be tempted to sit and stay a while. This can lead to serious complications like: rested feelings, lower blood pressure, soothing contemplative thoughts, and the need for a nap. Ah, nature.

Plant for the week.  Screaming out for attention with its unique flowers, Strelitzia reginae, also known as Bird of Paradise, brings a sensational tropical accent to the garden or in a sunny interior room. This evergreen perennial forms a clump of large, broadly oval, long-stalked, gray-green leaves arising from an underground stem (rhizome). They contrast nicely with its beautiful crested flowers. Emerging from a horizontal green and pink beak-like spathe, brilliant orange and vivid blue flowers bloom in succession, resembling the crest on a bird’s head. It ranks as a top choice among tropical flowers for enthusiasts and gardeners.

 

------------
Find more interesting stories about gardening in Costa Rica on the AM Costa Rica Garden page. Questions on this article, Ms. Victoria Torley, gardener columnist, can be reached by emailing victoriatorley1@gmail.com
--------------