Aka Swiss Cheese plant from my youth spent in chilly England; these were house plants. It was not until I moved to Sydney that I first saw them flower and develop fruit that smelled like pineapple. You can see part of a fruit ripening in the top left of the picture.
According to Wikipedia,
Monstera deliciosa is a species of flowering plant native to tropical rainforests of southern Mexico, south to Panama.
My interest in growing plants was sparked in primary school, each winter we would plant bulbs, secrete them away in a dark place and wait in excited anticipation until the pointed, shiny green shoots began to appear through the black soil. This form of gardening is perfect for my personality as there is a concept, an expected result, a limited amount of follow up and the product is a thing of beauty.
I recall winning a book prize for growing a coleus as an assignment in one of the infant classes. The credit should have gone to my mother who tirelessly watered, turned and measured the growth of that plant.
In adulthood my fascination with plants remains, I took a cutting from a roadside plant about three years ago to produce this particular coleus. A ruthless pruning each year produces a colourful show. The small lime tree doesn’t seem to mind sharing a pot.
The coleus’ colour varies according to the light, from vibrant pink and red to purple and blue.
I am constantly amazed by the native Australian flora and fauna. Delicate feather likes leaves and the arrayed tendrils of the flowers combine to make Grevillea one of my favourite plants.
When we moved into the house around 1.5 years ago the Australian native Lilly Pilly hedge was in a sorry state, suffering from a severe case of scale.
A couple of feeds with fertiliser pellets and white oil treatment has encouraged a few flowers to appear this year.
