We talked in an earlier post about giving up on submitting the local plants and grasses to our will.  The results, I guess, are in the eye of the beholder.  We are certainly aware that some passersby see only a cacophony of palmettos and weeds threatening to engulf The Little Hacienda, an eyesore, if you will, amidst the well-maintained grounds on either side of us.  But on closer inspection, on a more micro level, a beautiful, colorful, intricate and dynamic world emerges.

We have one area off the front deck where a curved wall of bougainvillea runs, that the native plants have taken over.  There are many beach sunflowers there.  There is another, larger area, about twenty by forty feet, next to the driveway, where bees are now a nearly constant presence.  We had a good amount of rain in early spring, which encouraged an explosion of flowering growth.  Much of it has continued into summer, and the bees love it.  There were many butterflies through the spring, but their numbers have tapered off now.  Maybe it’s too hot for them, or the flowers they prefer are gone.

We mentioned the rain lilies before.  We have no idea how they got started here, but they are prolific, and show up after a good rain.

And then there’s this extraordinary specimen below.  It looks like some kind of wild orchid to me.  Anyway, there are hundreds blooming now.  It looks like something someone has made up, or constructed from pieces of other flowers.  If someone knows what it is, let us know.

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We are also keeping an eye on Tropical Depression #3 a little southeast of us in the Atlantic.  Doesn’t look like trouble, but could be a wave maker.  Noticed the beginnings of a little swell this morning on the walk.