Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler!


We picked the perfect weekend to spend in New Orleans - it was our first time back since Katrina and things in the French Quarter look better than ever. This trip, all the balcony gardens struck me as extra-beautiful - so I want to share them with you. How welcoming is this street!

I'm not sure where there is room for people to sit out on this balcony - but if there is, the Queen Palms or Cocus Plumosa, Syagrus romanzoffiana, and banana trees will certainly shield you from prying eyes.


The baskets of ferns were full and healthy - Nothing says "southern" to me like a hanging fern does. Ferns do so well here you'll see them growing out of lots of nooks and crannies in the walls. Check out the photo below. . .

. . . do you see it? In the recessed area in the very middle, ferns are growing!
and while we're on ferns, I believe this is a tree fern. Anyone out there want to share some info on it? I'm at a loss - except that it is pretty darn striking! I apologize to the foot-weary lady in the shot. My group was heading out and I couldn't wait.

Back to the balcony gardens . . . Although the ground floor appears to be boarded up and empty, the balcony is teeming with life and beauty!

Just in case you needed a closer look - now that's a riot of color!

And along Bourbon Street, beads are used at garlands on this balcony. The days were overcast so no need to open up the umbrellas - and all the better for me to enjoy their gardens.

Check out how full these baskets are! I especially like the spikey plants in the back of this one. Each basket on this balcony was a little bit different


I wondered if these flowers would have been more open if the sun was out . . .

I usually like a large sweep of the same plant(s) - but my favorite balcony gardens had more random plantings. This just makes me want to grab a book, a beer, and a chair.


I couldn't resist sharing this pittosporum - Yep, you read that right - this is a pittosporum (and the sign at the base of this "shrub" verified our identification) It's a shrub on steroids!
Agapanthus were in full bloom all over the city! These happen to be at Audobon Park

Palms are used all over New Orleans. These Windmill Palms, Trachycarpus fortunei, are in Cafe Beignet, an outdoor jazz joint on Bourbon Street.
Mediterranean Fan Palms, Chamerops humilis, dot Jackson Square. Each and every clump is as beautiful as these! Some of the most stunning specimens I've ever seen.

And along Cafe Du Monde are planted a line of Chinese Fan Palms, Livingstonia chinesis.
I got home with more pictures of plants than of people. Go figure! Laissez les bon temps rouler! Let the good times roll!

4 comments:

Jan said...

I am so glad that you had a great time visiting New Orleans. Those balcony gardens are among my favorites, too. Thanks for sharing those photos. Our high temperatures and high rainfall certainly do make for lush growth.

Jan
Always Growing

Delphine said...

I adore your blog ! it's a lovely place, here ! "Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler!" is funny because it isn't a french expression !

Martha, Gulf Coast Greenie said...

Very nice post. I have been to New Orleans a number of times but you showed me new views. You're correct to say that the tall ferns are fern trees. They're native to Australia and New Zealand. We have one that we ordered from a Florida nursery, but sometimes they're easier to find.

Anonymous said...

Those are tasmanian tree ferns, dickonsonia antarctica (sp). Really cool, I have 3.