Beautiful plants and gorgeous plants! Question, how did you get your plumeria to be full of branches like that? Did you prune it a lot when you purchased it in 2009? I just purchased a plumeria that is in the shape of a "Y" a trunk with two branches and eventually (next spring) I'd like to get it to branch out and eventually create a canopy. Right now it's about 2 feet. Do they branch out on their own? or prune to create more branches?

Thanks a lot Jack! My Plumeria branched out naturally on it's own, I haven't pruned it once since 2009 (and unfortunately I might have to prune it soon since it's getting impossible to fit through the door!). All plumerias will branch out once they bloom. The number of branches it makes after it blooms varies, but my plumerias all seem to consistently make 2 new branches after it's first bloom and then it varies from plant to plant after that. If you prune it, it will branch out, but it will delay blooming.

Good luck with your new plumeria and thanks for looking!
-Alex

Great pics, as always. The adondia and plumeria give it that ultra tropical look. I especially love the night shot of the plumeria. You do a great job of hiding the pots to give a very natural feel. Is your plumeria in the ground? I would think it is very top heavy in a pot. If it is in the ground, how do you over winter it? That adondia looks heavy!!!

Thanks Brad! I try my best to hide whatever pots I can so the look is more convincing! The plumeria is actually in a pot. I re-potted it in August because it was so top heavy that even the multiple ropes I had holding it up couldn't keep it from leaning over. It's not as top heavy in it's new pot, but I do have some string tied to the pool fence to keep it in place just in case it's a windy day. The diameter and height of the new pot is about 3 feet, its a big pot, but it blends in really well where it is.
The Adondila is really heavy! Usually I drag it across the yard up to the stairs and after that I need some help because lifting it is one problem and then fitting it in the door is another. It's much easier to take it back out in the spring!
Thanks for looking!
-Alex

Simply Beautiful. Does your Spanish moss survive your temps ?

Thanks a lot prinbama! The Spanish moss does not usually survive the winter here. During a mild winter, I once did have a clump make it through alive (but the birds stole it in early spring). I'm going to try and over winter the spanish moss in my garage and if that doesn't work, I'll have to buy it over again in the spring! I might leave some outside just to test it out though.
Thanks for looking!
-Alex

I have my Spanish Moss hanging in a small grove of Eastern Hemlock. It seems like this is enough of a microclimate to enable hem to persist through the winter. Those in the open, will not survive. It makes a BIG difference!

I don't think that they stand a chance on bare trees around here during the winter, but in a nice microclimate and on evergreens, they probably could manage to hang in during a nice winter. Is this your first year with spanish moss or have they already survived a winter?
Thanks for looking!
-Alex

Great yard! Looks like somewhere in the Caribbean. Are ribbon palms hardy? Are Alocasia easy to overwinter? I've only grown colocasia.

Everything looks great, but what on earth do you do with everything in the fall? It must be a huge amount of work to put it all to bed for the winter!

Thanks a lot islandbreeze! Ribbon palms are probably about as cold hardy as Chinese fan palms and I have gotten my Chinese fan palm through 3 winters with protection. They lose most of their foliage from the cold, but grow back in no time. When I saw a ribbon palm at home depot for only $15 at that size, I had to get it! Hopefully it will be reasonably cold hardy. They are really fast growing.
Alocasias are just as easy to keep in my experience as colocasias and are a lot more rewarding since they get noticably bigger every year (My colocasias have kind of maxed out in height now).

Thanks John! It's a ton of work to bring everything inside. I don't even want to think about it yet even though I will probably start taking things inside starting in another 2 weeks or so (I would wait longer, but it's impossible to take everything in at the very end of the season).

Thanks for looking!
-Alex

Alex, this is the most beautiful, extensive and convincing residential tropical garden I have ever seen photos of (way!) outside of the tropics. Truly stunning. Some of the shots of the pool area, especially, I could swear were taken at some quaint resort in the FL Keys or the Caribbean. The variety is amazing and I think what makes it so convincing is that many of the shots feature all tropical species. I cannot imagine the work involved in creating and maintaining this. Your home's interior must be very lush from November-April. Also, nice Adonidia. I could go on...

Thanks a lot William! I appreciate the compliments! I'm definitely aiming for that Florida Keys look! I love the way that lots of homes there fit in tons of nice tropical plants in a relatively small space! I have tons of ideas for next year and it will definitely include more tropical plants! I need to figure out better ways to store the plants indoors because I am very quickly running out of space!

Thanks for looking!
-Alex