Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 6 Nov 2025

You thought you knew Gardenias, until you saw this one!

Gardenia nitida (Posoqueria), Shooting Star Gardenia

⭐️ You thought you knew Gardenias, until you saw this one!

  • ⭐️ Gardenia nitida (Posoqueria), Shooting Star Gardenia, is one of the most unusual gardenias you’ll ever see! Native to tropical Africa, it is a rare and elegant shrub that’s as fascinating as it is fragrant.
  • ⭐️ Unlike common gardenias with thick, waxy foliage, this one has large, diamond-shaped leaves that feel soft and delicate. The plant grows slowly into a rounded form, making it perfect for containers or small gardens.
  • ⭐️ When it blooms, the show is unforgettable. The long, tubular white flowers burst out in clusters, looking like tiny shooting stars against glossy green leaves. The scent is rich, sweet, and exotic - filling the air even from a distance.
  • ⭐️ Blooming several times a year, this gardenia lights up your garden whenever it decides to put on a show. A true collector’s piece for those who love rare, fragrant plants that stand out from the crowd.


🛒 Add these stars with scent to your collection

📚 Learn more:


Shooting Star Gardenia: a rare scent from Africa

#Perfume_Plants #Hedges_with_benefits

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Date: 7 Aug 2025

Blackberry Jam Fruit - the sweetest surprise

A  tuxedo  cat  making  jam  from  Blackberry  Jam  Fruit  (Randia  formosa)  while  an  orange  cat  smiles  in  a  chair,  sipping  tea  beside  a  large  flowering  Randia  plant  in  a  cozy,  sunlit  room.

Tea and Jam with the PeopleCats – A Tropical Afternoon Beneath the Randia

Meet the cats behind the jam! The tuxedo cat is none other than Google-the-cat - our beloved elder and one of the original cat-fathers of Top Tropicals PeopleCats.garden. At 18 years old, he’s still sharp, curious, and very much in charge. The orange fluffball? He represents the universal image of cat joy - and we’ve got a few real-life orange sunshine residents just like him.

Why do you include cats in a plant newsletter?

Because they’re part of the garden. Our rescued PeopleCats live among the plants, nap under the mango trees, inspect new arrivals, and occasionally steal a sunspot meant for seedlings. They’re not mascots — they’re part of our team. Sharing their presence is like showing a part of the soul of our space.🐈

Are the cat images real or AI-generated?

All our cats are real! We take lots of pictures and videos. And a few images are AI-generated illustrations inspired by our real PeopleCats.garden residents. While not literal photographs, they are creative interpretations that capture the spirit of our tropical home and its furry citizens.🐾

Are the stories about the cats true?

Mostly! The jam-making, tea-drinking, and greenhouse meetings are creative interpretations - but inspired by real personalities. We use AI scenes to bring their spirit to life. Real cats. Real plants. Imagined adventures.🐱

Watch Top Tropicals videos about PeopleCats

Shop Blackberry Jam Plants

Date: 16 Nov 2025

Learn more:

Aristolochia trilobata - Birthwort Dutchman's Pipe

How to bring butterflies in your garden with Ditchmans Pipe
  • 🐙 Aristolochia trilobata - Birthwort Dutchman's Pipe, is one of the most striking butterfly plants. The brown-and-green, pitcher-shaped flowers with long striped tails look like something from another world, and the glossy lobed leaves give the vine a bold, tropical look.
  • 🐙 What makes this plant truly special is how butterflies respond to it. They are drawn to the scent of the flowers and use the vine as a host plant, laying their eggs on the leaves. If you want butterflies, this is one of the easiest ways to bring them in and support their full life cycle.
  • 🐙 This vine is tough and adaptable. It grows well in subtropical climates, handles low light, and can even be kept indoors. Give it a trellis or a fence and it quickly turns into a showpiece.
  • 🐙 Beautiful, unusual, and a butterfly favorite - Dutchmans Pipe is a natural magnet for life in your garden.


🛒 Bring butterflies to your garden!

📚 Learn more:


#Butterfly_Plants #Hedges_with_benefits #How_to

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Date: 16 Nov 2025

Updates from Mittens

Updates from Mittens Updates from Mittens Updates from Mittens
🕺 Updates from Mittens
  • 🐾 Mittens is growing up fast and turning into a beautiful young lady! She still follows Chiane to work every single day and hasn’t missed a shift yet. Talk about dedication! Sometimes you just get lucky and find the perfect team member - and we sure did!

  • 🐾 At TopTropicals, we’re truly blessed with a crew of hardworking, happy people and equally devoted #PeopleCats.

  • 🐾 When you visit our Garden Center in Ft Myers, don’t forget to say a few kind words to our team - they work tirelessly to care for the plants and make sure each one is shipped safely to your home.


🐈📸 Mittens the Cat relaxing after hard work at TopTropicals PeopleCats.Garden

#PeopleCats

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Date: 21 Nov 2025

How to keep your house plants beautiful all year by feeding them right

Indoor garden

Indoor garden

🍀 How to keep your house plants beautiful all year by feeding them right

  • 🌱 Healthy house plants are not just about light and water. They need food, just like we do. A good fertilizer routine keeps them green, strong, and blooming through every season. Here is a simple guide to feeding indoor plants the right way.
  • 🌱 General rules for fertilizing house plants


  • ▪️Feed lightly but regularly. Indoor plants grow in limited soil, so nutrients run out faster. Small, frequent feedings work better than one heavy dose.
  • ▪️Never fertilize dry soil. Water first, then feed.
  • ▪️Reduce feeding in winter when growth slows.
  • ▪️Watch your leaves. Pale, yellow, or slow-growing plants are asking for nutrients.
  • ▪️Use a complete formula. House plants need both macro-elements (N-P-K) and micro-elements, not just nitrogen.


🌱 What fertilizer to use



Sunshine Boosters - the everyday diet.
Sunshine Boosters are simple, balanced liquid fertilizers you mix with water. They give your plants everything they need for steady, healthy growth. They contain the right blend of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and trace minerals. They do not contain harsh chemicals, so they are safe for homes with pets and kids. Regular use keeps plants growing faster, stronger, and more resilient to stress.

Sunshine Superfood - the vitamin supplement.
If a plant turns yellow or looks weak, it often needs micronutrients. These are the plant version of vitamins, including iron, zinc, copper, and manganese. Sunshine Superfood delivers these quickly and in the right proportions. Mix it with water and apply when you notice yellowing or slow growth. It corrects deficiencies fast and keeps leaves lush and green.

Green Magic - the long-term slow feeder.
Green Magic is a controlled-release fertilizer that works for six months. It uses poly-on coating technology to release nutrients slowly, without burning roots. It is perfect for repotting or for plant owners who want a set-it-and-forget-it option. Mix one teaspoon per gallon of soil during repotting or every six months. Excellent for container fruit trees and ornamentals that need steady feeding.

🌱 The simple routine

  • ▪️For regular watering: use Sunshine Boosters.
  • ▪️Once a month: add Sunshine Superfood to prevent yellowing.
  • ▪️Every six months: mix Green Magic into the soil for long-term support.

With the right diet, your house plants stay green, strong, and beautiful year-round. Feed them well, and they reward you every day.

📸 In the photo: Indoor garden of Marina Rybka, Israel, the Editor of TopTropicals.

🛒 Get your plants some food

📚 Learn more:
📱 What are Sunshine Boosters

#Fertilizers #How_to
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