Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 26 Jan 2026

Why Turmeric was named the 2026 Herb of the Year

Turmeric - Curcuma

Turmeric - Curcuma

🌷 Why Turmeric was named the 2026 Herb of the Year
  • 🌷 Turmeric was named the 2026 Herb of the Year by the International Herb Association, and it is easy to see why gardeners are paying attention. This tropical plant from the ginger family is best known for its bright orange underground rhizomes, used for centuries as a spice, natural dye, and traditional remedy.
  • 🌷Native to India, Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is closely related to Ginger and Cardamom. Its rhizomes are a staple in curry and widely used in Asian, African, and Caribbean cuisines. In recent years, turmeric has also gained attention for potential anti-inflammatory properties.
  • 🌷Herb, spice or flower?

  • • Botanically, turmeric is a spice, since it comes from the plant’s rhizomes rather than its leaves. In the kitchen, however, it often functions like an herb. Fresh turmeric can replace powdered turmeric in most recipes and delivers brighter flavor and color.
  • • Beyond edible Turmeric, there are many Curcuma hybrids grown purely for ornament. These selections produce striking, long-lasting flower spikes in shades of pink, white, orange, red, and purple, rising above lush tropical foliage. Ornamental curcumas are popular as patio plants and indoor accents, adding dramatic color and texture even where they are grown strictly in containers.

  • 🌷 Growing turmeric anywhere - even in cool climates


    • Although Turmeric is a tropical perennial, it grows very well in containers, making it suitable for gardeners everywhere. When grown in pots, turmeric is treated as a warm-season plant that can be moved indoors as temperatures cool.
  • 🌷 How to grow Turmeric


    • Turmeric is a compact, but bold plant, reaching 3-4 feet tall and wide, so it needs a roomy container. It prefers:

  • • Rich, well-drained soil
  • • Slightly acidic conditions (around pH 6–6.5)
  • • Consistent moisture
  • • Warm temperatures and bright, indirect light


    • The plant produces flowers that do not set seed, so turmeric is grown entirely from rhizomes.


🌷 Harvesting and using Turmeric

As the season ends, turmeric naturally goes dormant and the leaves yellow and dry. This signals harvest time. Dig the rhizomes, clean them, and dry them in a cool, shaded place.

Rhizomes can be:
  • • Boiled, dried, and ground into powder
  • • Frozen whole and grated as needed
  • • Pickled for long-term storage


Some healthy rhizomes can also be saved and replanted the following season, making turmeric both productive and renewable.

Compact, bold, and useful, turmeric proves that tropical plants can thrive well beyond the tropics - especially when grown in pots.

🛒 Plant Curcuma for both flowers, spice and herb

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#Food_Forest #Container_Garden #Remedies #Discover

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Date: 25 Jan 2026

How to grow Winter blooms without sun, indoors or out

Clerodendrum wallichiii - Bridal Veil

✨ How to grow Winter blooms without sun, indoors or out
  • ⭐️ Clerodendrum wallichii - Bridal Veil, is one of those plants that quietly steals the show. It is a graceful shrub that drapes itself in long, hanging sprays of white, lightly fragrant flowers just when many gardens are slowing down. Around fall and into winter, it suddenly comes alive with cascading blooms that really do look like a veil.
  • ⭐️ One of the things that makes Bridal Veil really special is that it blooms beautifully in bright shade, which is rare - not many flowering shrubs are happy without direct sun. Because it tolerates lower light so well and stays elegant in a container, it also makes a surprisingly great indoor plant in a bright room or sunroom.
  • ⭐️ What you will love most is how elegant but easygoing it is. The plant grows upright with soft, arching branches, usually topping out around 6–7 feet, with narrow, pointed leaves that stay neat and refined. The green stems set it apart from some other clerodendrums, giving it a lighter, airier look even when it’s not in flower.
  • ⭐️ Bridal Veil does best when you treat it gently. It likes bright light but not harsh afternoon sun, and it really appreciates protection from wind. Give it a spot with morning sun or bright shade, keep the soil evenly moist but well drained, and it rewards you without much fuss. It’s a great choice for containers, patios, or sheltered garden beds where you can enjoy the flowers up close.
  • ⭐️ Another bonus - it blooms when you want it most. While many plants rest, Bridal Veil puts on its show from fall through spring, making it a favorite for winter-interest gardens in warm climates. Pollinators notice it too, especially when little else is blooming.
  • ⭐️ If you like plants that feel a bit romantic, bloom off-season, and don’t need constant attention, this one earns its place fast. Bridal Veil is quiet, graceful, and unforgettable once you’ve grown it.


🛒 Start your Clerodendrum collection

📚 Learn more:

#Shade_Garden #How_to #Hedges_with_benefits #Container_Garden

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Date: 25 Jan 2026

Collecting clerodendrums: big color, little effort

Clerodendrum collage

Clerodendrum collage

🎨 Collecting clerodendrums: big color, little effort
  • 🎨 Collector hook

    • If you love plants that look rare, unusual, and a little dramatic - but do not want high-maintenance divas - Clerodendrums belong in your collection.
    Clerodendrums are a surprisingly diverse group of plants, ranging from flowering vines to shrubs and even small trees. What they all share is bold, colorful blooms and an easygoing nature that makes them far less fussy than they appear. This combination of exotic looks and forgiving care is exactly why collectors gravitate toward them.
    Many clerodendrums bloom repeatedly through the year in warm climates, and several tolerate lower light better than most flowering plants. That makes them flexible - happy in the garden, in containers, on patios, or even indoors near a bright window. Their flowers come in striking combinations of red, white, blue, pink, and purple, often with unusual shapes that stop people mid-walk.
  • 🎨 Why clerodendrums earn collector status

  • ✦ Uncommon, eye-catching flowers
  • ✦ Long or repeat bloom cycles in many varieties
  • ✦ Vines, shrubs, and small trees in one genus
  • ✦ Excellent performance in containers
  • ✦ More tolerant of lower light than expected


🎨 Clerodendrum care made simple

Give clerodendrums bright filtered light to partial sun, regular watering with good drainage, and light feeding during active growth. A little pruning keeps them tidy and encourages fresh blooms. That is it. No complicated routines, no constant fixing.

For collectors who want maximum visual payoff without constant effort, clerodendrums deliver exactly what the title promises - big color, very little work.

🛒 Start your Clerodendrum collection

📚 Learn more:

#Butterfly_Plants #Shade_Garden #How_to #Hedges_with_benefits #Container_Garden

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Date: 22 Jan 2026

Free shipping on Exotic Adenium Desert Roses - limited time!

Adenium hybrids

Adenium hybrids

🆓 Free shipping on Exotic Adenium Desert Roses - limited time!

🛍 One week only, all adenium desert roses ship FREE!
  • 🌸 Perfect time to grab the varieties you have been eyeing or add a few more to your collection.
  • 🌸 Many selections are limited and selling quickly. Orders are filled first come, first served.
  • 🌸 We will pack all your adeniums together and ship them safely in one big box for you (or many boxes if that's what it takes) - with free shipping on us!
  • 🌸 Don’t wait on this one. When they’re gone, they’re gone. While supply lasts.


🛒 Explore collectible Adeniums

📚 Learn more:

#Container_Garden #Adeniums #Shade_Garden

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Date: 17 Jan 2026

Ti plant leaf color meaning

Hawaiian Ti plant (Cordyline fruticosa)

Hawaiian Ti plant (Cordyline fruticosa)

🌈 Ti plant leaf color meaning

The Hawaiian Ti plant (Cordyline fruticosa) is more than just a colorful tropical accent. Across Polynesian, Hawaiian, and Southeast Asian cultures, the color of ti plant leaves has long been associated with different meanings, moods, and uses - both symbolic and practical.
  • 🌈 Green leaves

    • Green ti plants are linked to peace, balance, and steady growth. Traditionally, they were planted around homes for protection and good fortune. In the garden, green varieties are usually the toughest and most shade-tolerant.
  • 🌈 Red and deep burgundy leaves

    • Red ti plants are associated with strength, power, and protection. In Hawaiian tradition, red ti leaves were believed to ward off negative energy and were often used in ceremonies. Garden-wise, deeper reds usually mean more sun exposure and stronger pigmentation.
  • 🌈 Pink, magenta, and multicolor leaves

    • These colorful ti plants symbolize joy, celebration, and creativity. They are often used as ornamental focal points and in festive plantings. Variegated and pink types tend to prefer brighter light to keep their colors sharp.
  • 🌈 Purple and dark-toned leaves

    • Purple ti plants are linked to mystery, spirituality, and transformation. Their dramatic color comes from high anthocyanin levels and usually intensifies in bright light with good nutrition.
  • 🌈 Yellow or light variegation

    • Yellow tones often represent optimism and new beginnings. Plants with lighter variegation may grow a bit slower and need protection from harsh sun, but they add a softer contrast in tropical landscapes.
  • 🌈 One practical note

Leaf color is influenced not just by variety, but also by light, temperature, and nutrition. Fading color usually means too little light or depleted soil, while rich, bold tones signal a happy plant.

Ti plant colors tell a story - part cultural tradition, part plant health, and part personal style in your garden.

🛒 Ti plants rainbow: collect them all

📚 Learn more:

#Container_Garden #Hedges_with_benefits #Shade_Garden #Discover #Horoscope

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