The June 2008 to TropicRiverWoods and seeing the latest wildflowers, birds and growing trees.

View looking from the river to the top of TropicRiverWoods

What a great trip we had June 5th to June 9th, 2008! The weather could not have been more perfect; raining during the afternoon and most of the night, keeping both the temperatures and humidity low. Even though funds have been short of late, the trees and plants don't notice; they keep growing by feet each month it seems!

The Pine Forest section of TropicRiverWoods is really taking shape

Filiberto continues to find wonderful understory plants and flowers to add along all of the trails and the entranceway further enhancing the beauty that has become TropicRiverWoods Botanical Garden. With each additional plant, the land becomes more cathedral-like every day.

Some of the plants that we had given up hope on are coming into their own due to a more consistent rainfall and less heat load being placed on them. It is also becoming more difficult to take pictures of individual plants as their height precludes close-ups in many cases. However, check out the TRACKING PAGE when you get a chance to see the progression of the garden.

What follows, is a photographic record of our June, 2008TropicRiverWoods project findings.

Beautiful red Etlingera elatior

This is a Torch Ginger, Etlingera elatior, that we bought two years ago during our day-trip to David, Panama

Filiberto and his crew are adding drainage ditches (zanhas) to all of the pathways to prevent erosion and landslides.

The growth of the trees is becoming even more impressive as is the addition of understory flora

Noni Morinda citrifolia

Here are some of the new flowering plants Filiberto has found; most from the residents of Changuinola, who are more than happy to share the flowers and plants from their home gardens with us.
Heliconia rostrata Ruiz & Pavon. The open bracts can contain anywhere from 5 to 13 blooms.		Heliconia
Crepe Ginger Cheilocostus speciosus, (previously Costus speciosus)	Brazilian Red Cloak, Red Justicia Megaskepasma erythrochlamys
Bird's Nest Fern Asplenium nidus	Bombay Purple Cockscomb Celosia Celosia Cristata

The Iriartea deltoidea in full bloom. Note the very odd seed-pod. This tree is about 80 feet (27 meters) tall.

Iriartea deltoidea

Iriartea deltoidea seed pods

Here are more of the flowering plants Filiberto has planted at the garden:

Bleeding Heart Vine Clerodendrum thomsoniae	Ornamental pepper Capsicum annuum 'Chinese Multicolor'	Gardenia jasminoides
Wild Amaryllis Hippeastrum species	Wild Daisy Wedelia trilobata	Unknown
Miniature Begonia	Scotch Bonnet Peppers Capsicum chinensis	Golden Trumpet Shrub Allamanda cathartica

Some of the palms at TropicRiverWoods:

Seychelles Stilt Palm
Verschaffeltia splendida

Red Sealing Wax Palm
Cyrtostachys renda

Areca Palm

And last, but not least, some of our dear friends; we do not get to see them as often as we wish!

Paul, Filiberto and Filiberto's son, Raphael	Filiberto's Wife, Herminia	Filiberto's son, Raphael
Paul in front of the Chaquita Banana Restaurant	Paul with Gladys Owner of the Chaquita Banana Restaurant	Sergio, Gladys's brother and head waiter at the Chaquita Banana
Filiberto, Paul and Eric (Gladys's son)	Paul with Vincente a worker at TropicRiverWoods	Paul and Filiberto

The next regularly scheduled Loma Finca Cuatro TropicRiverWoods, S.A. update will be in either November or December, 2008.

Paul and Brad, Your Hosts!