What does best in your garden?

[Carey]

Cathy, the house was built in 1973, in a late 1960's - early 70's subdivision with quite a few plantation homes that were moved in. Our 'erector' house was not one of them, being a structural insulated panel home very typical of the early 70's. The plantings were done mainly in the mid-late 70's by the philippino family I bought the house from. Unfortunately, the gardener was the husband, and he died a few years ago. The wife only knew some of the plants, and mainlly by common names she had heard, and I have had interesting web search to ID them (she called bilimbi "sour sap".....as both were new to me I had a time finding out what I had & what I could do with it, finally asked at the market, as many of the neighbors had picked the fruit, willingly). The roses are all smaller flowers, with a good sent, but all had been drastically trimmed a year or two ago, so I do not know if this is a root stock regrowth, or the planted variety (besides, I don't know what the planted variety had been - plus I don't know if most varieties here are grafted... in the freezing north most every rose is a graft). So I am learning....and weeding...and cleaning (isn't it grand today?? SUNSHINE IN THE GARDEN!!!!) Also trying to figure out why the yard has a number of odd conrete blobs poured around. and where the cesspool really is (missed the mark on the county survey). Trying to figure out things like how many papaya, guava, finger palm, bitter melon, red ginger, volunteer tomatoes & tangerines a city lot should have, as they are sprouting up like weeds! (I remember when I would have killed to have this worry in early March!!! or anytime). Still trying to figure out what a lot of bushes are, most seem to be in the Euphorbia family, but that hardly narrows the field. Well,ice tea break is over & back to the garden with me!
Aloha, Carey