New year, new leaf

5th January 2026

Ha, I know you will all be thinking that this is a post about New Year’s resolutions, but you are wrong. Whilst in my youth I was not adverse to resolving to lose weight, or be kind, or give up alcohol for January, some resolutions more successful than other; I have long given up that nonsense.

This morning I popped out of the kitchen door, to check on the soursop seeding that I have been nurturing. It’s currently in the plant hospital because the African snails have found it and descend for a midnight feast every time the poor thing makes an effort to grow. On top of that the seeds take weeks to germinate and I’m am very proud of getting it this far. All efforts to protect it thus far have been ineffective…..Coffee grounds … nope they are immune. Eventually I have resorted to the ultimate protection …. A chicken wire cage. I’m sure you can imagine my delight when this morning I was greeted with a cheery bright green couplet of new growth.

Overjoyed, with a spring in my step I set about an investigation of all the new growth in the garden, what else is putting out new leaves?

All three avocados are looking healthy.

A couple of weeks ago, I dug up a star jasmine baby, and without any care or patience just shoved it in the ground. It immediately dropped its leaves and I thought it was dead but this morning I noticed a little green bud forming. The camera would not focus on its tiny fecundity so see below what the adult looks like.

Then under the large trees The elephant ears are majestic in their enormity and a new leaf pops up hidden below the protective umbrellas

Then the pink patches, some babies are pink with adults less so and some the other way round. Isn’t nature wonderful

Then the variegated leaves. Pollards is full of them, whilst there are lots of flowers it’s the foliage that gives us our tropical jungle feel.

New leaves everywhere, the tropics are amazing.

Our Christmas celebrations have come to an end and my brother Pete leaves tomorrow. Whilst we are sad to see him go, it’s worse for him leaving this warm fertile haven to return to a chilly minus 3. To cheer us up, coming in less than three weeks, we have the return of a small portion of the original VIPs from last year. We have a paying guest in two weeks. We also have another week of our ace handyman Richard the second and need to make the most of him. So it’s back to the grindstone, there is much to do.

I will leave you with a cornucopia of wonderful of leaves.