North vs South: Tropical Garden Gems

Something that a tropical garden has that we cannot reproduce here in the north is Spanish moss. An image of beautiful Spanish moss hanging from majestic trees is iconic of South U.S. gardens. It is a Tillandsia, like air plants,  and is related to pineapples.  It does not live 'off' the trees that it lives in, so is of no harm.  In the first picture, it is hanging in a grove of Crepe Myrtles at the Coastal Georgia Botanical Garden in Savannah.  In the second picture are all the elements we associate with Spanish moss - the large, overhanging trees with the stately house in the background.

St. Augustine's Prettiest Street

We drove down Magnolia Drive, known for its live oaks that arch over the street.  The Spanish Moss hanging from the branches waves gently giving the street a beautiful effect. And then there are the patterns in the sand that show at low tide.  While we have some plastic forms for sand castle-making, it hasn't been warm enough for any sitting in the sand.  For now, I'll stay with the patterns nature has been delivering.