Flora of the Dominican Republic

Holla! 

I have many things to share about the Dominican Republic and our interesting and enjoyable stay here in the wet, soggy tropics! I will start just by sharing the photos I took yesterday of the plant life here at the resort where we are staying. I was looking for painting subjects with a garden type composition in mind of tropical plants. I don't know if I will ever fulfill that ambition but I did do some little practice studies yesterday as I sat in the cabana by the pool while it poured rain all day.

      

                               Of course Palm trees and coconut trees are in abundance. 

                                         

                        I love these little compact ones. I tried and failed at painting one yesterday.

                                   

                                   

                                   

                       I don't know what this is called but I presume "fan" is part of the name.

                 In this photo you can also see the beautiful hedges that border every sidewalk.

       

Depending on how vigorously they are pruned (the square border hedges are) some have flowers and some not. These were not pruned so bloom more abundantly.

                                          

   

 

                                         

                                         

                                         

Again, I don't know the names of these plants but I know the yellow plant is available at home as a house plant.

                                          

                                                               A red version of the same.

The "lawn" here is not a fescu grass but some other low growing type that spreads as a ground cover rather than growing taller. It seems that it doesn't need mowing or trimming at all.

                                         

As you can see here we've been having a lot of rain and flooding. It's a warm rain and the puddles are warm too so not uncomfortable.

                                         

                              I did have more satisfaction with my attempts to paint those plants.

                           

                                         This tree had some almost orchid looking blossoms.

                                        

                                                             More tropical house plants 

                                        

                                                             My temporary art studio....

                                        

                                                                    Poolside sketches

                                        

                                        

                                        

Not so happy with the table centerpiece succulent painted from life but I kept tryng one technique after another and felt like I was over working it so just stopped. Practice not masterpiece...

Just for fun I thought you'd like to see how the landscape trees keep their beautiful shapes. That machete is razor sharp and that man just flicks the trimmings easily off. There is no OSHA in the Dominican Republic!