Hi there GPODers!<\/p>\n
I hope we find you happy and warm on this November day. Yesterday, I mentioned I would have some more images for you from my wedding\/honeymoon in Costa Rica back in 2021 so that is what you will find below. We were in Costa Rica in August during the rainy season but really only faced a couple of days of drizzle and got stuck in one downpour.\u00a0 I\u2019ve shared images from our trip to Costa Rica before, specifically of the Monteverde Orchid Garden<\/a>. This post will focus mostly on foliage we found in Costa Rica in and around the cloud forests.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n We began our trip in La Fortuna at the base of the Arenal volcano, then made our way to Manuel Antonio on the Pacific coast before finishing in the cloud forests of Monteverde. Every place we visited was beautiful and fascinating in its own way, but La Fortuna will always hold a special place in my heart. Not only is it where we got married, but the volcano itself felt astonishingly majestic\u2014its presence in the landscape was unlike anything I\u2019d ever experienced.<\/p>\n This spot might just be my favorite place we visited. The photo was taken at Tabac\u00f3n Thermal Resort & Spa<\/a> outside La Fortuna\u2014and honestly, it almost looks too beautiful to be real. The entire resort feels that way. Built around volcanically heated springs that cascade down the hillside, Tabac\u00f3n is a maze of plant-lined pathways leading to a series of naturally warm pools, each one fed by its own waterfall. In this shot you can see:<\/p>\n Costa Rica\u2019s cloud forests are famous for their astonishing plant diversity, and Monteverde is no exception. During a treetop excursion\u2014 crossing suspension bridges and ziplines through the canopy \u2014 we saw firsthand how life layers itself in these misty heights. In this photo, every surface is alive: the host tree (species unknown!) is draped in mosses, epiphytes, and ferns, while philodendrons, monsteras, and anthuriums climb and compete for space and light. Epiphytes are plants that grow on top of another without taking nutrients from that plant. Species such as bromeliads, orchids, and many ferns are epiphytes. Epi means \u201cupon\u201d or \u201con top of\u2019 and phyte means \u201cplant\u201d.<\/p>\n Here we see a large-leaved aroid, possibly Philodendron giganteum, <\/em>climbing up a tree. Cloud forest trees are often draped in hemi-epiphytic aroids. A hemi-epiphyte is a plant that spends only part of its life as an epiphyte, shifting between growing on other plants and rooting in the soil. Species such as philodendrons and monsteras use this strategy to reach better light in the canopy while still accessing nutrients from the forest floor when possible.<\/p>\n Looking down from the walkway, you get a clear view of the lower canopy\u2014a perfect study in how powerful texture can be in garden design. The giant tree fern (Cyatheaceae<\/em> sp.) spreads its lacy fronds above the soft, needle-like foliage that resembles a Caribbean pine (a best guess\u2014feel free to correct me if you recognize it). Around them, the broad, paddle-shaped leaves of banana (Musa<\/em> sp.?) and the palmate foliage of Cecropia<\/em> add even more contrast and visual interest. Do you recognize any other of the plants in this shot?<\/p>\n Clusia<\/em> trees are abundant in cloud forests and can be epiphytic when young. Monteverde has several species, including Clusia alata<\/em>, C. palmana<\/em>, and C. minor<\/em>.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n This close up is of a plant in the Cecropia species \u2014 likely Cecropia insignis<\/em> or Cecropia obtusifolia. <\/em>Cecropia is one of the most iconic Neotropical trees. The features are textbook large palmately lobed, silver-backed leaves,\u00a0central clusters of long, fingerlike catkin-like inflorescences,\u00a0hairy red\/brown bracts at the petiole base. Cecropia trees are keystone species in Costa Rica \u2014 home to Azteca ants and many epiphytes.<\/p>\n Another example of the diversity viewable in even the smallest of spaes. Here, this is a tree fern frond (Cyatheaceae <\/em>sp.) is covered by mosses, lichens, and possibly small filmy ferns.<\/p>\n This is a cultivated banana (Musa<\/em> \u00d7 paradisiaca \/ Musa acuminata group), which is common in Costa Rican gardens, farms, and smallholdings. A mature banana bunch can be seen towards the top of the tree, and below it, the large purple inflorescence bract (the banana flower or \u201cbanana heart\u201d) hangs down.<\/p>\n This amazing looking plant is Heliconia rostrata, <\/em>known commonly as Hanging Lobster Claw or False Bird of Paradise.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Utilizing tropical plants in your garden design is one of the best ways to ensure a unique-look to your landscape. We have some wonderful articles on how best to achieve this look, no matter what your winter is like. Check out some of those articles, linked below. Tomorrow, we\u2019ll be headed back to North America! Thank you for taking this trip with me. I hope someday I\u2019ll be able to return to Costa Rica, there is no shortage of things to see and learn about there.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Read More:<\/strong><\/p>\n Make a Big Impact in a small Urban Space with Bold Tropical Plants<\/a><\/p>\n Bring It In!\u00a0 Overwintering Tender Perennials and Tropicals<\/a><\/p>\n How to Effectively Use Tropical Plants in Cool Climates<\/a><\/p>\n Design a Tropical Garden Look with Cannas, Bananas, and Elephant Ears<\/a><\/p>\n How to Grow Monsteras<\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Have photos to share? We\u2019d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!<\/p>\n To submit, send 5\u201310 photos to\u00a0[email\u00a0protected]<\/span><\/a>\u00a0along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We\u2019d love to hear where you are located, how long you\u2019ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.<\/p>\n Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on\u00a0Facebook,<\/a>\u00a0Instagram,<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0Twitter<\/a>\u00a0with #FineGardening!<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.finegardening.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/11\/17112448\/PXL_20210804_202505085-scaled.jpg\")
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<\/a><\/p>\nWe want to see YOUR garden!<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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