For a garden with some intense bursts of color and a bold, interesting look and feel, many enthusiasts choose to plant Bromeliads.  Although they can be grown in climates as varied as the southwestern deserts of the United States to the tropical rain forests in South America, St. Petersburg’s climate is very conducive to growing these striking plants.  There are over 1,500 American species, so any photograph that shows just a few is bound to present a limited picture of the varieties and the beauty that are out there.  But as I drove along Coffee Pot Boulevard recently and spotted this very pretty Bromeliad garden just off the road, I was motivated to pull off onto a side road, park, and walk back and take some pictures.  It was just a very nice mix of plants, textures, and colors, and it’s a really nice alternative to a boring patch of St. Augustine grass or some random shrub…

If you’d like to see some more varieties of Bromeliad flowers, check out this web site.  And if you’d like to try growing your own, many varieties are available at local nurseries – just stop at your favorite and talk to one of the staff and I’m sure that they can get you started!

Bromeliads in the Sun (click on photo for larger image)