When people first drive into our compound, they often say something like “Wow, it’s really a tropical jungle in here!” as there is an abundance of trees, creepers and unusual plants, many with oversize leaves. I’d never really taken the time to have a close look at them all, but with the arrival of baby David, I’ve been spending much more time in the garden, and started to notice just what an amazing variety of plants there are. I’ve been trying to identify some of them, but with little success so far, so if there are any David Bellamys out there who recognise any of them, or at least could point me in the right direction, then I’d be very grateful if you could let me know! Most of these photos were taken in April/May soon after the first rains arrived.

Some type of Cycad, probably of the genus Encephalartos?

Heliconia, probably rostrata.

 
Yellow walking iris (Trimezia martinicensis)

Some type of Hosta?

The ‘Swiss Cheese Plant’ (Monstera deliciosa)

 
Peacock flower (Caesalpinia pulcherrima) – popular with sunbirds

 
Red velvet mussaenda / Red flag bush (Mussaenda erythrophylla)

 
No idea

 
Some type of Dragon fruit (Hylocereus)? – looks like something from ‘Day of the triffids’

 
Orange trumpet vine (Pyrostegia venusta)

 
African oil palm (Elaeis guineensis)

 
Solitary fish-tail palm (Caryota urens)

 
Flamboyant/flame tree (Delonix regia)

 
Masquerade tree (Polyalthia longifolia) – so called because it resembles some Nigerian cultural masquerade figures.

 
Bamboo palm (Dypsis lutescens)

Copper plant (Acalypha wilkesiana)?

 
Angel’s wings (Begonia coccinea)?

 
King’s mantle (Thunbergia erecta)? – one of the few plants on this page that is native to West Africa.

 
Angel trumpet (Brugmansia suaveolens)

 
Some type of Frangipani (Plumeria rubra).

 
King palm (Archontophoenix cunninghamiana)

 
Cuban royal palm (Roystonea regia)

 
Red cedar (Thuja occidentalis)

 
Traveller’s palm (Ravenala madagascariensis)

 
Some type of fan palm

Painter’s palette (Anthurium andraeanum)