Friday Shoot-out: my town’s gardens

I promised myself that this week’s shoot-out would be brief – I would not max 10 photos and they would all be ones I have taken this week – no digging in the archives. I am now being put to the test.

For a subtropical city, Rio de Janeiro does not show itself draped in flowers. Ipanema, the barrio in which my apartment sits, has streets lined in trees. Ipanema does not have but a handful of private homes, so the streets are of 4 and 5 story apartment buildings. For maybe 2 months July and August the temperatures are moderate. From November through April it is HOT and humid. These three characteristics lead to a lush, rich, shaded environment, and not many flowers can thrive in this shade and humidity.

	The streets are lined with shade trees, not letting in much light.
The trees depending on the time of year add color and fill the air with the smells of blooms. In Rio the orchids are put up in the trees by the porteiros – bromeliads grow in the very tops of the trees.
	My part of town has several parks and many green belts, and kiosks that sell fresh cut/ and potted flowers. These do not end up out where they can be seen but a put in the apartments for color or are given as gifts when you visit friends. Even though for sell – they add much needed color to the streets.
If lucky you can see a bird of paradise in full bloom. (I tried – only 7 more photos than I promised!)	The majority of apartment buildings have a fence the protects the entrance – some have nice gardens behind the fence. You can only catch a glimpse.