Orange Thumb

It has been just over a month since we moved into our new apartment - and it's feeling more like home with each passing day.  In our desire to embrace island life, we chose a place with a lovely balcony, one where we can enjoy the lovely view, streaming sunlight and constant breeze all the time. We also have a great deal more square footage than in our former NYC pad - finally we have a dining area, a proper room for guests, and space for flora and fauna! So off we went to the famous Thomson Road strip of nurseries to create a tropical paradise in our own home.

While I was told to shop along the vast row for selection and price, the Saturday we visited was one scorcher of a day. Walking around in fear of sunstroke just to land a potential bargain didn't seem wise. Therefore I'm glad that Hawaii Landscape was our first stop. You only have to see the photos to understand why my search ended there:

 

Bountiful foliage was a priority so I picked up the hardy, big-leaved Thaumatococcus species in the first picture above, having been assured that it can grow lush without too much care. And if I can flex my green thumb without any casualties, I will be back for the monstera palm below stat:

Edible plants-wise, we're starting small. Apart from a pot of thai basil (hello #padthai), we also picked up a lime tree that will hopefully bear green fruit unlike the seasonal orange ones below. 

I was also tempted to get a jasmine plant (can you imagine how amazing our place would smell?). Alas I was told insects have an affinity for the scent too and wouldn't bode too well for balcony gardens like ours. 

We did however come home with a sunflower tree. No blooms yet like the ones below but we've been told to be patient. 

No, I had no intention of matching the plant pots when I got dressed that day: 

Wearing:
DVF Reina dress (sim, sim) - the print on mine is Gingko Small. Since it's a few years old, I suggest eBay to locate items made in this exact print.
Sol Sana Camila sandals (here as well, sim in slides) - new to me brand of budget-friendly sandals. So comfy they've become my commuting sandals for work. 
Ray Ban pink aviators 
Giles and Brother skinny railroad spike pave cuff in rose gold - Considering the price, I expected this to tarnish quickly, yet it still looks as good as new after heavy wear. I highly recommend.