Author: Tommy Clarkson

--- Tommy Clarkson is a bit of a renaissance man. He’s lived and worked in locales as disparate as the 1.2 square mile island of Kwajalein to war-torn Iraq, from aboard he and Patty’s boat berthed out of Sea Bright, NJ to Thailand, Germany, Hawaii and Viet Nam; He’s taught classes and courses on creative writing and mass communications from the elementary grades to graduate level; He’s spoken to a wide array of meetings, conferences and assemblages on topics as varied as Buddhism, strategic marketing and tropical plants; In the latter category he and Patty’s recently book, “The Civilized Jungle” – written for the lay gardener – has been heralded as “the best tropical plant book in the last ten years”; And, according to Trip Advisor, their spectacular tropical creation - Ola Brisa Gardens – is the “Number One Tour destination in Manzanillo”.

Saluting Those Who Care

April 1, 2014January 20, 2018Tommy Clarkson

By Tommy Clarkson from the April 2014 Edition We – that would be Patty and me of Ola Brisa Gardens deeply love and greatly appreciate Manzanillo, its people and all which comprises it. Accordingly, each year we join others in striving to show our gratitude to the community by our involvement with organized “causes of consequence”. Thus, […]

Mexican Milkweed- I Planted Roots on Mexico

April 1, 2014February 4, 2019Tommy Clarkson

By Tommy Clarkson from the April 2014 Edition Asclepias curassavica Family: Asclepiadaceae (Also known as Blood-flower, Butterfly Weed, Scarlet Milkweed, Tropical Milkweed, Swallow-Wort, Red Cottonweed, Indian Root or Silkweed.) If you have a Mexican Milkweed growing around your home and somewhat fluently understand butterfly (and what self-respecting gardener doesn’t!) you have probably heard visiting Monarch’s enthusiastically exclaim, “Yum! […]

Begonias- I Planted Roots in Mexico

March 1, 2014February 4, 2019Tommy Clarkson

By Tommy Clarkson from the March 2014 Edition (No Common Name) (Begonia deliciosa – Found in Borneo, named in 1851) Kidney Begonia (Begonia dichotoma Found in Venezuela/Colombia, named in 1790) Family: Begoniaceae These species are but two of 1,500, worldwide, which comprise the Begonia family but are a couple growing in Ola Brisa Gardens that I enjoy. From […]

Philodendron- I Planted Roots in Mexico

March 1, 2014February 4, 2019Tommy Clarkson

By Tommy Clarkson from the March 2014 Edition Philodendros Family: Araceae Also known as: (Dependent upon species, a diverse array of names are used.) Native to the West Indies and the tropical rain forests of Central and South America, Philodendrons are a large family of approximately 900 species. As some of the most beautiful foliage plants in the […]

Making Sense of Life

March 1, 2014January 21, 2018Tommy Clarkson

By Tommy Clarkson from the March 2014 Edition These days, it often seems difficult to make sense of life, with much of what comprises it almost overwhelming us.. But, perhaps, we are remiss in failing to focus on the basic beauties of our existence all the simple things on which we should more often ably apply and employ […]

Not the friend it purports!

March 1, 2014January 20, 2018Tommy Clarkson

By Tommy Clarkson from the March 2014 Edition (Walmart is a 250 pound playground bully) Mr. Bauer and Mr. Hampton’s small, locally owned, grocery stores, Knupp’s pharmacy, Doerr’s Mercantile, Lischevsky’s Dry Goods and the ladies clothing store called The Toggery couldn’t do it. Row’s bakery, Estes Dairy, Western Auto, the Palace Clothier, Standish Men’s Clothes, Mullin’s Furniture Store […]

Fire Flash- I Planted Roots in Mexico

February 1, 2014February 4, 2019Tommy Clarkson

By Tommy Clarkson from the February 2014 Edition Chlorophytum amaniense or Chlorophytum orchidantheroides, C. orchidastrum, C. filipendulum amaniense Chlorophytum orchidastrum, Chlorophytum filipendulum, Family: Anthericaceae, Liliaceae or Agavaceae (Also known as a Mandarin Plant, Fire Glory, Orange Spider Plant, Green Orange Tangerine and Sierra Leone Lily.) Introduced to the Americas not much more than a decade ago, this perennial […]

Candlebush- I Planted Roots in Mexico

January 1, 2014February 4, 2019Tommy Clarkson

By Tommy Clarkson from the January 2014 Edition Senna alata Family: Fabsceae (Also known as a Candelabra Bush, Empress Candle Plant, Candletree, Christmas Candle, Emperor’s Candlesticks, Empress Candle Plant, Popcorn Senna, Candelillo, Ringworm Bush or Acapulco) Around here, for all intents and purposes, this is the veritable, “ubiquitous wild bush of magnificence” while in some other locales […]

Ixora- I Planted Roots in Mexico

December 1, 2013February 4, 2019Tommy Clarkson

By Tommy Clarkson from the December 2013 Edition (Ixora chenensis) Family: Rubiaceae (Also known as Jungle Geranium, Mexican Geranium, Jungle Flame, West Indian Jasmine, Needle Flower, Chinese Ixora and Flame of the Woods.) For a plant lover such as me, my initial comment, regarding the Ixora, may seem a bit fickle. But, we are all human and, […]

Triangle Palm- I Planted Roots in Mexico

November 1, 2013February 4, 2019Tommy Clarkson

By Tommy Clarkson from the November 2013 Edition Dypsis decaryi (Sometimes cited as Neodypsis decaryi) Family: Arecacea (Also called a Three Cornered or Three-sided Palm) The Triangle Palm is a member of a large and amazingly diverse genus of which there are 140 species many of which are critically endangered. In fact, in its natural habitat, this […]