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Costa

Rica

Tropical Gardening Companion

Do not use for medicinal purposes without seeking a medical physicians advice. Dr. KO Luedtke

PhotographerDr. RF Luedtke 2

PRICE: A donation of food and cleaning supplies to a wildlife rescue facility. Or a cash donation to a conservation or wildlife society. Many are listed on Amazon for cash donations, but your local ones would be thankful for food and cleaning supplies.

Costa Rica: Tropical Gardening Companion Dr KO Luedtke Photographs by RF and KO Luedtke The contents of this book are the sole rights of the author. Please share this ebook with your friends and if you utilize information please don’t forget to cite this book . ISBN: 978-0-9832448-5-1 Tropical Gardening Companion © Dr KO Luedtke 2013, 2020 Copieco, 50mts sur de la entrada principal UCR San Pedro, Costa Rica

Chapter 1: Let’s start the day with Coffee and Perfume Chapter 2: Putting In A Little Color For Cut Chapter 3: Add Some Color From The Ground Up Chapter 4: Splashes Of Color Cross The Sky Chapter 5: Add Some Green To That Afternoon Tea Chapter 6: Oh Those Beautiful Wall Flowers Chapter 7: Add A Little Shade And Some Fruit Chapter 8: Tropical Breezes Chapter 9: Let’s Go Native Chapter 10: Helpful Spanish Words Chapter 11: Other Garden Visitors Chapter 12: Trash Trees, Weeds And Wild Things Chapter 13: The Ones in Danger

Do not use plants for medicinal purposes without seeking a medical physicians advice.

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Dedication

To Ivy For all of her ideas and help in getting this book noticed.

To My Husband For labor and tolerance

And To My father Who didn’t see this book published But was the one who raised us outdoors and went out of his way to put us in FFA

Do not use plants for medicinal purposes without seeking a medical physicians advice.

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INTRODUCTION Welcome to Costa Rica, Latitude 9 in the tropics. Whether you bought a house with space to start up a garden or are just renting, Costa Rica is the place to get your fingers in the dirt. The varieties of plants that grow in this tropical belt are outstanding. Everything from your true thought of tropical gardens with bougainvilleas, gingers, heliconias, bromeliads and orchids to your cultivated geraniums and hydrangeas. You are sure to not be disappointed by anything other than possibly the odd unsuccessful adventure of hunting down that one special for your garden. Like us humans, some plants can adapt and put down roots anywhere, others though need a little special treatment and climate zone. Throughout this book of flowers, trees and you’ll find information on which altitude and what these plant preferences are. Costa Ricans also have their own names for plants, so where they are known they are included, these names though may not be the same in other Central American or Latin American countries, furthermore some names are used for multiple plants. I am not a botanist and don’t pretend to be one, this book is written for the many people who have asked which plant is which and where do you get it. The plants listed are from personal experience. There are many plants which are easily available yet have no name attached, or are called by several different names which actually belong to one scientific family. The plants that are not named are because either the name could not be found through research or via the local people. This gardening book is written for everyone, so although the scientific names of the plants are included much of the botanist lingo is not unless there is simply no other way to describe the plant. In addition to that, there are many plants easily encountered as to which names have not been found but are included for their beauty and ease to acquire. The regions dealt with are from 250