Going bananas in Benton: Couple plants tropical paradise
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[One banana, two bananas, three bananas, four. A tropical paradise has been created in the back yard of Donna and Kevin Montgomery of Benton.
Donna Montgomery said they acquired a banana tree four years ago that produces fruit annually.
"We picked a banana before fall last year but it never got ripe," she said. "This year, the tree has produced more fruit than ever before probably because it was hotter than in years past."
Another trip to the tropical paradise revealed even more bananas flourishing under the summer sun.
Native to the southern part of the United States and Southeast Asia, the fruit is now grown in 107 countries, according to Wikipedia.
Montgomery said the tree blooms before producing the fruit. "As the fruit grows, the leaves peel off and expose the banana. We have three more banana trees coming up near the larger one.
"We cut the tree down in the fall, wrap it in burlap and take it inside," Montgomery said. "The tree goes dormant during the winter and we replant in the spring."
She said she fertilizes and waters the plants in her tropical garden and has plans for a greenhouse this fall.
Montgomery also has a bird-of-paradise that has produced one flower thus far. The plant, native to South Africa, was a gift from her husband. She said he brought the plant back from a trip to Florida during Bike Week.
The bird-of-paradise or crane flower is similar to the banana. Montgomery said the flower is red and is shaped like a bird when in bloom.
She also has a candy corn plant, native to South Africa, that is growing on a trellis.
"I found this trellis at an antique shop and added it to the garden," Montgomery said. "It is the perfect backdrop for the candy corn plant that produces bright yellow and orange flowers that resembles candy corn."
An added feature provides cooling breezes, she said. An industrial fan Montgomery calls Bahama breezes keeps the family and guests cool while enjoying the in-ground swimming pool, she said.
"Even on the hottest days, when Bahama breezes is blowing, people comment about how cool it is in our backyard."
Montgomery said the pool also has an enhanced feature.
"I rarely spend any time indoors during the summer," she said. "When our granddaughter, Allee Atchison visits, she really enjoys swimming in the pool.
"Kevin decided to create a waterfall effect and added a PVC pipe that has holes in it," Montgomery said. "Allee loves to swim under the pipe and let the water rain down on her."