03-Aug-2019
Rainbow Lorikeet
Trichoglossus haematodus... fairly widespread throughout Australia,
also found in Indonesia, New Guinea the Solomon Islands Vanuatu and New Caledonia. They nest in a hole in a tree.
We have a whole family living on our property - there is a strict pecking order on who eats first at the seed dish,
and they will boss birds 3 times their size when it
comes to who eats at the dish. We also have families of galahs,
sulphur crested cockatoos, magpies, magpielark, crested pigeons, doves and sparrows sharing the dish - in turn.
I can see them all from my computer desk.. they provide daily entertainment year round.
03-Aug-2019
Burnished violas
A tub of violas - yet more of them! These seem larger than the more common varieties
and are at present putting on a very nice show.
02-Aug-2019
Meyer lemon tree
Our tree continues providing fruit throughout the year - the last of a planting of
23 fruit trees, all but the lemon were dug up and replaced by the beginning of my
rose garden back in 1990. We had absolutely no luck growing fruit trees here, beaten
every time by the birds who would just leave a stone hanging in the tree minus the flesh.
The lemon survived, though possums will eat the very ripe fruit when they fall from
the tree. It is surrounded by roses now, so I had to include some golden yellow
roses to complement this tree. Photo taken from side balcony on a drizzly wet day.
Named after the agricultural explorer Frank Nicholas Meyer.
28-Jul-2019
First signs of spring?
A few things are starting to bloom, including these osteospermum and some cyclamen, and although
I have finished pruning the roses, there are a handful of buds I left to bloom before
taking off the last canes. Bulbs have been popping up - mostly blue,
but we have another month to go of our late winter season.
28-Jul-2019
Pansies in a pot
We had two grandsons visit the same day and I got them helping me in the garden.
We managed to move some large plants in pots out into the garden, giving me the
opportunity to replant the pots. Here's what I did with one of them... plant
some pansies, the first for a very long time. I usually buy violas, the smaller
version especially for my hanging baskets.. but the extra soil needed for the
BIG pots gave me the opportunity of trying pansies again. They are circling
a larger perennial and will help keep the soil fresh while the Abuliton grows &
fills the pot. I was rather taken by the markings on the faces... one looks like
a butterfly and the other reminds me of a Scottish Terrier.
28-Jul-2019
Cheiranthus - "Winter Joy"
An old fashioned flower commonly known as the "Wallflower", and we have a handful of these
growing in different parts of the garden. This is the first bloom on this one for
the season... and the name suits it well. An easy care small shrub, to about knee height.
28-Jul-2019
A Ring of Dams
Down in the gully that threads around the hills are a series of dams that owners
have added - some were already there and others added later. Some years the dams
link up when there has been enough rain to run from the highest dam to the lowest
causing a little river. Years ago we heard frogs but they seem to have either died
out or found somewhere else to live. Here you have next doors horses with coats on
and two are in our side of the fence and one of the pair of mares the other side.
Yes, we have sunshine today after a good rain during the night. I'll be spending
most of the day pruning the roses. I'm nearing the end which is good, as we're off
to Cairns in a couple of weeks time. It is still winter here where we live.
13-Jul-2019
Lachenalia - "Soldier Boys"
These are still lasting in a vase from half way through July, and the rest of the unopened bells have opened since I took this photo - but both
the purple flowers finished after a day.
I am nearing the end of rose pruning... and a promising weather forecast tells me we're to have a
fine week without rain, good weather for pruning!
20-Jul-2019
The New Playground
Over the road from our 3rd daughter's home is a park with a newly erected playground
it replaces a simple swing and slippery dip that was there before. A popular place
for families with young children, and some arrived just after I took this photo.
There is a little creek that runs through the park, and you can see two sulphur
crested cockatoos flying through.
08-Jul-2019
"Mutabilis"
An old rose shrub that was first in line for a prune this year, and is coming back
into flower already... As the name suggests, this rose changes colour and you often
have a mixture of colours in flower at the same time - saffron-light pink-deep pink.
It makes a wonderful hedge, and
if left to grow to full potential becomes a massive size in width and height. Mine
hasn't be allowed to get to its full size and I nearly lost it with the summer heat
followed by drought and I'm so glad to see it coming back into leaf and flower.
08-Jul-2019
More violas
I have a weakness when I visit nurseries, I usually come out with more than I
intended to... and violas usually catch my eye. This is another batch growing
in a hanging basket.
13-Jul-2019
A bird's eye view
Another view from the balcony