25-MAR-2018
Our gum trees
When we moved here there were only 4 or 5 mature eucalyptus trees, but we planted
dozens ourselves, and have quite a few self-seed and grow, we have been living here
for close to 40 years now. I had intended taking photos with my Canon, but the battery
was flat, and so the little Lumix got used instead.
My final entry for this particular Challenge, even though it is now April down under!
25-MAR-2018
Leafy tree
One of our 2 Linden Trees is still laden with leaves, though some are starting
to turn to a leafy yellow/gold.
25-MAR-2018
Turning leaves
One of three of our crab apple trees has more turning leaves than the others.
Gradually they'll all be colourful so when the months pass and we're in May
the colours will be at their best.
27-MAR-2018
A bounty of horses
A wonderful mural on the wall of the dining room in this
old hotel took my eye, so I photographed it, but have updated
the picture with various filters to create the end product.
19-MAR-2018
Australian native violet
Viola hederacea - a small scentless flower borne on short stems on a creeping evergreen perennial.
The stems are prostrate, suckering and mat forming spreading widely . I have
one of these plants growing in a water-well hanging pot,
and it cascades over the edges and reaches quite a distance.
It likes a damp spot to grow, hence the water-well container.
19-MAR-2018
Osteospermum daisy
We have these in bucketloads around the front gardens at home here... this
particular one is a double white/lilac. I grow them from cuttings as soon as
I acquire a new one from a nursery - they are so easy to propagate and grow.
19-MAR-2018
Regal pelargonium - "Salmon Shades"
A fairly new addition to my big pelargonium patch, I have already taken cuttings
from this one - as I usually do - and have it growing in 2 places in the patch
so far. It certainly has plenty of blooms, absolutely covering the little plant
that you can barely see the leaves.
23-MAR-2018
Two Cedar Trees
When we drive into our carport, this is the view we see - two of our five cedar
trees with numerous hanging baskets cascading with mostly red ephiphyllum growing.
When they all flower it is a sight to see; but they only flower in November.
In the background is a small section of our rose garden, you can see a pathway
in this photo.
21-MAR-2018
A Bountiful Supply
We were gathered to celebrate our dear old friend's 91st birthday when
I noticed this rather large supply of wines in a special room alongside
our table and thought it might be an acceptable addition to this month's
challenge.
19-MAR-2018
Ivy Pelargonium
This is a lovely burgundy colour and at present I have a couple of hanging baskets of
this one, and a couple growing as ground cover in the garden. I grew this one from
cuttings many years ago, and it is always in flower.
19-MAR-2018
Antirrhinum Hispanicum
The trailing pink snap dragon that I have growing in a pot, a very attractive
plant so far..suited to rock gardens over retaining walls and to the
front of beds containing other small perennials. Great for pots and hanging baskets.
19-MAR-2018
Zonal Pelargonium
I grew this from a cutting and now have a handful of this particular one growing.
I don't know the name, it was given to me by a friend.
18-MAR-2018
The Garden of Unearthly Delights!
The ad reads as "The world's greatest performing arts carnival" and it really
is quite special, held in the various parklands that encircle Adelaide, South
Australia during March. Several big tents are erected for the shows, then there are numerous
kiosks circling the areas with food from around the world. We saw a special
show called "Djuki Mala" a fusion of traditional Yolngu, pop-culture dance
and storytelling, as we know one of the lead dancers in the group. This group has
performed around the world many times, and even featured in the Edinburgh
Tattoo last year and will again this year. This photo was taken while we
were snacking on some Turkish gozleme delights amongst a view like this!
03-OCT-2017
"Lady Hillingdon"
A delightful old climbing rose, opens a deep gold and gradually fades to a softer hue.
10-OCT-2017
Spring pathway
A walk around the paths of the rose garden on a spring morning was the highlight
of the day.
03-OCT-2017
Violas in baskets
These gave us great joy while they lasted... the heat of summer finished
them off overnight and they've now been replaced with a low growing carex
called "Feather Falls" - luckily I took some photos of the violas while
they were performing as seen here! (one of two baskets)
03-OCT-2017
Bluebells
A reminder that spring is on its way for most of our pbase friends!
05-MAR-2018
Australian Magpie
We have a family of these who live in one of our trees, they visit the seed
dish from time to time and take turn with the other birds. They are well down
in the peck order of the dish, but above the crested pigeons and cheeky sparrows.
This photo was taken down in the horse paddock, you can see how dry it is this
time of year.
05-MAR-2018
My extending pelargonium patch
I am gradually extending this patch, and have lost count how many plants are now
installed in this patch. The main bushes are pelargonium regals with some zonals here and
there, plus some ground cover ivy pelargoniums of various hues and a little native
pelargonium that trails down in a few bordering patches. Nearly all have been grown from
cuttings I've made myself with only a handful of new ones I've bought from garden
nurseries. As I can see these from my computer room I like to keep them flowering
as much as possible throughout the year. Autumn is a good time for adding new plants
so they can get a good start through the winter & spring to face our very hot and
often windy summers days.
01-MAR-2018
The rose called "Dove"
This one was bred in the U.K. by David Austin - a pretty & shapely bush that
needs to be in the front row, just an average height. Considering the heat
we've had through our summer, this little rose has done very well and had a
handful of blooms of quite good condition. I rarely prune the Austin roses,
this one included.. it has a lovely natural shape without any help from me.
01-MAR-2018
Portulaca Grandiflora
The time of year for these to be in flower down under. They come in many colours
and these were supposed to be a mixed bunch but turned out to be only yellow. I
have this pot hanging in my gazebo where they seem to enjoy the spot..plenty of
sunshine down there!
05-MAR-2018
Sleepyhead
Flossie is now 11, and she sleeps a lot... here she is in a favourite spot on the
sofa totally ignoring me and the camera. She has no doggie bed because she chewed them
all up over the years... this flat black doggie mat is all that has survived, and that
has a few holes chewed in it, they are out of sight in this photo.
Following Gill's comment, we throw a sheet over the sofa to keep the sofa free of
weed seeds and grime, especially needed if Flossie has been having a diggie..
09-MAR-2018
Southern Hemisphere Wildflowers
Dick came home with this large bunch of wildflowers, he often buys these when he
goes to pick up the morning's newspapers at a nearby deli. All the blooms
featured are from the southern hemisphere, mainly South Africa, but there are
some from Australia as well. There are some flower farms not far from where
we live, and they grow these en masse because they have the right soil that suits
these plants. They last a long time in a vase and are very good value.
09-MAR-2018
Violas, another colour
I bought another punnet of violas yesterday to plant in another pot... the colour
attracted me to them, even though I wasn't actually shopping for flowers! :)
07-MAR-2018
Young foal
He is being weaned from his mother, and is in our paddock, but can see her, she is 2 paddocks away,
and he often calls out to her with his high pitched little neigh.. a difficult time for them both.
A quiet little fellow who came right up to me and let me pat him - he was one side of the fence and I was on the other side,
I'm not brave with horses, it is Dick who is very keen and used to ride.
I have learned his name is "Merlin" because his father's name was "The Magician"
01-MAR-2018
More fuchsias.
This one has a tiny bloom on a small bush with tiny leaves... it is in flower right now
in a hanging basket on the south side of our carport.
05-MAR-2018
Rainbow Lorikeet
I donned my long lens on my camera thinking I'd take some photos of the foal which
is at present in our paddock; but as I left the house I noticed the whole family of
lorikeets were in the seed dish or in the tree holding the dish.. here is one that
was waiting turn for the dish.
01-MAR-2018
Fuchsia
This tiny flower floats above a bush that is as tall as I am, originally a
cutting taken from a garden that our daughter #3 in her early
days of renting before she married and had children... as its their 25th
anniversary coming up next year, it gives you an idea how long I've been
growing this fuchsia!
01-MAR-2018
Violas
On the first day of March I planted a pot full of these little violas, they will give us
a lovely display through autumn and again in spring.
02-MAR-2018
Fruit
Summer fruits, although not a large variety on the dish this week.
03-OCT-2017
Autumn colours
Although this photo was taken back in October 2017, the pot of these
haven't stopped flowering through the long summer months and into
March.