23-SEP-2015
Various Grevillea
We have at least 4 of these in flower right now, the birds love the nectar and
visit the bushes often when they're in flower. Some have the nick-name "spider flower"
because of the spindly tendrils emanating from each bloom.
The little deep pink blooms in the foreground are from Pittosporum, a massive hedge
which dominates one of our bush gardens giving us privacy from the busy road.
20-SEP-2015
Fresh new rose leaves
They always look so new and smell wonderful in early spring, always amazes me how
quickly they follow pruning, thankfully, otherwise there would just be stalks & stems
for weeks in winter. The new leaves can be green, russet, olive green and dark green
making an interesting sight to see massed together.
20-SEP-2015
Azalea flowers
I have this little azalea growing in a large pot and it is at present a mass
of colour, very welcome addition while the rose garden is not much other
that fresh new leaves.
19-SEP-2015
Coastal Rosemary
We have had these growing for at least a quarter of a century and they are
a picture in flower right now. I'd forgotten about these bushes, but Dick
wanted me to photograph them in bloom, so I braved the long grass growing
around them and took this shot amongst others. The botanical name for
these flowers is "Westringia fruticosa" and they grow on minimal care in
one of our bush gardens which edge a horse paddock.
19-SEP-2015
Osteospermum
All the patches of osteospermum are in flower right now... this one is a fairly new
one for us, and I think Laine has or had this one growing too. I have taken a
few cuttings and grown them from the original plant, very easy to do, and doubled
up in parts of the garden.
12-SEP-2015
Philotheca myoporoides "Mountain Giant"
A new wildflower we have just planted in one of our bush gardens... as it is reputed
to not require artificial irrigation once established, is frost and drought hardy
so has a lot to recommend us planting one to see if it likes living where we live.
14-SEP-2015
First bearded iris for spring
I think this one is called "Pink Kitten" and its a medium height iris that grows
on the edge of one of the paths through the rose garden. I'm so glad I took its
photo because we had a deluge of rain/hail/storms this afternoon and this little
bloom will be ruined.
12-SEP-2015
"Red Coat"
One of the Austin roses, a pretty shrub in full bloom, which mine is right now
as I didn't need to prune this one this year, I gave it a hard prune last year.
It is lovely to have a splash of colour in the rose garden while the other
bushes & shrubs are just coming back into leaf.
12-SEP-2015
Pelargonium rodneyanum
An Australian species that hugs the ground making a lovely ground-cover at the
edges of a garden bed. I have it growing in several places and it flowers
almost non stop throughout the entire year. Thanks to Tom & Don, we now have
a common name for this little gem - Magenta Storksbill, the latter a reference to the seed capsules.
12-SEP-2015
The red camellia
I love seeing this one through the window when it is in flower; the same
flower bud featured in yesterday's photo of the group of camellias.
No real fragrance from these, but there is so many other things which
give a sniff of spring in the air that it doesn't really matter.
08-SEP-2015
Camellia blooms and some crab apple blossom
We only have 3 camellia bushes; they don't really thrive for us and this year haven't
performed very well at all. We believe this is due to a long drought earlier in the year.
Unfortunate for us, as we depend on looking out from our bedroom window and seeing the
splash of colour from the 3 bushes at this time of year.
08-SEP-2015
Argyranthemum Frutescens - Federation Daisy
What a cumbersome name for a pretty flower! A versatile easy-to-care for compact shrub.
Mine is growing in a tub and is putting on quite a show right now... lovely, as the rose
garden is no more than sticks with a few leaves after finishing the pruning for the year.