Lavender & Vanilla

The Summer Garden;

2012-01-26T20:54:00.000+10:00

Darling; nature is poetry in plants and flowers...talking to my grand daughter...

Coleus, Solenostemon; with its alluring colours and patterns for many a favourite plant to grow in the warm climate garden.

Exquisite Lichen adorning the tree trunk; Foliose lichen Parmeliopsis ambigua

Heliconia rostrata; the pride of any garden;

All the names I know from nurse:

Gardener's garters, Shepherd's purse,

Bachelor's buttons, Lady's smock,

And the Lady Hollyhock.

RLStevenson

The sun traces a mosaic pattern in the pool;

Easy to grow, gorgeous, friendly Gazanias, love the sun;

Salvias are a must have in the sub tropical garden.

Sunset; clouds are part of the summer sky;

Allamanda loves to use nearby trees and bushes to climb up to show of its dazzling yellow bells.

Varigated Bromeliads, easy to grow and add structure and interest to the garden.

Fairy places, fairy things,

Fairy woods where the wild bee wings,

Tiny trees for tiny dames--

These must all be fairy names!

RL Stevenson

Mussaenda flava; vigorous and decidious;

Summer is also the time for juicy Mangoes

Tiny woods below whose boughs

Shady fairies weave a house;

Tiny tree-tops, rose or thyme,

Where the braver fairies climb!

RL Stevenson

Different leaf sizes, patterns colours; glorious;

The native Callistemon, or just simply called bottlebrushes are always delightful and a good source of nectar for the native birds.

Time for a little rest and perhaps a cool drink, it is hot!

The last but not the least is the graceful cassia fistula, in full flower now.

Fair are grown-up people's trees,

But the fairest woods are these;

Where, if I were not so tall,

I should live for good and all.

RL Stevenson

Believe it or not:

Po Ata Rau; Now is the Now;

Photos TS

Deco...outside and in....

2012-01-04T16:35:00.000+10:00

Home is where the Heart is

When you arrive ring the bell

The magic Petunias

Free garden deco

I am a rabbit

The sunny Gazanias

We flower for free

A place for two, three or four

A bouquet from the garden

Your guess is right, my name is Petunia

"Thyme" for cooking

A decorative addition for a moment

A pleasure to grow

Flowers at the window

Succulent splendour

Believe it or not:

Festina lente...meaning hurry slowly

Photos TS

© TS

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year;

2011-12-23T18:57:00.000+10:00

Christmas Bells

I heard the bells on Christmas Day

Their old, familiar carols play,

And wild and sweet

The words repeat

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Christmas Bells

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1864)

The garden through the year; 2011

2011-11-30T19:43:00.001+10:00

JANUARY

"Anyone can have dirt. Gardener's have soil."

FEBRUARY

"And then my heart with pleasure fills

And dances with daffodils."...William Wordsworth

MARCH

APRIL

"You may go down to the garden."...(Peter Rabbit's mother) Beatrix Potter

MAY

JUNE

"Everything is good in its season."...Italian

JULY

"The only two herbicides we recommend are cultivation and mulching."...Organic Gardening Magazine

AUGUST

"Who loves a garden still
his Eden keeps,
Perennial pleasures plants,
and wholesome harvest reaps."...Amos Bronson Alcott 1868

SEPTEMBER

"If man cheats the earth, the earth will cheat man."...Chinese

OCTOBER

"Roses are red,

Violets are blue;

But they don't get around

Like the dandelions do."...Slim Acres

NOVEMBER

"We all share the same backyard."

DECEMBER

Thursday 1.December 2011 6:57 AM

Believe it or not;
"As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world - that is the myth of the atomic age - as in being able to remake ourselves."...Mahatma Gandhi

It's DayLilli time....again;

2011-11-07T18:04:00.000+10:00

Miniature Hoot

Daphne Tremmel;

Spider; Christmas Tidings;

Old Tangiers;

Bold Encounter;

Charlie Pierce Memorial;

Egyptian Ibis; one of my favourites.

Apricot Jade;

Short Circuit; I love the fine cream line around its petals;

Champagne Elegance; pretty nearly white with yellow frills;

Jordan Verhaert; small blooms;

Hemerocallis;

The daylily is a widely grown perennial flower that blooms continuously through the spring and summer months. Its botanical name is Hemerocallis, which means "beautiful for a day." The name reflects the reality that daylilies' blooms last for only one day.

Daylilies do best in full sun and well-drained soil enriched with organic matter. They need a handful of slow release fertilizer once a year---in early spring. Feeding too much causes excess foliage and no flowers. Daylilies need weekly watering when there is no rainfall. Mulching with wood chips, grass clippings or shredded leaves is also recommended.

Courtesy; Australiandaylily Society;

There are three types of foliage habit: dormant, evergreen and semi-evergreen. Of these, dormant types are generally not suited to the hot coastal climate.

Flower size may be miniature (blooms under 7.5cm in diameter), small flower (blooms 7.5cm to 11cm in diameter) and large flowers (blooms are 11cm in diameter).

Flower scapes are either low (15cm to 60cm tall), medium (60 to 90 cm tall) or tall (scapes over 90cm high).

The foliage runs from green to blue-green.

The height of the foliage varies from 15cm to 1metre.

Almost all colours of the spectrum are available: yellow (from gold to lemon), orange (brown to flesh), red (maroon to rose-red), pink (rose-red to shrimp), purple (violet to lilac) and near white. There is not a true blue blower.

Location: Full sun or partial shade and well drained, light to heavy soil.

Believe it or not:

Many things grow in the garden that were never sown there.

- Thomas Fuller, Gnomologia, 1732

HIPPIES...their time;

2011-10-03T06:26:00.000+10:00

All the Hippeastrums are grown from seed from a couple of bulbs I received 20 years ago. I have bought a pink, white and appleblossom, last year, which have flowered once. Hopefully I will get some more variations.
The above are a small selection of all subtle and also more flamboyant variations.

Hippeastrum is a genus of about 90 species and 600+ hybrids and cultivars of bulbous plants in the family Amaryllidaceae. Native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas from Argentina north to Mexico and the Caribbean. Some species are grown for their large showy flowers. These plants are popularly but erroneously known as Amaryllis, a monotypic African genus in the same family.

"Hippeastrum" is Greek for "horseman's star". It was chosen in 1837 by the Honorable Reverend William Herbert, Dean of Manchester. No one is entirely sure why he picked this name, it's likely he chose it because of the plant's striking resemblance to the "morning star", a medieval weapon used by horsemen, as William Herbert was both a clergyman and something of an expert on early medieval history. A version of the weapon was also called a "holy water sprinkler," an ecclesiastical object with which the Dean would have been familiar.
The first commercial breeders of Hippeastrum were Dutch growers who imported several species from Mexico and South America and began developing cultivars and hybrids from them in the 18th century; the first of these reached North America early in the 19th century. In 1946 two Dutch growers moved to the Union of South Africa and began cultivation there. Although most cultivars of Hippeastrum come from the Dutch and South African sources, bulbs are now being developed in the United States, Japan, Israel, India, Brazil and Australia.
Some excerpts from Wikipedia.

Believe it or not
"How the world turns. One day, cock of the walk. Next, a feather duster."
Aunty Entity - Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985)

The Sages for warm climates;

2011-07-15T12:51:00.000+10:00

Salvia guarantica, this one sports dark purple flowers. Can grow up to 2 m high and is an all year bloomer if you let it. I prune it lightly from time to time to keep it flowering.

Salvia uliginos, Bog Salvia; a very reliable bloomer all summer long. The flowers are a stunning sky blue. It tends to grow with underground rhizomes and has to be culled from time to time.

This is one of the most beautiful Salvias.The photo does not do it justice. The flowers are a dark blue with black calyxes. It also grows tall and is also easily propagated from green cuttings like many of the others.

Salvia perberula; the Rosebud Salvia is very showy. It grows 2 m long arms headed by up to 30 cm long flower stalks.The calyxes look like small bells from where the quite big dark pink flowers emerge. It is a stunning plant. Propagate in summer from cuttings.

Salvia greggii is very beautiful and flowers freely on a bush of about 1m high.

Salvia madrensis; wonderful yellow flowers. Splendid bush up to 2m. Flowers all summer long and has also attractive leaves. Propagates easily from cuttings or from root divisions.

A view of the garden;

I have many more Salvias which I will show in my next post

Salvia is the largest genus in the mint family with some 900 species of annuals, perennials and soft-wooded shrubs, including culinary and medicinal herbs as well as garden ornamentals. Many outstanding South and Central American species have been brought into cultivation just since the 1980's.

Believe it or not:
The seed is hope; the flower is joy.

Kalanchoe gastonis bonnieri; Donkey's Ears;

2011-06-29T13:23:00.000+10:00

My small succulent garden;

The still closed flowers;

Pretty mottled leaves;

Very attractive bell like flowers emerge from the red sheathes.

Donkey ear plants (also known as Kalanchoe gastonis bonnieri) are plants originating from Madagascar that have leaves resembling the shape of a donkey's ear. These plants are succulents and may be grown indoors or outdoors, in a temperate climate. Donkey ear plants require little care to thrive, as succulents can go for a length of time without being watered. Donkey ear plants produce brightly colored blooms that are known to attract insects and nectar seeking birds.

Plant the donkey ear plant in a pot with soil, or outdoors if you can guard the plant against frost. Potted plants may be kept outdoors and brought inside during the winter. Select a pot large enough for the plant to allow it to grow. Use potting soil that is permeable and includes a mix of peat, soil and sand. Small rocks may be added to the pot when planting to encourage drainage.

Keep the plant in an area where it will receive both sun and shade. During the winter, place the donkey ear plant near a window to expose it to sunshine.

Water the donkey ear plant approximately once a week, or less often as needed. Do not saturate the soil, as over-watering can harm the plant.

Monitor the donkey ear plant for baby plants. Baby plants appear at the tips of the leaves. These baby plants may be removed and planted to create new donkey ear plants.

Courtesy eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how

Believe it or not:

Whether you tend a garden or not, you are the gardener of your own being,
the seed of your destiny.- The Findhorn Community

Photos TS

Dahlia Imperialis; Tree Dahlia; a wonderful show!

2011-06-09T08:20:00.000+10:00

Tree dahlia/ Dahlia imperialis;
fast growing perennial from South America.
It grows three to five metres high with tall, sturdy canes topped with large lavender flowers in autumn and winter.
Prune the plant in winter after flowering.

* Remove all the dead wood.

* Cut down the canes that flowered last autumn; these are the ones to use for propagation.

* You can see a big bulbous bit at the bottom. That is the bulb of the dahlia that will shoot in spring and be three to five metres high again by autumn.

* Cut canes into 50 centimetre lengths. Ensure you have at least two nodes per cane, because they’ll actually root and shoot from those nodes.
* Lay a cane horizontally along a trench. They shoot from the nodes and in no time at all, you’ll get a lovely clump.
* When new growth gets to a metre high, nip the tips out. The canes won’t get as tall but will be sturdier and more resistant to wind damage.

Plant type: herbaceous tuber
Hardiness zones: 9-10
Sunlight: hot overhead sun
Soil Moisture: constantly moist
Soil: enriched soil, mildly acidic to mildly alkaline

Windblown blossoms, tiny droplets hanging on the petals like tears.

Believe it or not:
I had a lovely holiday; now I am back with new vigor!

Thank you to all who have send me a message. Very much appreciated.

....friends, I have a little rest from blogging....

2011-04-30T11:46:00.000+10:00

....see you soon again...

SkyWatch Friday; A golden stream of light;

2011-04-08T04:51:00.000+10:00

Early one morning;

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Photo TS

Rosella; Hibiscus sabdariffa; Rosella Jam;

2011-04-03T06:57:00.000+10:00

Rosella has lovely soft pink flowers which are also edible. The leaves are edible as well and taste like Sorrel. They can be added to lettuce or other salads.

Here is a link to all the facts about Rosella http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roselle_(plant)

The red calyxes holding the seedpod. The calyxes are collected after the flowers have fallen. They should have a nice size, 2-3 days after flowering.The seedpod should still be green not brown and hard. It is used to make the Jelly!

Preparing the calyxes. I cut off the bottom and then it is easily peeled away from the seed pod. P. has made a little tool,to push the seed pod out, but I am quicker cutting off the bottom and the seed pods stay intact.

Here you can see the separated seed pods and the empty calyxes.
Put the seedpods into a pan and cover with water. Cook for about 40 minutes until it jellies nicely.

Here they are bubbling away... (the pods only)

When the jelly is ready add it to the calyxes. Use a sieve to separate the pods from the jelly. I had a small bowl of calyxes and added 1 cup of sugar and the jelly from the pods and a little more water. Bring to the boil. After 10 minutes my Jam was ready. Do not cook longer then 20 minute as you do not want to lose the brilliant colour. In hindsight I could have used a little more sugar. The jam is sweet and sour, perhaps like the European red currant jam. Some say a little like cranberries, but it does not have the bitterness of cranberries. I think it is tastier.
It can be used as a savory to meat or as jam for breakfast.

Rosella Jam....brilliant!

Photos TS

Rosella (Hibiscus sabdariffa) is a species of Hibiscus native to the Old World tropics, used for the production of bast fibre and as an infusion. It is an annual or perennial herb or woody-based sub shrub, growing to 2–2.5 m (7–8 ft) tall. The leaves are deeply three- to five-lobed, 8–15 cm (3–6 in) long, arranged alternately on the stems.

Nutritional Facts

High in anti oxidants with very high levels of two of the most active anthocyanins

Phytochemicals

The plants are rich in anthocyanins, as well as protocatechuic acid. The dried calyces contain the flavonoids gossypetin, hibiscetine and sabdaretine. The major pigment, formerly reported as hibiscin, has been identified as daphniphylline. Small amounts of myrtillin (delphinidin 3-monoglucoside), Chrysanthenin (cyanidin 3-monoglucoside), and delphinidin are also present. Roselle seeds are a good source of lipid-soluble antioxidants, particularly gamma-tocopherol.

Believe it or not:

"Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love."

— Mother Teresa

SkyWatch Friday; pointing to the sky;

2011-04-01T05:37:00.000+10:00

Maryborough; Queensland;

Have fun and visit SkyWatch, click here

Photo TS

Persimmons; sweet harvest;

2011-03-28T11:45:00.000+10:00

End of summer, through March Persimmons ripen in the Orchard. This is one of the Miracles of Nature.

So delicious and packed with vitamins and minerals.

While the bounty lasts my breakfast consists of

1 soft boiled egg from my happy hens and

1 Persimmon...

I might have another one for morning tea... they are irresistible.

Persimmon fruit nutritional facts

Sweet, delicious persimmon fruits are rich in health promoting nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants that are vital for optimum health. Botanically, the fruit belongs to the family of Ebenaceae of the genus: Diospyros;

The fruit is low in calories (provides 70 cal/100g) and fats but is rich source of dietary fiber.

Persimmons contain many health benefiting phyto-nutrients flavonoid poly-phenolic anti-oxidants like catechins and gallocatechins as well as important anti-tumor compound betulinic acid. Catechins are known to have anti-infective, anti-inflammatory and anti-hemorrhagic (prevents bleeding from small blood vessels) properties.

Fresh persimmons contain anti-oxidant compounds like vitamin-A, beta carotene, lycopene, lutein, zeaxanthin and cryptoxanthin. These compounds functions as protective scavengers against oxygen-derived free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) that play a role in aging and various disease processes.

zeaxanthin, an important dietary carotenoid, selectively absorbed into the retinal macula lutea in the eyes where it is thought to provide antioxidant and protective light-filtering functions; thus, helps prevent "Age related macular disease"(ARMD) in the elderly.

The fruits are also very good source of vitamin-C, another powerful antioxidant . Regular consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals.

The fruit is good in many valuable B-complex vitamins such as folic acid, pyridoxine (vitamin B-6), thiamin...etc. These vitamins acts as co-factors for numerous metabolic enzymatic functions in the body.

Fresh Persimmon fruits also contain healthy amounts of minerals like potassium, manganese (15% of DRI), copper (12% of DRI) and phosphorus. Manganese is a co-factor for the enzyme superoxide dismutase, which is a very powerful free radical scavenger. Copper is a co-factor for many vital enzymes, including cytochrome c-oxidase and superoxide dismutase (other minerals function as cofactors for this enzyme are manganese and zinc). Copper is also required for the production of red blood cells. .

Believe it or not:
Spring passes and one remembers one's innocence. Summer passes and one remembers one's exuberance. Autumn passes and one remembers one's reverence. Winter passes and one remembers one's perseverance.
Yoko Ono

Photos TS

SkyWatch Friday; wild and stormy;

2011-03-25T05:12:00.000+10:00

Bargara Beach, near Bundaberg; view from the hotel balcony early morning.

Click here for SkyWatch Friday;

Photos TS

Lycoris aurea; Golden spider lily;

2011-03-13T15:57:00.000+10:00

The beautiful Lycoris are flowering now in my garden. I had years when they did not show a flower. The strap like leaves are also very decorative. I have not thought to make a photo when they are out. As soon as the flowers have finished the leaves grow.

Lycoris aurea is the golden spider lily and originates from limestone areas of China. The spidery flowers face upwards and are a orange-cadmium yellow. It can often be a difficult species to get into flower. It requires a hot dry resting period during summer to promote flowering. Dressings of potash and lime are also helpful. Lycoris are splendid autumn-flowering bulbs when their requirements are met, and make excellent garden subjects and provide a good supply of cut flowers.

Lycoris is a genus in the Amaryllidaceae family from eastern Asia, mainly China and Japan. They are dormant in summer, bloom in autumn, and then grow in autumn, winter, and spring. Most grow best in the ground and they need summer warmth and some summer moisture to bloom well.

Photos TS My garden;

Believe it or not:
What wisdom can you find that is greater than kindness?
J.J. Rousseau;

SkyWatch Friday; where mountains meet the sky;

2011-03-11T06:06:00.000+10:00

Flumserberg, Switzerland, outlook to the Churfirsten; end of summer.

Photo TS

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SkyWatch Friday Episode 35

Orchid; Bulbophyllum flabellum veneris; Venus fan;

2011-03-06T11:59:00.000+10:00

It is one of my favourite Orchids I am growing. It is flowering now. It is such a dainty flower.

Wandering all over and under the pot.

Many buds.

Bulbophyllum flabellum-veneris is a small plant which will form a large clump if grown well. It produces 4cm fan-type umbel which is variable in colouration but often yellow flushed redpurple at base of petals. This species is a good grower and will wrap around a basket to form a nice specimen. Likes plenty of water, so treefern slabs tend to be too dry unless well watered.

Distribution
Plant is found on mossy rocks and tree trunks in semi deciduous forest inIndia, Burma, Laos, Thailand, penninsular Malaysia, Cambodia, Vietnam and Indonesia at elevations of 300 to 1100 meters

Culture
Keep plant in warm temperatures. Keep moist in summer seasons and do not allow mix to dry, in winter keep the mix slight dry and reduce watering. Keep good air movement to avoid fungal growth. Keep plants in shade. Pot plants in sphagnum moss, fine bark, or mounted.
Common Names:Venus' Fan Bulbophyllum

Believe it or not:
"What is a rebel? A man who says no" - Albert Camus

SkyWatch Friday; White capped Noddy;

2011-03-04T04:37:00.000+10:00

White capped Noddy; Anous minutus; have a rest under a brilliant blue sky;

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Odds and ends in the late summer garden;

2011-03-01T05:29:00.000+10:00

Thai Basil is a vigorous grower, beloved by bees and butterflies and also by people for its flavour, a little different from the Sweet Basil, Ocimum basilicum, which I use more in my kitchen, as I like to cook the Mediterranean way.

A miniature, double Bougainvillea, miniature flowers and leaves; the shrub/climber grows to a considerable size if not pruned.

The ever popular Geisha Girl, a cultivar of Duranta repens. Letting this one grow it is very gracefully weeping, the branches laden with flowers.

In late summer Tibouchinas are in flower, this is Kathleen.

Hibiscus are still putting on a nice show of flowers.

Pink cleome has flowered all summer long. I grew this from a cutting, my neighbour Miss V. gave me in spring.The pink has faded a little. As soon as I cut it back I will make more cuttings for my daughters and myself.

Daylilies are having an other go, as they usually stop flowering in the hottest time of summer.

Bromeliads are putting on some colour;

All photos from my garden TS

Believe it or not;

SkyWatch Friday; Sky and Earth;

2011-02-25T06:02:00.000+10:00

Stony Desert;

Sturt Stony Desert (previously Sturt's Stony Desert) is an area in the north-east of South Australia, named by Charles Sturt in 1844, whilst trying to reach the exact centre of Australia.

The stones caused his horses to limp and wore down the hooves of the cattle and sheep which Sturt had taken on the expedition.

The larger Simpson Desert is located to the west and the Strzelecki Desert is to the south east. To the south west of Sturt Stony Desert is the Tirari Desert. The Birdsville Track is a route between Marree in South Australia and Birdsville in Queensland. The desert is part of the Tirari-Sturt stony desert ecoregion.

Photo TS

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A different Garden; Jacek Yerka;

2011-02-21T07:12:00.000+10:00

Jacek Yerka; Surrealismo fantasia;

Life and work

Jacek Yerka was born in Torun, Poland, in 1952 - where he later studied fine art and graphic design. According to Yerka, he was pressured by his university instructors to eschew detail and realism in favor of the fashion of the times - but did not relent, adhering to the meticulous classic Flemish technique that still typifies his work. In time they came to see him as a brilliant - though troubled - talent. Yerka graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts at Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, specializing in printmaking. He began working full time as an artist in 1980.

Yerka cites Hieronymus Bosch, Pieter Bruegel, Cagliostro, Jan van Eyck, and Hugo van der Goes as formative influencers of his work. His subject matter ranges from odd beasts to whimsical landscapes incorporating extraordinary architecture, and include imagery gleamed from his childhood, such as his grandmothers kitchen. Says Yerka, "For me, the 1950s were a kind of Golden Age ... If I were, for instance, to paint a computer, it would definitely have a pre-war aesthetic to it."

Work typically progresses from a graphite sketch, to crayon drawing, then a pastel com, and finally an acrylic painting.

I love his fantastic surrealistic paintings.

SkyWatch Friday; higher and higher...

2011-02-18T05:06:00.000+10:00

High above the Tweed Valley; winking in the mist Mount Warning;

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Angel's-Trumpets;

2011-02-14T20:35:00.000+10:00

I grow this white flowered Brugmansia and....

Brugmansia hybrid

Angels' trumpets

Brugmansia is named after Sebald Justin Brugmans 1763-1819. The genus Brugmansia belongs to the nightshade, Solanaceae family which includes tomatoes, potatoes, tobacco, many kinds of peppers, eggplant, and also includes Datura, petunia, nicotiana, solanum, physalis (Chinese lantern) and other ornamentals. Brugmansia is native to South America, particularly the Andes, where they grow on sloping terrain under damp conditions.

These striking plants produce flowers that perfume the night air with their exotic fragrance. All parts of Brugmansia are toxic when ingested, Toxic Principles of the plant are: Atropine, scopolamine, and hyoscyamine.

this beautiful yellow. I have also planted an orange flowered one but it has not yet flowered.

Brugmansia is a genus of seven species of flowering plants in the family Solanaceae, native to subtropical regions of South America, along the Andes from Colombia to northern Chile, and also in southeastern Brazil. They are known as Angel's Trumpets, sharing that name with the closely related genus Datura. Brugmansiaare long-lived, woody trees or bushes, with pendulous, not erect, flowers, that have no spines on their fruit.Datura species are herbaceous bushes with erect (not pendulous) flowers, and most have spines on their fruit.
Courtesy Wikipedia

Believe it or not:
Whether you tend a garden or not, you are the gardener of your own being,
the seed of your destiny.

All Photos from my Garden TS

SkyWatch Friday; peaceful morning;

2011-02-11T05:13:00.000+10:00

Softly, faded, early morning;

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In the native plants realm;

2011-02-03T20:21:00.000+10:00

Rhodamnia rubescens; Scrub Turpentine; flowers in spring, generally heavy flowering, very fragrant with a beautiful perfume. The next trees show the abundance of flowers covering the whole tree.

Melaleuca quinquenervia bark showing the papery exfoliation from which the common name "paperbark" derives.

Grevillia Robyn Gordon;

Grevillia; I am not sure of its name; I grow moonlight which is a much lighter yellow and also "Lyrebird" which is a more prostrate looking shrub.

Love the cats whiskers, Orthosiphon aristatus; they can be grown from cuttings, appreciate to get a haircut from time to time and show their striking, soft purple flowers over the summer month.

The orchid like flowers of Bauhinia alba. It flowers in spring.

Birds enjoy the red seed berries of the Bangalow palm.

Climber Hibbertia scandens winds its way through a bottlebrush;

Acacia fimbriata seedpods;

Believe it or not:

"One can never know for sure what a deserted area looks like"

George Carlin

SkyWatch Friday; Sunrise on Lady Elliot;

2011-01-28T06:13:00.000+10:00

Lady Eliot Island

Turtle on her way to the sea

She was a bit late and had to go over the stones, as the tide was already out, poor thing;

Off she goes, only her hump is still visible

The sun has risen

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Something new...

2011-01-16T19:56:00.000+10:00

"Wedding Dance" a snow white Hippeastrum;

"Mylady" apropriate name for this one;

"Appleblossom" A well known and widely grown Hippeastrum;

"Tryumphator"Christmaslily, I am glad I added this one to my collection.

Believe it or not:

Summer afternoon - summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language. ~Henry James

My unkempt garden...part 2

2011-01-11T06:27:00.001+10:00

Daylilies, Hemerocallis are generally not grown in Daylily borders, they are planted between shrubs etc. to give a spot of surprise with their softly or vividly coloured flowers peeking out between the greenery.

I love those unexpected visitors hanging around;

Green Hawkmoth Australia; Aenetus tegulatus.

Mingling, yellow tropical Salvia, Bloodgrass and Colocasia;

Tibouchina grandiflora happily growing together with a diversity of plants.

Here grows a sunny coloured Salvia together with Bromeliads, Agapanthus, Ti and a Frangipani;

The Vanilla scented Bauhinia corymbosa is a vigorous semi climber, winding its way through shrubs and up trees.

I love the lippie pink Madagascar Periwinkles, Catharanthus, seeding, not obtrusive, easily merging with other shrubs.

Is there anything more beautiful then sunlight on soft green leaves?

Mussaenda Queen Sirikit;

Mussaenda, red flag tree;

Plover's eggs, a very simple nest in the grass;

White Penta, African Iris and Geraniums growing together.

Believe it or not:

May those who love us love us,

and those who do not love us,
may God turn their hearts,
and if He cannot turn their hearts
may He turn their ankles
that we may know them by their limping.
~Irish Prayer

Smile and have a good day!

SkyWatch Friday; ...and huffing...

2011-01-06T07:29:00.001+10:00

...and puffing...

Please click photos;

Photos TS

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My unkempt garden....a heaven for flutterbys...

2011-01-03T06:59:00.000+10:00

...and other critters;

Yesterday the garden was alive with damsels and dragon flies flitting and dancing, the rain and wet must have activated these wonderful insects. Butterflies were flitting restless from flower to flower...a humming world belonging to the insects

Pink Justitia plumes.

Yellow Brugmansia;

Only pathways are mowed; I leave the long grasses seeding for the small birds. Many small creatures take refuge in the unmowed grass in the meadow.

Nature's way; white spider and bee, not a happy meeting;

The fluffy stars of the native Lemon Myrtle; Backhousia citriodora;

Vanda orchid climbing up a Pittosporum tree. Two tall Pittosporum trees growing near each other both have died. I don't know the cause of it.

My pride and joy; A rare Atherton Tree Waratah, Alloxylon flammeum; Protea flowers of vivid red are produced in late spring.

Fungi growing on old stumps;
African Tulip tree, Spathodea campanulata, growing amidst native Australian trees. Between the trees a glimpse of the EcoVillage opposite our property.

Seedpods Ivory curl tree, Buckinghamia celsissima;

White flowered Chinese fringe tree; Chionanthus retusus;

Believe it or not:

"Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood." Marie Curie

Part one of My unkempt Garden;

Photos TS

SkyWatch Friday; Caught....

2010-12-31T05:26:00.000+10:00

Please click the picture;

Click here for SkyWatch Friday;

Red and Green;

2010-12-27T07:41:00.000+10:00

Red and green....interspersed with a little yellow, blue, purple and silver gray.

Clicking the photos shows the details;

This gorgeous, little creature was found in the garden of my friend Silvia in Portugal.

Red Epiphyllums, cherished in spring.

I do appreciate this lacquer red Neoregelia, a Bromeliad species.

The rather brilliant Nasturtium flowers liven up any salad!

The dark red bottlebrushes are a beautiful feature of this Australian native tree.

Basil grows abundantly in the garden and makes the best ever pesto sauce.

The Genoese housewives would prepare this sauce for their husbands when they returned from their fishing trips.The men starved of greens, welcomed this delicacy with gusto.

Home made Basil Pesto. Recipes are found in any good Italian cookbook. Mine comes from the Book "Olive Oil; from Tree to Table;"

I do like the self seeding red Salvia rutilans, also called Pineapple sage, as the leaves have a pineapple scent.

A rose called "Ilona"!

Ardisia;
Luscious watermelon;

Hippeastrums, the prominent, red colour in my garden.

Believe it or not:

In summer, the song sings itself. ~William Carlos Williams

Red and Green;

2010-12-27T06:55:00.000+10:00

Red and green....interspersed with a little yellow, blue, purple and silver gray.

This gorgeous, little creature was found in the garden of my friend Silvia in Portugal.

Red Epiphyllums, cherished in spring.

I do appreciate this lacquer red Neoregelia, a Bromeliad species.

The rather brilliant Nasturtium flowers liven up any salad!

The dark red bottlebrushes are a beautiful feature of this Australian native tree.

Basil grows abundantly in the garden and makes the best ever pesto sauce.

The Genoese housewives would prepare this sauce for their husbands when they returned from their fishing trips.The men starved of greens, welcomed this delicacy with gusto.

Home made Basil Pesto. Recipes are found in any good Italian cookbook. Mine comes from the Book "Olive Oil; from Tree to Table;"

I do like the self seeding red Salvia rutilans, also called Pineapple sage, as the leaves have a pineapple scent.

A rose called "Ilona"!

Ardisia;
Luscious watermelon;

Hippeastrums, the red colour of spring in my garden.

SkyWatch Friday; The big wet...

2010-12-25T08:07:00.000+10:00

Christmas was greeted with a wet, grey sky; optimistic me says it keeps the garden green!

Please say hello to the many SWF friends around the world....click here

A Happy Christmas to all SW, especially to the never tiring SWF team members.

Photo TS in my garden.

Christmas Wishes;

2010-12-21T19:19:00.000+10:00

Oh to be a child when magic sparkles on the tree, and secrets hover in the air, and waiting seems too much to bear!

WISHING YOU ALL A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS!

SkyWatch Friday; A painted sunset;

2010-12-16T19:42:00.000+10:00

Happy SWF click here

Please click the pics.

Photos TS

frou...frou...

2010-12-13T06:53:00.000+10:00

Hemerocallis Spider Daylily "Christmas tidings" sets the scene for Xmas in the garden.

Please click the pictures;

Hibiscus, the huge red flowers are the epitome of rustling silk.

Brugmansia hybrid

Angels' trumpets

Brugmansia is named after Sebald Justin Brugmans 1763-1819. The genus Brugmansia belongs to the nightshade,Solanaceae family which includes tomatoes, potatoes, tobacco, many kinds of peppers, eggplant, and also includes Datura, petunia, nicotiana, solanum, physalis (Chinese lantern) and other ornamentals. Brugmansia is native to South America, particularly the Andes, where they grow on sloping terrain under damp conditions.

These striking plants produce flowers that perfume the night air with their exotic fragrance. All parts of Brugmansia are toxic when ingested.

Hemerocallis, "Old Tangiers", lets you dream of times gone by.....

Pristine white Gardenia perfuming the whole garden, free of charge.

Hemerocallis, "Night Embers" dark and capricious...

Alpinia zerumbet, dwarf, variegated Shell ginger.

Want to know more please click here

Tea rose "Bewitched" looks and scent, a beauty;

Dance with the wind in your rustling silk...

Believe it or not:

A life without love is like a year without summer. ~Swedish Proverb

Photos from my garden TS

SkyWatch Friday; Stripes;

2010-12-10T05:09:00.000+10:00

Sunrise, Friday, 10/Dec/2010, 4.30 AM

Photos TS please click

Please visit SkyWatch Friday and enjoy the colours of the sky;

A Rose is not a Rose....

2010-12-05T20:33:00.001+10:00

this is Apricot Nectar;

bigger view, please click

Apricot Nectar does very well in my garden zone 11. It is an easy rose to grow, wonderful to pick for a vase. Flowers nearly all year round. Cuttings take well in winter.

It is a pleasure to grow this rose.

'Apricot Nectar' is a floribunda rose with fully-doubled, fragrant, apricot to apricot-pink flowers borne in tight clusters with mid-green leaves.

Average rating :excellent

Apricot or apricot blend Floribunda.

Registration name: Apricot Nectar

Bred by Eugene S. "Gene" Boerner (United States, before 1964).

Strong, fruity fragrance. Double (17-25 petals) bloom form. Blooms in flushes throughout the year in my climate.

Height (60 to 120 cm). Width of (60 to 90 cm). Spring Pruning: Remove old canes and dead or diseased wood and cut back canes that cross. In warmer climates, cut back the remaining canes by about one-third

Believe it or not:

He who wants a rose must respect the thorn. -Persian Proverb

SkyWatch Friday; bruised....

2010-12-03T05:01:00.001+10:00

Towards evening this black bruise was hanging around;

In the morning the sun came up, the bruise was still hanging in there....waiting;

We have a wet spring, the garden flourishes and it is warm anyway;

Please visit SkyWatch Friday

Photos TS; late afternoon and early morning. Please click the pictures.

Across the garden from spring to summer....

2010-11-29T19:38:00.000+10:00

Please click the pictures;

This is the entrance of the garden facing south and shaded by big trees.

Here I grow sky blue and pink, tall tropical Salvias and a dark pink Bougainvillea;

In the middle of spring the climber Baumontia grandiflora shows off spectacular bell flowers.

The pond attracts daily visitors, feathered friends come to drink and have a bath. I also have seen a whipsnake, not to be missed with its iridescent colours, to come and have a drink.

Gardenia grandiflora is in full flower now. In front the big leaves of a young tree fern. They seed freely when it is rainy and the soil is moist. A beautiful triangle palm is growing in between the plants and providing some shade.

Daylilies, Agapanthus and many other treasured plants are growing in this terraced area which faces North, and is hot in summer.

The chooks are an inquisitive lot...

Wild, simple china roses are my favourites. This one is growing in my court yard garden near the entrance.

Part of the terraced garden;

I like to grow many different grasses. This one is a very tall one in a deep red colour. The leaves are much broader then the blood grass. The flowers are pink with long soft hair swaying to and fro.

Different blue Salvias are still in full flower;

Two very big Gardenia shrubs are scenting the whole garden.

Believe it or not:

The seed is hope; the flower is joy.

Photos TS

SkyWatch Friday; "IL CIELO E MOBILE"

2010-11-26T04:36:00.000+10:00

The sky is in perpetual change mode, here in Rotorua NewZealand.

Smoke and vapors curl up to the sky, lakes and mud are bubbling.

please click the pictures;

Photos TS

Click here and visit the skies of the world.

Tipuana tipu; Fabaceae-Faboideae

2010-11-20T15:31:00.001+10:00

This semi-evergreen tree is native to the tropical forest of South America. Grown primarily for it's panicles of pea-like spring flowers, the foliage is not bad either: bright green leaves that are oblong with notched tips and downy undersides. Grow where soil is moist but well-drained and soil is fertile.

Galahs love to come and eat the seed which sits in winged pods.

For a while we are privileged to walk on petals;

The roots of certain trees can be very aggressive in their search for moisture. Paved areas that have been lifted by the force of roots are a good example.

A cool environment in the soil underneath pavers, with the addition of moisture seeping through the cracks of bricks creates a perfect growing environment for the roots of these types of trees.

Service pipes, particularly concrete or terracotta ones, have a history of damage and disturbance from tree roots. Tree roots are persistent and surprisingly strong, and will take advantage of any opportunity to get inside sewer pipes. This will happen through a small crack or fracture, or through ill-fitting pipe joints. Whether living in a home with an established garden or whether moving into a new house with a new garden, it is wise to check where the service pipes are located.

Believe it or not:

Weeds know, they just know where to grow, how to dupe you, and how to camouflage themselves among the perfectly respectable plants, they just know, and therefore, I've concluded weeds must have brains. ~Dianne Benson, Dirt, 1994

Photos Garden TS

SkyWatch Friday; Ghost story;

2010-11-18T18:59:00.000+10:00

A wide sweep of blue animated with frivolous little ghosts having fun...

...when all of a sudden mamma ghost swept by and collected her wayward children...

" Kids" said the moon, smiling...

click here and enjoy SWF;

Photos TS

Daylily Furore;

2010-11-15T18:59:00.000+10:00

CHARLIE PIERCE MEMORIAL

ED BROWN

DAPHNE TREMMEL

LADY NEVA

JORDAN VERHAERT

EGYPTIAN IBIS

PEACHES AND CREAM

SHORT CIRCUIT

APRICOT JADE

BELOVED DECEIVER

This yellow daylily has been for ever in my garden.

HEMEROCALLIS; from Greek hemera = day and kalos = beautiful;

Commonly known as daylilies because each flower lasts for just a single day.

This small genus of 15 species of rhizome-rooted perennials from temperate East Asia is the type genus for its own family, the Hemerocallidaceae. The genus name, derived from Greek, also reflects the fleeting nature of the blooms, as it means day-beauty.

Though the individual flowers are short-lived, they are produced in succession from late spring through to autumn, guaranteeing a blaze of color in the garden. There are many thousands of modern hybrid cultivars. All parts of the plant are edible and the buds and flowers make an interesting and colorful addition to salads, or can be used as a garnish.

Flowering Season: Summer, Autum, Spring

Appearance

Daylilies form clumps of grassy to strap-like leaves from which the flower stems emerge. Like the not so closely related true lilies (Lilium), they bear racemes of lily-like flowers that are produced in succession over a long blooming period.

Cultivation

Hemerocallis plants are hardy and are easily grown in a sunny or partly shaded position with fertile, moist, well-drained soil. The flowers turn to face the sun, which is an important consideration when positioning the plants in the garden.

Excerpts from Gardening Australia

Believe it or not: The word "miracle" aptly describes a seed. - Jack Kramer

SkyWatch Friday; reaching out and up;

2010-11-11T21:31:00.000+10:00

It is Jacaranda time, pretty mauve bells and a silky blue sky, a match made by nature;

A sky as soft as down;

New South Wales Christmas tree is flowering and the grapevine is reaching for the sky;

May you have a happy SWF; click here

Photos TS

Tree song;

2010-11-07T18:48:00.000+10:00

Tibouchina Noelle, the most glorious flowering tree.

Please click the pictures

Tibouchina Noelle can be grown as tree or shrub. I have left it to grow into a tree probably around 5m high. The trunk is a wonderful host for orchids. Many different lichen have also taken this tree as host to display there wonderful patterns.

Believe it or not:

"Carefree" refers more to the plant's attitude than to your workload.

SkyWatch Friday;The Glow;

2010-11-04T05:09:00.000+10:00

Sunrise 4.35 AM

At 4.50AM the glow has disappeared into the blue...

check out SkyWatch Friday here

Photos TS

Epiphillums; upon the leaf;

2010-11-01T19:17:00.001+10:00

Epiphyllums are popular house plants, with numerous hybrids and cultivars. Please click pics.

Epiphyllum "upon the leaf" in Greek) is a genus of 19 species of epiphytic plants in the cactus family (Cactaceae), native to Central America. Common names for these species include orchid cacti and leaf cacti.

The stems are broad and flat, 1-5 cm broad, 3-5 mm thick, usually with lobed edges. The flowers are large, 8-16 cm diameter, white to red, with numerous petals.

The fruit is edible.

How to Care for Epiphyllum ,planting and growing instructions, here and here

Believe it or not:

Gardens are not made by sitting in the shade. TS

Photos from my garden TS

SkyWatch Friday; Shrouded sunset;

2010-10-29T04:55:00.000+10:00

Please visit SkyWatch Friday click here

Photos taken in my garden TS.

New Bromeliads in my garden;

2010-10-25T09:15:00.000+10:00

Aechmea weilbachii pendulafolia; I will replant this Achmea into a more attractive hanging pot.

On Saturday was the Gold Coast's Succulent and Bromeliad Annual show.

I went there with two of my daughters which are also avid gardeners. The display was magnificent.

We came home with a "truckload of plants"! Here are some which have to find a new place in the garden.

I liked the vivid colour of Neoregelia Princepts Hybrid.

My daughter Marie-Louise bought me two Alcanthareas, the green Imperalis and the red Rubra.

Vrisea Fosteriana var. Seideliana, a very beautiful plant.

This plant was named Vrisea Hamnea....to me it looks more like a Tillandsia?

Aechmea Vin Rosea is very dark Burgundy.

Guzmania Rememberance;

Guzmania Bakerii, which is quite a rare plant.

Vrisea Hieroglyphica;

Tillandsia
Vrisea fenestralis x Vrisea fosteriana w. Red chestnut;

Aechmea;
Billbergia;

Believe it or not:

“One can never know for sure what a deserted area looks like”

George Carlin

SkyWatch Friday; Sunset in the desert;

2010-10-21T18:34:00.001+10:00

Enjoy!

Please click to explore more ....SkyWatch Friday Episode 14

Photos TS

Pelargoniums;

2010-10-20T12:46:00.000+10:00

Pelargoniums are quite high maintenance in my climate.They need always attention. Taking off faded blooms, old leaves, pruning and general maintenance for plants growing in pots. Some I grow in the garden borders, but still they need a lot of attention to look good.

I have grown this double, salmon one for ages.

This is a bright red,(in the picture it looks orange) the old fashioned type of Pelargonium, which is still my favourite.

Pelargonium is a genus of flowering plants which includes about 200 species of perennials, succulents, and shrubs, commonly known as scented geraniums or storksbills. Confusingly, Geranium is the correct botanical name of a separate genus of related plants often called Cranesbills. Both Geranium and Pelargonium are genera in the Family Geraniaceae. Linnaeus originally included all the species in one genus, Geranium, but they were later separated into two genera by Charles L’Héritier in 1789. Gardeners sometimes refer to the members of Genus Pelargonium as "pelargoniums" in order to avoid the confusion, but the older common name "geranium" is still in regular use, and most garden 'geraniums' are in fact 'pelargoniums', as opposed to true geraniums or cranesbill.

Species of Pelargonium are evergreen perennials indigenous to Southern Africa and are drought and heat tolerant, and can tolerate only minor frosts. Pelargoniums are extremely popular garden plants, grown as annuals in temperate climates.

The first species of Pelargonium known to be cultivated was Pelargonium triste, a native of South Africa. It was probably brought to the botanical garden in Leiden before 1600 on ships which stopped at the Cape of Good Hope. In 1631, the English gardener John Tradescant the elder bought seeds from Rene Morin in Paris and introduced the plant to England. The name Pelargonium was introduced by Johannes Burman in 1738, from the Greek πελαργός, pelargós, stork, because part of the flower looks like a stork's beak

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pelargonium please click if you like to know more about Pelargoniums.

Believe it or not;

Planting

One for the mouse

One for the crow.

One to rot,

and One to grow.

Photos from my garden TS

SkyWatch Friday;Where the sky goes on for ever;

2010-10-14T06:22:00.000+10:00

Desertscape; Breakaway, out of Coober Pedy. In the aboriginal Language of the area it was called Kupa Piti, meaning "white man's hole in the ground."

Go and click here SkyWatch is around the next corner.

Photo TS.

Bold and Red;

2010-10-10T06:30:00.000+10:00

In 1989 I received 2 Hippeastrum bulbs. One produced red, the other red and white flowers. The red one had more cup shaped, roundish petals the other more pointy star

like petals.

All my Hippeastrums are grown from seed collected from the flowers in my garden.. Over the years they have hybridized and have come up in different patterns, colours and shapes. Also in very soft pink and all white with a few red stripes.

Hippeastrum is a genus of about 90 species and 600+ hybrids and cultivars of bulbous plants in the family Amaryllidaceae, native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas from Argentina north to Mexico and the Caribbean. Some species are grown for their large showy flowers. These plants are popularly but erroneously known as Amaryllis, a monotypic African genus in the same family.

If you are interested in growing Hippeastrums click here

Believe it or not:

Before the seed there comes the thought of bloom.
E. B. White

SkyWatch Friday; Softly...softly...

2010-10-07T19:25:00.000+10:00

....darkness falls; sunset 6.15 pm 7.October 2010

Click here and enjoy SkyWatch Friday;

Photos taken in my garden; TS

The Kitchengarden part two;

2010-09-28T16:37:00.000+10:00

Fennel is a winter staple; this vegetable lends itself to create healthy, tasty dishes. It is good cooked or raw. As I use it mainly in winter, most of the time I cook gratins, soups, sauces with tomatoes or as a side vegetable.

Lettuce is grown through autumn, winter and spring.

The vegetable garden is on the third and sunniest level of our terraced garden. A Eureka Lemon tree grows near the veg. garden. Lemons are available all year round.

The old kitchen sink lends itself to wash and prepare the vegetables.There are always some lemons ready to use.

The hanging Geranium has a very strong smell and it attracts the small Mediterranean fruit fly which is a terrible pest. We only spray this plant with a insecticide and the fly feeds on it and dies. Since we have this plant,Tomatoes, Capsicums and Eggplants are not affected anymore. We do grow everything without pesticides.

Chinese snow peas are very tender and eaten pod and all. I cook them in a ceramic pot which is suitable for the stove top. It only needs a little butter or olive oil and a diced onion, no water, to make a very tasty dish.

We also grow beans; red onions, rockmelons, watermelons, corn and also different berries. Cucumbers, capsicums, aubergines and chillies.
Homegrown Beetroot is very very sweet and tender for salads or gratins or just as a vegetable.

Beetroot Nutrition

The dark red colour of beetroot is thought to be a combination of the naturally occurring yellow betacyanin and purple betaxanthin pigments. These strong pigments are potent phytochemicals and antioxidants that work to protect damage to body cells from free radicals. It is known that the more vibrant the colours of our fruit and vegetables, the more they have to offer in terms of nutrients to help protect our bodies from damaging free radicals.

Beetroot contains the all important nutrient called betaine. This nutrient is known as a mehyl donor which in effect helps make chemical processes in the body work effectively such as proper liver function and cellular reproduction. Betaine also helps the body make carnitine. Carnitine is a nutrient that helps the body turn fat into energy.

Coriander; flowers are very pretty and set seed for the next crop.

The fruit of the white Mulberry tree is very sweet and delicious. Spring is the time to grow its fruit.

Believe it or not:

A person who sows seed of kindness enjoys a perpetual harvest.
Anonymous

SkyWatch Friday; Sunset Symphony;

2010-09-23T20:07:00.000+10:00

Please click the pictures;

All pictures TS.

click here for SkyWatch around the world;

Darlings of spring;

2010-09-19T03:47:00.000+10:00

Dendrobium Orchids;

Dendrobium aphillum; The dried stems of this plant are used as immune system booster.

The wonderful Australian rock Orchid; Dendrobium speciosum;

There are about 1500 different Dendrobium orchids.

If you are interested in growing this wonderful plants please click here

I grow these Orchids outside on and under trees; in dappled shade;

All pictures from my garden.

Believe it or not:

The stems and flowers of certain Dendrobium orchids are used as powerful immune system boosters in Chinese herbal medicine.

Celebrating spring; Purple Mist;

2010-09-13T07:52:00.000+10:00

Please click pics;

Today I wanted to post "My Kitchen garden part two" it has to wait; because...

in the herb garden the Wisteria has broken out in a purple mist of flowers; a spectacular show of nature's abundance.

A few facts about growing one of these wonders;

Wisteria is a genus of flowering plants in the pea family, Fabaceae.

Wisteria vines climb by twining their stems either clockwise or counter-clockwise round any available support. They can climb as high as 20 m above ground and spread out 10 m laterally.

The leaves are alternate, 15 to 35 cm long, pinnate, with 9 to 19 leaflets. The flowers are produced in pendulous racemes 10 to 80 cm long, similar to those of the genus Laburnum, but are purple, violet, pink or white. Flowering is in the spring (just before or as the leaves open) in some Asian species, and in mid to late summer in the American species and W. japonica. The flowers of some species are fragrant, most notably Chinese Wisteria. The seeds are produced in pods.

Wisteria species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including brown-tail. It is also an extremely popular ornamental plant in China and Japan.

Wisteria, especially Wisteria sinensis, is very hardy and fast-growing. It is considered an invasive species in certain areas. It can grow in fairly poor-quality soils, but prefers fertile, moist, well-drained ones. It thrives in full sun to partial shade.

Wisteria can be propagated via hardwood cutting, softwood cuttings, or seed. However, seeded specimens can take decades to bloom; for that reason, gardeners usually grow plants that have been started from rooted cuttings or grafted cultivars known to flower well.

Wisteria can grow into a mound when unsupported, but is at its best when allowed to clamber up a tree, pergola, wall, or other supporting structure. Whatever the case, the support must be very sturdy, because mature Wisteria can become immensely strong and heavy wrist-thick trunks and stems. These will certainly rend latticework, crush thin wooden posts, and can even strangle large trees. Wisteria allowed to grow on houses can cause damage to gutters, downspouts, and similar structures. Its pendulous racemes are best viewed from below.

Wisteria flowers develop in buds near the base of the previous year's growth, so pruning back side shoots to the basal few buds in early spring can enhance the visibility of the flowers. If it is desired to control the size of the plant, the side shoots can be shortened to between 20 and 40 cm long in mid summer, and back to 10 to 20 cm in autumn.

Believe it or not:

The love of gardening is a seed that once sown never dies.
- Gertrude Jekyll

SkyWatch Friday; Everyday sunrise;

2010-09-10T06:47:00.000+10:00

A golden light is slowly infusing thegarden...

(Please click the pictures;)

gilding the branches of the Tipuana Tipu tree....

some stray clouds....nothing spectacular... on Friday, 9.September 2010 6AM.

Please follow the link to SkyWatch to see "more spectacular" skies!

My Kitchen Garden; part one;

2010-09-06T18:46:00.000+10:00

Vegetables, salads, berries and fruit are a big part of our diet.

Over winter we can grow potatoes.There is nothing to compare with the humble potato when it is home grown .The skin is gossamer thin and must not be peeled off as many of the nutrients are contained in the skin of the potato.

Please click the pics)

In the cool season broccoli grows very well.

Through winter we grow strawberries. they grow and ripen through spring and early summer.

Left Spanish onions and leeks are grown through winter into spring and early summer.

Beetroot are growing very well in winter and are ready now to start harvesting. They are very tender and sweet. Summer crops does not so well they are quickly getting bitter in the heat.

A very big bush of Basil, small leaves, it is a great attraction for bees. Grows and flowers all year round and it is not attacked by grasshoppers like the large leaved Basil.

We grow three types of tomatoes nearly all year round. Roma, Ox-heart and a small version which is very prolific and tasty.

Most of the surplus is roasted and used later.

Near the vegetable garden grows this white Azalea with these unusual dark pink stripes and blotches. I find it rather attractive.

Believe it or not:

A weed is a plant that has mastered every survival skill
except for learning how to grow in rows.

SkywatchFriday; Tiger grass;

2010-09-02T19:36:00.000+10:00

Please click the picture;

Tiger grass; Thysanolaena maxima; the flowers making an interesting cross hatching against the sky.

For interest sake;

Although not a true bamboo species, Tiger Grass is a bamboo-like, tropical, ornamental grass with lush arrow-shaped foliage that fits a niche for smaller size single storey screens up to 3m tall. It forms a tight upright clump with older stems turning a reddish colour in full sunlight making it also perfect as a stand alone ornamental. Quite drought tolerant.

Please click here SkyWatch Friday;