Buds and colours; September in the garden;

We can not stop the seasons following each other.  When I lived in a cold climate, I wanted summer to stay for much longer. End of August I was sad because everything pointed to the end of summer days. It was always like something was taken away from me, a little piece of happiness was lost. 

The gifts from nature we must take as they are given, says reason. Here in the Southern hemisphere, in the subtropics, the seasons and the sun are generous they barley make a change, they let your heart sing anytime, why then do I crave the other, the hardship of winter when the cold bites into your bones and everything shivers. When spring arrived I looked at the tulips, and the crocus emerging like no cold winter ever happened. The magic of the seasons. Now lets celebrate spring with buds, flowers and colour. 

©Ts

Profusely flowering Mango tree, looking forward to its luscious fruit.

 

Lemon blossoms, nothing more citrus than a fresh, ripe yellow lemon. No garden should be without a lemon tree. 

Hippeastrums are later this year, the first glimpse...They are such amazing  flowers, huge and show offs.

Nothing but Baudelaire poetry suits these sultry blooms.

You tear me open, dark beauty,

With derisive laughter,

And then look at my heart

With eyes as soft as moonlight

Azaleas had a fantastic season this spring, producing flowers in abundance.

Dendrobium Orchids, have such a surprised look about them, like they could not believe  their own beauty.,..

This one has all the attributes to be a favourite.  Antique rose Irene Watts,

bred by Guillot France, 1896.

 'Irene Watts' is rather unlike the other China roses in its colouring and growth habit. The blooms of 'Irene Watts' are a delicate apricot colour,with deeper orange tones at the heart of the bloom. 

The plant is  compact and twiggy, and will form a very tidy small to medium shrub. In a milder zone.mature plant may reach around 90 cm in height. Disease resistance is much better than average, and it is a very reliable repeat bloomer. 

Wisteria is also later this year, just started to flower, in no time it will be a soft purple haze.

Azalea Mrs. Bolton in full spring colour.

Always liked these brilliant, small flowers and the leaves of Canna indica. The fence of the chicken yard will soon be covered with climbers which I have planted along it. 

Limonium  a smaller bred plant then the big growing sea lavender from the Canary Islands.

A new Geranium/Pelargonium;  Over winter I have grown on cuttings from around 10 different Ivy geraniums. All have taken and are already planted into bigger pots, some out into the garden beds.

Irene Watts, the open flower, soft and delicate.

The simple beach blanket rose has never stopped flowering,

 since my daughter brought me two plants last summer.

A new addition to my Salvia collection. It's name Love and Wishes.

I trust in nature for the stable laws of beauty and utility. Spring shall plant and autumn garner to the end of time.

 Robert Browning 

Believe it or not:

If I keep  a green bough in my heart

the singing bird will come.

©pictures and some texts Ts 

September, first day of spring;

“It is spring again. The earth is like a child that knows poems by heart.” 

 Rainer Maria Rilke 

Azalea "Dreamtime" grows in my garden since many years, exactly 25. Every spring  it is covered with these silver pink, glistening flowers, never misses a beat, despite dry or wet or sun. If I had to choose a perfect plant for spring it would be this one.

An odd little number, growing in a pot since ever. At this time of year it is covered with tiny wax like fringed flowers.

Mother of Millions;

“Is the spring coming?" he said. "What is it like?"...

"It is the sun shining on the rain and the rain falling on the sunshine...” 

 Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden 

Ivy geranium, for ever growing in this pot, always waiting for this moment  in September to burst into flowers;

Blue Spires, a new Salvia has joined the Salvia clan.

It does not matter if spring is in the Northern or Southern Hemisphere; Spring is Spring. Ts

Camellias have taken a new lease of life after the rain; this is Hana Fuki a C.japonica.

Never find enough praise for the wonderful Iceberg Rose; some pruning of the spend flowers and off she goes again. Bees find her very attractive.

First day of spring and the appletree is flowering; such pretty, delicate blossoms. It takes the energy from 50 leaves to produce one apple.

Peach blossoms;

It’s spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you’ve got it, you want — oh, you don’t quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so! ~Mark Twain

Double pink peach blossom. It has grown from  a throw away peach pit down at the driveway entrance. I was amazed how this little tree held its weight, growing without any help of water or fertilizer. I just enjoyed every spring its flowers. Then Peter dug it out and brought it up to the orchard and planted it again with lots of TLC. The year after it had a couple of peaches. Now it is growing well, displaying its rare flowers; I am already counting the peaches.

Apricot suitable for the subtropics.

Camellia japonca;

A pretty spring flower and a poem made for me by my 11 year old granddaughter Fabrizia Chiara.

Believe it or not:

Here in the subtropics, spring is like a fairy tale, it is here and it is not. Spring is quickly taken over by the hot breath of summer, first it tempts with  the softest promise which turns from one day to the other into hot summer days. Today is the first day of spring and it is already 27C. Once it is September there is no looking back, winter season, cold days are forgotten for many month to come. Jumpers and scarves are returned to their slumber in moth secure boxes.

©Ts Photos and some Texts.