Friday, March 30, 2012

Flower Flaunt Friday ... A lovely surprise.

So, are you ready to become part of Earth Hour tomorrow?  I think gardeners worldwide would probably make up a huge part of the numbers that show their support for this initiative.  It's all about protecting our planet and helping to create a sustainable future ... a future where the generations that come after us can live and garden in a happy, healthy global environment. 

Well, before I go on further about Earth Hour, I'll share what I'm lucky enough to have blooming in my garden this week.  I was actually despairing just a little that I would have nothing new to share for my Flower Flaunt this week.

After the 'wet' season, most of the flowering plants are looking a little brow-beaten, sad and dismal.  They all need plenty of sunshine and some fertiliser.  But here's the great thing about gardens ... there's always the chance of some fabulous unexpected surprise.  I was all prepared to show off the 'usuals' for this time of year, when I just happened to stroll out into my shadehouse garden and I noticed this tiny little beauty.


It's such a small thing, but it certainly stood out in amongst the various pots sitting on the cane lattice table in the middle of my shadehouse garden.



Now, I'm not an Orchid expert and I really have no idea what this little one might be.  I'm hoping someone will help out with an I.D.

I was given a few little pieces of various Orchids two years ago now, and not being into Orchids, I just threw the pieces in pots and promptly forgot about them.  The pots sat in a corner of the shadehouse garden that I rarely ventured to, until the end of last year.  Almost the entire year last year was a time of great change and clean-up in every corner of the garden, and I finally got to moving the potted Orchids out of their dark and dank corner onto a little cane lattice table that was situated in the middle of the shadehouse.    This is the first one that has bloomed.

Now onto the 'usuals' ...

 Ixora 'Twilight Glow',

Mussaenda philippica 'Aurore',

Russelia,

Pentas lannceolata,

 Mandevilla 'White Fantasy',

 Pseudomussaenda flava, also known as Mussaneda lutea,

Salvia 'Dusky Hues',

more Pentas lanceolata and Salvia 'Dusky Hues'.

Now back to something that may be a surprise for some, but probably not for most.  This coming Saturday, the last Saturday of March, is the time for 'Earth Hour'.

From an event that began here in Australia, Earth Hour has now spread around the world.  Back in 2007, the Worldwide Fund For Nature and the executives at 'Sydney Morning Herald' conceived the idea of encouraging business places and households to turn off all their lights for an hour.  It was hoped that this action would raise awareness about climate change and the effect the human race is having on our planet.



So, on Saturday, March 31st, 2007, over 2 million residents of Sydney turned off their lights for an hour from 7.30 to 8.30 pm.  But it didn't stop there.  The idea caught on!



Earth Hour became an international event in 2008.  2011 was the biggest year in the five-year history of the event.  It's been estimated that over 5,000 cities and towns around the world joined in this action, involving more than a billion people in every continent of our world.


Of course, the event has drawn a lot of criticism mainly centering on the notion that the action of simply turning off lights for an hour would not change attitudes to climate change or have any real benefit for the environment at all.  But I think the initial idea behind the whole thing was simply to raise awareness and create a conversation among people about just how our actions create the environment in which we all have to live.  That conversation has now spread worldwide and I believe the 2012 Earth Hour campaign is now encouraging people to think beyond that hour and think long and hard about sustainable actions and sustainable living.

Will you turn off all your lights for an hour from 8.30 pm tomorrow ... or possibly more?  Go to the official Earth Hour link to see what all the fuss is about:  Earth Hour 2012


I'm joining Tootsie for her  Fertilizer Friday / Flaunt Your Flowers meme


and Nix for Floral Friday Fotos



20 comments:

  1. Bernie,
    You must have also been getting a little bit of sunshine this past week, I have really enjoyed everything drying out a bit. I am hoping it continues through the weekend. I had an orchid that began to bloom and then a little green caterpillar marched down the length and ate all the buds off! I still cannot get over the audacity. Love your orchid.

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    1. Hi AA, yes it appears the 'dry' has arrived. We've seen the sun for a few days now and the place is definitely starting to dry out. I had to get the hose out today and do some watering of the container plants and one of the garden beds. Sorry to hear about your Orchid. You can see something was nibbling at this little flower too, but luckily it must have had its fill and moved on.

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  2. I love the idea:) It has caught on here as well. Happy Earth day!! Love your orchads:)

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    1. Happy Earth Day to you too, Rohrerbot. It's a wonderful idea and needs lots of support. I know we're doing out bit again this year, and have really started thinking about living in a more sustainable way.

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  3. What a pretty post!!! Your photos are just lovely! I am always amazed at the shares you post!!!
    Once again I am just loving the tour of all the gardens that have linked in to my little party! I am so excited to visit each and every post...they are all so inspiring and I am NEVER disappointed! The creative gardens and colorful displays that I am lucky to see are inspirations that I would never have found had I not found each of the gardeners I see online! Thank you so much for sharing your garden with my Friday Flaunt this week...I do hope you will link in again soon!
    This post is being shared on my Tootsie Time Facebook page too just so you are aware.
    (¯`v´¯)
    `*.¸.*´Glenda/Tootsie
    ¸.•´¸.•*¨) ¸.•*¨)
    (¸.•´ (¸.•´ .•´ ¸¸.•¨¯`•.

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    1. It's always fun joining in your meme every Friday, Tootsie.

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  4. I need to read more about Earth Hour...
    Your little lavender orchid is just
    beautiful.. I have 7 orchids hanging
    on my oak tree and their just not
    ready to bloom? Feed them, thats what
    I need to do?
    Lovely photos of your garden.
    Sandy

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  5. Bernie,

    The flowers are beautiful, some we can grow here as summer plants. I have not heard about Earth Hour before, something to investigate.

    Eileen

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  6. Dear Bernie ~ What a sweet little orchid, another lovely growing in your wonderful gardens.

    Have a great weekend ~ FlowerLady

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  7. Hi Bernie...Earth hour I have not heard of but it's a good thing. The little orchid is lovely as well as all your other plants. How on earth do you have the time to take care of all these and work too? However you do it...you do a very good job!

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  8. I love your orchid, and your 'usuals' are all beautiful, too. I've been hearing about Earth Hour. I think it's a great idea. I love to see the stars when it's dark out. But these days the lights seem to be encroaching closer and closer and it's hard to see the stars anymore.

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  9. Lovely post, as usual, Bernie. No idea what the orchid is, but I would love to know when you find out. Earth Hour of course is a great idea and we participate here in Melbourne.

    Thank you for participating in Floral Friday Fotos!

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  10. Beautiful experience to wander through a little of your garden! Lovely variety of healthy plants!

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  11. I absolutely love your garden and its surprises.

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  12. Sometimes our plants need to be left alone huh? Nice bloom.

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  13. Your "usuals" are exotic to me, here in the Northeast U.S. Long Island. We have just had a very mild Winter and Spring is starting. The Jarvis Garden is undergoing some repairs due to tree removal, but trees are replaced times five, and the under brush is restored. Here's to a world-wide garden. Thanksk for telling us about the Earth Hour. The stars shine more brightly without the lights in town.

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  14. Spent a peaceful hour away from the computer and social media, reading my book by candlelight. Very Victorian. Disconcerted to see that we were supposed to use beeswax (green sustainable) candles.Sorry mine were the usual cheap paraffin wax ones we had in stock. My bad.

    My awkwards are still sulking in the corner ...

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  15. WHat amazing flowers you have growing - I tell you this all the time - but it is true - from someone in zone 4 your garden is amazing! Paula from Idaho http://bucketideasforgardening.blogspot.com/

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  16. OMG that Russelia! Yup it's the same one as mine. Now you made me so wanted mine to bloom as prolific as yours. Sorry I am not able to help you to identify that orchid. It's a pretty one though. Enjoyed seeing all the blooms in your garden. Keep up the good job!

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