It's the middle of our Spring Downunder and in my part of Oz it's starting to warm up considerably. Most days the high is around 31 deg C (87F), there have been no more unexpected showers of rain and the humidity levels remain around the 70-80% during the day. As I've said before, Spring here is really just an early Summer!
Out in the garden areas the Hemerocallis are showing their faces one by one. Here's the latest Daylily to open ... this is Hemerocallis 'Maleny Tiger'.
Some of the annuals have come to an end. The Pansies, Verbenas and Violas have all been pulled out ... as it warms up they start to look past their best, so I just take them out. The Snapdragons are still going strong ...
The Pelargoniums are really starting to flourish now.
The plants that flower all year round are, of course, still showing lovely blooms. Plants such as my Dragon Wing Red Begonia ...
the hybrid Begonia elatoir 'Glorious' ...
the Impatiens walleriana ...
the New Guinea Impatiens ...
and the Hibiscus rosa-sinensis.
Now make sure you visit Tootsie's Flaunt Your Flowers/Fertiliser Friday meme by clicking on this link:
It's been a fabulous clear Spring day ... but it's getting too hot to work in the garden during the day. It's about this time of year that gardening time dwindles considerably and the only time I can get out there is first thing in the morning and as the evening closes in. I mostly spend these times watering now ... this is the start of the 'horticultural hell' when it becomes hard work keeping the potted garden plants going. I often raise my eyes to the firmament above and wish for a reasonable end-of-Spring and Summer!!
Pop over to the Skywatch Friday meme as well to see more fabulous sky shots!
Wow these flowers are so bold and bright and beautiful! Love the clarity of your blue sky sprinkled with white cloud! We need more Spring sunshine and warmth down Melbourne way!
ReplyDeleteI am envious of your Spring as we head into Fall. While I was away in Venice and Florence I was amazed at how many Australians were on vacation there. We met so many! Italy must be a popular destination for Aussies, but I can't imagine why, when you have so much Springtime glory right now :)
ReplyDeleteHi Bernie,
ReplyDeleteMy geraniums did not do well this year with our heat. I must try that Angel Wings Begonia again next year. I saw it in many plantings this summer and it looked great. I am just putting in pansies and cabbages and you are pulling them out. We are going to warm up for the weekend, in the 80's.
Eileen
What an excellent snapdragon... and those elatior begonias are marvelous! L
ReplyDeleteGorgeous photos of these magnificent flowers...thanks for sharing!!!
ReplyDeleteYour flowers are lovely! I miss growing hibiscus and impatients - such preety blooms!
ReplyDeleteOoooooh! They're all so gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteWhat a glorious garden you have!! Enjoy!
ReplyDelete*hugs*deb
Wow, I can't imagine spring being that warm as a norm, though it does occasionally reach those temperatures here (Edmonton, Alberta Canada) in May (almost the end of our spring). Love your photos, particularly the snapdragons.
ReplyDeleteYep, fall is trying to get started here, the temps can't quite make up their mind yet. Beautiful blooms.
ReplyDeleteI too am envious of your new Spring. Fall is a lovely time here in Florida, but it is quickly followed by winter, which is unpredictable here. Love those beautiful sky shots! And that 'Maleny Tiger' daylily is stunning! (I miss my daylily blooms.)
ReplyDeleteHello Bernie, had to visit you on Flower Flaunt Friday to see what was new. The "Maleny Tiger" is extremely beautiful! The pictures of the clouds make me want to lay down on one and just float away with the breeze. Drop by once in a while. :)
ReplyDeleteHi Bernie, you,ve some beautiful blooms in the garden. They must look fantastic all together in the garden. Flo.
ReplyDeleteAnd here in Florida, its a wonderful fall day! Nice to know that everyone worldwide is enjoying moderate temps now.
ReplyDeleteGreyscale Territory ... I'd love to share some of the warmth we're feeling up here, lol! The sunshine I'd like to keep though, as we've had some unseasonal overcast days during our Autumn-Winter and the plants are just loving it.
ReplyDeleteLaurrie ... Aussies definitely have the wander-lust. I think it's because we feel so isolated downunder that we try to go overseas whenever we possibly can!!!!
Eileen ... I would definitely recommend the Dragon Wing Begonias. I have the pink and red and they've been beyond fantastic. They won't survive direct sun all day, but with some morning sun they will survive everything our Summer can dish out.
Thanks LC ... the Elatoir is new for me this year and it's been very impressive. It's hard to find here so I'm keeping an eagle eye out for more.
Thoughtfully Blended Hearts ... thanks for stopping by and I'm glad you enjoyed the selection of Spring blooms.
Alea ... Hibiscus and Impatiens are almost the staple diet of gardeners here! I've always had them in every garden I've ever had. They're great survivors here.
Thanks Missy ... glad you enjoyed the photos.
Dragonfly Treasure ... the garden will not be looking all that good at the end of the year, so I'm enjoying it while I can.
ReplyDeleteShirley ... yes the temps. I talked about are the norm here during our Spring. Towards the end of Spring we can get some hotter days as Summer approaches.
Darla ... hopefully your Winter won't be too bad.
Floridagirl ... with the return to our usual bright sunny days, the flowers in the garden seen to look brighter somehow!
Emptyhead51 ... thanks for your lovely comments. The skies are lovely at the moment ... and I do spend a bit of time sitting out in the courtyard looking up at the clouds!!
Flo ... as most of my flowers are in the potted garden out in the courtyard, it's not your usual garden set-up. There are no long garden beds filled with flowers here ... it's all crammed into a rather small space outside our back door!
Hard to believe it is so hot, so soon, Bernie! I'm glad that things are just getting started where you are, though...because that means I have all winter to enjoy them from here;-) That first red & white impatiens is pretty one!
ReplyDeleteHi Bernie - beautiful flowers. That hybrid begonia and those impatiens in particular are wonderful. We've hardly even got into the 20s here in Brisbane yet. The rain has kept it cool - good for the garden though.
ReplyDeleteHere you go again with your beautiful flowers showing me all the hues from the spectrum. And then on top of it you have throwing the lovely clouds and the bright blue skies. In the coming months I am going to have to depend upon your and YOUR wonderful photographs to give me my flower fix because all of mine are just about gone. We are down to the end here in our part of VA. I am not too sad...snow will be on its way before too long....I HOPE!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful sky photo, flowers, and music.
ReplyDeleteHi Bernie; many enchanting beauties in your garden. I am a fan of Pelargoniums, I still call them geraniums! They all look to be in super condition. We had a lot of rain and the vegetable garden is not as good now as it should be, beans do not show and the strawberries do not like the wet. Generally spring is dry and the heavy rain starts around Xmas. 1974 was the last time when we had the same amount of rain.
ReplyDeleteYour photos and flowers are beautiful. I love the snap dragons. It is difficult gardening in the heat. I have to choose between a walk or gardening in the mornings but at the moment it is too wet to do either. 3 weeks of rain!
ReplyDeleteAll of your flower photos are absolutely stunning, Bernie. I sympathise about the 'horticultural hell' in trying to keep the water up to the potted plants.
ReplyDeleteAlthough we've had more rain this year than for many years, I still don't look forward to the summer watering and seeing plants gradually wilt with heat and thirst. If only Spring could last all Summer.