DRUM ROLL!
Yes it's time for the first Flaunt Your Flowers Friday post for 2011. While a large part of my home state of Queensland is underwater and flooded, up here in the north we're finally seeing the sun! That great big golden ball is starting to make a serious effort to shine all day long after so many, many, many dreary leaden-grey, overcast days. Of course, it continues to be horrid, hot and humid ... but at least the plants are enjoying bright sunlight once more.
January is our mid-Summer and mid-'wet' season month, so let's see what's blooming here in my corner of north-eastern Australia.
Around the property:
Mandevilla 'White Fantasy' with its trumpet-shaped brilliant white flowers.
Mussaenda philippica 'Aurore' is still blooming beautifully ... even if the large bracts are beaten down a little with all the rain!
Occasionally you can spot the little yellow star-shaped flowes trying to peak through those floppy stark white bracts.
My two Lagerstroemia speciosa (Queen's Myrtle) are still showing the occasional spray of flowers. Neither bloomed much during 2010 compared to previous years ... again perhaps it's the result of the unusual weather we had last year.
It's still lovley to see these gorgeous lavender purple flowers ... even if there's fewer than usual.
Mussaenda philippica 'Queen Sirikit' or 'Bangkok Rose' is in bloom ... and, of course, the Russelia juncea continues to flower.
So many of my Duranta repens shrubs are flowering ... and a couple are almost completely covered in orange berries as well.
The all-year-round flowers of the green Acalypha wilkesiana often go unnoticed amongst the striking foliage ...
... and the same is true for the Croton flowers.
The flowers of Delonix regia (Poinciana Tree), however, are definitely noticed at this time of year!
Courtyard Garden:
Now for some of the flowers that can be found on the potted plants out in my courtyard.
Cleome spinosa 'Senorita Rosalita'.
Salvia guaranitica 'Black and Blue' (Brazilian Blue Sage) with its fabulous cobalt blue flowers and black calyces.
The pink Dragon Wing Begonia is showing its lovely flowers...
... as is this pretty Begonia semperflorens.
Salvia splendens.
Greenhouse/Shadehouse Garden:
Curcuma australasica 'Anita'
My one and only flower spray on my rather young Globba winitii or the Mauve Dancing Ladies is still hanging in there.
Costus productus (Orange Spiral Ginger) continues to flower.
For more Flaunt Your Flower/Fertiliser Friday posts, go on over to Tootsie's blog Tootsie Time
I'm also joining in the Today's Flowers meme, and I encourage all to drop by and have a look at some wonderful flower posts on that meme.
oh Bernie!!!! Your summer is sooooo pretty! I am jealous...yet inspired at the same time. It still blows me away how you are so hot and summer...and we are expecting another foot of snow this weekend!
ReplyDeleteI hope you had a great holiday and best wishes for a grand 2011~ mine started a bit bumpy...we are all very ill here with bad colds...and that is not fun! I have my three little monsters all coughing and laying around like victims all week now. lol
Have a great weekend...see you next week!...and thanks so much for linking in this week again!
I just love the mussaenda, particularly the white. I've tried a couple of times to grow them here and they don't survive their first winter. Think I need to find a spot where they won't get hit by frost before I try again.
ReplyDeleteThe North seems to be getting less rain than Brisbane at the moment. It just doesn't seem to want to stop. We are getting a taste of what you go through every summer I suppose.
Your Duranta repens shrubs are most spectacular! Love the yellow berries... what a pretty sight to behold. Your garden is really a show piece :-D Have a great weekend! And I hope it will not be too hot for you.
ReplyDeleteBernie, the flowers are gorgeous. They seem unreal to me in this cold weather and snow. I am glad you are okay in regard to the flooding. I have been hearing about it on the new programs.
ReplyDeleteEileen
Dear Bernie ~ Once again you've transported this girl to a wonderland filled with beautiful blooms. I'm amazed at how many of some of these I have myself.
ReplyDeleteIt is winter here, but I'm not complaining at all. I dread the heat and humidity of summer.
Happy Gardening ~ FlowerLady
How fabulous to see these flowers now, as I sit here watching 3 to 5 inches of snow fall. I grow the black and blue sage too, and love it. Your blooms today are a high spot!
ReplyDeleteHi Bernie; a fine and diverse lot of tropical beauties. While perusing your beauties I found out a few names of plants which grow happily in my garden but were until this moment unnamed. I grow the Cleome spinosa, Senorita Rosalita, such a melodious name. I sort of guessed it was a Cleome but I was not sure. It is such a fine plant to grow and flowers well and a long time, I love it. The white Mussaenda looks gorgeous with its exuberant flower heads. I have grown the globba wittii for many years in a pot. Over winter it disappears; it is an unusual, pretty plant. I love to grow all sorts of tropical salvias. The dark blue one is striking.
ReplyDeleteglad you are not affected by this terrible flood.
It's wonderful to see what is blooming "down under" while we are "under" inches of snow here on Long Island. Do you know a school chum of mine Dr. Paul Recher? He is working on a succulent garden at his Australian location. Been in your neck of the woods for over 30 yeqars and grew up on Long Island and went to school with me. I will send him your website address. Cheers
ReplyDeleteGlad you haven't had floods up there. Your flowers are beautiful, photography too. Some of those haven't flowered yet down here. My garden is too wet to work in, its frustrating as everything needs a cut back and the weeds!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteWow, what great shots and amazing colors you have in your garden.
ReplyDeleteWe are missing summer.
Darryl and Ruth : )
Very beautiful blooms!I like the mauve dancing ladies,your salvias, the gingers, and of course the flowering shrubs/trees! Gorgeous images!
ReplyDeleteLove your tropical beauties!
ReplyDeleteI can picture myself lost in the beauty of this paradise scenery.
My garden is covered with 1,5 meter thick snow now...
Your gardens are gorgeous! Lots of flowers, lots to see each time. I am jealous of your summer as we are covered in snow right now.
ReplyDeleteYou do have a lot going on in your garden. The flowers are lovely.
ReplyDeleteThe flowers are so beautiful and they are quiet commonly found here in Singapore too and they bloom all year long due to our tropical heat. Your garden must be really lovely with so many beautiful blooms around.
ReplyDeletewow, you have a gorgeous garden-such beautiful flowers. we also have of these here [in the Phlippines]. our Queen Sirikit is also blooming.
ReplyDeleteBernie, it was a treat to look at all your flowers. I especially liked the Brazilian blue sage and the Curcuma. Have a nice week ahead!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing all these beauties...
ReplyDeleteQue fotos maravilhosas! E que lindo jardim você tem! Vi flores que me lembram minha infância, que eu brincava entre elas! Parabéns pelas fotos e pelas flores!
ReplyDeleteWhat beautiful blooms!
ReplyDeleteMy entry.
Still winter in Virginia so its a treat to see your lush summer gardens.
ReplyDeleteYour Globba looks fantastic. I have never seen one yet, so pretty. Great photo's Bernieh, love the white Musseanda photo.
ReplyDeleteSuch a lot of beauties grace your garden and shade house. I am so glad you post botanical names as some of the plants only have variety names when you see them in nurseries.
ReplyDeleteGreat post. You must have a truly wonderful tropical garden.