Flower Flaunt on Friday ... A Pretty Pair.

On this special day when a rather well-known couple are pairing up in old London town, I'd thought I'd share some of the things that go together well in my garden right now ... mid-Autumn and the beginning of our 'dry' season.

This pair I particularly love ... dwarf Angelonia angustifolia and Salvia leucantha 'Santa Barbara'.

The foliage and flower of Episcia cupreata certainly make a lovely combination.

A pair of Jacobinia carnea (syn. Justicia carnea) plumes is such a pretty sight ... 

... as is a pair of Gerbera blooms.

This is a sight that delights me every time I spot it ... the brilliant whites of Begonia semperflorens (Wax Begonia) and Angelonia angustifolia mingled with the green and grey of the Pilea cadieri (Aluminium Plant).

Another great combination ... the orange flowers and the variegated foliage of Crossandra infundibuliformis 'Glamour Puss'

I just love seeing Wrightia antidysenterica 'Arctic Snow' surrounded by the bracts of Euphorbia 'Diamond Frost'.

Simple things like the interplay between shadow and sunlight in a patch of ferns draws my eye.

In one corner of the garden the Hibiscus rosa-sinensis provides a terrific background for the Mussaenda philippica 'Aurore', 

whilst in another corner, the orange of the Crossandra is a match with the orange on the butterfly's wings.

 Then there's a pair of Laughing Kookaburras sitting in an old gum tree ...

... and a pair of black butterfly wings.

Last of all, there's something so wonderful about the mix of purple bracts and the tiny white flowers of Gomphrena globosa or Bachelor Buttons.

 

This seems a fitting ending to this post on the day that one of the world's most famous bachelors marries a lovely girl called Katherine.

I'm joining Tootsie at Tootsie Time for Flaunt Your Flowers / Fertilizer Friday.  It's a great place to visit and find out what's blooming around the globe.

Wildlife on Wednesday ... the Helmeted Friarbird.

This poor creature, Philemon buceroides, is not the prettiest bird on the planet.  Whilst it has a close resemblance to a vulture from some angles, this is in fact the largest of our Aussie Friarbirds.

This bird is a fairly common around my place for most of the year.  It's easily distinguished from other birds,   not so much because of its' dull grey-brown body ... which is in stark contrast to so many of the rather colourful birds we see around here!  No, it really stands out because of its' big dark grey head which seems out of proportion to the body.   Then there's that gently sloping knob on the forehead and the dark bare skin around the face.

The underparts are a paler grey.   The legs and feet are  grey.  The eyes have a red-brown iris and the bill is black.  Altogether, the package is a little on the ugly side.

But, then there's the song.  Yesterday the song of a little group of these birds filled the afternoon air and really added something special to my day!  Here's a little snippet of that beautiful sound as the group hopped around feasting on the nectar of the Eucalyptus flowers.

Flower Flaunt on Good Friday ... mid-Autumn Downunder.

Wishing all a Happy Easter!

For those who are wondering what on earth that strange looking chocolate animal is, here's a link to show you one of our unique Aussie animals and our native Australian Easter icon.

I'm on a week-long end-of-term break and enjoying every moment.  The weather has been fabulous.  Bright sunny blue-sky days, albeit getting shorter ... and lovely cool nights.  I'm out watering, weeding, feeding and just being in my garden and enjoying every moment.  Have I said that already?  Oh dear, I think it's called 'end of wet season euphoria!'

Here are some of the delightful sights in my garden right now.

This shot actually shows all the stages of the Bracteantha bracteata or Straw Flower from bud to fully open flower.  These are one of my all-time favourite flowers.  I love their texture, their form and their colours.

 The brilliant blue of Evolvulus pilosus or Blue Daze, always draws my attention.

Who could not notice the brilliant splash of colour of this Portulaca or Sun Jewel?

Now ... the flower in the top row is a recent purchase of mine and I'm just jumping for joy that I finally have one.  It's the stunning white Ginger ... Hedychium coronarium ... and the perfume emanating from this bloom is simply heavenly.  It may even be more divine than the scent of roses ... well that's my opinion anyway.

Middle row shows the fascinating bloom of my Curcuma 'Voodoo Magic' when splashed with sunshine or drenched in shadow.  The colour of the inflorescence and the tiny flower are simply beautiful.

The star of my Courtyard Garden right now is shown on the bottom row.  My Jasminum officinale is finally showing more than just the occasional flower these days.  I think it's enjoying all the sunshine.

Having my morning cuppa while strolling around the courtyard is a terrific start to the day.  There's bird song all around me and nothing else to spoil the peace and quiet.

The Angelonia angustifolia have started their wonderful display ...

... and one of the Snapdragons that was flowering so prolifically last year has suddenly burst into bloom.

I just adore the new foliage of my Trachelospermum jasminoides variegatum 'Tricolour', the dwarf variegated Star Jasmine ...

... and the pink blush on the new leaves of my dwarf variegated Bougainvillea.

There's fabulous foliage to enjoy as well.

It's a great time of year!

Join Tootsie at Tootsie Time for more Fertiliser/Flaunt Your Flowers Friday posts.

Mosaic Monday ... On Another Glorious Autumn Day.

These are the days, and nights, that making living in the tropics worthwhile.  It's another clear blue-sky day today and the living is easy after a hard start to the year.  Our daytime temperatures have finally fallen below that 30 deg C mark ... albeit by only a degree or two ... but it does make a difference.  The nights have started to become a little cooler, hinting at the soon-to-be 20 deg C winter nights that are approaching. 

I'm on a short mid-semester break and it's just wonderful to be able to spend time at home.  I can wander out into the garden areas at any time of the day now without getting fried from the heat or drenched by the rain. 

Yes, I do sometimes have to avoid some of the more unfriendly and unwelcome wildlife ... apparently they are also enjoying the weather!








But I also get to enjoy being around the welcome wildlife friends around here.

With the return of the brilliant sunshine, more and more flowers are appearing in the corners of my garden.

There's not much for me to do at the moment other than wander round and enjoy my garden.

For more fabulous Mosaic Monday posts from all corners of the globe, go and visit Mary at Little Red House

Mosaic Monday ... A Welcome Return To Bright Sunny Autumn Days!

Oh what a difference a week makes ... It's simply glorious!  You might remember in my last Mosaic Monday post, I was bemoaning what seemed like the longest ever 'wet' season.  If we do see a 'wet' season here, and until around two years ago, they were scarce, it would last maybe a month or two.  This one was into its' fourth month and the garden was in monsoon season survival mode!

Well, our treasured friend the sun has returned and has booted out those gloomy grey clouds!  That golden orb has hung around for six days now ... whoohoooo!   This is the Autumn weather we're used to!
Bright, clear, sunny, blue-sky days.

It's a pleasure to see the sunlight lighting up the garden ...

and brightening up our world once more.

It's hard to describe just how wonderful it is to come out of a wickedly long gloomy 'wet' season, but I can truly say I'm looking forward to the 'dry' this year.  It's the best time for gardening here in my corner of the world .. suddenly there's a sparkle in my eye and a spring in my step.

Please visit Mary at Little Red House for some fabulous Mosaic Monday posts.

Flower Flaunt on a Skywatch Friday ... Here They Come!

Hallelujah!  What's that I spy as the sun rises?

Could that be blue sky?

Is that bird soaking up some bright golden rays to start the day?

Are those fluffy white clouds strewn across that vast expanse of blue?

Yes, folks ... here they come!  Those brilliant bright blue Autumn skies!  Finally!

After two days filled with brilliant sunshine and mostly clear bright blue skies, I'm hopeful the 'wet' season might have bid farewell for 2011 and its' dreary leaden-grey-cloud filled skies are gone.

I'm seeing brilliant sunshine gleaming on the foliage ...

... and bright blue sky through the stripped cyclone-damaged canopy!

The whites somehow seem whiter and brighter!

Mandevilla 'White Fantasy'

Cuphea hyssopifolia

Shafts of sunlight light up the purples and pinks.

 Ruellia

Angelonia angustifolia

Jacobinia or Justicia carnea

Mussaenda philippica 'Bangkok Rose'

The reds seem to be aglow!

Pelargonium

New Guinea Impatiens

The yellows appear to be shining!

Allamanda cathartica

Acacia

Even the greens seem more lustrous!

Plants I thought were lost have thrown out new blooms.

Bracteantha bracteata or Straw Flower/Everlasting Daisy

miniature Dahlia

Brunfelsia latifolia syn. bonodora or Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

So what do you think little Fig Bird?   Is this our real Autumn weather at long last?

I'm joining Skywatch Friday 

and Tootsie's Flaunt Your Flowers / Fertilizer Friday 

I'm also joining in the Blooming Friday meme ... this week it's titled 'Eye Candy'!

Please don't miss the opportunity to visit these memes.