Monday, September 5, 2011

Mosaic Monday ... It's Springtime!

The first day of Spring (September 1st) is known as Wattle Day here in Oz.  In many, many corners of this great land, the native Acacias or Wattle Trees start to bloom and signal the beginning of our Spring ... but not here.  In the surrounding bushland in my north-eastern corner of Australia, the Acacias bloom from early Autumn into early Winter, not Spring!

So we're not seeing this right now.


We're seeing these blooms instead.


Yes, the magnificent Poplar Gums, Eucalyptus platyphylla, are blooming.


My place is surrounded by these enormous Gum trees.  Most of them are around 20 metres in height and they will flower from late August into October.


This year, however, one or two have only just started blooming this past week. So bloom time is a slightly late, but it's terrific to see these fluffy little white flowers once again
 

Although, I have to say, this gal just doesn't seem all that impressed!!!



For some fantastic Mosaic Monday posts, please go on over and visit Mary at Little Red House

27 comments:

  1. Bernie, The yellow flowers are just stunning! It's always a treat to visit, as your flowers and plants are so much different than ours (U.S.). Enjoyed seeing the little kangaroo too!

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  2. Is the Kangaroo napping? You have the best pictures with the most exotic plants...I love it!

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  3. Hi Bernie and your mosaics are so pretty and that little roo is adorable.
    be a sweetie,
    Shelia ;)

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  4. We really do have some beautiful natives don't we. Around here at the moment it seems to be the callistemons and grevillias that are putting on a show.

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  5. Beautiful flowers, such distinctive colors.

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  6. Autumn will soon be here in Canada. Thanks for showing some lovely spring shots featuring trees I'd never see otherwise.
    -Karen

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  7. don't you just love the Australian bush. There is always something flowering - and some specie of wattle can be guaranteed to be flowering somewhere. No wonder it is our national emblem. The wattles are certainly in profusion around here at the moment. I love seeing photos of your garden and surrounds - so thank you for taking us there again Bernie.

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  8. Ahhhhh ... that furry little wallaby! (They always look so innocent, the 'little furry ones', when they are a sleep.) I love hearing you talk about going into Spring as we go into Autumn - it never gets old! (Lovely flowers! Thanks for sharing both the post and the link to "Mosaic Monday".)

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  9. Thanks Beth. Those Acacia flowers always add such great colour to the bushland during our Autumn-Winters.

    Susan, that's a wallaby and yes, it is sleeping. They stretch out and lay down like this when they want to sleep.

    Sheila, isn't the wallaby so cute? I love the way it appears as if it's laying its head down onto its crossed paws to rest a while.

    Missy, we are so lucky here as you say. We do have the most beautiful natives. Unfortunately I don't have many Callistemons or Grevilleas either in my garden or in the bush to enjoy right now.

    Thanks for visiting Rajesh.

    Karen, so glad you enjoyed your visit today.

    Jill, there is just nothing quite like our Aussie bush. I just love living out here surrounded by it, even though right now it's all looking so dry and parched. The Poplar Gum flowers add just a little touch of colour other than brown!

    Shyrlene, yes we've just begun our Springtime here, but as you've heard me say many times before it's not really my favourite time of the year. It's just early Summer really ... and I'm not a big fan of that time at all.

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  10. Beautyful, absolutely. Your native trees are so special, such lovely flowers. And the Kangaroo ... wow, does she look relaxed. Can hardly imagine they´re in your garden, just visiting. Most exhiting animals, I must say.
    I have to do with toads and mice at the most. Have a nice day.
    Love Iris,
    Denmark.

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  11. I do miss the gold dust wattles in the SE at this time of year. So bright that you need sunnies to look at them!

    With the gums in flower, there must be a lot of insects and birds around. That wallaby does look as though she's totally over winter!

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  12. Iris, yes these Agile Wallabies wander in and out of my place almost every day of the year. It's a delight to have them visit and I feel privileged to be able to see them go about their usual lives right in front of me.

    Snail, I would love to see a great display of Gold Dust Wattles! The Wattles we have here don't really put on a very eye-catching display. You have to get up close to really see the blooms. As for your comment about the insects and birds ... yes there are loads of Rainbow Lorikeets and Honeybees enjoying the Eucalypt flowers right now. The wallabies certainly seem to be fed up with the dry season now. They're started feasting on some of the plants in my garden now it's become really difficult to find grass to nibble on.

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  13. The flowers look like mini pom poms. I am intrigued by the tree with no bark. V.

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  14. I adore Acasia Flowers and they also flower profusley here but I get the worst hayfever from them...Atishoooo!!!! Doesn't stop me from walking under them!

    Veronica
    www.mothercitymagic.blogspot.com

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  15. Hi Bernie, Beautiful flowers on your trees. I would visit your Country, I have an aunt who lives there. Maybe some day. Take care and enjoy your week.

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  16. I love visiting to see what wonderful plant (s) you'll be sharing with us. ... and a kangaroo, too! Delightful!

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  17. Lovely to see the Gums in flower. Sleeping beauty looks gorgeous to.

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  18. Bernie, the little wallaby (is it?), is so cute! You are entering spring and we are about to enter fall later this month. I am amazed that no matter the season you have so much natural colour and interest! I love to visit you just to see that marvellous part of the world, and of course, to see what you are up to too! :)

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  19. I love these photos - so different from our landscape. And that wallaby - she's a hoot!

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  20. Happy Spring to you down under! I really enjoyed all your fresh signs of Spring. Enjoy!

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  21. Well that's something we don't see every day...or EVER! Love the kangaroo and the pretty blooms in the trees! Enjoy your week! happy Spring! ♥

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  22. Bernie,
    Your yellow Acacia flowers are stunning. And the white flowers of the Eucalyptus remind me of our Fothergilla (although much smaller than a eucalyptus). Our summer season is winding down into Autumn here in the US. It is so wonderful to see, almost in real time, that the promise of spring is just starting where you are.

    Yael

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  23. Dear Bernie. Thanks for the answer. Sorry for calling them Kangaroos, by now I´m aware there are at least 30 species ... do the Wallabies possibly sometimes eat or damage any of your plants, or are they totally ´harmless´ just sunbathing? Anyhow, must be great having them strolling in your garden. Amazing. You sure are privileged, being able to enjoy the Wallabies, that close.
    A nice day to you.
    Love Iris,
    Denmark.

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  24. Valerie, the tree that looks like it has no bark is the Eucalyptus platyphylla. It has very smooth white bark on its trunk and branches. It will shed this bark every year. When the top layer peels off, the new bark underneath has a pink tinge to it. It's quite lovely.

    Veronica, luckily I'm not allergic to the flowers on the native trees around here otherwise I'd be sneezing an awful lot.

    Snap, thanks for dropping by and I'm glad you enjoyed the photos.

    Sueb, yes Sleeping Beauty is a great name for that wallaby. It spent hours snoozing away under that tree.

    Shirley, we do have year-round interest here in the dry tropics. It's nice to know there are readers out there who enjoy a look into this corner of the world.

    Thanks for your comments Shirley, Twiggy, Ellenb, Lavenderdreamer, Yael and JBar.

    Iris, it's easy to confuse wallabies and kangaroos so don't worry about it. Most of the time the wallabies here don't cause much damage. Occasionally, they will munch on some of my plants when their food sources dies off. During our dry season, it's hard for them to find enough grass to eat, so they often find plants in my garden beds to devour instead. Apart from that occasional annoyance, I really enjoy having them around.

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  25. Hi Bernie ! I just read your whole blog from when you first started it till now, I enjoyed it so much !! I really envy you for living in such a lovely part of the world. I live in Belgium and I can only dream about the flowers you have in your garden, and the views and the wildlife !! STUN -NING !!!!Ofcourse I realise there is also a downside to living there what with the storms and the drought and the heath but here we had the Summer from hell, sooo little sunshine and sooooo much rain ( and that after a long and cold winter with lots of snow !), my flowers in the garden have rotted away and my indoor plants look very sad cos of the lack of light. It drives me crazy and makes me depressed. Thanks a lot for showing me arround in your garden, it is absolutely lovely !

    greetings from Belgium

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  26. G'day Anonymous from Belgium. I think you deserve a prize for your effort. I'm delighted that you found my blog interesting enough to read through all the posts from the beginning. I think the more I share about my little part of the world, the more I actually appreciate it. It's also fascinating to pop by and visit so many other corners of the world. It does sound like you're having a rough time of it with the weather this year. I'd love to share some of the sunshine we're getting right now!!

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  27. Bwenie,

    Those Wallabys sure look comfortable in your garden! Beautiful photos of the gum tree flowers.

    Eileen

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