Friday, January 27, 2012

Flower Flaunt ... On This Hot and Humid Mid-Summer Friday.

I haven't posted a Friday Flower Flaunt for a couple of weeks as I've been very caught up with the beginning of the new school year.  It's always a very hectic time and there never seems to be enough hours in the day!  Thankfully I've got some time to myself today, so I get to share some of the blooms out in the garden right now.


January is a mid-Summer month for us and we've finally had decent rainfall over the last two weeks.  The downpours have not been torrential, but quite heavy and most welcome.


The rain clouds usually roll in during the afternoon and the rain begins to fall and continues through the night.  We do get the occasional clear evening, but then it's painfully hot and steamy.  Yes, those brown lumps out in the front yard are the Agile Wallabies that help us out with the lawn mowing during the wet season.


They're a great source of unpaid labour and thankfully they're enjoying the abundant grass and not my garden plants now!


The Torenia 'Violet Magic' are both thriving and looking fabulous out in the courtyard.  I'm very happy to see them lasting so long.  This particular variety seems to be handling the summer rain very well.  Usually Torenias shrivel up and fade away during our wet season, but thankfully we haven't had the horrid driving rain yet.


Another plant that really doesn't like a heavy wet season are the Pelargoniums.  At the moment, while they're not exactly flourishing, they are doing quite well.


The back of the courtyard continues to look bright and colourful.


My favourite Salvia splendens hybrid 'Dusky Hues' just power on from year to year now.  They just need the occasional cut back and they're as happy as Larry!


The ever pleasing Cleome spinosa 'Senorita Rosalita' just loves this weather, as long as the rains are not too heavy the slender flowering stems stand up straight and tall.


I love the simplicity and purity of the snow white Wrightia antidysenterica 'Arctic Snow' flowers out in the courtyard.  Soon it will be time to pot up to a larger container and I'm looking forward to even more blooms as it matures.

Elsewhere around the property ...


... the gorgeous Lagerstroemia speciosa or Queen's Myrtle has been flowering beautifully.


The Murraya paniculata down the driveway has bloomed again and this time it's absolutely covered in flowers.  I've never seen so many blooms on this shrub.  It's the oldest Murraya on the property and is now around 3 metres in height.


The scent from the gorgeous flowers is simply heavenly.


One of the Celosia cristata plants growing in a pot on the side stairs has re-seeded and the new babies are starting to bloom.  We call these lovely things 'Cockscomb'.  The new babies look a little different to their mother ... they have this fabulous yellow running through the comb.  I'm going to have to try and keep this one going!


The very last of the Hemerocallis is on show.  Hemerocallis 'Archangel Eyes' has been weighed down by the heavy rain but still shows off it's lovely bloom.


Out in the shadehouse garden, Curcuma 'Voodoo Magic' is blooming


and Costus productus is still flowering.

I'm pleased to say that one of the Salvia cuttings I was sent by a very generous gardener (thanks Titania!) has taken off and is flowering for the first time.


I think I'm going to like this hot pink!

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



Weekend Flowers


Floral Friday Fotos


Flowers On Saturday

45 comments:

  1. Wow! It's breathtaking, Bernie! You live in a little corner of paradise. Lovely variety of flowers, all beautifully photographed.
    Thank you for taking part in Friday Flower Fotos!

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  2. have you noticed the murrayas start blooming again just when rain is likely? I have a row of the mini-variety only, growing as a retainer wall edge in the front garden. Nice, compact, evergreen.... Also admire your celosia; I never think to try that one out; I like that curly one

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    1. Hi Carole. Yes you're so right about the Murrayas blooming when the rain comes again. They've been blooming all over the city in the last few weeks. Most of mine are still rather young and have a way to go before they're blooming as brilliantly as the huge one beside the driveway. I can imagine how terrific yours would look as a hedge, especially when they're all blooming. I can most certainly recommend Celosias. I grow them every year and am never disappointed.

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  3. You have so many beautiful flowers to flaunt. One never tires at looking at them.

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    1. Thanks Diane. The trees and shrubs are certainly appreciating the rain we've been having up here. So far it's been a rather pleasant wet, but if the really heavy rains arrive there will be far less blooms.

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  4. Hi Bernie,
    Wow what a way to start my Friday morning with your gorgeous flowers. Those beautiful little Torenia's are still my favourites I have just ordered my seed for this year. I missed them so much last year when I didn't grow them. The Murraya and Wrightia are stunners too. Have a good weekend.
    Sue

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    1. Morning Sue. Over here we've had a day with no rain. It's been quite hot and sticky making wandering around the garden quite a chore! Well you know how much I love Torenias. The 'Violet Magics' are the only ones left though, so I'll be looking out for new ones soon. Nursery trip tomorrow!

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  5. So envious of your sunshiny flowery pics! Here in Ireland it is grey and wet.

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    1. I'm pleased to be able to provide some cheer while you're seeing dreary grey skies. We're getting quite a bit of rain too, but it mostly falls in the late afternoon and at night.

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  6. What a great way to start the weekend, visiting Bernie downunder. Always a thrill to come around. I admire the luxuriance of your garden, looks fab.
    Had Torenias last summer, however, they weren´t as lovely as yours. Perhaps they got ´cold feet´ as the weather certainly was rather lousy, wet and windy.Do hope it´ll be much nicer this year.
    Lovely photos Bernie.
    Have a smashing weekend.
    Best regards, Iris.

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    1. G'day Iris! Torenias don't last through a heavy wet season here. They really don't like having wet feet and they hate dreary overcast days. Thankfully this summer has been a little sunnier and the rain hasn't been all that heavy. It's great seeing these particular Torenias lasting so long. Fingers crossed you will have more luck with them this year too.

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  7. thanks for this lovely weekend flowers :)

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    1. It's always fun joining your Weekend Flowers meme. Thanks for that Tina!

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  8. Oh, what a beautiful garden! I particularly like that shot of your courtyard! My partner would be very jealous indeed!!

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    1. Our courtyard is terrific and I do so love that space. We're still working on the area under the pergola, but there's been some progress at last.

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  9. How lush and steamy and tropical it all looks right now! So green and so colorful.

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    1. Steamy and tropical, it must certainly is right now. The garden is looking so much better for the rain we've been receiving. Thanks Laurrie.

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  10. I would love to be sitting in your courtyard right now enjoying the sun and the warmth. Such a lovely spot filled with pretty things. Now that would be something to have wallabies in the yard eating the grass! Sure trumps my squirrels, possums, skunks and racoons! Hope it's a good school year for you!

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    1. Hi Jean. Well the school year has started and so far it's been absolutely hectic so that could be a sign of a hard year's work ahead!! The courtyard is a great place to relax in, even with the slightly ugly sight of the pergola area that's still a work-in-progress. We can only sit out there in the mornings and evenings though, as it's just too darned hot at any other time!

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  11. Hi Bernie. You have so many lovely blooms now. Glad to hear that you are getting some rains. I imagine it just makes it feel hotter at this time of the year like our humid summer weather. I love your white blooms in the garden today. The Wrightia antidysenterica Arctic Snow and especially the Murraya paniculata are just gorgeous.

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    1. Lona, it's hot, hot, blistering hot right now! I can't get any garden work done unless I get out first thing in the morning. Even then the mosquitoes are very bad after the rain we've been having. I love the whites too. Definitely my favourites.

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  12. You have a beautiful garden. Your flowers are so pretty.

    Gorgeous Tulips

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    1. Thanks Modern Mum. I wish I could grow Tulips, but alas it's not to be!

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  13. The wallabies would be appreciating all the food. Hopefully they'll leave your plants alone now. I love allamandas - they just scream Summer.

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    1. You're so right about Allamandas screaming Summer! My dwarf Allamanda is literally covered in blooms right now. It's putting on the best display I've ever seen. Those wallabies are leaving my plants alone for now. They've got plenty of grass to keep them happy thank goodness!

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  14. You garden is so lovely with so many gorgeous blooms!

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    1. Thank you Jama. I also really enjoyed seeing your fabulous splashes of bright cheery sunshine!

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  15. Hello Bernie, I decided to nominate you, congratulations!

    http://graphicality-uk.blogspot.com/2012/01/versatile-blogger-award.html

    Take care :-)

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    1. What a wonderful surprise. Thank you so much Helene. Versatility and flexibility are definitely needed characteristics in any gardener, but most definitely in a gardener working in the tropics!

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  16. They are all growing lushly and beautifully, while ours are starting to show discontent at the onset of the dry season.

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    1. I know exactly how that is, Andrea as you are aware. Thankfully our dry is at least two months away yet and so far our wet has been rather mild. Hope I haven't spoken too soon!!

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  17. Replies
    1. Thanks Linda, you're very kind but my photos are nowhere near as great as yours. I just loved the close-up of the Chrysanthemum this week!!

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  18. Bernie, these are lovely photos! Your house is lovely and your garden is absolutely gorgeous.
    I am suffering from severe lack of flowers. I had a lovely garden in my previous home which I owned but now we are renting a house with a "Geisha girl" out the back and a small tree out the front... it's so depressing!

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    1. Oh Liz, how sad you don't have much of a garden at present. One 'Geisha Girl' and a tree aren't really enough are they? I do consider myself very lucky to be living in the wonderful house and in this spot in amongst the bushland.

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  19. those are wonderful photos! love them all !

    happy weekend!

    http://thelayugan.blogspot.com/2012/01/dainty-pink.html

    hope to see you too, thanks!

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  20. wow, what a beautiful garden you have :)

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    1. Thank you Ewa. My garden is a work-in-progress as I've only really been working on it for three years now. It's certainly keeping me busy!

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  21. That is a whole lot of flowers. How lucky you are to see so much beauty. I like your comment form BTW- which platform is it?

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    1. G'day Self Sagacity. Our summer hasn't been too bad so far so we're still seeing quite a bit of colour here. As for the comment form ... it's just part of eBlogger which I've been using ever since I began blogging.

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  22. The Coroma Voodoo Magic is beautiful!

    Crab Apple, please come and see it's beauty.

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  23. Gosh you have some lovely color in your garden. We have also had plenty of rain and humidity - I tend to wilt in this weather - never mind the plants!

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  24. Oh my goodness look at all the beautiful things you are sharing..I LOVE your courtyard...Hope you and the Wallabies have a wonderful week.. hugs from Savannah

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  25. The flower flaunt on this hot and humid midday is wonderful. Useful post

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