Colour can certainly be found on the foliage plants that flourish here in the northern tropics. Plants like the Crotons ...
... and the Acalyphas.
There's also sensational colour in the sunrises at this time of year. Autumn sunrises can be fabulous.
There are brilliant golden yellow Acacia blooms visible out in the bushland around us. Autumn into early Winter is the time for the Wattle display here in the foothills. It's a real shame though that thugs like the Lantana camara and Jatropha gossypifolia or Chonky Apple, make life very difficult for the fabulous native Acacias.
Imagine the spectacle if these stunning Acacias covered the hillsides here! As it is, they are almost like highlight plants in the bush, as if to remind us that they're not completely obliterated by the invaders!!
When it comes to flower power in my garden right now though ... it's a rather weak effort. Nothing quite as spectacular as those Acacia blooms. Of course, there's always a red-flowering Hibiscus to be spotted somewhere at my place, no matter what time of year it is.
But I do tend to think of them as the quiet wallflower that stays on the fringes of the dance or the party. They don't really attract much attention. I had to make a very determined effort to find some flowers to flaunt today. There was only a smattering to be found. Let's see what's out there ...
the Torenia fournieri,
the Zinnia 'Summer Brilliance',
the Salvia farinacea 'Victoria White',
my dwarf Azalea kurume,
the Spathoglottis plicata,
the Ixora chinensis 'Golden Ball',
and the Russelia juncea.
Oh, yes ... I almost forgot. There are lovely flower heads on the weedy grass that attempts to grow on the nutrient-poor ground here. Can I include those? Thankfully the Wallabies love munching on them, so we try do the environmentally-friendly thing and not bother to mow them down too often!!!
I'm joining Tootsie for Fertilizer Friday / Flaunt Your Flowers
and Tina's Weekend Flowers
My garden is in foliage a lot more, and a lot longer, than in flower. I try to design around foliage since that is what I end up looking at most of the year. I have to say that even your foliage plants are stunning.
ReplyDeleteIt's pretty much the same here too Mary. We are lucky enough to have some lovely foliage plants that grow easily here. I do love to have a few flowering things in pots out in the shadehouse and the courtyard though.
DeleteYou have more flowers to flaunt (and colorful foliage) in your "in-between" season than I do all year long! Those native acacias look like sunny fireworks. I'd love to see a hillside of them.
ReplyDeleteLol, thanks Laurrie. I love the colour and fantastic foliage in your garden. It looks great to me. My idea of heaven would be to see the hillsides absolutely covered in these Acacias, but I doubt that will ever happen. Most of the hillside around here are almost completely impenetrable, and a little dangerous too, so we won't be marching out there to rectify the situation unfortunately.
DeleteAnother post filled with lovely plants and a delightful Wallaby. I have both red and yellow Russelia juncea.
ReplyDeleteThat sunrise photo is glorious.
Have a great weekend ~ FlowerLady
Thanks Flowerlady. I've seen a lovely peachy coloured Russelia too, which I'd love to get for one particular spot in the garden. It's terrific seeing the new variations they're coming up with these days.
DeleteWe have swathes of yellow Australian acacias flowering. It is refreshing to see them cherished at home. Gardening for wildlife to feed wallabies, now that's exotic!!
ReplyDeleteLol, yes I'm joining the army that gardens for the wildlife Diana, following the great example set by people such as yourself. We're so fortunate to have fabulous wildlife around us and I certainly don't want to take that for granted. Besides I can put up with long scraggly-looking weedy grass!
DeleteThank you for another slice of paradise through your beautiful photos, Bernie!
ReplyDeleteThank you for participating in Floral Friday Fotos!
Loved your bloom this week, Nix. Oh how I wish I had one!
DeleteBernie,
ReplyDeleteI should be growing your plants during the summers here. I have grown the crotons in my south border but they are really expensive. We have skunks, racoons, rabbits, chipmunks and coyotes in our gardens. I think I would take the Wallaby.
Eileen
Crotons strike very easily Eileen. I finally tried after so many years of never giving it a go, and I was happily surprised. I know that sometimes plants that are common and relatively cheap in one place, can seem awfully expensive in another corner of the world. It's the same here with certain plants. The Wallabies are being very well behaved this year, not at all like last year!
DeleteHi Bernie, i feel like looking at our own backyard at the start of the rainy season. Your foliage are so lush and healthy and very happy-looking. At the moment, ours live but not as lush as yours, struggling to keep the little moisture in their system, trying to roll the leaves to conserve water. I hope they can still manage one more month of torture! I love your last photo, am glad you include there, Australian landscape is not complete without a wallaby. But i love one with a joey in it!
ReplyDeleteAh yes you spotted the pouch, Andrea. The little one had been peeking out just before I managed to get the shot, but had popped back into the safety of Mum's pouch seconds before I snapped!! I know how the dry season can be harsh. It's hard to watch the plants getting distressed. It's the same here. Right now it's not too bad as we're at the start of dry season.
DeleteThank you for posting your beautiful flower pictures!!
ReplyDelete***********
What a desolate place would be a world without flowers.
It would be a face without a smile;
a feast without a welcome.
Are not flowers the stars of the earth?
Are not our stars the flowers of heaven?"
- Clara L. Balfour.
Great quote, Guild-rez. I do indeed think flowers are the stars of the earth. I'd be slightly less gleeful if I couldn't grow any at all.
DeleteWonderful photos Bernie! Larry in Wisconsin
ReplyDeleteHi Larry and thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed the shots today. It's been a while since I visited your garden, so I think I might just do that right away.
DeleteGreat pictures you show of some beautiful flowers - wonderful picture of the kangaroo.
ReplyDeleteWishing you a good weekend.
Hanne Bente / hbt.finus.dk
Thank you Hanne. It looks like it's going to be a great weekend with plenty of time to get out into the garden.
DeleteThe dwarf azalea is stunning, and the wallaby looks quite at home in your garden!
ReplyDeleteThat little Azalea bush puts on quite a lovely display. It's a shame it's tucked away where it's hardly ever seen.
DeleteGreat post. Wonderful pictures.
ReplyDeleteThank you for popping by, Herding Cats.
DeleteLovely flower post!
ReplyDeleteHave a nice weekend!
You're kind, thank you Hans.
DeleteThat is just so fun you have wallabies!! You really captured a wonderful sunrise too! It was fun visiting. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I was up early enough to capture that sunrise, Libby. It was just spectacular.
DeleteHi Bernie...crotons here must be grown inside for the winter and not very well might I add. Difficult for us to keep. When in your beautiful country I was just amazed by the wattle trees. The only wattle I had ever seen was in a small plastic sleeve. Here was an entire tree! The smell of it reminds me of clean sheets hanging on a line outside. I love the variegated foliage of the hibiscus almost as well as the blooms.
ReplyDeleteJean, the Croton is a staple plant for gardens here. They require very little in the way of care, and will power on through our horrid summers quite comfortably. They do get a little distressed during the long dry seasons, but that's about the only little hiccup I have with them. The Wattles are looking great right now. Entire small trees simply dripping with blooms. It's always a lovely sight.
DeleteYour foliage as well as your blooms are gorgeous! But that sunset is to die for!! Enjoyed seeing the wallby!!
ReplyDelete*hugs*deb
Glad you dropped by Deb. That shot was a sunrise, as I don't get to see much of the sunsets due to the location of our property on the hillside here. The sunrises though are wonderful enough.
DeleteNice! The azalea looks like it's wearing a pearl necklace.
ReplyDeleteThat's a great observation Colleen. It certainly does look like a pretty little necklace!
DeleteAppreciate your comment, thanks Jim.
ReplyDeleteWow, what a glorious sunrise!!! Great shot, Bernie! Loved visiting with all your blooms. How lucky you are to view a wallaby in your garden. We just petted some at the zoo the other day... LOL.
ReplyDeleteLovely photos as always Bernie, that hibiscus popping out of the foliage was great and the azalea was amazing! Visiting your garden always put a smile on my face :-)
ReplyDeleteSuch gorgeous blooms and a nice variety, too! Love seeing the wallaby sitting causally in your garden. :-) Hope you have a wonderful weekend!
ReplyDeletewhat a wonderful sunrise! and of course i love your flowers :) thanks for joining us ☺
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful variety of flowers! My favorite was the pop of red. (And I love the photo of the little wallaby in your yard--we only get squirrels.)
ReplyDeleteBernie, Fall is so beautiful where you live - all your flowers are surely flauntable, especially the acacias, but the wallabee photo is the sweetest :)
ReplyDeleteI have enjoyed my visit today...good post!
ReplyDeleteI wish I had more time to visit all of my favorites every time you all post!
Thank you so much for linking in and sharing your post with my party today! I am sharing this post on my Tootsie Time Facebook page! Have a wonderful day!!!
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`*.¸.*´Glenda/Tootsie
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(¸.•´ (¸.•´ .•´ ¸¸.•¨¯`•.
Bernie, we are both 'chasing blooms' just on the opposite ends of the seasons. Yours are going 'quiet' and I'm anxiously waiting for warm weather and the hope of more! :D
ReplyDeleteOne thing I like about tropical plants is the beautiful foliage, and your plants demonstrate that beauty so well. One thing I want to concentrate on over the next few years is adding more interesting foliage plants in and around the garden. Your sunset is stunning!
ReplyDelete