Here we are in our mid-Spring month and about six months into our dry season. If you've read the latest post in my other blog (see the sidebar), you'll know that this year's dry has been harsh. I don't want to repeat myself but let's just say that a failed wet, long dry and starving wallabies have left my garden in tatters.
Thankfully there's still a few lovely things left to me to enjoy as I wander around. Otherwise I would be in the deepest of doldrums. Out in the garden beds ...
This Kalanchoe has a few tall flowering heads. I really adore these little bells.
The dwarf variegated Bougainvillea has it fabulous crimson pink bracts and tiny white flowers on show.
The Hippies have started popping up.
This Alpinia is always flowering and providing a little colour even during these every so dry conditions.
In the courtyard garden ...
I really love the effect of the setting sun on this fabulous Alocasia in the late afternoon. It's a delight.
Well it seems the Cycas revoluta will be doing its thing in the springtime no matter what the conditions are like. Spring is always the time for the 'breaks' to appear and it's happening on one of the Cycas right now. It's always such fun watching these whorls pop up and then watch how quickly they get taller and taller.
Sitting atop the table in the courtyard, away from the marauding wallabies,
double Osteospermum and
double Petunias.
Elsewhere around the courtyard,
the Clerodendrum ugandense has recovered from it rather severe hair cut following the mauling by the wallabies,
while the pot of Impatiens and
the potted Azalea have escaped the great devouring.
There have been quite a few birds to be seen lately too, looking for food in and around the dry bushland. I think this one is a Wedge-tailed Eagle. It soared around for ages in the thermals, hanging on to the catch in its beak. Maybe it was just enjoying the gliding so much it decided to wait for the snack.
I'm not entirely sure what bird this is, but it was certainly enjoying the fruits from the native Olive tree. It was guzzling them down almost whole.
This gorgeous Forest Kingfisher was just sitting atop a branch looking out eagerly for something to snack on. It didn't have much luck though and eventually flew off.
Out in the shadehouse ...
my old Impatiens walleriana have all been re-potted and are blooming nicely,
as are the baskets of Dragonwing Begonias.
That's all for this weekend. I'm joining Today's Flowers
Beautiful post....thank you.....enjoy your week!
ReplyDeleteYou're most welcome, Forest Dream Weaver, thanks for popping by.
DeleteGlad to see more lovely blooms from you dear Bernie.
ReplyDeleteFlowerLady
Yes there's still a few blooms around the place thankfully. That's because the wallabies aren't interested in eating absolutely everything lol!
DeleteI have seen and heard of the affect of the incredibly dry conditions on farms and properties out west and up north... Devastating! It's great to see you have some colour in your pots in spite of this. We have had a couple of severe storms in Brisbane & surrounds over the last 2 weeks which have caused havoc to many families!
ReplyDeleteThings are ver tough in some places at the moment. Luckily for us we're not in drought conditions, just really really dry. In saying that though, our city's dam's level is quite low and watering restrictions are in place. It's a matter of waiting and seeing just how bad it gets now.
DeleteLiking your shade house think I may do something similar mine faces west I have olives and daises planted in the garden but the deck would look good and also cool the house on lounge side. I'm getting into succulents myself, blue chalks, orange lvingstones yet to find some more.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting Rosemary. I do love my shadehouse and it's times like these when I truly appreciate it the most. Mine is on the western side of the house and provides welcome relief from the hot sun in the height of our summers. Your deck sounds like it does the same thing.
Deletelove your shade house might do something similar. I'm just getting into succulents, bright oranges pig face, blue chalk and a few others although my pink and deep pink sweet peas have gone every where, black tulip magnolia flowered beautifully and the lavenders are catching up need more sages all the natives and fruit are surving thank goodness buts its getting into the top 20s again today and I never water its just survive in my garden
ReplyDeleteSucculents are definitely good choices for places that have dry conditions. I really need to plant more of them. I have to admit I've never been a big fan of them, but I'm changing my mind about them these days. It sounds as if you have a lot of lovely things flowering or fruiting at your place right now.
DeleteI can't imagine how much work must go into your garden to keep it flowering like this in the dry. Your flower and bird photos are lovely. I have a resident kingfisher but never manage a half decent shot of him.
ReplyDeleteIt requires a fair bit of watering and often we have to pay the price. When we exceed our water usage limit here, we have to pay extra. For us that can be quite a considerable cost in the really dry years. This year has been one of those expensive years. We haven't paid excess water fees in a long time, but with the new garden beds established last year, I'm afraid we definitely exceeded our limit this year.
DeleteI am sorry about the Wallabies, but you have some pretty flowers and the presence of the Kingfisher must be a joy. Lovely images.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate you dropping by to visit, thanks Karen. The presence of so many different types of birdlife is definitely one of the pleasures about living here. They do bring a lot of joy. Wallabies on the other hand, are not by favourite wildlife at the moment.
DeleteHi Bernie, your photos are great and I am particularly thankful to you for linking with Today's Flowers. Thank you so much :)
ReplyDeleteHappy to join in Denise.
DeleteAh, isn't it awesome to find such beauties! I love the tiny blue and white flower a lot.
ReplyDeleteIt is absolutely terrific to find these little treasures, especially at this time of the year. The Clerodendrum is one of my favourites too.
DeleteGorgeous flowers! I hope you'll get some rain soon.
ReplyDeleteRain is still a way off yet Gunilla as our wet season is not expected to begin any earlier than the end-of-December / early January. Hopefully I won't have any more losses between now and then.
DeleteFrom the photos you post there looks to be lots of fantastic plants in flower, Bernie, so it is hard to get a perspective on how some of your plants are really suffering. I love your Alocacia, and the lighting is fabulous. We can't get them through one of our winters, here i the UK, even when they are in the conservatory. I shall just enjoy looking at yours instead!!
ReplyDeleteJane, I think the post on my other blog from a week ago would probably give more of an insight on how the garden is suffering at the moment. It's been a long dry this year and that coupled with the feasting of the wallabies means there are so many plants that are not on show right now, and they should be given that it's Spring here. That Alocasia sits out in the pond through harsh, hot summers and does beautifully. It's not a surprise that others can't get through the winters over there. They really do love the heat and humidity.
DeleteI can hear your heart break at a long dry and the hungry wallabies. It is so depressing. Luckily our dry wasn't too severe but the wallabies never give up. I spray my newly established cottage garden with diluted tabasco sauce, it keeps them away but I have to do it every few days. Your survivors are beautiful. The afternoon sun on the Alocasia is lovely.
ReplyDeleteThanks Diane. I did try the tabasco sauce treatment, but it didn't seem to work for me. Perhaps once a week wasn't enough and I should have been doing it every couple of days.
DeleteYippie hippies! How lovely are their trumpet-shaped blooms. Love seeing them. The alocasia mound is the loveliest :-)
ReplyDeleteYes I have to agree with you, Stephanie. The Alocasia looks fabulous at the moment. They do so love being in the pond.
DeleteHi Bernie,
ReplyDeleteHave just found your great site. This morning I was driving along Bayswater Road in Townsville and spotted the most beautiful dark, bright pink flowering shrubs on the nature strip outside a little shopping centre. I took a small piece of foliage and flower and went straight to the parks and gardens department to have it identified. They advised that it was Lagerstomia Indica. I then went to Day Dawn nursery to order three. The ladies there told me that it was indeed a Lagerstomia but not Indica. They have kindly ordered three for me, but they have purple/mauve flowers not the bright pink that I was so taken with. Can you positively identify the shrub/tree and advise where I might be able to buy it from. Regards, Lyn Ingram
Lyn, sorry to have taken so long to reply to your comment. I'm afraid the end of term four is always such a hectic time for me and I don't get to my blog very much. I have to admit I don't go into the inner city suburbs much so it's been a while since I drove along Bayswater Road. If it is Lagerstroemia indica, then I can suggest that you try the online nursery Tesselaar. I've seen the bright pink one in their catalogue before. Of course, you do have to wait until it's the right planting time for them, but I would recommend checking their site next year.
DeleteHello Bernie,
ReplyDeleteJust a reminder that I'd like to get in contact with you so that I can send a formal request for permission to archive your website in PANDORA:http://pandora.nla.gov.au/
For further information about web archiving here is a link to a blog article: http://blogs.slq.qld.gov.au/jol/2015/06/26/web-archiving-whats-it-all-about/
Hope to hear from you soon!
Regards
Gina Tom
Digital Content Librarian
Queensland Memory
State Library of Queensland
p: 07 3840 7827
e: gina.tom@slq.qld.gov.au
I've only just found your comment Gina, sorry. I'll get in contact with you immediately. Thanks for your interest.
Delete