Friday Flower Flaunt ... Early Spring 2024

Wow!  It's been almost 10 years since I last posted on this blog and it's good to be back.  So much happened in between then and now, and my garden deteriorated markedly over that time.  I'm now retired though and eager to create something better that brings back the joy I used to feel when wandering around my place.

Here's to a new chapter in the story of my place!

September is our first month of Spring and here in the dry tropics it's also approaching the end of our long dry season.  I've been out and about searching high and low for some beauties to share, so here we go ...

In the driveway garden beds:

The first of the Calliandra haematocephala blooms (commonly known as Powder Puff)

The very last of the Tabebuia flowers.  

Thunbergia erecta 'Tru Blu'

Russelia equisetiformis 

Crotons

In the courtyard garden:

Petrea volubilis (also known as the Purple Wreath, the Queen's Wreath and the Sandpaper Vine)

Turnera subulata  (also known as White Buttercup or the Sulphur Alder)

Torenias (also known as the Wishbone Flower)

Elsewhere:

Adenium obesums (also known as Desert Roses)

I'm joining Floral Friday Fotos

Friday Flower Flaunt ... on this first February Friday.

February is supposedly our last month of Summer, although there's little change even when March rolls around.  At the moment it's hot and humid.  We've had some lovely rain during the month of January and even in this first week of February, but it's been intermittent and not up to the usual wet season standards.  Still, can't complain.  The garden has needed some of that liquid sunshine after the usual long dry season last year.


I'm just sharing some of the lovely blooms that are out there around the garden this first Friday of February.

 Citharexylum spinosa, commonly known as Fiddlewood has the most beautiful perfume.

Hibiscus schizopetalus

Dwarf Ixora chinensis 'Peggy'.

Lagerstroemia indica, or Crepe Myrtle.

Mandevilla 'White Fantasy'

Galphimia glauca with its wonderful red stems.

Sometimes the Galphimia is referred to as the Gold Shower bush.

Summertime is the time for Mussaendas to put on a show.  This is Mussaenda philippica 'Bangkok Rose'.

Pseudomussaenda flava, commonly called White Wings.

There's been some lovely perfume around the garden in the last couple of weeks.  The fabulous Gardenia 'Soleil d'or', picture above, has filled the air with such a gorgeous perfume.  It's been flowering for a few weeks now.

My Jasminum officinale has begun another blooming cycle and adding to the perfumed air.

Hedychium coronarium, or White Butterfly Ginger, adds an amazing aroma.

The Murrayas have also added a stunning perfume to the early morning breeze and evening air.

Not only have I been treated to perfume in the garden, but I've also been witness to some fabulous forms and shapes in blooms as they mature.

This Hymenocallis, or Spider Lily, begins a blooming cycle with this fantastic shape where the petal ends are all joined at their tips.

Slowly the ends fall away,

and the flower opens like this.  It's simply amazing watching this happen.

Then there is the form of the brilliant Gloriosa Lily flowers as they open up.

The petals turn themselves upside down to create this wonderful spectacle.  I just love these blooms.

I'm joining Floral Friday Fotos

and Today's Flowers

Flower Flaunt On This Drizzly End-of-Summer Friday.

It's been a grey, overcast, drizzly day today.  Yes we have all loved the soft rain that's fallen over the last week, human and animal alike, but it's certainly not exactly what we expect during our wet season.

While it's been absolutely great to hear the soft rain falling on the tin roof, and taking shelter from the gentle raindrops, we're all wondering what's happened to the true wet season. The sun-baked, hardened ground needs driving, pelting monsoonal rain so that all the established plants can get a decent drink.

We did see some heavier falls on Sunday, at the beginning of the week, and there have been a couple of days when very light showery rain fell through the week.  However, the total so far for February is only 51.6 mm (2 inches), which is quite significantly lower than the usual rainfall total for the beginning of February.

I've woken to some lovely sunrises this week,

and the plants out in the garden have certainly brightened up a little in appreciation of the showers of rain.

Here's a look at some of the blooms to be found out and about today.  The Rain Lilies are popping up.

 Zephyranthes

Zephyranthes verecunda

Zephyranthes primulina

The heavenly perfume of the Murraya paniculata blooms hangs in the air. 

The rather tall Murraya specimen that grows opposite the pergola is absolutely covered in flower sprays, and the driveway and garden bed beneath is strewn with the old blooms that have fallen from the shrub.

These stunning white flowers will appear when the rains begin, and fill corners of the place with their heady scent.  You know there's some rain around when you smell their perfume.

There's also the faint perfume of Jasmine in the air. 

The first of the summertime blooms of my Jasminum officinale or Poet's Jasmine are starting to appear.  It seems rather late, given that this is the last summer month, but I welcome their appearance.

My Gingers have finally started rising from their dormancy, again it seems rather later than expected.

Globba capicola, also known as Golden Dragon blooms have appeared at long last.

So have the blooms of Globba winitii, or the Mauve Dancing Ladies.

There are a few other blooms scattered here and there, but nothing is absolutely covered in blooms here at the moment, apart from the tall Murraya.

Hibiscus schizopetalus or the Japanese Lantern Hibiscus

Gloriosa rothschildiana or Gloriosa Lily

Lagerstroemia indica or Crepe Myrtle

Clerodendrum ugandense (apparently now Rotheca), or Blue Butterly Bush.

Trusty old Gerberas

Cleome spinosa 'Senorita Rosalita'

Plectranthus 'Mona Lavender'

Double white Impatiens walleriana

Pelargoniums

Allamanda cathartica 'Sunee'

Plumeria pudica

I'm joining Tootsie for Fertilizer Friday / Flaunt Your Flowers

and Floral Friday Fotos