Friday Flower Flaunt .... Mid-Summer 2025

Mid-Summer Garden Update:  Hot Days and Resilient Plants In Bloom.

As we settle into the heart of summer here in north Queensland, the weather has been as predictable as ever:  hot and humid.  It's the kind of heat that makes gardening a race against the clock - anything after 10.00 a.m. become a challenge.  Despite the discomfort, there's still joy to be found in brief, early morning strolls through the garden.  

This wet season has been underwhelming.  After an exceptional December with the highest rainfall totals in over a century, the new year has brought little relief.  The soil is parched, and the plants are yearning for more consistent rain.  Yet, even in these challenging conditions, the garden continues to offer small surprises and delights.

Blooms Spotted In The Garden  

While wandering through the various garden spaces, I've noticed several resilient plants resplendent in their blooms of many colours.

In the outdoor garden beds ...

Cassia fistula  (a summer bloomer)

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis  (all year round bloomer)

Lagerstroemia indica  (summer bloomer)

Mussaenda philippica x flava 'Calcutta Sunset'  (a summer bloomer)

Combretum constrictum  (a spring & summer bloomer)

In the sheltered courtyard garden ...

Coleus

Justicia carnea  (a spring / summer bloomer)

Various Impatiens  (all year round bloomers)

Various Torenias  (all year round bloomers)

In the shade house garden ...

Costus productus  (all year round bloomer)

Evolvulus  (all year round bloomer)

Dianthus  (spring & summer bloomers, and one of my all-time favourite perennials for this dry tropics garden)      

Calibrachoas (spring & summer bloomers).

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Friday Flower and Foliage Flaunt ... on this late Summer Friday.

It's been a hot and humid week.  Temps have stayed pretty much around the 33 - 34 deg C mark all week, although thankfully the night time temps are a much more comfortable 24-25 deg C.  We've had a few showers of rain again during the week, but we still haven't seen the monsoonal rains arrive yet.

Out in the garden, it's the usual stuff that's on show.

Clerodendrum ugandense

Jasminum officinale

Hibiscus schizopetalus

Lagerstroemia speciosa

Tabernaemontana corymbosa 'Sweet Love'

Justicia brandegeana

Lagerstroemia indica

Mussaenda 'Calcutta Sunset'

Rain Lilies and Caladium

Mandevilla 'White Fantasy' and Pentas lanceolata

Pentas lanceolata

Galphimia glauca

Mussaenda philippica 'Bangkok Rose' and Russelia

Allamanda cathartica 'Sunee' and Russelia

Pentas lanceolata

Wrightia antidysenterica 'Arctic Snow'

Hymenocallis

Pennisetum advena 'Rubrum'

Ixora

Thunbergia erecta 'Tru Blu'

Now for some fabulous foliage ...

Croton

Dracena godseffiana

Croton 'Zanzibar'


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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.

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