Back From The South ... The Year In Photographs ... October 3, 2013

So I'm back from visiting with my son and grandchildren, and have finally found some time for posting.  It's been a lovely break, and I'm looking forward to the coming long weekend before the last term of the year begins.

Down in Brisbane, I managed to visit my favourite garden once again.  The Roma Street Parklands is a spot I love spending time at, and even more so if I'm lucky enough to take my grandchildren with me.

We got to spend a few hours there this time and we all had a thoroughly lovely morning.  In the photo above, you can see them enjoying a delicious drink of Russelia flower nectar.  That's something I told them about when we first visited the Parklands a few years ago.  Now, every time we visit, they have to stop and take a little taste!  It's become a bit of a tradition.

Anyway, as usual, I took loads of photos of various corners and plants at the Parklands, and I just had to share a few in this slideshow.

Flower Flaunt ... On This Hot, Hot Early Spring Friday.

Wow, it's been rather warm around here over the last two days!  Our summery conditions have begun early this year ... in our first Spring month.  The mercury has hit around 31 deg C (87 F) pretty darned early in the morning and has hovered around there nearly all day long.   Of course, when you're outside in the sunshine, it feels more like the mid-30s.  I haven't had much fun out on playground duty this week!!!

Today is actually the start of my mid-semester break, and I will be relaxing and unwinding over the next two weeks.  I think I'll be doing a little of what this baby possum was doing as I arrived home from work earlier in the week.  This little one was grabbing a few hours of sleep while the sun shone.  Being nocturnal, that's just what they do.  In my case though, I think just the act of slowing down for a while, will cause me to nod off during the quieter times in the day!

I probably won't be spending much time reading blogs or checking my posts, and I apologise for that, but after a very hectic term, I'm ready for some downtime.  i thought I'd just add this post before I start the school holidays though, so I could share the few blooms on show in the garden right now.

It's just fantastic how I've managed to find a flower named after the lovely lady who hosts the Fertilizer Friday/Flaunt Your Flowers blog meme every Friday. 

This is Hemerocallis 'Tootsie'.  It's a new Daylily, bought this year, and it's the first to start blooming.

Elsewhere ...

... splashes of yellow, cream and white.

 

Patches of pink and purple.

Splotches of red ...

... and shades of creamy-white which turns to golden yellow and orange yellow.

I'm joining Tootsie for her terrific  Fertilizer Friday / Flaunt Your Flowers meme.

What Is It? ... The Year In Photographs ... September 2nd, 2013

I ordered a Mexican Spider Lily from a reputable online nursery with whom I've placed many orders before.  I must say I've never had any trouble with any plant they've sent me before, well until now that is.

This gorgeous thing is definitely not a Mexican Spider Lily.  It has an orange bloom for a start, and the bloom looks nothing like a Spider Lily.

It grows from a bulb and has dainty little bell-shaped blooms that dangle from the ends of a long arching stem.  Is there anyone out there who might have an idea what this pretty little thing is?   I'm definitely going to keep it, as I think it's simply gorgeous, but I'd love to have an I.D. so I know what conditions it needs to flourish.

Flower Flaunt On This End-of-Winter Friday.

Today is the last Friday of our tropical Winter, as Spring officially begins on Sunday.  The weather has certainly been warming up this week, and I'm lamenting the end of our glorious winter conditions.  Everything is bone dry around here, as our dry season continues into the coming Spring.

There's not an awful lot blooming away from our house around the property. 

Down the driveway, there are still a few blooms on the couple of Bauhinia variegatas.  Those brilliant white blooms certainly draw the eye away from all the parched dry brown grass.

As you get closer to the house, you will notice some of the buds have opened up on one of the Cadaghi Gum Trees, otherwise known as Corymbia torelliana.  The Rainbow Lorikeets have been dropping by to feast on the nectar of these puffy blooms.

When you step onto the courtyard and look up, you will see the bare branches of our native Sterculia quadrifida, or Peanut Tree, gloriously decorated in its green or red seed pods.  These are attracting lots of birds at the moment, as they try to find the delicious seeds inside the open pods.

The Corymbia torellianas, which are just starting to burst into bloom, form a pretty backdrop to the stark look of the Sterculia tree.  Of course, the bare branches of the Sterculia allows plenty of direct sunlight to flood the courtyard at this time of the year.  This is great for all the potted plants.

In the courtyard, there are a quite few potted plants in bloom right now, adding some lovely colour to the space.

Impatiens hawkeri

Cane Begonia

Pelargonium

Azalea

Petunias

It's surprising to see one of my Schlumbergeras just starting another blooming cycle on this second last day of winter.  That's never happened so late in the year before.  Still, I'm not complaining.  I don't mind seeing these gorgeous flowers once more.

Out in the shadehouse there are lots of Impatiens walleriana flowers to be seen.  This is the best time of the year for them, and they always fill the shadehouse garden with fabulous colour around now.

There's also lovely Begonia blooms to spot, like this Begonia 'Tiger Paw',

and this unknown Begonia.

I'm a big fan of Begonia blooms.  They are simply beautiful.

Out in the shadehouse, you will also spot the purple Anthurium blooming ... it blooms all year round ...

and you will see lots of flowers on the Streptocarpus caulescens and Dragon Wing Begonias ... which both also bloom all year round.

I'm joining Nix for Floral Friday Fotos

Tracie for Cottage Garden Party

and Mona's Floral Love