roses

The first flush of roses is almost over but there are still some, looking pretty even though the wind and rain can make them quite bedraggled.

This pink Ballerina rose looks pretty with the deep red pelargonium in front of it.

The Pierre de Ronsard in the foreground, covers half of the arch straddling the footpath and in the background the standard white Iceberg looks healthy with more buds waiting to open.

 A close-up of the de Ronsard, also known as Eden Rose.

This flowering Mermaid rose bush is even taller than the fence.  This was grown from a cutting but I have not been successful lately in trying to get more cuttings to strike.

 The bees do love the flowers.

I am keeping a close eye on this mauve rose as the bush is so low and not showing any sign of growing taller.

This apricot rose is another low bush that is in danger of being swamped.

A typical red rose with a sweet perfume.

banksia

This banksia seed grew from flower bud since October (or earlier) 2012.  It took months for the bud to mature to an open flower and that was in December 2012.  It took months for the seed head to grow to this size.  There are a few flower buds slowly growing to maturity.  I expect to seem them ready for the birds in December.  Below is a picture of the bud, taking its time and looking beautiful in every stage of growth.

It is not a clear picture, but the candle-like bud is behind the hairy seedhead.

Poppies

All over the garden, inside and outside, the poppies are at their best.  Their delicate petals are so easily blown by the strong wind we have been getting but at the moment they are a pleasure to look at, the red, mauve and Californian.  These red poppies amongst the ixias are self sown, beneath the apricot tree.

The pink ballerina rose makes a beautiful background for the red poppies in the front garden, inviting passers by to stop and admire.

A self sown plant, standing tall amongst the gazania.

A row of mauve poppies in the outside garden.

Delicate petals of the mauve poppy, and beautiful crinkled leaves.

Bees enjoying nectar.

A very different form of poppy, the Californian, amongst the violas.  The Californian poppy self sow and some may regard them as weeds but I love to see them appearing at the most unexpected places in the garden.

Spring colours

This bit of garden bed is as crowded as the rest and is beginning to show the roses and lavender.  The globe artichoke is looking healthy but there is no sign of a bud yet.

A beautiful mix of azalea and ixia to greet visitors.

The bluebells are appearing all over the garden.

The gazania along the front fence were replanted after the job of painting the pickets was completed last autumn.  The manure and compost dug into the narrow bed seem to be working.

Two different colours of the gazania collection.

Spring garden

The ixias are blooming creating an instant spring feel to the garden.  The blossoms from the peaches and apricot are gone but the garden are showing off the different flowers at the moment.

This is but one of the few lavender bushes in the garden and the flowers are attracting the bees.  I will be taking cuttings and spreading the lavenders in different parts of the garden.  The English lavender is yet to flower.

The azaleas are still brilliant though some bushes are spent and waiting to be pruned.  They bring a cheerfulness to the garden and though they need a bit of attention, I would not get rid of them.

At the moment the crows are the constant visitors.  They drop by for a drink or to pick up twigs and sometimes to look for a feed in the garden bed.  The white cockatoos did some damage to a bed of poppies when they dug a few plants up.  Perhaps they were looking for worms.  I hate to think they were just being mischievous.

Jonquils

The jonquils have been in flower for a couple of weeks.  I have clumps of them all over the garden so it is always a pleasure to see the yellow or white flowers appearing in winter's bare garden.

A clump of scented white jonquils.

Winter vegetables

This broccoli survives the frost and is ready to pick.  There are three plants in this one pot and they are all looking good.  The broccoli in another pot, in a different part of the garden is struggling, with very small flowers, which I will soon pick and then move the pot to another position perhaps.

These bok choi are ready for picking but I will only harvest a few leaves at a time.  I may leave one plant to go to seed.  Bok choi is also frost tender but these were rescued by washing off the ice before the sun rose, which was a very unpleasant experience.

I don't know the actual name of this lettuce, given to me by a friend who called it a Japanese lettuce.  It is very delicate and gives me some greens after my other lettuces were decimated by the frost.

I planted more snowpeas as those in the garden box were badly damaged by the frost.  I hope this lot will provide me with some peas in a few weeks.