Daisies and phlox

There seems to be a dearth of bees around this year.  It probably has something to do with the wet weather.  They like this daisy though.   Clear evidence that it is a great idea to plant flowers in with the veggies to lure the pollinators in.  Mind you, these are in the front garden, so are not doing a very good job of advertising the pumpkins. in the back yard.

Signs of the Season

Sorry this is a 'Christmas' blog...you are probably all over it now...but I didn't blog at Christmas, so you will have to put up with it. 

I have been enjoying the White Christmas photos from my Northern Hemisphere blog friends.  It may surprise some of you that Australian Christmas cards often depict a snowy scene and that we sing songs about dashing through the snow and dreaming about white Christmas'.  Many families still do the Turkey, ham and hot roast lunch followed by plum pud.  There is no escaping that we were colonized by the British...even though we are quite multicultural now and much closer to Asia than Europe.

In the Australian garden, 

the Hydrangeas bloom at Christmas time.

I have been enjoying the colour variations of the one hydrangea I have in the garden.

Ms Iris

I noticed the friendly face of Iris poking her head up out of the garden undergrowth today.  

She is a water iris with her feet firmly planted in a small pond.  

Pelargoniums or geraniums

The plants often called 'geraniums' have never been a favourite of mine but have long been popular in Australian gardens.  They grow so easily from cuttings, people pass them along and they seem to do well with little care. 

Did you know that a lot of the plants we have always called 'geraniums' are in fact pelargoniums? 

Here are a few that were left behind by the last gardener who was, it seems, a big fan.

This one looks like an azalea in this photo.

This is a climbing variety.

Despite these photos, I am still no fan.  The flowers are OK but the plants are straggly and are the focal point outside of the lounge window.  I think I can do better so they are coming out!

Bye bye pelargoniums!!

Stinking Billy?

Dianthus barbatus - a native of Europe and a common, if somewhat old fashioned plant in Australian gardens.  

I have always known him as "Sweet William".  

Apparently he was named so after William of Marlborough, Duke of Cumberland.  The Duke led the English to victory at the battle of Culloden.  He wasn't that sweet really and was extremely brutal towards the kings' enemies,  the Irish and the Scots.  Not surprisingly in Ireland and Scotland this dianthus is sometimes referred to as 'Stinking Billy'.

Also flowering:

It has leaves like a wisteria and blooms like a wisteria.  It isn't a vine but a bush.  

Is it a wisteria?

An unknown pretty

Don't know what this is...don't care what this is...just sharing.

It is planted right next to the house...I have never watered it except for whatever rain it may get under the eaves.  I have chopped it back a couple of times.  Obviously it thrives on little attention...either that or these flowers are its last act on Earth.

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Bottlebrush

For the first of my 'Garden Surprises - Summer', I couldn't go past the good old Aussie bottlebrush.

Callistemons in various forms appear inmost of temperate Australia, especially down the south-east coast.  The nurserymen have had lots of fun crossing, and crisscrossing calistemons. Some have tiny, insignificant white or cream flowers but they can be mauve, pink or as in this callistemon citrinus, red.    This one is a small tree, but they also come in shrubs, sprawling spreading plants, with straight limbs, or a weeping habit, with smooth leathery leaves like these, or hairier, greyish leaves. 

Red callistemons mean Summer to me.  

At this time of year, you could just chuck on some tinsel and have your Christmas decorating done!

This beautiful specimen belongs to my neighbour and looks magnificent hanging over our fence.

I like callistemons so much I bought four yesterday.  'Hot Pink' splendens x pallidus, 'Lone Ranger' kenmorrisonii, 'Nowa Nowa' nyall ingensis and 'Cherry Time' sublatus citrinus.  I chose them based on their flowering times so there will be a spread.

They will have the job of  hiding the tank and goat shed - but not where the goats can get them.