Wow! Looks my last post telling you I was back to blogging was a bit premature. Here's what happened.
After I came back to Australia and wrote my last post in October, I headed back to Papua New Guinea to complete my contract. I returned to Australia early November, but had lots of problems with my computers and downloading photos (dropping my laptop on the tiled floor didn't help). I'm finally back on track with that.
However after 7 months away, my own garden is in a sad state so I headed out and about in search of inspiration.
Two weekends ago, on the last Sunday in February, I visited an open garden - Taman Air in the southside Brisbane suburb of Sunnybank - where there was no shortage of great ideas for the tropical garden.
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| The main street entrance to Taman Air - the Sunnybank garden of Rene and Carolyn Hundscheidt - flanked by bronze coloured (Aechmea blanchetiana) and burgundy Alcantarea bromeliads |
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| This beautiful potted bromeliad is Aechmea 'Del Mar'; I snapped up one at the plant sales adjoining the garden. |
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| A spirit house with Rhapis palm to the right - a plant I am planning to add to my front garden - Croton to the left, Rhoeo in the foreground, and Brazilian Red Cloak behind.. |
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| A pretty miniature bromeliad in spectacular Balinese stone planter. |
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| Beehive ginger |
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The entry to the residence - great concept but this would be asking for trouble for anyone as clumsy as I am.
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| A selection of bromeliads, mainly neoregelias. |
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| Lovely blue-flowered water plant |
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| Love the stone and pebble pathway and the red and white caladium (I added to my own collection with a visit to the on-site plant shop). |
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| Selection of Guzmania bromeliads - think I have had all of these at some stage - hopefully they are still there. |
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| Exit/entrance to side street. |
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| I love this heliconia. |
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| The property boundary from the street |
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| Delicate pink frangipani (Plumeria) |
Rene can supply all the finishing touches to add Balinese style to any garden. You can check out his website at
www.islandimports.com.au And if it you want more tropical inspiration, have a look at my earlier post where I explored the garden of Rene's brother, Dennis
here
I love Rene's garden (and Denis's). Didn't get a chance to go this time so thanks for showing the photos. You can't help but be inspired by their gardens.
ReplyDeleteToo true, Ros and co. I still feel very overwhelmed when I look out on my neglected garden, but there are some great ideas here to adopt when the weather has cooled off enough to get really stuck back into gardening.
DeleteThis is a beautiful garden with some attractive sculptures as well. It is ironic to me seeing such exotic beauties, and then among them your "Lovely blue-flowered water plant" which is one of the most common plants in brackish marshes around here. It even has the word weed in its common name of Pickerelweed.
ReplyDeleteThat's interesting, Les. I presumed it was tropical, like the rest of the garden. It's a similar shade and has a yellow spot in the top petal like a smaller flowered water hyacinth, an introduced species here that has become a weed because it clogs up the waterways.
DeleteSo many of your plants in the photos of this posting are similar to the ones I saw in Guatemala. I was there for two months, just returned and though you live in a different place - there were lots of reminders of my time south for this Winter. Thanks JC
ReplyDeleteI am very envious. Guatemala looks beautiful, but it is a long trip from here. Bali is closer and provides lots of inspiration for gardens here. It is wonderful to be able to visit different states/countries and gardens to see familiar and new plants and pick up fresh ideas.
DeleteWhat a beautiful garden..really gorgeous...it looks so peaceful and I'm sure it would be a great place to meditate.
ReplyDeleteLots of inspirational ideas for my garden too...thanks for posting Marissa....hope you and the clan are well.
Thanks Virginia, All well here. Bella and Onslow are thriving, the garden not so :( Since my computer woes I don't get my regular feeds from your blog so feel quite behind with all your news - must get that sorted. Hope all is well with you too.
DeleteHeyy...missing you...hope you and the bow wows are well. Check in soon.
ReplyDeleteHi Virginia -- sorry I only just saw your comment. So sorry I have been remiss. It's a long story... but all well here with me and the pooches. Hope you are well. I'll try to post next week :)
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