Although I have been busy in the garden, applying a thick layer of mulch to help the garden get through our dry season and planting seeds and bulbs in preparation for spring, with the following two exceptions, there are very few changes in what has been in flower since my report for February's Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day.
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| This little ginger is a Globba 'Golden Dragon' |
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| Aechmea fulgens 'Burning Bush' |
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| Dahlia 'Marie Antoinette' is still flowering well. |
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| Despite looking a little washed out in this photo, I love my salvia 'Hot Lips' and the way it varies from all white to all red and two toned. |
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| The Evergreen Frangipani Plumeria obtusa looks a picture of health, but the advent of frangipani rust here in Brisbane over the last few years causes early leaf drop, and it is virtually now 'evergreen' in name only! |
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| Always flowering, Hammerhead Frangipani Plumeria pudica |
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| I don't know what I'd do without my Rosemary. (Roasted rosemary potatoes are the best!) |
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| The Bird of Paradise Strelitzia reginea are putting on a great show along the driveway. |
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| Lots of storm lilies, Zephyranthes candida, have popped up after our wet weather. |
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| Zinnia 'Summer Brilliance' with salvia 'Heatwave Sizzle' and variegated pineapple (also a bromeliad). |
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| In the back garden there is lots of new growth on the spiral ginger , Costus |
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| ...and plenty of flowers |
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| Not exactly a bloom, but this Ponytail 'Palm' Beaucarnia recurvata deserves its moment in the spotlight. It has fallen into the 'hidden in plain sight' category. I have never included it in the blog because it is on its own by the pool, but it is quite an impressive specimen, despite some unsympathetic pruning by a previous owner. |
Finally, my nomination for villain of the month...
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| Look at the terrible damage to the new fronds of this cycad. All the handiwork of the blue cycad butterfly's caterpiller. I have posted about these menaces before, and, although I don't like spraying, I used Confidor on this plant, but it seems to have had no effect, perhaps because of all our rain. |
To see more beautiful blooms from all around the world, and hopefully no more villains, visit Carol at May Dreams Gardens.
We are still in the thick of the wet weather - your garden is looking fabulous. I keep hoping the rain will stop so that I can get out there and enjoy the garden once more.
ReplyDeleteWe are lucky at the moment, lots of rain alternated with sunny weather. It means I have only had to water my seeds twice since I planted them. Hope you get a break soon.
DeleteVinegar (diluted 50/50 with water)kills the blue cycad's caterpillars. Problem at the moment is that you would need to do it constantly because the rain would wash it off, but it does work. It doesn't stop them coming back but it kills what's there with no toxic effect on anything else.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for the tip. It's great to know there's another alternative that will be a little kinder to the friendly critters in my garden.
DeleteOh, beautiful! The burning bush, the bird of paradise, and your ponytail palm really stand out to me, but they are all lovely to see.
ReplyDeleteI am in love with your frangipani, and I could smell that lovely fragrance as I viewed your photos. I was introduced to frangipani in Hawaii, and I tried to grow it as a houseplant here on the east coast of USA. No luck...but I will just stare at yours...Happy GBBD!
ReplyDeletealoha marissa,
ReplyDeletewow, i could just enjoy the views from your pool alone, the ponytail is also one of my favorites.
enjoyed the tour even from my wet/rainy day in Hawaii :)
Everything looks so nice and healthy in your tropical garden. I used to grow Globba ..the yellow and the mauve before the drought killed it. The stems will grow babies if put in water.
ReplyDeleteDavid/:0)
A stunning collection of plants!
ReplyDeletewow, gbbd.
ReplyDelete