Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day November 2014

What a difference a month makes!  Last Bloom Day only one of my daylilies had flowered; this month probably three quarters are out.  I have been conscientiously noting which ones and retagging.  After moving some last year, I lost a lot of tags and unfortunately, a few plants, so I am taking stock.

 

It is officially still Spring here in Brisbane, but the temperature is seriously Summer - 40 deg C predicted for today. It was too much for one of my parsley plants yesterday; it turned up its toes and expired despite having had a good soaking to prepare it earlier in the day. Hopefully, there will be no more casualties today.

 

On the fifteenth of every month, Carol at May Dreams Gardens hosts Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day where gardeners around from world share what is happening in their gardens. Here is my offering for November. 

 

 

Daylily 'Ash Rosie'

'Spacecoast Whiteout'

'All American Tiger'

 


'Percivile James'

 

  

'Velvet Rose'

'Strawberry Fields Forever'

'Just a Tease'

'Jordan Verhaert' - colour is stronger than this bloom would suggest.

'Isis Unveiled'

'Finish with a Flourish'

'Passion for Life'

'Passions Promise'

 

 

'Russian Ragtime' with purple basil in the background

 Here are a couple of views of the front garden where you can see how I have tried to create a daylily border.

This spot looks a bit bare but I have a hedge of gardenia in progress and a cutting of a pretty pink shrub.

'Eyes for you' - the rose gifted by my neighbour is still blooming.

Candy pink Plumeria.

Oncidium Orchid 'Dancing Lady' is a mass of yellow

  

 

Love this two-toned Desert Rose - Adenium

 

I brought this Cattelya Orchid into the house so I could enjoy it.

 

The Phalaenopsis Orchid I got for my birthday is keeping it company.

Not all the garden beauties are in technicolour.
  

November lily - another gift from my neighbour

 

 

Gardenia 'Professor Pucci'

Night-scented Jessamine - inconspicuous flower but stunning scent

Randia - native gardenia

Magnolia 'Little Gem'

  But closer to the house are some more flamboyant blooms.

Stunning Epiphyllum

The first time one of my pale pink ones has flowered.

This week Brisbane has been hosting the G20 summit. Hope the world leaders enjoy our tropical colour!  The jacarandas have almost finished blooming, but they were glorious this year. Their place in the streetscapes is quickly being taken by the scarlet Poinciana trees.

I spotted this beautiful Petrea, aka Queen's Wreath, Bluebird Vine, Sandpaper Vine in front of an old house near me. It is in the very same shade as the jacarandas.

Isn't it glorious!

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day October 2014

It's mid-Spring in the garden here at Casa Bella. One of my daylilies has been very cooperative and had its first blooms of the season just in time for Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day. However, I have been very remiss with posts for Bloom Day after the garden went into a bit a bit of a decline while I had other projects demanding my attention.

 

We are still not back at the point we were a year or two back, but we have made some progress and although the offerings are relatively paltry for a spring garden, I am optimistic there will be much more to see by next Bloom Day.

 

 

Dockrillia linguiforme - the Tick Orchid

 

 

 

 

There were a couple of first time appearances this month at Casa Bella. I was thrilled that a crinum I have had planted for several years finally came into bud and then bloomed. It is the sole survivor of three crinums that I picked up at Bangalow markets; the others fell victim to a diabolical plague of caterpillars that apparently specialise in dispatching crinums - little monsters!

The other first for the garden was a rose.  I had spotted this beauty in Better Homes and Gardens, and while I still hope for a sub-tropical garden and hadn't planned on planting roses, I thought this might tie in with the current slightly cottage-y theme. It's called 'Eyes for You' with unusual eye markings reminiscent of oriental poppies.

My early bird daylily 'Donna Mead'

Here are a couple of wider shots of the front garden - little photos so you don't notice the weeds!

From the front veranda looking over the murraya hedge past the ponytail palm to the poinciana

The front lawn has been completely over-run by weeds and the temporary edging has almost had its day, but I have started mulching again (top left hand side).

The  right hand side of the front garden is full of virtually indestructible nut grass. That will be my next big campaign!

Thank heavens I can always rely on the salvias for a splash of colour!

Salvia 'Heatwave Sizzle'

Salvia 'Santa Barbara'

Salvia 'Ember's Wish'

Salvia 'Hot Lips'



Rondeletia splendens

Epidendrum - Crucifix Orchid

 

 

At least there were enough blooms for a tiny posy. 

 

And I can always rely on my bromeliads for garden colour whether their blooms or stunning foliage.

 

Finally, this beautifully marked Phalaenopsis orchid was an early gift for my birthday later in the week. Aren't I lucky?  Thank you, Susan!

 

 

 

Happy Bloom Day!  To see what is happening in other gardens around the world this Bloom Day, visit Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day host Carol at May Dreams Gardens.