TODAY'S FLOWERS - Flowers of Hope II

In the same Rehab. Centre as last week, I discovered these

wonderful delights in a number of enclosed courtyards.

Beautiful Rhododendron specimens which I certainly appreciated

but was surprised that only one patient took advantage of this

lovely sheltered spot and he had been wheeled thereby someone

else.

Whenever I have been in a like situation, I have always sought

out any little place that had vegetation to regenerate the soul.

Another courtyard had these warm colours in it. Oranges and

glowing reds and still no-one taking advantage of all that

beauty.

Thanks to Luiz Santilli Jr. we can all share the most beautiful flowers

with each other so click on the logo and join in.

TODAY'S FLOWERS ~ 32 Wonders of Spring

There were compensations along the way in driving
a thousand miles to Sydney. This glorious flower display
greeted us on leaving our cabin in a caravan park in
Blackheath in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales.



We were lucky enough to get the last night in the
last cabin when we were dog tired, so tired we did
not even notice the beauty of the street until the
next morning.



The whole street was full of Azaleas, there was a pond
in the dell surrounded by Cherry Trees.



Ducks on the pond and sun on the cherry blossom,
there was beauty all around....



as we headed up the hill again through the extensive
gardens, the Rhododendrons hit us like a steam train,
they were enormous and many were in full bloom.
No wonder the place was booked out until November
with the Rhododendron festival starting!



Rhododendrons as high as houses and in the most
vibrant colours imaginable...



this one made a pretty picture shielded by the
protective arms of the native Australian Eucalypt.
The Rhododendron was a good 30' tall, seldom have
I seen one so large.



So often when one makes an effort to do something nice,
the Universe blesses one with a wonderful gift - this
was such a time.

All pictures enlarge, enjoy!

The world is full of beautiful flowers, click on the Logo and see.

Thanks to Luiz Santilli Jr. and the Flower Team we can join in
and enjoy this meme.

TODAY'S FLOWERS ~ 24 A Touch of Pink

A white Rhododendron, so old its name has sunk into
the mists of time. Burned down in two major Bush Fires
and somehow sprung to life again. It has been in our
mountain garden since the 1850's and is one of my
absolute treasures.



Clematis montana rosea smiling on the front wall
of our house on Mt.Lofty



A joy from our farm garden, Malus floribunda,
the pink flowering Crabapple.

To enjoy flowers around the world, click on Logo.

Thanks to Luiz Santilli Jr. and the TODAY'S FLOWERS
team for the organisation of this meme.

MY WORLD ~ 5 Our House on the Mountain

This is our personal Phoenix, rebuilt with the
original walls from 1850 or so, after the extensive
bushfire of 1983, which devoured 76 homes including
ours. Not much survived in the historic garden as well.

The house itself stands on the ridge of Mt.Lofty at an
elevation of 650m, overlooking Gulf St.Vincent and
Adelaide, the capital of South Australia on the western
side, and on the other, the eastern foothills and on a clear
day Lake Alexandrina at the mouth of the Murray River
some 100km as the crow flies, to the east.



As you come into the yard from the driveway,
the first thing that strikes your eyes is this
magnificent Camellia tree. Three of these were
planted in front of the original house probably
in the early 1850's. They have withstood the
force of two major bushfires and managed to
regrow again. This one has recovered much
better than it's siblings which were closer to the
front porch and much more severely burnt.



Close up of the Camellia whose name has been lost
in the depths of time.



The shadow on the gravel is from a Beech my
husband planted, The flowering crab apple is
Malus floriunda.



On the right a massive Snowball bush, another
survivor, burnt to the ground and regrown.



Looking up to the back of the house over
terraces of lilacs, Syringa vulgaris, in lilac
purple and white.



View from one of the dining room
windows towards the west.



My precious white Rhododendron, before the fire
the size of the Crabapple above, has taken 25 years
to regrow to this. Again, the name has disappeared
into the mists of history.



Looking up fron the eastern terraces in spring



'Papa Meilland' and 'Mr.Lincoln' on our bedroom wall



Taken through my car window heading down the drive,
a kangaroo grazing in the orchard with a backdrop of
Camellias, Rhododendrons and bare Oak tree.

This is just a fleeting impression of the three acre
garden that surrounds the new old house.

Thank you SkyWatch/My World team for making
this venue a delight to us all.
To visit amazingly beautiful and interesting places,
click on the logo on the right.

TODAY'S FLOWERS ~ Flowers on my Table

Please scroll down for Brenda's Photochallenge,
Thankful Friday, Skywatch etc.

'Cecile Brunner' strongly scented tiny
rosebuds gracing a cloth embroidered
four generations ago, around 1850.



White Madonna Lily and pink Orientals.



A wealth of roses bunched up together



Tree Paeonia, backed by Rhododendron and lilac



A mixed bunch, just this and that...

My heart felt appreciation to Luiz Santilli Jr.,

Denise B. Castro and Laerte Pupo for hosting this delightful site.

To see what is flowering elsewhere, click on the Logo.