TODAY'S FLOWERS - Flowers from a bare Garden

After the long, hot summer without water for the garden except

what I saved from the shower and sink,

this is all there is to see

some weeds in the grass we sometimes laughingly

call a lawn

out of 150 bushes, one single, hardy groud-cover rose

this delicate looking but hardy daisy like perennial.

(the name escapes me for the moment)

and lastly, one single geranium flower.

Not much to show for a once showcase, large garden.

I just hope others have more than I.

TODAY'S FLOWERS ~ Helpful Insect

A late autumn rose with a friendly, helpful Praying Mantis.

Well, perhaps just a little camera shy.

How kind, she actually posed for a photo. . . just look at those

great bedroom eyes, beats Omar Sharif!

OK, I've had enough now.

They all enlarge so you can see me better.

TODAY'S FLOWERS is sponsored by Luiz Santilli Jr, it's great fun so click on the Logo and join in.

TODAY'S FLOWERS - Some Late Blooms

One last summer bloom on 'Anna Pavlova' in my Mt.Lofty

garden.

As the sun glowed lower in the sky it lit up this Lemon Verbena.

It may not be a spectacular plant to look at but it exudes a most

wonderful lemony scent. The leaves are perfect for potpourris as

they retain their delicious scent for years.

Myrtus communis, a small flowered evergreen bush. In days

of yore brides wore a little garlands of this aromatic shrub as

a symbol of enduring love.

It looked lovely with it's last flowers glowing in the light of

the setting sun.

For all those of you who showed amazement at Eucalyptus trees

flowering, here is the showiest of them all, Eucalyptus ficifolia, a

native of Western Australia that has now been hybridised to

produce colours from white though a number of pinks and oranges

to an even deeper red than this. Unfortunately the sun had left

the tree and the leaves do not appear as dark green and shiny

as usual but when it flowers, it flowers all over with a sea of red.

Red is the colour of happiness for Chinese so when two of my

husband's Chinese graduate students were marries we held a

reception for them near this tree and it's twin in full bloom

and I baked a dozen glazed strawberry tarts. For students who

had managed to escape from Maoist China, it was a real treat.

With thanks to Luiz Santilli Jr. who hosts this happy meme.

SkyWatch ~ One Element of a Sunset

This week I had a sunset and a half. That is why I am only

giving you this one element of these clouds shooting into the

sky like fireworks. This skyshow is happening directly over-

head with me facing more north than any where else.

My camera and I were mesmerised by all the wonders developing

around us so just imagine what was going on in the west and east

while this was going on at the zenith.

From a gentle sweep, to gold to rose . . . next week, more!

All Photos grow when tickled, enjoy.

SkyWatch brings us skies from all the world, click the Logo and join in the fun!

TODAY'S FLOWERS ~ Birthday Tree

For forty years My double flowered ornamental cherry trees
have flowered for my birthday, except this year.
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Some years it would be the first blossom, sometimes the last

and sometimes all else inbetween but not this year, this year

they are eight days late. Are we really in a global warming cycle

or is this the first sign of another ice age?

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These pictures were taken this afternoon, after a few sunny

days the first two blossoms opened.

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The first bloom on my roses, 'Ophelia', my mother's favourite.

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The Logo opens gardens full of flowers.

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Thanks to the TODAY'S FLOWERS' Team we can visit them all around the globe.

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TODAY'S FLOWERS ~ Pink Surprises

Ah, what it is to have two large gardens and not be able to keep
them up anymore . . . and yet, and yet, they keep rewarding me.
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Above, a treasure from our garden on the mountain and below,

a present on the farm. Almost at the end of our first month of

winter and still they flower....

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The Logo opens the door to flowers all over the world. Click to

join or just enjoy.

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Thanks to Luiz Santilli Jr. for instigating this beautiful meme and

his great team who keep it running so smoothly.

TODAY'S FLOWERS ~ Transitions

Winter is here, the leaves have fallen and glow yet on the ground.
Some roses still have a few flowers, 'Bonica' has blushed a darker
pink in the cold weather.

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The first Hyacinth bravely pops her head up to share her scent.

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The purple leafed Geranium, though drenched with rain, is a

welcome touch of colour. The garden may not have a riot of

blooms at this season but there are always enough to be found

for a posy.
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Thanks to all the kind people on the Flower Team who care for

and co-ordinate this meme.

TODAY'S FLOWERS ~ Lilies

I feel like The Little Prince with his one rose, my Oriental Lily
now has two open flowers and a bud yet to come.



She lights my day and perfumes the whole side of the house.
I wish I could can the scent and send it to each and every one
of you.



I love the little feelers on her petals and the streaks of green
at her heart, truly a wonder of creation.



All photos enlarge and the Logo takes you to flowers around the world.

Thanks to Luiz Santilli Jr. and his Team, we can enjoy these wonders every week.

SkyWatch ~ 49 Clouds, just Clouds...

A couple of days ago we walked to the park to check
on the water level in the dam, when I saw these clouds.

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They kept changing so rapidly that I had to snap

as we went along.

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These photos are not adjusted nor did I use any filter,

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the sky really was such a deep blue. On our way

back across the paddock, some late afternoon

colour crept up from behind the hill

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but back in the garden it was quite different, with

the sky assuming a sunny summer quality and

making a perfect foil for one of my early spring roses.

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Click on the Logo to fly to other skies.

Thank you Klaus et al for hosting this meme.