:: front garden ::

Here are a couple of glimpses of our front garden - quite crazy and 'full' and there are plants going to seed already while others have not even had their moment in the sun yet, apples are ripening slowly on the trees and a flowform gurgles beside the meandering path...bees, both bumbles and honey hum constantly and there were three monarch butterflies overseeing the activity this afternoon... 

 ...finding a flower, making a photo happen and then writing something about it has been an interesting lesson in mindfulness and discipline and more often than not, no discipline! Also, I've really been noticing what's happening in the garden more, much more than previously and has been a great excuse to poke my nose in at others' gardens and chat to gardeners around and about.

Time to say a chirpy farewell from the garden, it has been fun, got a little tired/busy here and there but I have made it to the end and wiggled in a few final posts to take the number to 365!! WOOHOO!!

thanks, if you've had a read here and there...and Happy 2017!

:: gypsophila ::

Gypsophila or 'baby's breath' has come up twice this week - my Mum LOVES it and found herself taking home a beautiful plant from the garden centre we visited on Boxing day...

...and then yesterday was a very special day among friends being wed and my friend, the beautiful, no - STUNNING(!) bride also has a wee thing for baby's breath and ended up rocking her look, enhanced by ethereal sprigs of this uber-'80's flower in her gorgeous up-do !

Bring the back 'baby's breath', we say! (well, I think she already started) :-)

:: dahlia ix ::

aaaah...it's dahlia time again!

:: daucus carota ::

 Looks a little cauliflower-shaped...and reminds me of cow parsley or 'queen anne's lace'...

...yet this is the humble carrot flower...and I'm looking forward to it setting loads of seed for the next plantings...

:: scabiosa ::

The scabiosa (doesn't sound very nice, does it???) or pincushion flower - really good at attracting beneficial insects to the garden, looks lovely and I think I'd like to put it on 2017's cultivation/procurement list!

:: metrosideros excelsa ::

Our New Zealand 'Christmas' tree, the pohutukawa, is now in full swing down South, starry blooms bursting open from tight, tiny fist-like buds, transforming blue-green trees to glorious crimson beacons along our coastlines...must be Summer now :)

:: alcea iii ::

I accidentally mixed up the dried hollyhock flowerheads I'd carefully collected, saving their precious seeds...

...as it takes a mighty long time to get to the flowering stage (depending upon which season they were planted!) it has been a long wait...

...finally (18 months later!!) I can now report that I am very happy with the results so far - this rich crimson surpasses my memory of the Mother plant's blooms and the others that are coming out are decent bright pinks and only one white one so far...result!