67 ~ Sunday in the Garden

Phormium
What a beautiful morning it is today! Blue skies and warm sunshine. I've put on my shorts and a sleeveless top and have just made us some fresh coffee so let's go sit outside on the patio and watch the parrots in the trees while we drink it. Then I'm inviting you to come for a wander through the garden with me to take a closer look at what is growing.

The parrots aren't native to here but are escapees from a local parrot conservation park. They are quite happy to live in the free outdoors and congregate here in the mornings just outside my bedroom window making enough noise to wake me. This one sits in the Jerusalem Thorn tree. (Parkinsonia Aculeata.)
Look over there at the Opuntia cactus with the sun behind it.

Here are some of the empty flower buds after the petals have fallen.

The cat seems quite happy over there on the grass.

The little Yellow Palm (Areca lutescens Bory) from Madagascar has put forth a branch of seeds.

I love the way this little palm forms a cluster of thin bamboo-like trunks topped by the characteristic curved palm fronds. It looks like we need to get in there and do some pruning at the base so the trunks are more visible.
Everything grows so quickly here, our main garden work is pruning and cutting back the bougainvillae and succulents such as aloe.


I planted this wild grass years ago and although it becomes rampant on waste ground, it has been kept in check in our garden by neighbouring aloe and bougainvillae plants.





Cleistocactus straussii from Bolivia, although I refer to it as 'old man's head' after I heard it from someone.

Let's walk around to the front garden shall we. The Piccabeen palm tree there still has some strands of seeds hanging although the little blue tits have been doing a good job of cleaning them off.

I never tire of admiring the flowers of the white mandevilla.

And in the dim shade of a tangle of palm leaves and jasmine is a stag horn fern (Platycerium.) I like to photograph the dark surrounding shell with sunlight behind.

And who could ever tire of bougainvillae; I always love to see its constant blooms.

Well that's the end of our garden walk today. I'm going back in the house to make us some breakfast while you take another look at the roses, strelitzia and yellow winter jasmine. I hope you've enjoyed the visit.

Breakfast is ready!



I look forward to your next visit. Until then...Hasta la Vista!