Day Lily

I was given this Day Lily by a lady tidying up her garden, I had no idea until it bloomed what colour it was. What a nice surprise it was to find it in my garden.

Day Lily

Gladiolus x colvillei - Blushing Bride

I was given some bulbs from a lady on free cycle who was cleaning up her garden, she had lots of bits a pieces to give away. Not having pen and paper with me I was unable to write down the names of bulbs I was given. So I planted them and was pleasantly surprised by some of the flowers that bloomed. One being Gladiolus x colvillei - Blushing Bride, very attractive this one, flowering here in Victoria September-October.

Epicacti

A stray plant given to me by a neighbour that on longer wanted it has finely flowered and it was well worth the wait. Named for me by a member of a garden forum as Epicacti, not a very good looking plant but what a stunning flower..

Rhodohypoxis Baurii

Rhodohypoxis Baurii this small bulb with pink, white and crimson flowers, is well suited to pots, rockeries and in mass plantings along garden borders. I have had these growing in a shallow pot for about three years now, come spring they shoot again giving a lovely display of colour.

Russelia equisetiformis

 

 My Russelia equisetiformis common name Tangerine Falls is in flower and looking lovely at the moment. This small evergreen shrub is grown for it's showy pendant clusters of tangerine tubular flowers, which appear  from Spring to late Autumn along it's wiry, rush-like stems. Tangerine Falls is ideal for hanging baskets and decorative tubs, it also comes in firecracker red and yellow form.  My plant is growing in a large pot under the canopy of a large tree and is healthy and happy, I love it's draping/weeping/ cascading growth habit.. This plant is a winner for me, so much so that I went out and bought a firecracker red form....

Cala Lilies

 

 My Cala lilies are growing so well this year, my first for the season is now in full bloom with several others close behind. They are blooming early this year, in past years my lilies have not bloomed until December.

Pansy

Pansies are one of the most popular and recognizable cool weather annuals, the humble pansies make a superb massed display in  garden beds or a feature of their flowers in pots, window boxes and hanging baskets. Breeding has produced many bi-coloured varieties some with face like centre markings, making them a striking addition to any garden. New spreading varieties make a wonderful display in hanging baskets.

Garden Guardians

beneficial insect attracting flowers

Recently I have been doing some reading and research on beneficial insects and the roll they play in the home garden. The hardest thing I found was identification of a good bug from a bad one, so I purchased a very informative book called Garden Guardians to help me with identification. The book also covered the plants and flowers that will attract beneficial insects to the garden and encourage them to stay and work for you. This requires a gardener to become organic and stay away from synthetic pesticides, fungicides and fertilisers as these will effect good and bad bugs alike. So to encourage good bugs into my garden I have planted a selection of annuals and perennials including some herbs (Alyssum, pansies, cosmos, lobelia, marigolds, daisies, coriander, basil, mint, thyme, oregano) to name a few. I do hope to see some good results from beneficial bugs as time goes on the Aphids have been a big problem in my garden this Spring, there have been very for plants that have not had Aphids attacking them.