Spring is only two weeks away. We’ve had rain and slowly life starts to emerge everywhere. To join Six on Saturday visit The Propagator’s blog.
2. A different type of tree. I’m not sure what it is but I like the foliage.
3. On a small shrub. Really bright and colorful.
4. I noticed this on my walk. Maybe a weed, but a pretty one.
5. An Australian classic. A wattle in flower.
6. The first sign my Daphne is ready to flower
(Cercis siliquastrum)
One of the wonders of Spring at my place is the sudden transformation of this tree. This strange Judas tree has masses of amazing purple – pink flowers in Spring. The flowers appear before the leaves. They seem to just appear overnight. I’m waiting.
It’s been dwarfed by the surrounding trees, a Gum tree and a Callistemon. Perhaps that’s why its not doing as well as it was. The seeds pods stay on the tree over winter. The are quite eye catching in themselves. The birds love them. Large parrots visit each year, only for a few weeks and then disappear again. I can see the tree, through the window, from my bed and enjoy watching my visitors.
With so many seed pods, I’d expect that maybe it might be an easy tree to propagate. I’ve had no luck. Some of the pods do drop, but they seem reluctant to start growing. I have waited while tiny little shoots under the tree, start to look like they’re tough enough and tried to transplant them. They do not seem to like being moved and struggle along for a while. I think I have got some of them to 30 cm but just can’t get them to keep going.
My tree must be old. It was planted before we bought the farm. It is ‘on its last legs’ I fear. We’ve had to cut some of it back. Hopefully it will continue on for a while yet.
I’ll have another go at growing some seed, maybe tomorrow…
Today, I’m out and about. A dentist visit is cause for getting out of the house for a brief respite. The surgery is 60 km away from the farm. Having been cooped up at home due to Covid restrictions, it almost makes the trip sound enjoyable. except for the prospect of the dentist visit.
I’m actually returning to the place where I was born, Rochester, (Victoria, Austalia). I had the distinction of being the last baby born in “the old hospital”. My mother had nightmarish stories of her labour, when most of the hospital had shut down.No silver spoon or special gifts for me. I only lived there for the first two or three years of my life so I have no recollection of the town.
The town now boasts a population of just over 3000 people. Not many, given many of these would be living on farms. Still it’s large enough to support a dentist and a hospital. Its claim to fame at the moment are these grain silos. Silo art has become a ‘thing’ in regional Victoria
These silos was painted by Jimmy D’Vate. They feature an Azure Kingfisher and a Squirrel Glider. Both of these creatures are endangered. The Kingfisher is one of the smallest kingfishers in Australia and one that visits my farm every once in a while. Squirrel gliders don’t seem to come up this far north.
The town is dotted with murals on walls by various local artists. A kookabuura with strange breath and a historical view are among others.
I’m a slow learner. I grew fennel in my garden and waited for the bulbs to form, and waited, and waited. The plants grew and grew and grew, nearly as tall as me! (I’m only 5 feet tall) They never did form those bulbs I wanted to cook with.
I now realise that there are two types of fennel.
“One is treated as an herb (herb fennel – Foeniculum vulgare) and one that is treated like a bulb type vegetable (Florence fennel or Finocchio – Foeniculum vulgare var. dulce).” (University of Illinois)
I think I had the herb type. Still have; it has survived. This is the one that’s used for the seeds and the feathery leafy bits. I’m beginning to wonder if it really is fennel. Maybe it’s dill! The two herbs are very similar and are often confused. I’m pretty sure it’s fennel though.
I really like the taste of the bulbs purchased from the supermarket, particularly when they are roasted. I can’t wait to taste my home grown ones. Apparently you can eat all the parts of fennel. Today I purchased some bulb type fennel plants. I’m a little afraid to plant them outside just yet because our frosts can be nasty. They can have a little time in the glass house.
Herbalists use fennel for indigestion and with honey for coughs. There are lots of claims about the benefits of using fennel for improving medical conditions. It is also said that it will keep ghosts from entering a house if placed in keyholes, and that if you carry it, other people will trust your words and believe in you.
Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Wilting, Dead or Aging Flowers
Most people are familiar with pink proteas. I spied this cream one in a nursery on a trip away, many years ago and I have treasured it ever since.
I bought it as a small plant from a nursery in the Adelaide Hills and protected it during its more than 600 km journey home here to Patho. It grew and prospered but sadly it has fallen over and is struggling to stay alive.
My life cycle of a flower.
Oops!!!!
The flowers are just beautiful. I didn’t notice the large fly until I posted the picture!
Taken today. This bird, I think it is a Whistling Kite, (also called a Whistling Eagle or Whistling Hawk) was feasting on a bunny in one of our farm paddocks. It kept flying away as we tried to capture a photo. I’m jealous my husband took the best shot, though he says he had the most patience.
I can’t remember where i got it. And I have no idea what it is. I It fascinates me nevertheless.
Here it is growing up proudly among some succulents
It had just rained. A few droplets remain.
It’s foliage is very distinctive.
I’d love to get help identifying it. Please comment below if you can help.
Looking around today I see that some vegetables and herbs are flowering in my garden.
Rocket
“Rocket or arugula (Eruca vesicaria) is an edible annual plant in the family Brassicaceae used as a leaf vegetable for its fresh, tart, bitter, and peppery flavor.”
Wikipedia
I planted a small punnet of rocket seedlings ( in a garden bed, hoping that one or two might grow. I wish I’d taken a photo of when they were prolific. AND THEN THEY SELF SEEDED, everywhere. I attacked them savagely and cut them back. Oh, the smell, I loved it. They regrew. Enough is enough. They threatened to become a weed. So I sadly, tried to remove them. But, then as an afterthought, I transplanted a few to a more remote spot. Now I have hundreds of little rocket babies, waiting to emerge again.
Loving their flowers.
Gai lan
Gai lan or kai-lan (Brassica oleracea var. alboglabra) is the Cantonese name for Chinese broccoli or Chinese kale.It is a leaf vegetable with thick, flat, glossy blue-green leaves with thick stems, and florets similar to (but much smaller than) broccoli
Wikipedia
The Gai lan seedlings were planted a few months ago. I’ve never grown them before. I’d eaten them in Chinese dishes, like stir fried vegetables. They grew happily, but then bolted to flowers when no one was looking. While I was looking up the correct spelling, I learned that the flowers are edible. So maybe there will be stir fry soon.
Today would be my mum’s birthday. She loved flowers.
Here is a single flower from a Chinese lantern or Chinese Bell Flower (Abutilon). I have a small shrub I purchased. This flower is the first from a cutting that I grew. She’d like that. Thanks mum
It’s raining. All day. Rarely happens here.
Found Cee’s Photo Challenge blog and it kept me busy for the day. I’m new to all of this. I dusted off the old camera and had some fun. It’s a cyclamen that just happened to be on my kitchen table. It was dim, so I had to play around with lighting. Flowers are amazing up close.
This was a rather steep learning curve for me. I’ve dabbled in photography and made a few picture books, but I really haven’t done much with my camera except use the auto functions. I loved seeing pictures look good, but it’s usually just luck and persistance. Now I have time, I want to gain a better understanding of how it all works together. I’m trying to slow down and being a little more deliberate about my choices.
I also learnt to use Gimp to put a water mark on the photo. I have struggled to understand how to use Gimp. I was glad to read a review that said it wasn’t all that easy and not exactly intuitive, because I thought I was slipping! Layers have always been an alien concept. But I did it, even if I have to quietly admit that I have spent the best part of the last week trying to work out how to insert a copyright symbol! It’s actually quite simple, once you know how.
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