In A Vase On Monday ~ Autumn Trimmings

My regular blogging practice has gone by the wayside since the weather cooled. When it isn’t raining, I can be found in the garden, trimming plants, pulling out weeds, but rarely watering the garden. We have had plenty of rain lately and the garden is, if anything, over-watered.

Today I spent all day in the garden again, so took the opportunity while pruning to collect a few flowers to add to a vase for Cathy’s In a Vase on Monday.

One of my once blue flowering Hydrangea bushes has blooms at the moment which are speckled, and quite pink! I had to include these in today’s vase as they are so unusual.

An old faithful flower, the Gerberas, continues to flower, even through the rain and dropping temperatures. They really are the happiest flowers in my garden. 🙂

In the past, I have called these pretty white flowers “fluffballs”, but when I consulted the identifier app on my mobile phone I discovered they are officially called Spiraea cantoniensis ‘Double White May’, or May Bush for short, which is a much easier name to remember. I needed to trim the May Bush as the branches were growing over the driveway and hitting cars driving in and out.

And my lavender needed trimming as well – some of the branches are attempting to take over their neighbours in the garden.

Considering the plunging temperatures of late, I am surprised to see the amount of growth in the garden still. I keep expecting flowers to stop blooming and new greenery to stop growing, but the opposite is happening. I think the garden is enjoying the cooler days as much as I am. 🙂

Once again, thank you to Cathy for hosting In a Vase on Monday. 🙂

Silent Sunday ~ Happy Mother’s Day. 💕

Silent Sunday ~ Kookaburras in the Mist

Silent Sunday ~ Aloes

First Gordonia

Just a very brief post today to show off my first Gordonia flower.

As you can see, the plant is very young, standing only around one-foot in height. When mature, the tree will be ten to fifteen feet tall, so it has a way to go yet.

You will also notice how soggy the first flower is that my Gordonia has grown – it’s raining – again! We have had so much rain lately that I couldn’t even pick flowers to share yesterday for Cathy’s weekly In a Vase on Monday, which was rather disappointing.

I am, however, thrilled to bits to see my first Gordonia flower! It is also known as “the fried egg plant”, as the flowers always drop right-side-up, giving the appearance of a fried egg. Aren’t they clever little flowers? 💕