Will you dance?

among the daffodils...

Lemon tree very pretty

Now is the time to give your citrus some extra love and care with some fertilizer (they should have new blossom and tiny fruit buds) and make sure you keep the water up to them

 and keep and eye out for bugs, particularly citrus leaf miner which seems to like all the fresh soft leaves that are sprouting now. As I only garden organically I simply remove a leaf when I notice this bug's larvae or eggs on the leaf or you could wipe the leaves with a olive oil and detergent wash - this could double as your daily meditation too!

By George!

Lovely surprise in the garden this week is Iris reticulata "George". My goodness the colour is deep and radiant in a little corner under the Acer, matched with violets and purple hyacinths -all planted this past Autumn and now flowering at the same time. Very pleased.

 Very abstract pics as I am learning my new camera! but the colour is true.

A Splendid Fellow

I went to take a pic of the lovely Nerines and this fellow photobombed me.

 Don't worry darling Venus, no one is as wonderful as you!

A thought of God in white and green

I went to hunt the scent of violet in the cold still of this winter day and found a sweet surprise - the seasons first snowdrop.

Close to the sod

   There can be seen

A thought of God

   In white and green.

Unmarred, unsoiled

   It cleft the clay,

Serene, unspoiled

   It views the day.

It is so holy

And yet so lowly.

   Would you enjoy

      Its grace and dower

   And not destroy

      The living flower?

Then you must, please,

Fall on your knees.

The Snowdrop by Anna Bunston De Bary

Camellia Song

 Camellia oracle of winter bliss

You are the promise of springs renewal

Midst the slumbering landscape

Like winters splendid jewel 

Camellia japonica 'Melbourne White'

Your miracle of life

So delicate and so sweet

You adorn Victorian homes

Upon these earthly streets 

Camellia 'Sugar Dream'

The beauty of your elegance

Your fragile blossom lingers

The softness of your petals

Pass through my waiting fingers

Camellia japonica 'Albertii'

I celebrate your symmetry

Your absolute perfection

Creation of that Life divine

You are but God's reflection 

Camellia x vernalis 'Yuletide' one of my favorites.

You are a life long lesson

A song that's ever sung

From the deepest winter spell

You bring forth the morning sun

Lynne FincherSpringarden

Camellia sasanqua 'Rose Pendant'

Camellia lutchuensis

My own darling flower.

Such a wonderful time to explore Melbourne gardens right now with camellias in singing bloom across our town. This year I am trying to take cuttings to propagate so I have an heir and a spare to take us through the hot summers to come so wish me luck!

Before and after or is it the other way round

 Unfailingly, year after year this white allium (an onion to us plain Janes!) treats us to a thrilling show of shooting starlight blooms for months, where the bees are the encore de Havilland flyover celebrating the joy of Summer. And such nice manners too! Maintaining a neat green clump of strappy foliage until the magical seed heads come along. I have been harvesting all week in the sunshine - drop me a line and I shall send you a little bit of magic.

Last leaves

The Oak - Alfred Lord Tennyson

Live thy Life,

Young and old,

Like yon oak,

Bright in spring,

Living gold;

Summer-rich

Then; and then

Autumn-changed

Soberer-hued

Gold again.

All his leaves

Fall'n at length,

Look, he stands,

Trunk and bough

Naked strength. 

A gardener's dream

We have so many wonderful private and public gardens to explore in Melbourne; one of the best for me is Diggers Club Heronswood. It is resonant of history with the gothic buildings, the wonderful panorama of the Peninsula and such a great example of how a passion for gardening can be successful in inspiring and educating. The core of this business is a great gift of preserving the ideals of gardening and the environment simply by inspiring you to garden in a thoughtful way. Digger’s Club supply one of the best and broadest range of seeds and plants in Australia by mail or you can visit one of the historical gardens and lovely shops- what bliss!

Origanum Kent Beauty

There was a whole fluttering bank of this groundcover.

A river of gold, a very low growing fragrant ground cover - Oregano Thumbles Gold 

Magnificent waves of Salvia 'Anthony Parker'

Avocados in Victoria? and as a hedge too!

I loved the tightly clipped Myrtle hedge.

Kalanchoe pumila

Lots of ideas and amazing colours in the dry garden. I think I am developing a bit of Kalanchoe fever.

I love seeing lots of flowers in Autumn for our friends the bees - they loved this Crotalaria agatiflora, a neat small tree shaped shrub that was a bright acid green punctuation in the borders.

The garden shop - full to the brim with treasure for the passionate gardener, including my Vintage Gardener gift cards! 

To round off a lovely day out refresh yourself in the Heronswood restaurant - the staff here were so happy and full of joy for where they worked. 

    

Out of a misty dream

They are not long, the days of wine and roses:

Out of a misty dream

Our path emerges for a while, then closes

Within a dream 

 Ernest Dowson

Hidden

What secret is hidden inside? I can't wait to find in Spring some glory from this brown paper packaging.

Jingle bells in the garden

Clematis cirrhosa 'Jingle Bells'

Lovely gentle flowers in the Autumn sun, this clematis is in a very hot spot in the garden but flowers prolifically every year for at least a month and then you have the wonderful hairy seed heads as well. I don’t know if it is because of the harsh spot it’s in but it has only grown about 90cm in five years so it is very well mannered as well. Highly recommended.