Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Would you like to see my ... garden?

Something that has been quite exciting about our new house is seeing what appears in the garden as the seasons change. We haven't done too much in the garden yet as we want to wait and see what plants appear, where the sun goes and what other surprises might pop up!

I was very happy to discover we've got a small magnolia tree in the backyard - I love these flowers, even though all too soon they will be gone to be replaced by lots of leaves.
And these violets appeared out of nowhere after we weeded and mulched the side garden bed - the bed I'd destined for a vege patch, but I can't bear to dig up the pretty violets!!
I thought the leaves of this next plant, in the rose "garden" out the front of the house, were freesias!

So clearly I won't be getting a job on Gardening Australia! Snowdrops! Huge patches of them. Love these!

And I don't know what this little pretty is - some sort of small bromeliad I think (although the long strappy leaves probably mean it's something else...) (anyone? anyone?)
And to show off an Australian native for you overseasians, here is (I think - again - anyone please correct me if I'm wrong!) a Geraldton Wax. I'm really glad we've got a few natives, apart from anything else they don't need as much water, which is always a good thing.
And even though it's still officially winter here, the blossoms tell a different story.
Nice! Now if only I actually knew what I had growing here, I'd be better able to you know, look after the plants!!

21 comments:

Bells said...

oh it's great to see it all coming to life and being lots of fun to discover! Snowdrops are some of my favourites. Mine haven't flowered yet.

And you've got blossoms too! Nice.

LynS said...

What a lot of lovely surprises. Love the snowdrops; love the blossom. It's good to be able to plan around some things that are already well-established.

Michelle said...

It's lovely seeing things blooming at this time of the year! It's even more exciting when you move into a new house and have to wait 12 months to see what is actually growing!

Is that geraldton wax or diosma? It's hard to tell, and it doesn't matter - both are stunning when in bloom. Love the blossom in the last photo! Flowering apple, or flowering quince perhaps? Really nice! You're a lucky girl to have such a stunning garden!

MadMad said...

A beautiful yard to go with your beautiful house! I totally did the same, when we moved in, waited to see what was growing and where, and then made plans... of course, I haven't quite got to my plans, but that is another story.

m1k1 said...

Geraldton Wax has very waxy(!) looking flowers that are quite rigid, so maybe Michelle is right about the Diosma.
Ah the joys of discovering a new garden.

roxie said...

Magnolias are so swoony luscious: Opulent fragrance and the exquisite colors. I want a dress colored like magnolia petals.

And what a treat it is to see your lovely spring flowers. Is it getting warm early?

Geek Knitter said...

About not wanting to disturb those violets... trust me, you can dig up a good-sized hunk of them and plop them down wherever you like. They'll take hold and spread like nobody's business.

Ask me how I know. :)

So fun to see your spring!

Kate said...

Oh, what a lovely garden! I can't keep plants alive to save my life, so if I ever want to have a garden, it will have to be all marigolds! I try, but I just can't seem to dye my thumb green.
I've never seen snowdrops before, they're so beautiful! They looked a little like Lily of the Valley to me at first. And the blossoms on the tree are gorgeous, it looks like apple. Oh, and the magnolias! I love magnolias!

I'm so jealous of your lovely garden!

Donna Lee said...

I'd keep the violets. I love them. I like how they just come up wherever you put them. Geek Knitter is right, you can manhandle them and they'll survive. I love early spring and all the tender young flowers.

gemma said...

Hi Ms Rose Red,
yep definites diosma and the pink green one with the strappy leave is what my nana called "belbergia" (but a google search has not shown up your plant, so that could just be a name she made up. Your right though it has fine prickles on the stappy leaves if you run your finger (gently) from the tip to the base, and I always though it reminded me of pineapple leaves. Sorry this does not help much.
ps I love magnolia too!

Caffeine Girl said...

You do have mild winters, huh? We are still in the hottest part of summer here -- no hints of autumn yet.

Your new yard certainly has some beautiful surprises!

DrK said...

yay! its a magnolia! arent they exciting? i like your wait and see approach, you have some real beauties there. i do love spring (except for the fact that it means summer is coming).

Michelle said...

Wow. Look at all those pretty flowers!! I wish my garden looks so pretty like yours :P Mine's kinda overgrown with weeds. I do not see them, I do not see them.

Alwen said...

Could it be Bilbergia?

(I am no good at specifically Australian plants, but I am pretty good at the scientific names if someone gives me some hints!)

Miss Fi said...

You can dig up the violets and plant in the area where the banksia was. They will also do well in pots and are a great ground cover and weed suppressant. Have you picked any for the house yet?

Em said...

Ooooh, flower porn! Your garden is already so pretty. I can't hardly wait to see what else springs up. Violets are always one of my favorites, partly because they're so hardy.

TinkingBell said...

The first 12 months in a new garden are so exciting - every time I thought 'I'd love to have a xxx in the garden' taa daa - there one would appear

Jan said...

That's a billbergia as others have suggested. Dad had dozens in the garden I grew up with.

Snow drops out already? Lucky you, although again as a child, i used to pick armfuls in the next couple of weeks on holidays in the Blue Mountains. Technically, they are known as snowflakes but I've usually heard snowdrops.

The blossom in the garden just below us is now almost gone, it didn't last long in the furious gale last Friday. Our freesias are only just beginning to come up from the ground and are nowhere near ready to bloom and I'm really quite close to you as the crow flies. we do have a lot of orchids which have been blooming for weeks and a very pretty bromeliad, spiky with a deep purple and bright pink flower.

Lovely pictures and it's exciting to see what's in a new garden.

Lea said...

oh lovely! my magnolia is only budding at the moment and I am keeping a keen eye on my next door neighbour's freesias - they are my favourite. I love the mystery that comes with watching what is hiding in a garden after the first winter - so many surprises.

Sarah said...

Oh how I love the cycle of seasons - it's wonderful to see all your blossoms just as my garden is starting to turn towards autumn.

Ann said...

Great pictures of the flowers. I love watching the flowers blooming especially the cherry blossom in my front yard - gorgeous.