Photo/s of the day. The garden in Spring.
Sep. 15th, 2011 04:57 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
moonvoiceThis year has been spectacular.
The Melaleuca incana is flowering for the first time (I was worried it wouldn't)
and is lovely and aromatic.
The Verticordia mitchelliana is incredibly proliferate after a rough start,
and both Lechenaultias are still going.
Basically,
it's fucking beautiful out there, in my small xeriscaped garden of low maintenance local natives.
It's only small so far, but it's getting there.
Jewel beetle and acacia - This particular acacia, Acacia ashbyaea, is known for being particularly awesome for xeriscaping. Basically, it does better, and flowers more prolifically, if you don't water it. I skip watering it even in the middle of a Perth heatwave. Even in 'hottest Summers since records began.' It loves it. Sounds counterproductive? Welcome to gardening with local natives in this particular biome.
Same Acacia.
Darwinia citriodora - I have a soft spot for these plants, since one of my favourite photos I've ever taken is of one of these while bushwalking. Anyway, like the name suggests, they have a wonderful citrus (lemony) scent when the leaves are crushed. I only planted these a couple of months ago and I'm shocked and pleased at how vigorous they are.
Darwinia citriodora in flower
A lot of native plants can attract flies as pollinators, not that I especially mind. In Spring they become remarkably pretty.
On an Acacia merinthropa
Grevillea
Grevillea
Another grevillea
Flower bud
Aromatic flowering Melaleuca incana sp. nana - It smells lovely. These were attacked by native ants last year (the big downside to planting locally is they're often attacked by local pests - and they don't always have symbiotic relationships or survive). We saved all the Melaleuca with an aggressive management program, but we'll have to be vigilant this year to make sure it doesn't happen again.
The Lechenaultia formosa is still flowering.
As is the Lechenaultia biloba
We have lots of helpful creatures in our garden.
This is Verticordia chrysantha - It's one of my favourite flowers in the garden. It has a lovely habit, and shapes itself. It also makes an incredibly enduring cut flower. I have not used any saturation on this photo. Or any of these photos.
The flowers are just that fucking bright.
Really, really bright.
In the same family, we have Verticordia mitchelliana - another feather flower which, amusingly, is quite different from the V. chrysantha, but still freaking stunning.
The buds
Flowering
They have very profuse flowering habits - but you need to give them a year of consistent watering to really get them established. Unlike some other local natives, they need some TLC in the first year, and especially in their first Summer. I lost six, all up, and really learned this the hard way. Now, however, they are extraordinarily hardy, drought resistant, water-wise, and just stunning. I purchased more to replace the lost ones and I'm so happy I did. :)
The Melaleuca incana is flowering for the first time (I was worried it wouldn't)
and is lovely and aromatic.
The Verticordia mitchelliana is incredibly proliferate after a rough start,
and both Lechenaultias are still going.
Basically,
it's fucking beautiful out there, in my small xeriscaped garden of low maintenance local natives.
It's only small so far, but it's getting there.
Jewel beetle and acacia - This particular acacia, Acacia ashbyaea, is known for being particularly awesome for xeriscaping. Basically, it does better, and flowers more prolifically, if you don't water it. I skip watering it even in the middle of a Perth heatwave. Even in 'hottest Summers since records began.' It loves it. Sounds counterproductive? Welcome to gardening with local natives in this particular biome.
Same Acacia.
Darwinia citriodora - I have a soft spot for these plants, since one of my favourite photos I've ever taken is of one of these while bushwalking. Anyway, like the name suggests, they have a wonderful citrus (lemony) scent when the leaves are crushed. I only planted these a couple of months ago and I'm shocked and pleased at how vigorous they are.
Darwinia citriodora in flower
A lot of native plants can attract flies as pollinators, not that I especially mind. In Spring they become remarkably pretty.
On an Acacia merinthropa
Grevillea
Grevillea
Another grevillea
Flower bud
Aromatic flowering Melaleuca incana sp. nana - It smells lovely. These were attacked by native ants last year (the big downside to planting locally is they're often attacked by local pests - and they don't always have symbiotic relationships or survive). We saved all the Melaleuca with an aggressive management program, but we'll have to be vigilant this year to make sure it doesn't happen again.
The Lechenaultia formosa is still flowering.
As is the Lechenaultia biloba
We have lots of helpful creatures in our garden.
This is Verticordia chrysantha - It's one of my favourite flowers in the garden. It has a lovely habit, and shapes itself. It also makes an incredibly enduring cut flower. I have not used any saturation on this photo. Or any of these photos.
The flowers are just that fucking bright.
Really, really bright.
In the same family, we have Verticordia mitchelliana - another feather flower which, amusingly, is quite different from the V. chrysantha, but still freaking stunning.
The buds
Flowering
They have very profuse flowering habits - but you need to give them a year of consistent watering to really get them established. Unlike some other local natives, they need some TLC in the first year, and especially in their first Summer. I lost six, all up, and really learned this the hard way. Now, however, they are extraordinarily hardy, drought resistant, water-wise, and just stunning. I purchased more to replace the lost ones and I'm so happy I did. :)
