Amazing Lake of Lotus

Lotus is not seen very much in Australia, but I recall seeing many beautiful lakes in China with gorgeous displays of these flowers.  During the dormant part of their life there is nothing to see - in the lake near the entrance to the university where I worked in Shaoxing, there were pots sitting on the base of the pond - lined with tiles I might add - and frogs and fish would often appear to be sleeping on the soil that was in the pot.  Nothing else - until suddenly leaves started to protrude from the pot.

The leaves would grow up to 4 feet or so, and eventually an amazing bud would appear, which soon opened up to reveal a perfect flower.

I remember that a few years ago I found some Lotus growing near Gumdale (Brisbane, Queensland)  in a dam and I visited occasionally to take photos.

Honestly, I can't recall seeing them anywhere else.

One day recently I found a huge display of Lotus - though sadly I had come across them towards the end of their flowering season - at seaside Sandstone Point, in Queensland.  The afternoon I saw them I was actually running late for a meeting, and as I hadn't been in the are before I had missed a turn off.  Despite being late, I stopped the car, grabbed my camera and took nearly 10 minutes to take some photos.

I have been back several times, but the flowering season is at an end, and the  buds and flowers that protrude from the huge leaves are few and far between.  I think the best time to see them at their best would be late December or early January.  I will make a note to myself to visit this spot in 2015 after Christmas.

The buds and flowers are so perfect that it is no wonder that the Lotus flower appears in religious texts e.g. Hindu.  There is much myth around the flower too.

Tibouchina

This is one of my favourites - a tree which in full bloom produces masses of purple flowers - and as purple is my favourite colour, I am a big fan of the tree.   We had a healthy tree in our garden at Wynnum West, but my new abode has nothing other than ground cover.  And my pot plants - those which have survived my moves and travels.

The Tibouchina is native of South America.

Sun Flower Appears!

I hadn't noticed it growing - in part because I usually park in another part of the car park where volunteers at the Caboolture Historical Village usually park their cars.  However, the other day I saw a plant - clearly the seed had arrived by the wind or a bird, and the plant had grown to nearly five feet tall.

It has grown on the edge of an area covered with chip bark - and  I am sure it has never received any TLC from the gardeners at the Village.  There are actually a couple of plants.

The lovely flower on the top is below.

 

Flowers at Caboolture Historical Village

I am a volunteer at the Caboolture Historical Village - which is just north of Brisbane, Queensland.  It is a wonderful place full of the most extra ordinary history - and, I am pleased to say, a lovely garden.

Last week, when visitors from Bundaberg were in the Village - they asked about some flowers.  I had no idea what they were called but took a photo and showed our head gardener, who identified them as Foxglove.

 

 



Another visitor had asked about purple foliage (funny, really as I love purple and wear a lot of it and it is odd that the plants I have been asked about are purple...),  under a sign near the railway station.

This plant is called a Purple Shield or Persian Shield.  It is quite a beautiful plant.

Abbotsford Convent - Melbourne

I visited this place for the first time for a family wedding on November 1st - and would love to have had the time to visit the gardens more than time permitted me on this occasion.  I will add the venue to my list of things to do when I return to Melbourne at some time.

 

 

These were decorations at the Reception.

 

 

 

Along the Glenelg Esplanade.

Recently while staying in South Australia I stayed at Glenelg, on the waterfront on North Esplanade.  I went for several long walks and one was north to the Adelaide Sailing Club - and the boat ramp etc there.  There were many interesting plants along the top of the rocks.

 

 

Some of my flowers....

A few years ago I think - dredged up the photos recently.  The bottom one is one of our favourites from the days of our Gerbera farm.