Rainy squalls and bright bursts of sunshine continue; great for gardens, but makes lawn mowing patchy! We do have rather a lot of grass here...
But let's talk about flowers. Salvias! Went to one of the better garden stores yesterday and managed to restrain my greed! Came home with only two.That must be some sort of record!! Salvia "Amistad" and S. "Rockin' Purple." Only "Amistad" is in flower at present, but there are buds on "Rockin' Purple" so come back in a few days...
We have hung most of our framed pictures, but the light is not the best so only a couple to show...
Glorious sunshine now, so I'm off to see what else might happening outside...
Wednesday, September 17, 2025
THE SHOWERS OF SPRIN -TER.
That's my newly-coined word for the in-between season, when some days are sunny and warm enough to cast aside sweaters, only to have to dash indoors when a squall of icy rain sweeps in.
But daylight is lengthening and most days, the Hg creeps slowly upwards.
OK, not much to write about, but I do have some photos. Someone asked for photos, didn't he, Jon?
A "Coalbrookdale" setting. In need of some new paint, but that's an easy fix. And, in the background, the future gincuzzi. Our niece wants to get it workable again. Not sure when...
A beautiful soft pink Camellia. There is also a white one, but no flowers to show yet. *keep scrolling...I just spotted one!
Lawn daisies...lotsa!
A mystery! As it's a seed pod and the only one I found, I'm not going to try naming it! Too many look-alikes so I'll keep my eyes open for flowers. It could have been blown in on a stiff breeze...
Agapanthus, I do know! There quite a few planted along the fence which borders a laneway. I've started weeding grasses from them.
Clivia. Again, lots of them (or a similar strappy plant; flowers will tell!) This is behind the gincuzzi.
Podocarpus Henkellii. Or Henkell's Yellow wood. It's actually on a neighbour's side of the fence, but hey! I'm happy to share!
The GIANT Magnolia, still with a few blooms, but rapidly leafing-up.
Old-fashioned lavender, usually called English Lavender, and yesterday I bought a pot of its French cousin.
.
The French cousin
I've been calling this tree fern a Dicksonia...
...but which one I am not sure. And to add to my confusion, I now think it's more likely a Cyathea smithii! Here's a helpful link:
New Zealand's tree ferns, or ponga, primarily belong to the Cyathea and Dicksonia genera, distinguished by scales (Cyathea) or hairs (Dicksonia) on their trunks. Notable Cyathea species include the towering mamaku (C. medullaris) and the distinctive ponga or silver fern (C. dealbata), while prominent Dicksonia species are whekī (D. squarrosa) and whekī-ponga (D. fibrosa). These ferns prefer sheltered, moist environments and are iconic symbols of New Zealand's native flora, with their fronds symbolizing new life.
Key Characteristics & Identification
Scaly (Cyathea): These tree ferns have a trunk covered in scales, and their trunks are marked by hexagonal scars from fallen fronds.
Hairy (Dicksonia): In contrast, Dicksonia species have a trunk covered in bristly hairs.
Frond Scars: Cyathea species leave hexagon-shaped scars when fronds fall, whereas Dicksonia trunks are covered in the remnants of the broken stipes, often with a "skirt" of old fronds.
Common New Zealand Tree Ferns
Cyathea medullaris (Mamaku): Our tallest and fastest-growing tree fern, recognizable by its thick black stems and often colonizing slips.
Cyathea dealbata (Ponga/Silver Fern): Famous for the white underside of its fronds and a source of the country's national symbol.
Cyathea smithii (Kātote): Found in colder habitats, distinguished by a persistent "skirt" of old frond stalks around its trunk.
Dicksonia fibrosa (Whekī-ponga): A hairy-trunked tree fern, often found in sheltered, shady areas.
Dicksonia squarrosa (Whekī): Another hair-covered tree fern, commonly found near streams and wet areas.
I think this is more than enough for you to chew on.
While I was dodging showers and looking at tree ferns, I
found this pretty little pink violet.
And some more Arum lilies
I'm not sure if these little guys have names, but I think of them as Bill and Ben...
Yes! Our shipped goods will/should arrive at the new house on Wednesday!
So...blogging will, once again, take a back seat. All fingers are crossed (which hinders accurate typing even more than a slight excessof grape juice). Did you see what I did there?
Why are the fingers out of normal alignment? The weather, of course! Yesterday, we had some heavy rain and probably hail. We were in the Big Tin Shed hardware store where regular rain sounds like hail , but a woman coming in as we were going out mentioned it. I'm pottering today, doing laundry and hoping to get it dry and packed to be taken to new digs.
You want photos? Yeah, I'd like some, too, but the big camera was on charge all night and I haven't put the battery in yet. I tried a whole raft of new AA batteries for my old camera, but just kept getting a change batteries message, so that's slated for a trip to the camera shop...hopefully a good clean should sort it.
new kitchen (currently doubling as a tool bench...
new bathroom...just about big enough for a house-warming party!
Bathroom from other end
The outdoor setting; will scrub-up nicely
The dining area
Now, I'd better nip out to the greenhouse and make sure my Drunken Woman * is not getting too hot and dry...
Here she is, looking lush. Not "like
a lush." I wonder who named her?
"Drunken Woman" lettuce is a slow-to-bolt, Italian heirloom loose-leaf lettuce known for its striking appearance: bright green, ruffled leaves with deep bronze or red-tipped edges, resembling someone with rosy cheeks from drinking.
