more spring pretties
I'll leave you tonight with a few more of the lovely things growing around my neighbourhood.
The magnificent oak trees along Queen Street all have a lovely light green covering of new leaves.
Something pink, I'm not sure of the names of many things I'm putting here tonight. I have a copy of "What Flower Is That?", but many of the pictures aren't clear to me. I have other gardening books with pictures and descriptions, but can't be bothered hauling them out and flipping pages.
This unusual tree has hundreds of these dangling tassel formations. I think it's a Garrya, also known as Silk Tassel, Curtain Bush or Fringe tree.
This next one, I think is Elderberry. A tall dense shrub, with clusters of these tiny creamy white flowers, very heavily scented and usually avoided by me because of my hayfever.*
Some cheerful pansies inside the gate of a home that I pass every single day. The garden is made of pebbles, with pots of colour sunk into the ground, looking very pretty.
Another one that I don't remember the name of. Similar to the Iceplant family in looks, but with thicker stems and larger flowers, in this wonderful pinky purple and in vivid orange too.
This last one I'm fairly sure is a member of the Kniphofia family, also called Red Hot Poker or Torch Lily.
*the hayfever. I've recently changed medication for this, having taken polaramine for years, because it doesn't make me sleepy. The chemist I spoke to recommended Zyrtec, as have many of my friends, but I was afraid of changing because a) it can cause drowsiness, b) it's fairly expensive; anyway, she pointed out that the tablets are a once-a-day type and to counteract the possible sleepiness, many people take one at night before going to bed. That way they get a good nights sleep while remaining clearheaded all the next day. So I gave them a try. They're great! I can walk anywhere and breathe anything. I'm enjoying so many wonderful fragrances now.
The magnificent oak trees along Queen Street all have a lovely light green covering of new leaves.
Something pink, I'm not sure of the names of many things I'm putting here tonight. I have a copy of "What Flower Is That?", but many of the pictures aren't clear to me. I have other gardening books with pictures and descriptions, but can't be bothered hauling them out and flipping pages.
This unusual tree has hundreds of these dangling tassel formations. I think it's a Garrya, also known as Silk Tassel, Curtain Bush or Fringe tree.
This next one, I think is Elderberry. A tall dense shrub, with clusters of these tiny creamy white flowers, very heavily scented and usually avoided by me because of my hayfever.*
Some cheerful pansies inside the gate of a home that I pass every single day. The garden is made of pebbles, with pots of colour sunk into the ground, looking very pretty.
Another one that I don't remember the name of. Similar to the Iceplant family in looks, but with thicker stems and larger flowers, in this wonderful pinky purple and in vivid orange too.
This last one I'm fairly sure is a member of the Kniphofia family, also called Red Hot Poker or Torch Lily.
*the hayfever. I've recently changed medication for this, having taken polaramine for years, because it doesn't make me sleepy. The chemist I spoke to recommended Zyrtec, as have many of my friends, but I was afraid of changing because a) it can cause drowsiness, b) it's fairly expensive; anyway, she pointed out that the tablets are a once-a-day type and to counteract the possible sleepiness, many people take one at night before going to bed. That way they get a good nights sleep while remaining clearheaded all the next day. So I gave them a try. They're great! I can walk anywhere and breathe anything. I'm enjoying so many wonderful fragrances now..png)
Very pretty. I spent yesterday hacking away at prickly pear looming over my fence from an idiot's backyard. I started with a bayonet and finished using a tomahawk, it was just so ancient and tough in places. I wore gardening gloves but they weren't enough, prickles still got through. Very painful.
ReplyDeleteGreat photos, River and I'm afraid that apart from the pansies I wouldn't have a hope of identifying the others...
ReplyDelete....well, maybe RH's prickly pear, because our neighbours around the corner in Trinity Gardens had an enormous one...
Lovely! you must be really enjoying your walks now!
ReplyDeleteI dont think that is an elderberry flower, the petals are too waxy and elderflowers only have a faint perfume. The spouse takes Zyrtec and they work well for the first half of hayfever season. YAY for being able to breathe. :)
ReplyDeleteR.H. tweezers. that is all.
ReplyDeleteKath; I walked past that unknown pink one this morning and remembered it's one of the Hawthorns.
Toni; It really is more enjoyable now that I don't have to hold a hanky over my nose.
Kim; Not an Elderberry? I wonder what it is? I'll have to check at the nursery.
Tweezers are no use, the prickles are tiny, you can't see them, not even with a magnifier. What I do is scratch at them. They're gone in a day or two anyway.
ReplyDeleteR.H.