Welcome back to Sunday
Selections!
This once-a- week-meme
was originally begun by Kim of Frog Ponds Rock, as a way to showcase some of
the many photos we all take, but don't get around to showing on our blogs.
The rules are very
simple:-
1. post photos of your
choice, old or new, under the Sunday Selections title
2. link back to me,
River, somewhere in your post
3. leave me a comment so
that I know you've joined in and can come over and see what you've posted.
I usually go with a
theme for my Sunday Selections and this week we'll continue wandering around the gardens of the flats here.
another view of the daphne, this is the side facing the sun
the left is a tree, the right is the daphne again and under both is something with glossy leaves. It's a very full little garden patch, these things have been growing for some years, all well established when I first moved here 5 years ago now.
someone's pretty glass birdbath,
hanging baskets waiting for new plants,
pots-in-waiting,
and a pretty place to sit and drink tea, I often see her there, she's a very nice lady.
her sage is growing well and flowering too!
I have no idea what this plant is, but perhaps someone can tell me? Anybody?
long, holly type leaves, red flowers, green berries. The bush is about hip height to me, about 75cm.
the mulberry tree, this pale fruit is the unripe version, it will soon turn red,
then black and sweet. This is when you eat them and get your fingers stained red/purple :)
I was eating a few one day when a new immigrant of the headscarf-wearing nationality stopped and asked me about them. I told her which ones were edible and since the tree is in open ground they were available for anyone. Big mistake. From then on, each season, the tree is stripped of ripe fruit every couple of days, leaving very few black mulberries for me to enjoy. They collect them with a big bowl :(
On the day I took this photo, that one mulberry was all I could find among the unripe ones.
Euphorbia, which I know as spurge is blooming now too, the flowers stay green, as you see here and don't seem to have any scent; none that I can detect anyway.
the leaves are thin and strappy, a few inches long, my cutting didn't survive, I think it was too small. A whole branch might have a better chance, but I'll probably buy one at the nursery instead.
Now I have a plant I have never seen before. See that ball-headed tall stem?
the thin strappy leaves in the centre here are the base of the plant, you can see the tall stem growing from the centre, looks a bit like a green bamboo pole.
Way up high is the ball-headed flower.
here it is from the other side, with the sun showing the true colour of the flower.
Does anyone have any idea what this might be?
One last photo:
a pretty windspinner I spotted while walking back to my flat. I must remember to ask the occupant where she bought it, it's very sturdy, doesn't appear to be plastic, possibly a lightweight wood, maybe balsa.
another view of the daphne, this is the side facing the sun
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All my hanging pots just went in the shed for winter. :-(
ReplyDeleteI love mulberries, but haven't seen a tree in a few years, and the one I saw was in Indiana.
Joanne; we had a mulberry tree down the bottom of the yard when we lived in Queensland, I used to park the baby's pram in the shade there while I hung out the washing.
DeleteYour escapades in the gardens are always so interesting! I have no idea about that tall flower, but it's gorgeous! It looks very special and expensive. I made a mulberry pie once, from berries a friend brought to me, I loved it - DH not so much.
ReplyDeleteS.J.Qualls; I've never bothered cooking with them, I just eat the fruit straight from the tree. Hubby and a friend did try making mulberry wine once, they were drunk when they started and the day was just so much fun. I blogged about it ages ago.
DeleteI hope you find out what that tall flower is, I'm dying to know!
ReplyDeleteGrace; I've no idea who to ask. It isn't in anyone's garden section, this one is in open garden space.
DeleteLoved walking with you. I hope you find out what the giant flower is.
ReplyDeleteBirds scoff our mulberries. And then crap purple. Sadly on our veranda and my washing.
Mulberry poop must be among the worst kinds!!
DeleteElephant's Child; I don't remember any birds eating the ones from the tree we had 43 years ago, perhaps they pooped elsewhere. I do remember bleaching out several baby singlets until one day I realised all I had to do was send her out in the same stained one each time.
DeletePerhaps you could paint your veranda the same colour as the poop?
I love mulberries, but it's about six years since I've had any. Our Nana used to make jam and mulberry pies for us when we were kids...and, of course, we used to devour the fresh berries straight off the tree. Our silkworms fed on the mulberry leaves, too.
ReplyDeleteThe jacarandas are out in full bloom here on the mountain at present. I was in awe as I was out driving on Friday, to and from my friend's home. Glorious!
Have yourself a wonderful week, River...and cuddles from me to Angel. :)
Lee; it should be Jacaranda time here too, but because of the weather the trees are a bit behind. Same with the cherries this year, they've only just begun to appear in the shops, usually we're into the second week of cherries by now. I've never cooked with mulberries, just stand by the tree and eat them.
DeleteWe have three mulberry trees two are so big tou have to climb the trees to get the fruit but some are low down over the washing line I often have a feed then put the washing out. The ones high in the tree the birds and the fruit bats get.
ReplyDeleteThat long stick thing with the red ball at the top grows here a fair bit but I can't remember its name, very striking when in flower.
Merle...........
Merle; three mulberry trees? Lucky you. Could you ask the people who live in the houses what that red ball plant is?
DeleteI feel sad the woman who asked about the mulberries takes full advantage....enough said.
ReplyDeleteMy mum had a huge mulberry tree and my two loved picking them and eating them straight from the tree.
Eldest grandaughter has one that is a weeping form so easy to reach the fruit. We usually have a large container full from her each year. Only wish we lived closer.
Love all the other items especially the glass bird bath.
You are certainly surrounded by many lovely things. Angel must love being in that garden.
Mimsie; they do it with other fruit too, but it seems they've had enough mulberries for a while. These last couple of days there are plenty for me to snack on. And I leave plenty for others too. The section I've shown here is further away, Angel doesn't go there, although one time he did follow me halfway but stopped when he could no longer recognise anything.
DeleteI too am wondering about the ball shaped flowering plant. I have only noticed them this year and I haven't a clue what they are.
ReplyDeleteI think I would be saying to fruit stripper, how about leaving some for others to eat too.
The coloured glass bird bath looks very expensive.
Andrew; do you see the ball shaped plants there too? Maybe you could ask around to see what it is? I don't see them stripping the fruit, and really wouldn't bother saying anything, it is a free tree and as I said to Mimsie sooner or later they've had enough, now there is plenty for me.
DeleteI think the coloured glass birdbath was a craft market find, I've seen them myself but never bought any. I'm afraid I'd break one.
... great wander today River..... and I can answer both your questions......
ReplyDelete..the plant with the leaves and the green berries is called Ochna, or Micky Mouse plant.... the berries go black and look like micky mouse ears... I love this plant. xxxx
and the tall plant with the red ball on top is a Gymea Lily.....
.. have a good day .... Barb xxxxx
Barbara; a Gymea Lily, thank you. I hope Andrew reads this. I've never heard of Mickey Mouse plant, I'll have to watch for the berries turning black. Are they edible?
Delete.. no they are not edible... it's an interesting plant... the birds eat the berries and spread the seeds.... Ochna is a declared weed in Sydney.. it's a very old style plant xxxx
Deletehaha the berries that they took in bowl are in our villages in abundance .
ReplyDeleteloved the place where you have your tea .
actually loved everything you shared is such a pleasure to look at .
please don't keep the baskets and pots waiting they seem to starve for having life in them
baili; it isn't my tea drinking place, that one belongs to another neighbour, it is next door to her flat. The pots and baskets in waiting are hers too. There are plenty of berries for me and others now, those who took them in bowls seem to have had enough.
DeleteWhat a pretty bird bath, unusual.
ReplyDeleteThe flowers look good. The gardens around where you live must look good in reality....nice to see.
Margaret-whiteangel; it is a very pretty area, some people keep their gardens neat and tidy, others have a variety of green and flowering plants, some have flowers and herbs and maybe a place to sit too.
DeleteIt seems where you live everyone is an avid gardener - such lovely little pockets of beauty and peace. Looks like a nice walk.
ReplyDeleteJackie K; not everyone is avid, but most try at least a little bit.
DeleteAll lovely. Now I hope to find a glass bird bath like the beautiful one shown.
ReplyDeletegranny Annie; you could print the photo and take it around to craft markets, maybe someone will have them or know where you can find one.
DeleteI always enjoy your beautiful pictures. Here we are readying for winter cold. Yesterday all the pots were emptied and I will be putting them indoors before the hard freezes. Everything here is quite dead looking which makes your pictures all the more fun to see.
ReplyDeleteCheryl; this is why the world has such different seasons, so we can see your flowers while we are huddled by the heater, and you can see ours when all you have outside is white snow. Good planning on God's part, right?
Delete