Tiny Pleasures #256: Quince Flower
I love the soft beauty of the quince tree in spring. The flowers open out into soft clouds of white, but the buds are pink with the most extraordinary fine detail.
Tiny Pleasures #39: Passionfruit Flowers
If I were a botanist I might be able to tell you why a passionfruit flower has all of the intricate parts that it does. I am not a botanist, so am left to marvel in the beauty and wonder of the flower, pondering why it is so and what makes it such a delightful
Tiny Pleasures #9: Brushing Past Rosemary
In my front garden the tap is hidden behind a rosemary bush. I don't use it very often and tend to forget it's even there. Until I do. And then I remember that a tiny pleasure awaits. An ordinary bush wouldn't be the same. Pushing the rosemary branches gently away with one hand while reaching
Tiny Pleasures #6: Soft Grass
Stormy summer weather seems to be the norm this year and the plants are enjoying the combination of rain and warm days. Everything is remarkably green for January, including the grass, which is lush and soft. It feels so nice under bare feet while sipping my morning coffee in the sunshine.
Happiness as Anarchy #355: My grandmother’s plants
My grandmother was an avid gardener. For most of my life she lived on a five acre block that she transformed from an empty paddock into a wonderful garden. I inherited her plants last year and am loving having indoor plants for the first time. She loved flowers and her camellia has just started to
Happiness as Anarchy #341: Digging
I wanted to plant a tree and ended up having to dig up a concrete slab and a tree stump. Needless to say, I haven't yet planted the tree, but after many days of hard labour in the cold and sometimes rain, the slab is a pile a rubble. It feels good to have vanquished
Happiness as Anarchy #333: Germinating seeds
I found a bucket of old seeds in the shed. When I say old, I mean pushing a decade. But I'm an optimist, so I planted anything that should be planted in autumn, whispered an incantation over the veggie patch and crossed my fingers. The optimist in my failed to note what I planted where
Happiness as Anarchy #310: Ox Tongue Lilies
My mum is quite the gardener. She's been coaxing things to grow in the hard, clay soil around the house for many years. Not everything does well, but lots of plants thrive. Among the success stories are these ox tongue lilies (Haemanthus Coccineus) which provide a spectacular greeting for visitors in the driveway. At other
Happiness as Anarchy #307: Cheery Flowers
The geraniums are oblivious to the world beyond the weather in our backyard. Watered sufficiently they pump out their fluorescent blooms to tempt the passing bees and delight the eyes of weary humans. Grown from a stolen branch, simple and bright, they seem content to be as they are, no more, no less.
Happiness as Anarchy #300: The neighbour’s flowers
My street has a couple of well-tended gardens and some magnificent plants (remember the pink magnolia I posted a while ago?), but in the main most of us are not up to much. Along my driveway fence, however, the neighbours have been so lovely as to plant a row of wonderful and varied roses. I