Early morning discovery in the garden…

Horrendously hot, windy weather has been circling right round Australia over the past 2 weeks bringing with it hundreds of out of control bush fires. Today it has reached Queensland and the forecast is for a week of high temperatures and strong, gusty winds. Fires are still raging in NSW and Victoria. Now we are on high alert.

It is my ritual to wander around the garden before breakfast and before the heat of the Queensland summer builds up.

Come with me and see what I found flowering at this time of the year in our tropical Queensland patch of paradise.

Birdbath surrounded by petunias

bromeliads in flower

Bromeliads are a favourite plant of mine. They love this hot humid climate, needing very little water, they are happy just to have water in the well made by the leaves, and the flower spikes last for weeks.

 

Around the shady side

The ferns on the other hand need moisture and shade so they are clustered under the shade of a group of trees and watered regularly. This group of ferns self seeded in the rocks, I doubt if I could’ve grown them there as a transplant.

Grevillea

The Grevillea are a hardy group of beautiful Australian natives. The birds love them because they are dripping with nectar.

close up of Grevillea, notice the drops of nectar

Amazing Heliconia

The early morning sun beautifully highlights these Heliconia as though they have a light inside them.

Then I walked round the corner and found the batplant’s whiskery face gazing out at me from under its broad protective leaves. It was the highlight of my walk and I had to share it with you so rushed inside for the camera.

Batplant

 

I hope you have enjoyed your stroll with me around a small part of our garden.

Now I am going to find a cool place to spend the rest of the day.