Just spring, and another of my old-fashioned camellia bushes has come into bloom. Grown from cuttings taken from the garden of an old house in Port Macquarie, this one is lolly pink, streaked with strawberry. A candy camellia. Ain’t she sweet?
In a less domesticated part of my yard, three native plants have formed a dainty trio. A young Omalanthus tree, often called the Bleeding Heart Tree, only as tall as myself, has been wreathed in thin vines: the clinging bridal shower of Clematis aristata, Traveller’s Joy, and the purple pea highlights of Hardenbergia, Native Sarsparilla. The tree I propagated and planted, the vines are surprise gifts of nature.
The lime green leaves of the Clematis are echoed by the long budding racemes of the King Orchids (Dendrobium speciosum, var. hillii) . A spectacular native orchid, it will be even more so when the flowers are open.
Found in my rainforest gully years ago, the increasing weight of this clump had probably caused the casuarina branch on which it had grown to come crashing down. I relocated it to rocks at the base of a stringybark in my yard, where it has fleshily multiplied since.
Whoever said the Australian bush is drab?!!
I agree Shane, but often the surprises of the bush are shy ones. At present, with clematis and hardenbergia everywhere it’s very bold and beautiful!
It is the Cities that are drab.All that grey concrete and black tar roads.
The Aussie Bush always has a surprise in store for those that take the time and energy to look.
Hi DWG …’peppermint camellia’ is a great name for it, thank you!
And Trevor, I have bees galore here- all over the lavenders and the melaleucas and the fruit tree blossom and………………!
Yes I always called them rock orchids too (or rock lilies), as did my older flower book, but I was corrected and my orchid book confirms it, so I amended this post. They are spectacular enough to be King Orchids, so I’m not unhappy.
May be at Laguna for the Spring Gig; say hello if you’re there!
Hi Sharyn, it’s a lovely Camelia. The Clematis has gone mad at my place this year too. I’ll have to go for a walk and check on the rock orchids ( as I call ’em). I’ve got one worry though and that’s that around here (Laguna) there are virtually no bees; I’ve seen three of them in the last two days! Got a few near you?
regards
Trev.
The Australian Bush is certainly not drab, or at least your portion does not seem to be at all. A favorite of mine, the peppermint camellia and this blossom is exquisite!! Love the surprises that have shown up in the garden and it seems spring is flourishing in your part of the world!
Appreciate the lovely post!! DWG