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  • arpie
    arpie Member Posts: 7,579 ✭
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    That is hilarious, @Annie C  … you should submit that to the Women’s Weekly with pics of the 3rd bower bird ….. it would be a winner xx

  • gumnut
    gumnut Member Posts: 1,060 ✭
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    Some lovely photos of sunflowers taken a few days ago from just near my local fruit & veg store - love happy sunflowers  :) 
    not sure why the photos are so enormous 
  • Annie C
    Annie C Member Posts: 849 ✭
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    All the better for me to see the beautiful sunflower photos.
    I love sunflowers, such happy sunny blooms. I am using fabric featuring these beautiful blooms in a quilt that I have been working on for a number of years, (I am easily distracted by other quilt block designs!).
    Ah the life of a gardener and quilter.
  • arpie
    arpie Member Posts: 7,579 ✭
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    Gorgeous, @gumnut  xx. Such a splash of colour.  Can you get the seeds?  I LOVE sunflower seeds!

    I would have a ‘start’ seeing him in my garden too - but lovely that he is so comfy in your garden @Annie C  xx

  • jennyss
    jennyss Member Posts: 1,959 ✭
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    What do goannas eat Annie C? 
  • Annie C
    Annie C Member Posts: 849 ✭
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    Frogs, smaller goannas, snakes. They can climb trees to take baby birds from the nests. This one went fishing in our fish and lily pond, some years ago, and over the course of a week managed to eat every gold fish.
    He digs large holes in our lawns searching for burrowing frogs, ankle breakers I call these holes.
    Cane toads have now invaded our area in the Kimberley. A large dis-used gravel pit, about a kilometre from our block has become a haven for the toads. I hope that this big old fella does not succumb to the cane toads' poison.
    Our block is so far free from the cane toads. About ten years ago we re- fenced our block, replacing the three strands of wire with vermin wire over laid to 90cms with chicken wire (I still bear the fencing scars on my knuckles). The "experts" tell us that the fence will keep the toads out as they cannot climb nor do they jump more than 30 cm high. I am a little sceptical, however I will be pleased to be proven wrong!

  • arpie
    arpie Member Posts: 7,579 ✭
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    That’s a bugger about the cane toads @Annie C  :(    THey even kill crocs in the NT!  :(   They’ve been found in the mid north coast area (east coast) too - we assume they are hitch Hikers & hope they don’t get a hold ….  :( 

    Sounds like your fence should keep them out xx

  • arpie
    arpie Member Posts: 7,579 ✭
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    I’ve been visiting family & a buddy in NZ - and this is his back yard view in the South Island



    And I didn’t land a trout … tho I tried a few times …. And it was colder than it looks!!



    The next day, these peaks all had snow on them!


  • Blossom1961
    Blossom1961 Member Posts: 2,375 ✭
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    @Annie C A friend told me dettol (or own brand) works a treat on cane toads. I won’t comment on whether I tried it or not as the animal lovers will be out in force.
  • Annie C
    Annie C Member Posts: 849 ✭
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    I've heard that tip as well. This is the first year that cane toads have arrived in the West Kimberley. I think the "Powers That Be" have given up on stopping or eradicating the toads. It will be interesting to observe as to whether the wildlife succumb to their poison or adapt and learn that the toads are not a good food source.
    The "experts" in the Kimberley advise to place the cane toad in a plastic bag and put it in the freezer. Not in my freezer!
  • Fufan
    Fufan Member Posts: 123 ✭
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    @arpie, I have visited 40+ countries and for my money NZ is the most beautiful.  Some good exports, too: my son-in-law.
  • jennyss
    jennyss Member Posts: 1,959 ✭
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    @Annie C, Oh my golly goodness about the goanna's diet, and the cane toad invasion! Thanks for the report.
  • arpie
    arpie Member Posts: 7,579 ✭
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    100% agree, @Fufan - they have the best of anything that Europe has (scenery, fiords, glaciers) but in a much smaller area & easier to access than most of the European countries - And my hubby was an export as well!  ;)  xx. We have 2 step children still over there (not his biological children, but from his 1st wife) and they regard him as their 'real' father .... and are lovely & have been very supportive xx

    @Annie C & @Blossom1961 - I mentioned the dettol to my brother last night (spent a lot of time in both Qld & WA) and he says it works too.  When you see the horrible deaths that the cane toads cause ..... their own demise, really, by any method, shouldn't really be lamented :( 


  • arpie
    arpie Member Posts: 7,579 ✭
    edited February 25
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    Anyone that knows me, knows that I am NOT a gardener .... but with some expert tips from my buddy in WA, @Annie C ..... I've been dabbling with some Desert Roses!!!! It seems they 'thrive on neglect' - so suit me down to the ground!!!  They have a similar 'body' to a Boab Tree (called a 'caudex') where they store water when in drought ....   WHO ELSE has Desert Roses??  Show me your pics (and tell me your tips!!)

    This was one of my first ones to flower .... every time one flowers now, I try to self pollinate it!


    I am hoping to get a set of seed pods from this one, some time soon - it has only flowered the once so far!


    I bought a couple of plants from a local grower, then a couple more from another grower - then some 'baby ones' from Bunnings & I've been given 2 'nice ones' as well by family & friends!!!

    My sister brought this one down from Qld (it has never flowered for them!)



    + these 8 ..... hmmm did anyone say it was addictive???  The one in the terracotta pot was given to me by one one of my Uke Group Members!!



    They have STUNNING flowers - and I've been having a go at 'hand pollination'  (as they have a really 'weird' setup for pollination, with bees unable to 'get in there', whilst other bugs and butterflies CAN!). So I've been trying to manually pollinate them to produce a pair of seed pods, from which you can get up to 100+ seeds!!!

    Finally - after 15+ failures - I have SUCCESS!!  I finally have 1 'pair of seed pods' forming (see pic below) .... 

    They are getting bigger every day - and will end up being quite large - 6-8" each when fully formed & 'dried out' ready to harvest!!



    THIS is what the seed pods should look like as they grow bigger - there are about 4 different sets of seed pods on this one plant and they still have a while to mature! (Not mine! :(  )


    So it looks like you CAN teach an old dog new tricks ...... Watch this space!

    So ... Keep an eye open at Bunnings Nurseries (specially in Qld) as they stock way more Desert Roses than Bunnings in NSW - and you too, can be sucked in to the Desert Rose phenomena!!  ;) 

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