Our Gardens

I have a few nice bits flowering (mainly on my deck, but one lot in what is loosely called 'the garden'!)

My sister gave me some African Blood Lily Bulbs - and they are flowering! They haven't even made it into the garden yet!

My sister gave me a bunch of Coleus (lots of colours) that haven't made it into the garden yet .... but they seem happy in the pots just now .... Hmmm, I am NOT too sure about that slim green leaf'd thing on the bottom right tho .... it was 'in the bag' with the others - so 'may' be a different type of Coleus?
I have a heap of other cuttings that are now sitting in water, waiting to 'root' .... so fingers crossed, they do!

She also gave me her Desert Rose a couple of years back as it had never flowered for her.... it has flowered continuously for me!!!  From no leaves (they drop them over Winter) to this, in just over a month!!  AMAZING

A lovely friend gave me this gorgeous petite Orchid ... it is the first time it has flowered for me!  YAY!

 

I know, some people say Gazanias are weeds .. but they are colourful & grow in dry neglected areas, such as my 'front garden'!!  They were all dug up along the roadside, growing virtually in gravel .... and they are loving getting a bit of water now & then!  I've got a heap more to plant out too!

 

That is an absolutely STUNNING bloom, Annie!  I don't have any 'doubles' growing (that I am aware of.) 
Has it ever thrown a seed pod??   

I will try & collect all the seeds from these new seed pods, once they 'pop' ... and will also keep a pic of the flower 'with it', so I know what it should be, when grown out!!!  Claire's dad, Cam (who is an accomplished orchid grower) is VERY impressed (as he knows how bad a gardener I am! ;) )

Hmmm, I think it is just the angle of the pic .... I just had another look & it isn't as 'obvious' as it appears to be, in the pic :(   I'll keep an eye on them all tho!!  ;)  A few more are blooming now - so I'll get the toothpicks and scissors out & try again!  :) 

I have to admit tho - my passion for plants (in general) doesn't extend past the Desert Roses!  LOL  Luckily, I have a fishing/uke buddy who loves passionfruit, so she gets all my passionfruit - and she gives me the most lovely Dahl and Rice dinners in exchange!! YUM YUM.  I've never mastered cooking Dahl .... I must get her recipe! :) 

@arpie
Mine grow all over our 5 acre block, either by design or by the wind blowing the fluffy seeds after the seed pods have exploded.

No care, just neglect, and when I remember a touch of whatever fertiliser I have at hand.

arpie, have a closer look at your photo of the Desert Rose with the developing seed pods. I am sure I see twin seed pods just poking their heads up on the extreme right. Numbering from the left, flower number three.

As arpie says, have a go at Desert Roses. Start with Bunnings specials. You will be hooked. 



This is one of my many Desert Roses, a double pink, given to me by a very special close friend when she left town.

Get your hands dirty fellow BCNA members.

This thread has been quiet for a while ... so here you go .... I'm kicking it off again with my 'deck garden' .....

@AnnieC (who has them growing like weeds in her garden in WA) got me into trying to grow Desert Roses (as I am very good at killing most other plants) and I must admit, I am having GREAT fun, both growing them from seed & now, getting them to flower!!  This year, I've even got some seed pods developing too!   WOOHOO!!

This has been the most  productive 'flowering' of my Desert Roses in the last 3 years & and I currently even have 2 seed pods developing as well - they are my FIRST (if I don't count the one that I accidentally knocked off whilst trying to protect it last year :( )   

I ain't gonna touch these ones until they are fully developed, and ready to crack open & show their seeds - months away yet!!  (They look similar to Frangipani seed pods, when mature.) 


Most of my plants have red flowers, but I have the one white one in the middle front (which sadly, didn't fertilise, when I tried!!) That was its first ever flower!   

The plant in flower on the right is the one with seed pods developing!!  These little pimple things (in the middle - 2 x lots of 'double pods below) are the developing seed pods!  I am SO excited!  (The smaller green & other reddish pimples, don't look like they've 'taken'!) 

I have been attempting to manually fertilise the flowers for 2 years now (as the bees don't seem to be doing their jobs!) & finally .... finally, I am having success! YAY!


And this is what they should look like if/when I plant them out & they mature on to flower!!



I was also given some seeds and I sprouted & planted them out in Feb 2024 ..... so now, my very first 'grown from seed' baby is also producing flowers!!!!   It looks like it will be a deeper, darker red!  Time will tell.  They should open in the next week or so.



If you've never tried growing Desert Roses (or even heard of them), give them a go.  In Qld (in particular) Bunnings often has well priced seedlings in their garden section in all different colours!  They are terrific fun to grow.

Take care & keep blooming!  :)

What's blooming in your gardens just now?  Whack up some photos!

@iserbrown when my brother passed my mother picked out some lovely flowers and pressed them then arranged them into a photo frame 

Sadly no perfume!
It was a gift when my Dad passed!  

They look beautiful @iserbrown do they have a scent as well. 

A friend gave me this beautiful rose  name of rose, I can't remember however they look velvety!  

That's beautiful @anniec