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Happy Spring Day!

A BIG HAPPY SPRING DAY to all our southern hemisphere gardeners! I am excited for the new season and my garden is waiting to burst forth!

There can be no other occupation like gardening in which, if you were to creep up behind someone at their work, you would find them smiling.  ~ Mirabel Osler

Happy Gardening xxxxx

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Christine's garden Gardening Home page features

Almost …

It’s almost Spring! Yay!

[one_half]The first Iris bud (I forget the type)The first Iris bud (I forget the type)[/one_half]

[one_half_last]The Hellebores are back!The Hellebores are back![/one_half_last]

[one_half]The Impatiens are waking upThe Impatiens are waking up[/one_half]

[one_half_last]This year I will plant the Clivia seed!This year I will plant one of these![/one_half_last]

The first sunny day in weeks and I went to see about the damage caused by storms and all the rain. Lots of neglected corners, the lawn needs serious attention, lots of plants need care, pruning, cutting back and my “To Do” list gets longer every second as I walk around the various sections of my garden. But signs of Spring are everywhere.

Weigelias are starting to bloom, Azaleas are flourishing and there are buds on all the spring bloomers including the first Iris. Daisies look pretty and the Salvia has grown a lot while I wasn’t paying attention. Every plant seems to be doing something to get my attention …

[one_half]Daisies waiting to be plantedDaisies waiting to be planted[/one_half]

[one_half_last]These were WHITE when I bought themThese were WHITE when I bought them[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Hercules … the way he drinks waterHercules ... the way he drinks water[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Nobody left the tap dripping ….Nobody left the tap dripping ....[/one_half_last]

The birds are back in full force – we are having to refill both water bottles every second day and they again wake me at 5 am every morning as they dart around the back garden looking for grubs in the lawn and berries off the trees and shrubs.

As a true child of Africa, my bones don’t like the unusually cold and long winter we’re having. All I can say is; Roll on Spring …

PS: Last two photos are of my cat, Hercules. He likes to drink water from a running tap … failing that, it has to be from a glass (he will not drink water from a bowl) and if neither is to his satisfaction, he will shout until I open the tap for him … or dive right into the basin looking for water … as in the last photo 🙂

Post Update: I prepared this post yesterday whilst the sun was shining. Guess what … today it is once again POURING with rain here in the Newlands valley.

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Barbie's garden Christine's garden Gardening Home page features

Late-spring in Two Gardens for Garden Bloggers Bloom Day in November

The spring has brought with it a variety of colour and shapes and sizes! Our two gardens have exploded with new energy and with the weather still bringing us rain, we can enjoy the shades of green with splashes of colour!

Thank you for joining us for our November “Spring energy” …

Here’s what’s blooming in Barbie’s garden in November 2011

Now that my garden is in full production mode, there seems to be this energy in the air! The speed of growth in my garden is noticeable from one day to the next. I can see by the last GBBD post and it gives me great hope of new things to come. We are already enjoying a harvest of new potatoes and assorted lettuce leaves for salads. And my roses are in full bloom. Wow! I am loving my garden at the moment …

[one_half]My rose and fuchsia patch is in full bloom[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Roses roses everywhere[/one_half_last]

[one_half]This is my favourite rose bush[/one_half]

[one_half_last]So fragrant and lovely[/one_half_last]

[one_third][/one_third]

[one_third][/one_third]

[one_third_last][/one_third_last]

[one_half]My new white comfrey flower[/one_half]

[one_half_last]The mauve comfrey flower[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Gaura looking stunning[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Chamomile bushes all blooming[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Pineapple sage[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Even this air plant is blooming[/one_half_last]

[one_third]Nymph Sage[/one_third]

[one_third]A real potato flower[/one_third]

[one_third_last]Fuchsia in full bloom[/one_third_last]

[one_half]Lovely lavender[/one_half]

[one_half_last]California Poppies in the background[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Potato Bush in flower[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Potato bush is a mass of flowers[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Lemon Verbena in bloom[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Dierama – Angel’s Fishing rods[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Cosmos[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Fleabane – Erigeron[/one_half_last]

There is so much green in my garden! It has never looked so good!

Here’s what’s blooming in Christines garden in November 2011

I’m actually a little dissapointed with my garden at the moment. The wonderful displays of early spring are long gone and there is no big “Wow Moment” in the garden right now. Lots is flowering but the blooms are either just starting their summer display or are fading away. So I am sorry that I don’t have anything awesome to show this month, but here are a few of my November Blooms.

[one_half]Blossoms on the Pepper TreeBlossoms on the Pepper Tree[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Flowers on Callistemon, Bottle Brush treeFlowers on the Bottle Brush[/one_half_last]

[one_half]At long last – Bougainvillea flowersAt long last - Bougainvillea flowers[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Gaura, Allysum and HeliotropiumGaura, Allysum and Heliotropium[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Dianthus tucked in a cornerDianthus tucked in a corner[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Lavender the way I like it!Lavender the way I like it![/one_half_last]

[one_half]Cleome – Current star of the back gardenCleome - The star of the back garden[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Ornithogalum nearing its endOrnithogalum nearing its end[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Sweet William looks sweetSweet William looks sweet[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Pretty little violas still floweringPretty little violas still flowering[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Tibouchina pretty in purpleTibouchina pretty in purple[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Nandina blossoms all overNandina blossoms all over[/one_half_last]

[one_half]First Abutilon flowerFirst Abutilon flower[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Sign of things to come …Sign of things to come ...[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Pandorea Jasminoides first flowerPandorea Jasminoides first flower[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Salvia – new plants in the backSalvia - new plants in the back[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Brightening up a dark cornerBrightening up a dark corner[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Murraya Exotica looking lovelyMurraya Exotica looking lovely[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Lynchnis coronata in full bloomLynchnis coronata in full bloom[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Spot the new Mexican Feather Grass?Spot the new Mexican Feather Grass?[/one_half_last]

About Garden Bloggers Bloom Day

Join Carol and friends over at May Dreams Gardens for November Garden Bloggers Bloom Day to see what other gardeners around the world have blooming in on Garden Bloggers Bloom Day and check out the German version at Seepferds Garten for Blogger Blüten in November! And if you haven’t joined yet and have some blooms you’d like to show off, please join in the fun of showcasing your blooms! We’d love to see what YOU have blooming in your garden right now!

Thank you for joining us!

PS: Please join us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter – we’ll be so happy if you do!

Happy Gardening!
xxx