Followers

Thursday 1 April 2010

The Hot, The Loud and the Proud;


The Hot; Ipomea horsefalliae

The Loud; Vriesia grows in the fork of a tree in my garden.

Vriesea carinata

Lobster Claw

Paint Brush

This attractive small plant has a rosette of fifteen to twenty, light green leaves, which are soft textured. Each leaf is only 15-centimetres (6-inches) long, and 2.5-centimetres (1-inch) wide. Also, many offsets form in the leaf axils. On its inflorescence are the most brilliant colours of the genus. The flattened stem is between 5 and 7.5-centimetres (2 and 3-inches) long. On this stem are lobster-claw-shaped bracts. They are coloured bright cardinal red at the base, blending to yellow, and green towards their tips. Out of each bract, a bright yellow flower appears.They grow as epiphytes on bushes, and low on trees in shady areas.



The Proud; Beaumontia grandiflora;

An interesting rare perfumed plant is Herald's Trumpet (Beaumontia grandiflora) which has wonderful large white flowers with a sweet tropical perfume. It is a vigorous woody climber which is native to the region from India to Vietnam and belongs to the same plant family (Apocynaceae) as Oleanders, Frangipanis and Mandevillas which typically bleed a white milky sap from cut stems.

Plant details

Common name: Herald's Trumpet
Botanic name: Beaumontia grandiflora
Climate: Will grow best in the warmer zones of Australia, north of Coffs Harbour, NSW. It prefers sub-tropical and tropical conditions to thrive and can look miserable in areas where temperatures fall below 10°C.
Description: Herald's Trumpet is technically a climber but is normally grown as a shrub to 2-3m (6-10') tall with dark glossy green leaves that are deeply veined. The large white flowers have a rich tropical scent and flowers through the warmer periods of the year, spring and summer.
This meme, The Hot, The Loud and The Proud is created by Noel
It is about plants in bold colours. It appeals to me as my garden is full of "hot, loud and proud plants and flowers.

Sunday 28 March 2010

20th Annual Grandparents' and Special Friends' Day;

at Somerset College; my granddaughters' school.

The get together is an annual event up to year 4. As it is also Easter time, the children and grandparents bring their Easter hats for the Easter hats parade. It is a lot of fun for the children and grandparents.

Somerset College is one of three International Baccalaureate World Schools on the Gold Coast accredited to offer the IB Diploma Programme.
Here is a link to this great school Somerset College Gold Coast

Poem by Kevin William Huff

Teachers
Paint their minds
and guide their thoughts
Share their achievements
and advise their faults

Inspire a Love
of knowledge and truth
As you light the path
Which leads our youth

For our future brightens
with each lesson you teach
Each smile you lengthen
Each goal you help reach

For the dawn of each poet
each philosopher and king
Begins with a Teacher
And the wisdom they bring

I hope Friday the 26.of March was a happy day for you too.