DESKTOP 3095 - SUNSET

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme

DESKTOP 2828 - BRACHYSCOME

Brachyscome is a genus of flowering plants in the aster family, Asteraceae. Most are endemic to Australia, and a few occur in New Zealand and New Guinea. These are annual and perennial herbs and small shrubs. Species have a basal rosette of leaves and/or leaves alternately arranged on the stem. The blades are entire or divided. The flower heads are solitary or borne in small corymbs. The head has a row of ray florets in shades of white, blue, pink, or mauve, and yellow disc florets.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

DESKTOP 2510 - WINTER FLOWERS

We are fortunate in Melbourne as our Winter is quite mild. Hence, many flowers are still blooming in our gardens and in the fields in June, our first Winter month.

The mosaic below shows some common flowers that are blossoming right now. Beginning in the upper left and progressing clockwise: Nemesia; Bacopa; Oxalis; Blue Hibiscus; Japonica; Jonquils; Lobelia. In the background you can see some Winter marigolds.

This post is part of the Mosaic Monday meme,

and also part of the Blue Monday meme,

and also part of the Seasons meme.

DESKTOP 2502 - SUNSET

This post is part of the My Sunday Best meme.

DESKTOP 2325 - EVENSONG

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme.

DESKTOP 2314 - FLORAL

This post is part of the Mosaic Monday meme,
and also part of the Blue Monday meme,
and also part of the Seasons meme.

DESKTOP 2225 - IRIS

Iris is a genus of about 300 species of flowering plants with showy flowers. It takes its name from the ancient Greek goddess of the rainbow, Iris, referring to the wide variety of flower colours found among the many species. As well as being the scientific name, iris is also very widely used as a common name for all Iris species, though some plants called thus belong to other closely related genera. A common name for some species is 'flags', while the plants of the subgenus Scorpiris are widely known as 'junos', particularly in horticulture. 

It is a popular garden flower and its blossoms provide wonderful splashes of colour in the Spring garden. The genus is widely distributed throughout the north temperate zone. Their habitats are varied, ranging from cold and montane regions to the grassy slopes, meadowlands and riverbanks of Europe, the Middle East and northern Africa, Asia and across North America. Irises are perennial herbs, growing from creeping rhizomes (rhizomatous irises) or, in drier climates, from bulbs (bulbous irises). They have long, erect flowering stems which may be simple or branched, solid or hollow, and flattened or have a circular cross-section. The rhizomatous species usually have 3–10 basal sword-shaped leaves growing in dense clumps. The bulbous species have cylindrical, basal leaves.

This post is part of the Wordless Wednesday meme,

and also part of the ABC Wednesday meme.

DESKTOP 1834 - ELWOOD

Elwood is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 8 km south of Melbourne's Central Business District. Its local government area is the City of Port Phillip. At the 2011 Census, Elwood had a population of 14,638. Elwood Beach is a popular bayside beach destination during summer, where the beaches are used recreationally for windsurfing, cycling, cricket and walking. The suburb has experienced ongoing gentrification, known for its mix of Edwardian and Interwar architecture character, its beaches and its leafy streets, many of which are lined by London Plane trees.

We lived in this suburb for quite a few years and this is where I went to High School, so I have some very good memories and it's always nice going back for a wander in its streets (yes, it has changed quite a lot...). Bike and walking paths by the sea are a great idea and do induce people to get out and do some exercise.

This post is part of the Wordless Wednesday meme,

and also part of the ABC Wednesday meme.

DESKTOP 1779 - BEE ON LAVENDER

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

DESKTOP 1672 - ASTERACEAE

This post is part of the Mosaic Monday meme,
and also part of the Macro Monday meme,
and also part of the Through my Lens meme,
and also part of the Seasons meme.

DESKTOP 1532 - TRIPTYCH

This post is part of the Mosaic Monday meme,
and also part of the Macro Monday meme,
and also part of the Through my Lens meme,
and also part of the Seasons meme.

DESKTOP 1515 - IBIS AT SUNSET

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme,
and also part of the Friday Photo Journal meme,
and also part of the Orange you Glad It's Friday meme.

DESKTOP 1430 - POLYANTHUS

The first polyanthus (Primula × polyantha) are blooming at the moment in Melbourne, although they are struggling to thrive with the cold temperatures we are having. Nevertheless, they are a cheerful sight!

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

DESKTOP 1367 - ORNAMENTAL CABBAGE

Ornamental cabbage and kale (also known as “flowering” cabbage and kale) are in the same species (Brassica oleracea) as edible cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower. While ornamental cabbage and kale are edible, they tend to have a bitter flavour and are often used in a culinary setting as garnishes. Ornamental cabbage and kale are prized primarily as colourful additions to home gardens where they are grown for their large rosettes of white, pink, purple or red leaves.

Technically, ornamental cabbage and kale are all kales (kales produce leaves in a tight rosettes; cabbages produce heads). But in the horticultural trade, ornamental kale is the term used for types with deeply-cut, curly, frilly or ruffled leaves. Ornamental cabbage is the term used for types with broad, flat leaves that are edged in a contrasting colour. Ornamental cabbage and kale grow approximately 30 cm and 45 cm tall. There are many cultivars that are commercially available.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

DESKTOP 1150 - WISTERIA

Wisteria sinensis (Chinese wisteria) is a woody, deciduous, perennial climbing vine in the Fabaceae family, native to China in the provinces of Guangxi, Guizhou, Hebei, Henan, Hubei, Shaanxi, and Yunnan. While this plant is a climbing vine, it can be trained into a tree-like shape, usually with a wavy trunk and a flattened top.It can grow 20–30 m long over supporting trees by counterclockwise-twining stems.

The leaves are shiny, green, pinnately compound, 10–30 cm in length, with 9-13 oblong leaflets that are each 2–6 cm long. The flowers are white, violet, or blue, produced on 15–20 cm racemes in spring, usually reaching their peak in mid-May in the northern hemisphere. The flowers on each raceme open simultaneously before the foliage has expanded, and have a distinctive fragrance similar to that of grapes. Though it has shorter racemes than Wisteria floribunda (Japanese wisteria), it often has a higher quantity of racemes.

The fruit is a flattened, brown, velvety, bean-like pod 5–10 cm long with thick disk-like seeds around 1 cm in diameter spaced evenly inside; they mature in summer and crack and twist open to release the seeds; the empty pods often persist until winter. However seed production is often low, and most regenerative growth occurs through layering and suckering.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

DESKTOP 949 - SUNSET SILHOUETTES

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme,
and also part of the Saturday Silhouettes meme,
and also part of the Scenic Weekends meme.

DESKTOP 914 - SUNSET BIRD

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme,
and also part of the Saturday Silhouettes meme.

DESKTOP 863 - PANSIES

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

DESKTOP 849 - DUSTY MILLER

Centaurea cineraria, the velvet centaurea, is also known as "dusty miller" and "silver dust". It is a small plant in the family Asteraceae and originates from the Island of Capraia in Italy, where it is called fiordaliso delle scogliere. The mature plants will grow from 15 cm to 60 cm. Depending on climate, it can be grown as either an annual or as a perennial.

They prefer full sun, but will tolerate light shade, and also prefers average to rich well-drained soil. Centaurea cineraria will produce small white, yellow flowers in summer, but these are usually trimmed because the plant is normally grown as foliage. The form with the mauve flowers illustrated here, resembles a little the cornflower (Centaurea cyaneus). It is Centaurea cineraria subsp. cineraria.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

DESKTOP 753 - CROW

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme,
and also part of the Saturday Silhouettes meme.