The Christmas Lily

Lovely time of year for the garden, lots of flowers blooming and in my garden the lilies have started to bloom.  We have a had a bit of rain in the evenings so this helps.

These photos were taken a few years ago - one outside and one inside..

Zygo Cacti at home.

These wonderful plants have a botanical name that is difficult to pronounce: Schlumbergera. They are epiphytes (plants which depend on others for support, but not nutrition) from the jungles of southeast Brazil, a humid area with high rainfall. In past years, zygocactus were mostly seen with bright cerise pink flowers. However through the efforts of local as well as American and Japanese breeders, a stunning range of flower colours and shapes can be bought.

These photos are of two of my cacti that are in bloom at the moment. These cacti are known also as Christmas Cacti, but here in Australia they bloom towards our winter time, May/June. Can be grown outside in a sheltered area in Southern Australia or cool frosty area, these of mine were grown as an indoor plant.

I practiced my photography skills.

John Hart Conservatory, Launceston, Tasmania

The John Hart Conservatory was erected by the Launceston Corporation from the John Hart Bequest in 1932 and refurbished in 2010 as a joint project between Launceston City Council and the Federal Government through the Regional Local Community Infrastructure Program. A twin copy from the same plans was also built at Parramatta Creek, which is on the way to Devonport. You don't need to be a gardening enthusiast to enjoy a visit to the John Hart Conservatory, which outside showcases beautiful annuals, whilst inside there is always a beautiful horticultural display.

Photos I took of my recent visit.

Sturt Desert Pea_Swainsona formosa.

Sturt Desert Pea, Swainsona formosa photo taken in Western Australia a few years ago.
It's an Australian plant in the genus Swainsona, named after English botanist Isaac Swainson, famous for its distinctive blood-red leaf-like flowers, each with a bulbous black centre.
The Pea is also a wild flower in some areas of Australia, will grow in an arid environment. 
It grows low and is very pretty in a mass.

View in the morning!

Wonderful to wake up with the sun shining in the bedroom window, and looking out to the Agapanthus blooming, then looking down to the water lilies in the fish pond.  

The smell of fresh warm air is a delight.

So this is the view from our bedroom window.

Flowers for Christmas!

A warm day forecast for tomorrow at 37deg C so expect I won't be doing a great deal.

The roses are blooming well as are the lilies. The photo I have below is a common Lilium, they seem to multiply and not die out as other varieties of the Lilium do.

My late mother used to have beautiful Liliums and because they bloomed around Christmas time we called them 'The Christmas Lily'. I do have a photo of them somewhere, but for now a photo of the common one.