Saturday, December 31, 2011

Last post for 2011

Here I was thinking that I can't let 2011 go by without a last post, but I couldn't come up with anything to write about. Then I popped over to Diana - always full of useful information and also inspiration. So here it is - to celebrate the 12 days of Christmas, I have selected 12 flowers one for each month of the year.

JANUARY

Bulbine frutescens - this flowers for most months of the year, but I really appreciate it in January when little else can survive the scorching heat.

FEBRUARY


The delicate flowers of the Indigofera jucunda are almost at an end, they start flowering in December, filling the tree with a mass of tiny blooms.

MARCH


Miribilis jalapa - this will probably be the last alien I remove from my indigenous garden - if ever. These wonderful water-wise flowers start springing up in November. providing interesting colour right through till May, then they obligingly die back allowing my indigenous beauties to shine.

APRIL


Asystasia gangetica - really useful ground cover that flowers throughout spring and summer

MAY


Strelitzia reginae - showing off it's striking blooms.

JUNE


You know it's winter when Aponogeton distachyos start to flower - beautiful and you can eat them too!

JULY


Can't beat Gazania's for winter colour

AUGUST


Stunning display from Sutherlandia frutescens tells me that spring is not far away.

SEPTEMBER


Hard to choose in my favourite month of the year, but this pelargonium never fails to delight.

OCTOBER


Watsonia borbonica - my favourite spring bulb.

NOVEMBER


Can't help but be impressed by this King Protea - the size of my head. This was taken in Helderberg Nature Reserve

DECEMBER


Crassula coccinea putting on a dazzling Christmas display.

HAPPY NEW YEAR