Sunday 25 September 2016

Almost all Yellow Sunday Flower walk

It was so yellow that we longed to see another colour! But first, in our own garden, I couldn't go past this Clivia without snapping it! All over, they seem to be beautiful this year!


Then yesterday at Compagnes Drift Mill, where we celebrated Heritage Day, this Gazania stopped me in my tracks. In fact later in the day there was a second one growing through it, the bud must have been behind it!


As we were enjoying lunch outside, listening to the machinery inside creaking away, a Lesser Double-collared Sunbird was having lunch on an aloe too.


The Coral tree there is shy to set flowers, but they are impressive when they do!


This morning on the farm, Pippa spotted an Aristea africana open. I rushed out with the camera, knowing they're a mornings-only flower!


Another sign of spring, a Pin-tailed Whydah flirting with a couple of females in the garden.


Yes, the walk today was mostly yellow. I was wondering why some people travel long distances for Spring Flowers when they're right here!


Up close, vying for a space in the sun!


It seemed the only other colour was pink in several shades, Sheep Sorrel here:


.... and the Pelargoniums are still in flower:


We found another example of the peppery-scented-leaves one, right next to the path too:


Also pink were these little pea types:


Flower detail:


.... these Teedias:


and our faithful Saltera sarcocolla!


A lot of our walk was in the recently deforested (and by chance also burnt) area where we were often watched by these Stone Chats:


A plant we've found has really established itself since the fire of nearly two years ago is the Trachyandra. It's not impressive, with tiny pinkish flowers, bootlace like leaves, but the bees go mad about it!


On what we think is Pseudoselago spuria the flowers are filling out:


This plant has us stumped! Will it ever flower to help us identify it?


The pathway past the old Railway cottages always comes up trumps. Now the Beetle Lilies are up, but not fully open yet, Baeometra uniflora:


These now join the Sparaxis bulbiflora:


Geissorhiza aspera:


Was this the only blue flower all day? No! The Lobelias were also out!

 ... and these orange Moraeas all in 50 metres!


:-) Andy

Wednesday 21 September 2016

Caledon Wild Flower Gardens

With an hour to kill in Caledon and it being Spring, I popped in at the Caledon Wild Flower Gardens. A team of Theewaterskloof Municipality gardeners was busy outside the gates, and only the 'out' gate was open. Nobody was manning the gate, so I gingerly drove in, Botsoc card at the ready. I drove in further, still found nobody around so I left the car next to the Nursery which had a 'closed' sign and started walking. The time of year is right for a spectacle of colour!


Everywhere I went, I just had to point the camera and shoot!



I thought it was one of the Botsoc gardens, but from a website: The Caledon Wildflower Garden is currently managed by the Caledon Wildflower Society in partnership with the local municipality.

Here are some Proteas:






Mesembs:



These Daisies were in the path, in fact it was difficult in places not to tread on them in the pathways.




Albuca:


A legume or two:



A magnificent succulent, in flower:


Flower detail:


Are these leaves, on the same plant?



The rock formation behind looked precarious, I wonder how long the boulders have been jammed in like this?


In another direction there's an impressive cliff-face:


A Gazania?


What is this?


Flower detail:


Gladiolus?


The place was alive with birds!


I'm never quick enough to catch them. This Robin stayed still long enough!


These were coming up all over, even in pathways: 


The plaque at the pedestrian entrance credits Francis Alexander Charles Guthrie for the establishment and development of this Garden. He died in 1957.


An enormous amount of work has been done, laying out paths, building follies, bridges, steps:





I expect security and vandalism are problems, the unoccupied Tea Room outside the gate and a Visitors' Centre have broken windows:


I would have liked to contribute something towards upkeep, but there was nobody around. I'm sure the place would rather need assistance in kind. The area is big and must need a lot of maintenance! Thanks, anyway to all involved!

:-) Andy