After a very busy summer working at art in one form or another, our garden has received virtually no attention but that given by my prodigal son, who has cut back some bamboo, lots of tree ferns, and mowed the lawns.
This morning, after a wet weekend, I found myself wandering around outside in my dressing-gown. The first thing to catch my eye was a little cluster of edible ear fungus Auricularia auricula, at the base of a pittosporum tree.
The sprinkling of wood-dust confirms that the cause of the tree's deterioration is probably some kind of borer beetle, probably the lemon tree borer (Oemona hirta), that I have posted about before.
The vegetation is quite thick in that vicinity so its loss will hardly be noticed, and in the meantime, it is providing a source of food for two interesting species, at least. (Just so long as it doesn't get into our mandarins and lemon!)
Something's been chewing on the orchids too...
The bromeliad flowers are out. Such a eye-catching contrast of colours placed together; red, green and blue.
The first camellia. I like the tiny serrations around the edge of the petals of this variety. They show up well against the dark green glossy leaves.
This autumn has been slow to arrive, and there is still lovely colour on the Japanese maples:
And something's also been munching on the sage. Imagine eating sage! It must have been very hungry.
A toppling bamboo cane broke off a large part of the tibouchina but it grows very quickly and there's still plenty of the bright purple flowers left. I always think they look very tropical.
Perhaps the tiny serrations around the edge of the petals of the camellia indicate that something has been chewing/munching on it too.
ReplyDeleteI'm just sayin'.
There are none so blind as those who will not see!!
VW is sisist. I will cease and sisist.
It's good to see the garden in the 'autumn' because I never see the end of autumn or winter or the start of spring.
ReplyDeleteAh, Robert, that's fun; my 'eating creatures' way of looking at things has infected you too! But no, those serrations are normal for this camellia. Unless I've had a very systematic munching insect all these years!
ReplyDeleteGeeb. Thanks for popping in! WHich is more than I've down to you recently. Coming over right now!
I'd like to see the pittosporum tree. We have what we call a pittosporum bush, but it doesn't have the trunk characteristics I see in your picture. The orchids growing out of the ground just blow my mind. We used to raise orchids, but we had to do it in a green house and spend a lot of time and energy on them. What a gift you have with plenty of water and acid soil. We've had only 5 or 8 (can't remember exactly) inches of rain since October. Currently in stage 2 water rationing and almost to stage 3. BUMMER!
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I just posted a bit of eye candy on my blog.
Judy - I know, we are very lucky here with plenty of rain and a mild climate. Being near the sea, we don't usually get many frosts in winter either, although of course, you only need one or two to kill a tender plant off. Here bushes often grow into trees, and you certainly can't depend on the height quoted on the label at the nursery! There are lots of pittosporums however. This one looks like a tenuifolium cultivar, but they also have a wide range of heights and leaves:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nzplantpics.com/sfeature_galleries/pittosporum_pictures.htm
ps. Thanks for popping in. Coming over to gaze on E.C...
Well, I WAS coming over, but I can't seem to find a link to your blog when I go to your entry page.... Bother.
ReplyDeleteTry
ReplyDeletehttp://www.henclicks.blogspot.com/
The eye candy is a girl. Do you know her?
You have a very lovely autumn garden -- and evidently delicious to some creatures. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Judy. No, I didn't know her. But then I don't watch TV...
ReplyDeletePat, thanks. I don't spray, so there's a kind of balance. More or less.