Apparently, it rained one night this week. If it did, it must have been a brief shower—or a pigeon with a dodgy bladder—because, apart from a few wet smudges on the patio the following morning, there was no real evidence of rain. The plant trays and dishes were bone dry. Nada.
And that, apparently, passes for rainfall around here these days. I can’t remember the last time we had proper rain. You know, the kind that soaks into the ground.
While temperatures now dip to around 13C during the night, they quickly soar to the low to mid twenties during the day. Time to throw an extra blanket on the bed!
Yucca
I do love these plants when they are in flower.
Dipladenia
These are my favourite plants because they seem to flower continually and require very little attention once you have established the right location. I have read they don’t like temperatures below 15C but I disagree. Mine have survived with temperatures well below that for years.
Hibiscus Flowers
Of all the flowers in our garden, the hibiscus flowers are my favourite. These shrubs grow as happily in pots as they do in the ground and bring year-round colour to the garden.
Camellia
When I spotted this camellia for sale in Lidl earlier this year, I couldn’t resist temptation. I also bought a bag of special compost—which cost as much as the plant– repotted it, then placed it on the north-east-facing back patio close to the Oleander. Result! After months of watching the buds develop, it finally flowered. Stupidly, I pruned back the Oleander, then realised the branches I removed protected it from the scorching midday sun. Mr Piglet to the rescue, moved it onto the south-east-facing wall on our front patio. I am hoping it continues to thrive.
Purple Bush
I can’t recall the name of this bush because I grew it from a cutting. Whatever the name, it’s sandwiched between a palm and the melaleuca hedge. I don’t know how it survives because it only watered when we remember!
Oleander
I have decided to delay setting Mr Piglet the task of pruning the oleander right back for another month.
That’s my Six for this Saturday, folk. My thanks to our garden host Jim for hosting Six on Saturday.
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Beautiful blooms, how lovely to have a climate to be able to grow all these lovelies outside. The purple and white flowers look like Duranta erecta, a plant I have been considering for my conservatory. The trouble is, it is getting a bit overcrowded in there.
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I like the shape of that plant at the bottom of the photo with the palm and melaleuca hedge. The yucca is great in flower. It is all looking great even after a tough summer.
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Hi Nco, I think that one is part of the Agave family and they grow like weeds in my garden. The yucca (I think) loves the heat and I never water it. I really don’t know how they survive.
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