Windy, cold and grey with on and off rain falls. The garden looks fresh and many plants are flowering. The roses start to bloom for the second time of the year after light pruning in the summer. The two orange hibiscus trees are showing off their large ruffled blooms. Other plants that are flowering are: Lantana, Jacobinia, Thryptomene (Heath Myrtle), Verbena, Loropetalum chinense, Gardenia, Coleus canina, Geranium. While the chrysanthemums, Cymbidium orchids and Zygocacti are busy growing flower buds.

I took some photos around the garden the other day and saw some wild kittens eating a rat. A big rat that the mother cat had caught for her litter. We did not notice that there were rats in our place recently…. but then again, they can be anywhere.  Though homeless cats are threats to small wildlife animals, especially birds, but I was glad that mother cat caught a nasty vermin.

The small feijoa tree is having few fruits (only around 10 fruits or so). I did hand pollination this year, and it seemed to work. Not many fruits, but at least and hopefully it will be the start of it. When the fruits are big enough, I will cover them with nets from the orange bags. This way, the precious fruits will not fall to the ground out of sight or get bruised.

Orange Hibiscus D.J. O’Brien

Colourful Verbena

Baby Feijoa

The last Tuberose and Chrysanthemum flower buds

Loropetalum chinense