Wet and Aggressive Corella challenges Magpie

Wet and Aggressive Corella challenges Magpie

Sunday 17 March 2013

Sunday Selections 112

Sunday Selections was originally brought to us by Kim, of Frogpondsrock, as an ongoing meme where participants could post previously unused photos languishing in their files. 

The meme is now continued by River at Drifting through life.  The rules are so simple as to be almost non-existent.  Post some photos under the title Sunday Selections and link back to River.

Like River I generally run with a theme.  This morning I had hoped to bring you balloons from our annual balloon festival.  I headed off before six to see them inflated and discovered that it is too windy.  Sigh.

So, it is back to the garden.  And I will be heading out into the garden again to weed and weed and weed some more shortly.

















95 comments:

  1. Oh Honey!

    Each one prettier than the last. How delightful. Thank YOU most warmly


    ALOHA from Honolulu
    Comfort Spiral
    ~ > < } } ( ° > <3

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  2. A bright start to my Sunday morning...thank you, EC. :)

    You might find yourself a four-leaf clover out there in your garden today. May you find good fortune, too! :)

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    Replies
    1. Lee: I am glad to have given your Sunday a bright start. There may be a four leaf clover or two out there - who knows. The luck can stay in the garden though.

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  3. Oh I can't wait to see signs of spring in the garden. Your photos are beautiful.

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    1. mybabyjohn/Delores: Thank you. I don't think your spring can be far away. It is definitely autumnal (yay) here today.

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  4. While spring is springing here, fall is coming there. And we are on the same planet, at least I think we are! Good always to see you sharing here, EC. Hope things are going as well as can be expected there. Thinking of you. :-)

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    1. DJan: Thank you. Things are muddling along quite nicely at the moment.

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  5. Balloons would have been nice, but I'm happy with these stunning photos. That pink begonia is gorgeous.

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    Replies
    1. Alexia: I have a passion for begonias - and there are probably a dozen different ones on our front veranda.

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  6. very healthy looking begonias and this Begonia Festival ex-volunteer would know. thousands pour into Ballarat and even from other countries I was amazed to discover. Begonias are actually native to South American mountains.
    In the huge exhibition centre packed with begonias high and low, a little girl came through the entry with her parents and immediately shreiked "look mum! FWOWERS!!!"
    we all love flowers.

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    1. Ann O'Dyne: I nurture my begonias - and love them. Some year I will try to get to Ballarat for the festival to see all the fwowers. Love it.

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  7. I'll wait for the balloons....
    I like the pink Alstroemeria (first one).I've never seen that deep pink ;must look harder!And violets!

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    1. dinahnow: That dark pink Alstromeria thrives. It is slowly taking over a corner of the garden. They are in their second or third flush of the year at the moment and will shortly die down. And yes, the violets are coming out. Many violets - deep purple and white. I was given some pink ones but they have gone to god.

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  8. I need to weed too. A lot of weeding! A lot! Invasive ivy and blubells.

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    Replies
    1. Birdie: I think it is a rule - all ivy is invasive. And good at what it does.

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  9. wonderful to see and dream of walking by all of these in a special garden walk.

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    Replies
    1. Linda Starr: Coming soon to a garden near you...

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  10. Oh my, such beautiful photos of those flowers. It's nice to see such resplendent colour. And now, with green thumbs crossed, I'm wishing that I will actually be able to do some gardening. Any gardening :)

    Peace and goodwill,

    Gary

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    Replies
    1. klahanie: Is it your weather or inclination which is keeping you out of the garden?

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    2. Mostly the weather. And when I look at the garden, it's such a daunting task. Once I get going, there's no stopping me. Been bitterly cold and raining. Never mind. Sunnier times to come :)

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    3. klahanie: I so understand the daunting task. I think if I weed every day until Christmas I might be nearly on top of it. And I hope your sunnier times are just around the corner.

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  11. They're all so beautiful, so I'm not sure what it is about the lavender flower in photo #4 that made me fall instantly in love with it! It's an especially lovely photo of it, too. What is that flower? Looks like it might be a daisy of some sort.

    Happy weeding! We'll be needing to figure out what flowers to plant in our front flower bed in the next couple of months. I've got a few picked out, but figure we'll see what catches our fancy at the greenhouse (and what can stand up to the wind, morning shade and afternoon sun, the deer...) :-)

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    Replies
    1. Laloofah: It is a Cape Daisy. They come in a variety of colours - mostly pastel, but also a sunshine yellow. I am very fond of them, and happy to let them spread. Which they do. They don't mind sun or wind either. The deer might be an issue though.
      Good luck planning your front garden bed - it is an exciting time.

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    2. Thanks! I'll have to see if they'll grow here. Deer leave the wild daisies alone, and I've seen a lot of daisies growing in people's yards around town, so daisies of all sorts might be okay - and I love daisies! I want several varieties of Rudbekia in our flowerbed, too. But that's as far as my decision-making has gotten - what with snow in tomorrow's forecast!

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    3. Laloofah: You know that we are going to want posts about your garden planning don't you? And yes, Rudbekia are special. I hope the Cape Daisies do grow over there - they are hardy and charming.

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  12. Beautiful! As always ... just like their weeder... :)

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    1. Cindi Summerlin: The weeder is not beautiful at all, but thank you just the same.

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  13. Do you take most or all of the photos that are "languishing in your files"?

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    1. Snowbrush: All of them. These photos have all been taken in our garden this month, and most of them in the last week.

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  14. Those are absolutely beautiful. And how neat to have a balloon festival!

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    1. Riot Kitty: The balloon festival is an annual treat. For a variety of reasons (including laziness) I didn't get there before today this year. The last day. So I am very sad that wind cancelled the launch. And a bit peeved at myself for not going earlier. Better luck next year.

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  15. Beautiful, beautiful,

    and reason to live.

    Gorgeous photos :)

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  16. Gorgeous blooms! Is that an Alstroemeria in that first photo?! My fave flower. Hubbers gave me a bouquet of them this weekend for our 30th. I am so envious of your garden, and ability to grow these gems. I have a brown thumb......

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    1. Karen: It is. We have this one in the front yard and a lemon one in a large pot around the back. A wonderful plant which comes back year after year.

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  17. Such variety and beauty - and I'm glad your weather is cooling a bit. Good luck with all that weeding!

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    1. jenny_o: You always say the nicest things. The weeding didn't happen after all. I had a totally blissful nap instead. The weeds will still be here tomorrow. And the day after that...

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    2. Naps are good, too :)

      And you're right about the weeds! They are like the dust in the house - always there, no matter how often you tackle it/them!

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    3. jenny_o: The nap was both needed and complete bliss. Some weeding today I hope.

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  18. That red rose looks so velvety I can almost feel the texture!
    I like your white geranium and those beautiful begonias. Your garden is a picture book wonderland.

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    1. River: Thank you. If only. A picture book would not have all the weeds, and I would not have lost so much to this summer. Just the same, I love it, and it sustains me.

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  19. You have a beautiful array of flowers!

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    Replies
    1. ladyfi: Thank you. Gardens are such a balm to my soul.

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  20. I swear I can almost smell them. Lovely!

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  21. My pink violets also gone to god! What is wrong with them, don't they know how lucky they are to be in my wild garden! Everything is thriving after the rain though the soil is as dry as if there has been a drought all summer. The weeds are doing so well but so are the plants I love - all that needs to happen now is for me to get out there, hip willing, and show some love. My Abutilons are trying to survive the green caterpillars that devour the leaves and I hate to kill them but I'm losing sympathy. And you remind me that I must buy more plants!

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    1. Carol: As I have said, I need to show rather a lot of love too. By ripping and tearing at the couch grass that is invading the beds - and the dandelions too. And the euphorbia which are on a take-over mission. Our abutilons are so far free of caterpillars, which I am grateful for. And what is it with pink violets - the blue/purple and the while are also on a take over mission and have infiltrated every bed. The pink turned by their elegant toes very early.

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  22. So beautiful - I also love red begonias.

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    1. Lynn: I have a weakness (among all my other weaknesses) for all begonias. And they respond by brightening each day.

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  23. I like gardens better than baloons. :-) And I love yours. Many thanks.

    Greetings from London.

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    Replies
    1. A Cuban in London: I like them both a lot, but thank you for your encouragement.

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  24. Pity about the balloons, but they could not have outdone the flowers. Magnificent.

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    Replies
    1. Dave King: In their own way the balloons would probably have been more spectacular, but thank you.

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  25. So much beauty! You have a magnificient garden, EC.

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    1. Laura Eno: Blood, sweat and tears fertilise it well.

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  26. ┈▕▔▔▔▔▔▔▏┈╰╮Happy┈
    ▂▂▇▇┏▅┓▇▂▂╭╯┈St.┈┈
    ╲▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔╱╰╮Patrick's
    ╭▔▔▉▔▔▉▔▔╮┈╰╮Day┈
    ╭̸╭┳▔╭╮▔╮╮╮┈╭╯┈☘┈┈
    ╭̸╭╰━━━━▃▃▃▃▉┈┈┈☘┈
    ╭̸╭̸╭̸╭̷┓┏╮╮╮╮┈┈┈┈☘┈┈

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  27. Viewing your lovely garden allows me to live vicariously. Such amazing asstmt of flowers!

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    Replies
    1. Susan Kane: It is a jungle out there - which is the way I like it.

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  28. Very very pretty. My favourite is the fifth one from the bottom. Have no idea what it's called.

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    1. Wendy aka Quillfeather: That too is a begonia. The colour is new to me (one of this year's additions) and I like it a lot.

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  29. Oh WOW! You would hardly know that we've just come through a heatwave with these floral beauties - you have done them well.

    Love the Abutilon. And the Sedum (Autumn Joy) that heralds cooler weather is coming, yay!

    And, a "little something" is on its way as I write :)

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    1. Vicki: Thank you SO much. I am partial to the abutilon and the sedum myself. I also have a pale pink/mauve sedum which is thriving in hanging baskets. And one called Purple Blob, which hasn't yet flowered but whose name grabbed me. We did lose things to the heatwave. Rather a lot of things, but I have consoled myself that this just means more room to put new things in.

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  30. Your garden must be absolutely beautiful. All of the plants you're showing look so healthy.

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    1. Susan: Some of the garden is thriving, and other bits are suffering. As the cooler weather comes (yay) I will be better placed to know what has survived. This post is full of hardy things - which I love.

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  31. How beautiful and thanks once again for sharing the delights of your garden.
    I know you do get some hot weather in Canberra but even so I know you are able to grow so many more varieties over there than we can in the sandy coastal soils of Perth. As we are so short of water here we daren't plant anything that isn't a drought tolerant species these days.
    I will just go on continuing to enjoy your garden. Thank you.

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    Replies
    1. Mimsie: Thank you. We have had more hot weather than I like this year, but it hasn't been a patch on the horrors you have been experiencing. Our soils are clay rather than sandy, but adding fertiliser and digging it through and compost has improved it dramatically. More work to be done of course. There is always work to be done in any garden.

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  32. Glad you had a nap instead of weeding! Too bad we can't get the cats to do that hideous weeding, since they seem to like the indoor plants so much. (Mine actually are inside-only cats; probably would be flummoxed if sent outside and get NO weeding done whatsoever.)

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    Replies
    1. Ms CrankyPants: Ours go outside (some days) for about an hour. And no, they do no weeding. Fertilising yes, weeding no. And they (pretty much) leave plants alone outside, unlike the ones inside. Cats are a rule unto themselves.

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  33. Beautiful flower photography - and yes, I know most of these (that somehow feels really good). I have worked in my garden a lot today - gardening is something I deeply enjoy. It is such a satisfying word.

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  34. That should have been "work" instead of "word"...

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    1. Carola Bartz: Not a problem - I frequently suffer from dyslexic fingers myself. You are very right about the satisfaction of working/playing in the garden. And it pays dividends as well.

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  35. What an extraordinary choice of flowers, you are always so generous to the eye. You make me wish for spring even more.

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    1. unikorna: Thank you. Autumn is slowly coming to us - so Spring should be coming your way. Which means we both win.

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  36. Wow, those are so beautiful, I love them all. Thank you also for stopping by and wishing Gregg a happy birthday. He wanted me to thank you for your kindness. He enjoys reading everyone's comments and especially if he is mention, ha, ha! ;) Wishing you a great day!

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    1. DeniseinVA: Thank you - it was my pleasure to wish Greg a happy birthday.

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  37. Ah, some day soon, there will be living, flowering plants here as well!

    Until then, we got another three inches of snow yesterday. Pfft.

    :-)

    Pearl

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    1. Pearl: Ooooh. Three inches of snow. Which sounds like magic to me. Spring is coming. Really it is.

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  38. DEar EC, I've missed a number of your postings, but I hope now to get back on target if the barometer stays steady. The photographs are lovely and I'm hoping that as you get back into the gardening mood, you're always be aware of your own physical needs and will be moderate and caring of yourself. All my life people have been encouraging me to be moderate. It sounds so boring. But I've learned to listen to my body and to moderate my responses so that I can "keep truckin'," Peace.

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    1. Dee: Welcome back. I hope you are feeling much, much better. Moderation is not something I am good at - but I am learning.

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  39. Great pics:) Groovy post:)

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  40. I swooned and sighed as each beautiful flower came into view. You brightened my day and put a smile upon my face :) Thank you!

    Hope all is well in your corner of the world. Be well n happy.

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  41. Your garden must be heavenly ... so many different flowers and some really interesting blooms that I don't recognize. I hear you when you talk of weeding ... it is endless, but right now I'd give my right arm to see a weed. We are still buried under frozen icy snow. Oh to see Spring again :) Great Pictures EC and thanks for your always wonderful comments.

    Andrea @ From The Sol

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    1. Andrea: Like my bookshelves, the garden is a crowded addiction. Thank you so much for the compliments - and you will see weeds (and probably lots of them) soon enough.

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  42. Oh my god, those are fabulous photos!!! WOO HOO!!!! The begonias have me drooling, and everything else too... impressive!!!!!!

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    1. Nicky HW: Don't encourage me. Weeding today. About a years worth left to do. The skinny one planted some bulbs while I weeded. Many more to go.

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