Wet and Aggressive Corella challenges Magpie

Wet and Aggressive Corella challenges Magpie

Sunday 30 March 2014

Sunday Selections #165

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 usually run with a theme.  This week my theme is greed.

Each day at least five or six bird species visit us, and many of them eat from our feeders.  The pigeons are particularly insistent about their need for sustenance - and cram a quite astonishing number onto the feed trays.



The corellas, who are also greedy but not nearly so numerous are unimpressed.  They watch for a while...



and then take quite exceptional measures to get all the food to themselves.  They squeeze onto whichever of the feeders they can - and then throw the pigeons off.  Violently.  Dragging them  by the tail feathers and dropping them over the side is not uncommon.  And any pigeon who has the audacity to turn round and challenge the corellas is soundly rapped.  When I can watch without laughing, I will take a video of the scene.

The other greed I am featuring this week is mine.  Two sorts.

When the plumbers destroyed two garden beds and after some plant death in our long hot summer I felt justified in ordering a few spring bulbs.  As did my smaller portion.



And now we have four boxes of Spring bulbs to squeeze into the ground.  I am not going to admit just how many - but three figures is insufficient.  Oops.  Much weeding is underway.  Much work is required.  And, come spring when the blood, sweat and tears are a dim memory I will rejoice.

Yesterday afternoon, after I had weeded the back garden into a semblance of submission, the skinny one planted 50 liliums (twice flowering Matisse lilies and twice flowering Oriental liliums) since they were already shooting when they arrived.  The rest of the lilies will be squeezed somewhere into the front gardens.  

Some of you will remember I did a book cull recently.  The Lifeline book fair took place this weekend.  I wasn't going (really I wasn't).  Then my youngest brother rang and asked me to do a favour for him and pick up a dictionary when I went to the book fair.  So I went.  And picked up his dictionary.  And one or six other books too.  Oops again.




Wednesday 26 March 2014

Parliamentary Rose Gardens

When we were leaving the balloon festival I stopped to admire some roses outside Old Parliament House.  They were thriving, and reminded me it has been toooooo long since last I went to the Parliamentary Rose Gardens.

The Senate Rose Gardens are perhaps better known, but there are also House of  Representative Gardens.  (And, a few hundred metres away the National Rose Gardens).  So, last Friday we went to check them out.

It was a hot day and has been a hot and dry summer.  The gardens were not at their best - but still lovely.  And the air was perfumed delightfully.  We limited ourselves to the Parliamentary Gardens, and will go to the National Rose Gardens next season, when the roses are in their prime.  The Parliamentary Gardens are free and open to the public.  They can also be hired for special events, and weddings are often held in them.

As usual, many, many photos follow and will happily embiggen if clicked upon.

First the Representative Gardens:
Sadly I don't know the names of many of the roses.  There were tags, but some were missing and some were obviously wrong.  Next season when I am planning to buy more roses I will go back and take detailed notes (and hope that the tags have been updated).











This is Gold Medal - and I think it deserves one.

It's a Winner
 

Starstruck
 




Just Joey
 




Solfaterre
 
Perle d'Or
 


I thought these gardens were delightful - even at the end of the growing season.

Then onto the Senate Gardens - which are on the opposite side of Old Parliament House.  I think I prefer the House of Representative Gardens, but was very happy to wander around in them both.  Interestingly the red roses in both gardens were looooong past their prime.


Jude the Obscure

 








I have no idea what these berries are - but really liked them.


Falstaff
 
Golden Celebration
 




Mme. Alfred Carriere



Gloria Mundi






Lots and lots and lots of roses.  A delight for the senses.