Sunday, 8 May 2022

Sunday Selections #580

 

 
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. 

Huge thanks to Cie who gave me this wonderful Sunday Selections image. 

The meme was then continued by River at Drifting through life.  Sadly she has now stepped aside (though she will join us some weeks), and I have accepted the mantle. 
 
The rules are so simple as to be almost non-existent.  Post some photos under the title Sunday Selections and link back to me. Clicking on any of the photos will make them embiggen.
 

I usually run with a theme.  It is Autumn here.  Typically our days are sunny and the nights cool.  I have been revelling in the autumnal colour on the trees and watching leaves drop to reveal a filigree of bare branches. 


 


The tree dahlias are budding prolifically and the first flowers emerging.  Hopefully more will come out before the first heavy frost cuts them down.

We have had our first (light) frost and an area less than sixty miles away has had a dusting of snow.  Winter is on the way.  However it is also summer in our garden.







There are roses and daisies in bloom.  The begonias on the front veranda continue to put on a brave display and the hoya is blooming again.

And it is spring too.  

 

This azalea is in bud.


Double poppy seedlings have emerged.



And in other parts of the garden there are dutch iris, grape hyacinth, freesias and anemones already well above ground.

Colour me confused.

Have a great week, whatever season (or seasons) you are in.


98 comments:

  1. Beauty no matter what season they think they're in. :) Lovely photos to brighten our day, thank you. May your week be restful and serene-ish. Hugs to you and scritches to His Lordship, Sir Crankybutt.

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    1. River Fairchild: Sir Crankybutt had a good day yesterday and today has started off well (he has had his tablet with no fuss). Which certainly augurs for a better (and more serene) week for us both. Thank you.

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    2. Sir Crankybutt - I love it :)

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    3. jenny_o: It suits him. As does the psycho cat from hell some days...

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  2. Such gorgeous blooms! And the weather is not the only part of the universe that is confused by all this weird weather. Happy fall!

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    1. DJan: We are certainly living through some weird and confusing times...

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  3. Your flowers are beautiful as always. Here's hoping your tree dahlias avoid the frost for a nice long blooming season! :-)

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    1. Diane Henders: In my city the tree dahlias are lucky to bloom at all before frost annihilates them. I will settle (happily) for a blooming season such that they are 'mostly' out. I love them and the bees do too - at a time when there is not usually much else out for the bees.

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  4. Hi EC - looks wonderful and I know you enjoy the colder weather - happy days. I always love seeing the tree dahlias ... but gorgeous flowers too ... cheers and have a great week - Hilary

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    1. Hilary Melton-Butcher: Thank you. You are right, I do much prefer the cooler weather (though I am the only household resident that does). I am hoping to be able to share tree dahlias in full bloom - and looking forward to the chance to freeze bubbles.

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  5. Beautiful! What did the vet say??

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    1. e: Thank you. Jazz is looking at bit punk pussy at the moment. The vet ran blood tests. She failed to get blood from his leg and went for the jugular. The tests were inconclusive so she recommended watching and waiting. If he doesn't improve an ultrasound is the next step, and possibly steroids. He obviously heard her, and has picked up for the moment. I do hope that you and Lukas have too. Hugs.

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  6. Your autumn colour is uplifting! I love dahlias. My mother always grew them when I was young. They were an autumn staple in the garden. Thank you for the wonderful reminder, EC. Tomorrow is Mother’s Day and while she is gone, the wonderful memories live on!

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    1. Marie Smith: My mother loved dahlias too, and always grew them. I wish I had discovered tree dahlias while she was alive. Ours are well over eight feet tall this year. Happy Mother's Day to you.

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  7. I know that like me, Sue, you prefer cool weather, so no doubt this is a glorious time of the year for you. We are just getting into summer and I am not looking forward to some of the hot, humid days we will be suffering through.

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    1. David M. Gasgoigne: I do indeed love autumn. And our winter (which is fairly wimpy on a global scale). Heat and humidity are not my friends and I feel for you.

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  8. More rain is predicted in many parts of Qld over the coming week...it's already begun. We even had a mild storm here through the night, the second in as many days! And the grass continues growing, and the landlord continues mowing...

    I hope you're feeling loads better, EC...and that the coming week treats you kindly. Cuddles to Jazz...take good care. :)

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    1. Lee: I saw your forecasts and hope the damage is minimal. Our grass is growing here too.
      Sadly the nausea and the pain continue. I am doing my best to treat them with ignore. On the positive front Jazz is for the moment feeling better - which I hope lasts. I hope you and your furry overlords have a wonderful week.

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  9. You wouldn't know from the flowers that it was autumn headed for winter.

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    1. Alex J. Cavanaugh: You wouldn't. I like living in an area that has four distinct seasons - but we don't usually see them on display together.

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  10. In Seanhenge, the potatoes are planted and almost everything is sown that is to be harvested from late summer onwards, to be enjoyed immediately, cellared or preserved; bees are buzzing, the fruit tree blossom is coming to an end, and yesterday the swallows returned, taking up their nests again under the roof above study and library.
    A pair of redstarts has declared our balcony season over, so afternoon coffee is enjoyed on the sun terrace in the garden, with birdsong and a good book - living can be so wonderful.
    So let's enjoy, dear Sue - you the autumn, me the spring.
    And both well aware that we are sitting on a powder keg, and others are in possession of fuse and matches.

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    1. Sean Jeating: Your afternoon sound blissful. Enjoy them. I do hope that the holders of the fuse and matches have some understanding that they are not safe either...

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  11. Wow, You're getting three seasons in one. We are having weird weather here as well and one moment we are too warm and freezing the next. The garden is confused as well and I wonder about the wildlife and the birds. They are probably more in tuned of what is going on than us.

    Thank you for gracing us with beautiful colors again. I hope that you have a wonderful week.

    Hugs,
    Julia

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    1. Julia: I hope that the wildlife and the birds are much more in tune with the weather than we are - and hope that they find food and shelter. The garden and I are definitely confused (which is not unusual for me). You have a great week too.

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  12. Maybe the plants think it won't be such a cold winter. I must be getting old. I had a mental blank at remembering the name begonia. There is a lot of winter beauty with deciduous trees and for a few months views and sights not normally seen are revealed.

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    1. Andrew: I have been having a lot of those mental blanks recently. I agree with you about the winter beauty. I like seeing things which are usually hidden. I wonder whether we are expecting a warmer winter? Last year wasn't bad, but my bubble freezing self hopes we do get some chilly days...

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  13. Lovely tree shots, EC, whether with bare branches or gorgeous leaf colours. Things are very confused here - a few trees have coloured and dropped their leaves, but the majority are still hanging on to them. We are still having daily temperatures of 20 - 23 degrees, which seems crazy for autumn (but very enjoyable!) The begonia which I thought was dead is blooming, and all of the fuchsias are covered in flowers...
    Some rain is forecast for tomorrow, but I will believe it when I see it. I hope you and yours have an enjoyable Sunday and Jazz is doing well.

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    1. Alexia: Some of our trees are still determinedly green too. Our daily temperatures have dropped and we are no longer reaching 20. Yesterday we struggled to get to double figures. Interesting that your garden is also blooming 'out of season'. Jazz has been doing much better for the last couple of days which means I am too.. Enjoy the last of your weekend.

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  14. You live in a magical place! I see what we call crown flower!

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    1. Cloudia: No crown flowers here. Which, having asked Captain Google about, I regret.

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  15. I love that red rose and the bent tree with bare branches. I'm often surprised at how we can be so cold yet still have things flowering.

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    1. River: There is something flowering in my garden for most of the year. I really like that weeping mulberry and admire its shape each year when it sheds its leaves.

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  16. Beautiful Spring has finally arrived in this part of the world!
    Enjoy your Autumn!

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    1. Catarina: I am enjoying autumn - and I am sure that you are loving spring.

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  17. I'm a bit confused, too. Your autumn garden is looking like my spring garden. It is beautiful, too. Our spring is in turmoil, too. One day it is 85 F (29,5 C) and the next it is 50 F (10 C). You have some beautiful flowers in your garden. Lucky you. I actually love the colors of the trees as they change. Mine go from green to brown, so you are lucky there, too.

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    1. Bleubeard and Elizabeth: I really like spring AND autumn. It is odd to see them both together though. And yes, we are lucky. Deciduous trees mean that we usually have some vivid colour in autumn. I hope to show you the beautiful claret ash next week.

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  18. We are having summer now, so things that were spring bloomers are gone and, other than some roses, the summer blooms are just in the beginning stage. Everything is lush and green now!

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    1. Anne in the kitchen: As a rule when autumn rolls in here the land is parched and bare. We had a wet, wet summer and it is surprisingly green. The weeds are of course also thriving.

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  19. Replies
    1. John Going Gently. Thank you. It has a scent to match.

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  20. Dear EC
    Always a joy to see your garden and those lovely autumnal shades. Lots still to enjoy in your garden thought, which is always a bonus. I have just bought an osteospermum and am looking forward to seeing it grow over the summer.
    Have a colourful and happy week
    Best wishes
    Ellie

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    1. Ellie Forster: I hope you have as much pleasure from your osteospermums as we get from ours. Which one did you get? Have a wonderful, wonderful week.

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  21. It's great that you still have color. Our trees are dropping their spring time color and heading for summer green.

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    1. Mike: Lots and lots of colour. And we planted some spring bulbs today for more colour in a few months time.

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  22. Ah, dear EC, another fine grouping. About six weeks till the winter equinox there, right? April of last year was the driest April on record for our area. Our April this year was the wettest. The months fly by so quickly now...

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    1. Bill: Thank you. We are MUCH more often dry (and usually very dry) than we are wet. I am always grateful for rain. And yes, the equinox is towards the end of next month.

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  23. Autumn in May - what a topsy turvey world we live in. It is Spring here and heading towards Summer - the bext part of the year.

    :o)

    Cheers

    PM

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    1. Plastic Mancunian: I would dispute your assertion that summer is the best part of the year. It is too hot for me, and I often refer to it as the sweaty season...

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  24. Nice flowers the weather over here is still little cold

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    1. Steve: Thank you. We are starting to cool down now. Fast.

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  25. Such wonderful bits of nature, here. And...I am a tree lover. These trees are gorgeous, even the one with bare branches. It's like tree architecture and art. And oh, that one with golden leaves....be still my heart!

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    1. J C: I am a tree lover too. Big time. And will probably showcase more of them next week.

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  26. The flowers are beautiful. It's supposed to be spring here, but it's really summer with its high temperatures, humidity, and thunder storms.

    Love,
    Janie

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    1. Janie Junebug: I feel for you. Summer is my least favourite time of year. Stay cool, stay safe.

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  27. The tree's and flowers are so pretty. That's the great thing about this time of year.

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    1. Mary Kirkland: I do love the garden, but experiencing three seasons at once is doing my head in.

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  28. Autumn with all its delightful colors is definitely my favorite season. But I also see how much I like spring with all the life emerging in the garden. I enjoy being in the garden so much. You garden pictures are beautiful - there really is a lot going on with a nice mix of seasons.

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    1. Carola Bartz: Thank you. I am a big, big fan of autumn too. And spring. And winter. In summer my garden gets neglected (and I pay for that neglect when the weather cools down again).

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  29. Confused but beautiful. Your garden is quite lovely and colorful and i wish i could come visit in person.

    Sorry i am late to the party, it's been a long day. My selections are over here.

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    1. messymimi: You have too many long days. Thank you for coming to visit - and I would love to share the garden with you.

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  30. I got sidetracked last night reading the comments and never got my own comment in.

    I loved this line from your post: " ... watching leaves drop to reveal a filigree of bare branches" ... what a lovely description. I do love the bare branches against the sky, too, and that's a beautiful photo to illustrate it.

    There is so much colour in your garden. Here we are struggling to produce even the early bulbs - but the temperature is forecast to warm up later in the week and that should help. Thank you for sharing your beauty with us, dear friend.

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    1. jenny_o: Thank you for coming back. Like you, I am a fan of bare branches against the sky.
      Our winters are wimpy on a global scale, and there is at least some green here all year round. I hope that your temperatures do warm.

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  31. Lovely selection of colour and blooms. The rose looks familiar to me, the red one and the painted pink one.

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    1. Margaret D: The tag has fallen off both roses (and I have forgotten) so I cannot tell you their names. The red one is beautifully scented. The pink one (which himself bought) is not. It is pretty but I much prefer roses with scent.

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  32. Love the trees with the fall color. I have always been a lover of trees in all seasons, but maybe fall and winter are my favorites. I will think of your nice cool weather as ours gets warmer and warmer. Thanks for sharing with us.

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    1. Anonymous: I hope I can share cool weather. Hot weather does me no favours - and it sounds as if you agree. And thank you.

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  33. Wow, stunning images of autumn. You've nudged me to stop and snap our trees and foliage in the Valley. Thank you for visiting my blog and YES, your comments come through, Much appreciated I'm trying to be a regular blogger again, Jo

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    1. Jo: I am glad to hear that my comments went through. blogger has been 'improving' things again. Autumn is a glorious time of year isn't it?

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  34. Seasonal confusion make for pretty flowers, thanks for the photos.

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    1. Charlotte (MotherOwl): Thank you. The confusion worries me, but it is also beautiful.

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  35. I love stopping by your posts and enjoying some good scenery :)

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    1. Damyanti Biswas: Thank you. That is a lovely thing to say.

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  36. We have perpetual summer here in Hawaii. Love all those glorious colors in Australia -- the foliage as well as those birds I like so much.

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    1. gigi-hawaii: Summer is my least favourite time of year and I am grateful to live in a place that has four distinct seasons. Autumn is one of my favourites.

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  37. Lovely photos. We are currently in spring but it sure doesn't feel like it.

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    1. Anonymous: Another person with their identity stolen by blogger? I hope your spring settles down with you.

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  38. I love the photos of the flowers and trees. :)
    -Quinley

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    1. Quinley: Thank you. You will see a lot of both in my posts.

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  39. You and everybody else confused. Here snowplows are at work near mountain roads and the rain seems to never stop and I awoke to 38 degrees this morning. We haven't seen spring yet. I love those beautiful daisies.

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    1. Strayer: Our temperatures are all over the shop too. And we have rain expected any day now. Buckets of it. Those daisies are a joy aren't they?

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  40. Always a pleasure to see your part of the world. I love your trees and flowers. I have the windows open in our house, it's warmer outside than inside. The house picks up on the weather from the day before, it's very confused :) Happy Autumn!

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    1. DeniseinVA: It is not yet dawn here and definitely colder outside than in. That will change during the day though. Happy Spring to you my friend.

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  41. Wow! I almost overdosed on color!
    Thank you, EC, for sharing a whole bunch of beauty.

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    1. Wally Jones: There are MUCH worse things to overdose on that colour aren't there? And thank you for the beauty all of your posts provide.

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  42. Don't get me wrong, I love eucalypt forests, especially on rainy days, but nothing beats a good deciduous tree for autumn joy.

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    1. J Cosmo Newbery: Agreed. I adore the aboreal fireworks that come from deciduous trees.

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  43. Every season has her special flowers and autumn has her colourful leaves. Thus, it will be difficult to choose which season gives the best colours. Tree dahlias are aliens here, we only have potted ones that die very quickly. I once saw a lawn of white daisies and it was mesmerising. We only get imported azaleas before the Chinese New Year becos of its red colour, and they cost a fortune.

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    1. kestrel: Tree dahlias are unfashionable and rare here too. It is quite a sight to see a ten/twelve foot flowering plant. You get flowers/plants that I never see, but I do love the colours and vibrancy of the natural world.

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  44. It's so funny I can believe that there was a dusting of snow about 60 miles from you, our winter forced/blocked our spring from coming to life. We seem to be popping right into summer, which is fabulous to me. So odd to hear folks say Minnesota doesn't have spring anymore. They're right. Your photos are beautiful, especially your shot of the tree dahlia, so pretty. Enjoy your week.

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    1. 21 Wits: Thank you. The tree dahlias are hanging in (so far) and I hope to give you more and better photos of them soon. Fingers crossed.

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  45. I really love the hoya.
    Happy hump day :)

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    1. kylie: I do too - and am amazed that it is flowering again. We have planted a new one too, which I hope to show in bloom next year (or perhaps the one after).

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  46. I love grape hyacinth. They smell sooooooo nice. Love the autumn trees too. Stunning.

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    1. The Happy Whisk: I am a big fan of autumn, and am enjoying it big time at the moment. And of course I have a soft spot for grape hyacinths - though I wish ours were emerging from the ground closer to spring.

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  47. It was the perfect daisy that did it for me. I don't think I've ever seen one growing in nature. I would love to see them though, they're very pretty.

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    1. mail4rosey: We have lots of those daisies, and they bloom for most of the year. Which is lovely.

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  48. All your garden is lovely, dear Child. Thank you for sharing.

    I must add this to my list of things that make me happy, and things I need to do again.

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    1. neena maiya (guyana gyal): Thank you. The garden is a lot of work (and needs a whole lot more) but it pays dividends. Generous dividends.

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