Flowers to come home to

The weather was cold and windy, but Melbourne’s weather is lovely today. There was no wind so I managed to take some photos.

These plants have been left to fend for themselves over Melbourne’s winter while I was away, with a dripper that feeds water once a week. It was nice to come home to see some flowers :)

 

These plants have been untouched, so here are some blooms with spider webs.

This is the first time I am seeing so many of these Kalanchoe blooms. Maybe I should go away more often.

The Crassula Diane is a very hardy variety, and may have taken over some pots…

 

The Jade Plant is also quite hardy

Succulents all squished together – it’s survival of the fittest

If you can, grow tall – I’ve got to do something about these

And these…

There are lots to do… Happy gardening.

A few more photos…

I am getting confused with names of succulents. They are either Sedeverias, Sedums, Graptoverias, Aloes, Crassulas, Kalanchoes, Aeoniums  or some other “similar” sounding names…

Whatever they are called, I love them. Here are a few more from the balcony.

This photo prompted me to write the opening paragraph. I love this baby… but I cannot tell you the name unless I hunt for its tag…

Sometimes I come across Blue Chalk Stick as the name of this lovely plant. I think it’s easier to remember than Senecio…

 

Kalanchoe… I think this specie is easier to recognised by the shape of its leaves.

Echeveria and sedum… someone asked if this blue grey bloom was a ghost plant in an earlier post.  That would be an easier name to remember…

Sedum (probably)… wearing my Learner Gardener’s hat, this plant should not be classified as a succulent. Unlike the others, it loves water, so it messes up my watering routine. 

Visit Teri’s Painted Daisies on Monday for Cactus Monday links.

Vegetables

are less confusing, I think...

There truth is I’ve given up on vegetables. They also mess up my watering routine and I don’t cook enough… These are my last few photos.

Have you seen a lonelier chilli?

Vietnamese mint makes me feel good as a gardener, like I’ve done something right. It just grows and grows and keep growing….

Oregano is also a happy plant on my balcony.

I love the smell of Rosemary. I cannot help but touch it.

Happy Gardening!

I’ll be taking a break for a little while. Please visit my other blog, as I will still be Enjoying the Good Life.

A few favourites

The plants have enjoyed summer, and I have enjoyed seeing them grow… It’s autumn now. I went out onto the cold windy balcony this morning to take these photos. Just a few of my favourite pots to share…

Echeveria Fred Ives with Crassula Diane spilling over the pot

On the right is Sedum Gold Mound, another favourite. I notice that it tends to grow too long in winter, but in summer, it’s nicer because it’s compact.

Another Echeveria with Crassula Diane in the same pot, and a Sedum in the terracotta coloured pot.

Hope you are having a nice week.

Back to the starting line

A friend offered me a yucca cutting some months ago. Reluctantly, I said “No, thanks. I haven’t got the space.”

No more plants please!

Recently, when I was at at friend’s house, she asked me if I would like some basil. I hesitated. “To cook with or to plant?” I asked, but it didn't matter what her answer was. I don’t cook much and I am running out of space on the balcony.

“To plant”. She went on the explain that she had basil growing in a pot, all ready for my balcony. How sweet of her!

“Thanks, but no” I answered. I don’t usually say no to plants.

It has been a year and a half…

..since I started gardening on my balcony, and since I started this blog. There were many experiments and lots of fun… but I think I will have to make some decisions about the space, and plants to keep and nurture. …probably easier that than deciding what to do with the rest of the plants!

 

What the experts say?

I consulted the books and these are just some things I need to consider:

• To plan on paper first
• Think about how I would like to use the space
• Think about my lifestyle
• Colour schemes and textures

So much to consider, so much to do. The last year and a half was like  kindergarten gardening… now I get to start the next phase and do it all over again at Grade 1.

What’s your experience?

Precious water

A couple of photos taken after the rain.

 

Have a nice weekend.

Succulents in black and white

I hope you enjoy these 2 photos of echeveria and sedum from my little balcony. I am away from my computer for a few days, so I can't link in to Cactus Monday. I wish you a nice Monday and a fantastic week.

Photos from the camping trip

Happy Cactus Monday. Here a few photos from a recent camping trip.

Lovely aeoenium

 

Echeverias

A bloom from a weed

Partial focus 

Sweet purplish spike

 

Garden sculpture – not too difficult to make…

Spider web

Visit Teri’s Painted Daisies for more Cactus Monday blooms. Have a great week.

Succulents pots

Happy weekend. 

Today I am sharing a couple of photos of my potted plants and one on my sempervivum.

A few kalanchoe flapjacks in the middle surrounded by crassula with yellow flowers, echeveria with buds on the right and Kalanchoe Blossfeldiana with red blooms.

 

A mixture of aeoniums and sempevivum in a shallow pot

 

And finally, zooming in to the sempervivum.

Have a nice weekend.

Succulent flowers

Happy Cactus Monday. Another few photos to share this week…



Lovely crassula flowers



I love zooming in. The little flowers seem more significant



You have seen this a few weeks ago, but they have not bloomed.



We call this Pig Face (ice plant) in Australia. It was a very hard one to photograph last week. I have attempted to photograph it a few times when there was no wind, only to find the flower closed up. Anyway, see next photo…



 This is a photo from last season.

I have a few ongoing but not very exciting activities on my balcony including

• Replacing my watering system, which decided to stop working
• Repositioning pots as I am getting some sun on the balcony, and
• Re-potting, etc.

Wish I have more space to buy new plants! Happy gardening and have a great week.

Visit Teri’s Painted Daisies for more Cactus Monday links.

Agave Sketch and succulent blooms

 

Happy Cactus Monday.

House cleaning and watercolour painting go very well together. Today, I painted with watercolour. I am usually impatient when I have to wait for the paint to dry, so I went to and fro between painting and cleaning. That worked really well; I managed to let my paint dry and also cleaned the house :).

Here are a few photos from my balcony for Cactus Monday:

Red Kalanchoe

Echeveria - almost there...

Another red Kalanchoe

Sedum Gold Mound

Visit Teri’s Painted Daisies for more Cactus Monday links.

Have a nice week.