FFF770 - BLUE HIBISCUS

Alyogyne huegelii, commonly known as the Lilac Hibiscus or Blue Hibiscus, is an evergreen shrub native to the southwest botanical province of Western Australia.

The plant is fast-growing, reaching up to 2.5 meters tall and wide, and produces large, showy, mauve to deep purple flowers. The flowers resemble those of a hibiscus and typically bloom from winter to summer, with individual flowers often lasting only a single day.

It is a hardy, drought-tolerant plant once established, preferring well-drained soil and a sunny position. This specific hybrid cultivar with deep purple flowers is known as 'Blue Heeler'.

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FFF769 - AUSTRALIAN BINDWEED

Convolvulus is a genus of about 200 to 250 species of flowering plants in the bindweed family Convolvulaceae, with a cosmopolitan distribution. Common names include bindweed and morning glory; both names shared with other closely related genera. They are annual or perennial herbaceous vines, bines and (a few species of) woody shrubs, growing to 0.3–3 m tall.

The leaves are spirally arranged, and the flowers trumpet-shaped, mostly white or pink, but blue, violet, purple or yellow in some species. Many of the species are invasive species weeds; but others are cultivated for their attractive flowers, while some are globally threatened.

This is Convolvulus erubescens, commonly known as blushing bindweed, pinkflower bindweed or (in Britain and Ireland) Australian bindweed, is a perennial herb in the Convolvulaceae family that is native to Australia. It has trailing and twining stems and variable leaves, ovate to triangular or arrow-shaped, 25–55 mm long and 2–40 mm wide. It has rosy-pink or mauve, funnel-shaped flowers, 7–15 mm long, 8–20 mm in diameter, with a pale, greenish throat. It is found in coastal and subcoastal areas where it inhabits eucalypt forests, the margins of rainforests, grassy woodlands and grasslands.

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FFF768 - HYACINTH TIME

Hyacinthus is a genus of bulbous herbs and spring-blooming perennials. They are fragrant flowering plants in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Scilloideae and are commonly called hyacinths. Many hybrids have been developed and the colour range is broad, with single and double flowered variants existing.

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FFF767 - GIANT HONEY FLOWER

Melianthus major, the giant honey flower or kruidjie-roer-my-nie (Afrikaans for 'herb-touch-me-not'), is a species of flowering plant in the family Francoaceae. It is an evergreen suckering shrub, endemic to South Africa and naturalised in India, Australia and New Zealand.

It grows to 2–3 m tall by 1–3 m wide, with pinnate blue-green leaves 30–50 cm long, which have a distinctive musky odour. Dark red, nectar-laden flower spikes, 30–80 cm in length, appear in spring, followed by green pods. All parts of the plants are poisonous.

The Latin binomial Melianthus major literally means "large honey flower". The plant is also sometimes called honeybush (along with many other plants). In cultivation this plant requires a sheltered location and may also need a protective winter mulch in temperate regions. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

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FFF766 - WATTLE

This is a silver wattle (Acacia dealbata), a native Australian tree or large shrub famous for its bright yellow, fluffy pom-pom flowers and feathery, blue-green leaves.

This is a common plant in both the Australian bush, a street tree in towns and cities, and also a decorative shrub in gardens. Its finely divided, fern-like (bipinnate) leaves with a soft grey-green or silvery tone are highly decorative. Spherical, sweet-scented clusters of bright yellow blossoms bloom during winter and spring.

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FFF765 - SERRURIA

Serruria 'Pretty n Pink' (a hybrid of Serruria florida x rosea), a compact evergreen shrub from the Proteaceae family endemic in South Africa. It is known by the common names of blushing bride or pride of Franschhoek.

This species grows to between 0.8 and 1.5 metres in height and 0.5 metres in width. The leaves are fine and dissected and the flowers are white to pink and appear from July to October in its native range.

It occurs in the Hottentots Holland Nature Reserve in the Cape Province. A well-drained position in full sun is preferred by this species, which tolerates dryness. Propagation is from cuttings or seed, although the latter can prove difficult. The species is cultivated for the cut flower trade and it is also grown as an ornamental plant.

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FFF764 - CAMELLIA 'MARGARET DAVIS'

This is a Camellia japonica 'Margaret Davis' flower, featuring large, ruffled, creamy-white petals edged in vibrant raspberry-red or rose-pink. It is an upright, evergreen shrub with glossy, dark green foliage, blooming in late winter through to spring.

It thrives in dappled light, partial shade, or morning sun and needs to be protected from harsh afternoon sun. It prefers acidic, moist, and well-draining soil rich in organic matter. Excellent as a feature plant, in flowering hedges, or grown in large pots and containers.

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FFF763 - LUCULIA

Luculia gratissima is a species of flowering plant in the family Rubiaceae. It is an ornamental plant that is found from the central Himalayas to northern Indo-China. The Latin specific epithet gratissima means "most pleasing" or "most agreeable".

It is a large shrub or even a small tree growing to 4 m tall by 1.5 m broad, with pointed ribbed leaves, and clustered fragrant pale pink flowers in autumn and winter. As it does not tolerate temperatures below 5 °C, it requires cultivation under glass in temperate zones. However, it may be placed outside in a sheltered, sunny spot during the summer months. It is a recipient of the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

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FFF762 - GREVILLEA - 'NED KELLY'

With almost 400 distinct species as well as countless cultivars and hybrids, grevilleas have become widely popular in gardens both in Australia and overseas. Despite this, relatively few species are in general cultivation – there are many others that should be more widely grown.  Grafting of some of the more touchy species onto hardy root stocks is going some way to achieving this.

This Grevillea is the 'Ned Kelly' hybrid, which features distinctive red-orange toothbrush-shaped flowers. It is a medium-sized bushy shrub with heavily divided, fern-like foliage. The flowers are bird-attracting, specifically loved by honeyeaters, and typically bloom for most of the year. It is a hardy, evergreen plant suitable for screening or as a garden feature.

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FFF761 - CAMELLIA

Camellia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Theaceae. They are found in eastern and southern Asia, from the Himalayas east to Japan and Indonesia. There are 100–250 described species, with some controversy over the exact number. The genus was named by Linnaeus after the Jesuit botanist Georg Joseph Kamel, who worked in the Philippines, though he never described a camellia.

This genus is famous throughout East Asia; camellias are known as cháhuā (茶花) in Chinese, "tea flower", an apt designation, as tsubaki (椿) in Japanese, as dongbaek-kkot (동백꽃) in Korean and as hoa trà or hoa chè in Vietnamese.

Of economic importance in the Indian subcontinent and Asia, leaves of C. sinensis are processed to create the popular beverage, tea. The ornamental Camellia japonica, Camellia oleifera and Camellia sasanqua and their hybrids are represented in cultivation by a large number of cultivars.

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FFF760 - CYMBIDIUM ORCHIDS

Cymbidium, or boat orchids, is a genus of 52 evergreen species in the orchid family Orchidaceae. It was first described by Olof Swartz in 1799. The name is derived from the Greek word kumbos, meaning 'hole, cavity'. It refers to the form of the base of the lip. The genus is abbreviated Cym in horticultural trade. This genus is distributed in tropical and subtropical Asia (such as northern India, China, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Borneo) and northern Australia.

The larger flowered species from which the large flowered hybrids are derived grow at high altitudes. Cymbidium plants are sympodial and grow to a height of 60 cm and the racemes as high as 90 cm. The raceme grows from the base of the most recent pseudobulb. Each flower can have a diameter of 5 to 10 cm, according to the species.

They bloom during the winter, and each plant can have up to fifteen or more flowers. The fantastic range of colours for this genus include white, green, yellowish-green, cream, yellow, brown, pink, and red [and orange] and black (and there may be markings of other colour shades at the same time), but not blue. The flowers last about ten weeks. They have a waxy texture. The rounded sepals and petals have about the same dimensions. They show very diverse colour patterns, different for every species.

Cymbidium is one of the most popular and desirable orchids in the world because of the beautiful flowers. These plants make great houseplants, and are also popular in floral arrangements and corsages. They have been cultivated for thousands of years, especially in China. Cymbidiums became popular in Europe during the Victorian era. One feature that makes the plant so popular is the fact that it can survive during cold temperatures (as low as 7˚ C or 45˚ F).

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FFF759 - CINERARIA

Cineraria is now generally treated as a genus of about 50 species of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae, native to southern Africa. The genus includes herbaceous plants and small sub-shrubs. In the past, the genus was commonly viewed in a broader sense including a number of species from the Canary Islands and Madeira which are now transferred to the genus Pericallis, including the Florist's Cineraria (Pericallis x hybrida). The uses for Cineraria include topical application for the treatment of cataracts.

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FFF758 - SPRING?

We are in midwinter, and although it has been a mild winter up till now, it was a surprise to see an odd plum tree producing its blossom already... All our seasons are quite askew!

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FFF757 - IRISES

We already have many Spring bulbs flowering in our garden and of course the florist shops are full of bunches of cut flowers that remind us that Winter is only the prelude to Spring. Here are some buds of Dutch iris, a great favourite.

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FFF756 - SUNRING

We are experiencing a mild Winter in Melbourne this year, the temperature rising to 19˚C yesterday. I spotted a plum tree blossoming and many deciduous trees have still not lost their leaves. Many bulbs in the garden are flowering and the springtime weeds are out in full force! Here is my poem about a Spring weed which is much underrated!

The Sunring

When out you walk on grassy field,
Eyes keep open, keep them peeled,
Sacred Sunrings to espy.

God’s good angels from above,
Walked the earth with joy and love,
To bring news from sky.

O, Sunring gold! O, Sunring round!
Good luck, fortune I have found!

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FFF755 - GIANT SPEAR LILY

Doryanthes is the sole genus in the flowering plant family Doryanthaceae. The genus consists of two species, D. excelsa and D. palmeri, both native to the coast of Eastern Australia. Plants grow in a rosette form, only flowering after more than 10 years. They enjoy a warm environment, good soil, and much water during the warmest time of the year.

The genus Doryanthes was first described in 1802 by the Portuguese priest, statesman, philosopher and botanist José Francisco Corrêa da Serra (1751–1823), a close friend of Joseph Banks. Doryanthes excelsa or "Gymea Lily", is endemic to southern Sydney and the Illawarra. The family Doryanthaceae, placed in the order Asparagales of the monocots, has only recently been recognised by taxonomists. Formerly the genus was usually placed in the family Agavaceae.

Doryanthes palmeri (the Giant Spear Lily), shown here, grows in a rosette and the leaves can reach the length of about 3 m. The flowers arise in springtime on a stalk which may reach 5 m in height. A succulent herb, its leaves are hairless and grow in the shape of a sword. The Giant Spear Lily is listed as 'vulnerable' under the New South Wales Threatened Species Act (1995).  Here it is seen growing in Melbourne's Fitzroy Gardens, close to the Conservatory. 

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FFF754 - CAMELLIA

Camellia is a genus of evergreen shrubs and small trees native to eastern and southern Asia. Famous for their glossy, dark-green leaves and stunning winter-to-spring blooms, they are highly prized globally as ornamental garden plants, hedges, and the source of the tea beverage (Camellia sinensis).

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FFF753 - BEE ON MARIGOLD

A bee on a French marigold. The individual disc flowers are seen in the centre of the flower and it is these that contain the nectar the bee collects.

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FFF752 - JAPANESE ANEMONE

Anemone hupehensis, Anemone hupehensis var. japonica, and Anemone × hybrida (commonly known as the Chinese anemone or Japanese anemone, thimbleweed, or windflower) are species of flowering herbaceous perennials in the Ranunculaceae family. A. hupehensis is native to central China, though it has been naturalised in Japan for hundreds of years.

The species was first named and described in Flora Japonica (1784), by Carl Thunberg. Thunberg had collected dried specimens while working as a doctor for the Dutch East Indies Company. In 1844, Robert Fortune brought the plant to England from China, where he found it often planted about graves.

Height is 1–1.5 m and the leaves have three leaflets. Flowers are 40–60 mm across, with 5-6 (or up to 20 in double forms) sculpted pink or white petals and prominent yellow stamens, blooming from midsummer to autumn. These plants thrive best in shady areas and under protection of larger plants. They are especially sensitive to drought or overwatering.

They can be invasive or weedy in some areas, throwing out suckers from the fibrous rootstock, to rapidly colonise an area. Once established they can be extremely difficult to eradicate. On the other hand, they can take some time to become established.

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FFF751 - BIDENS

Bidens ferulifolia, is a type of flowering plant frequently sold as a "Yellow and White" or "Taka Tuka" variety.  These are low-growing, mound-shaped plants with bicolour flowers featuring white petals and golden-yellow centers. They thrive in full sun and require well-drained soil, blooming from late spring through autumn. Due to their compact nature, they are ideal for hanging baskets, patio containers, and garden borders. The blooms are highly attractive to bees and butterflies, making them a great choice for supporting garden wildlife.

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