…when the only thing left was hope…
I love zinnias. Actually, it would not be stretching it to say I’m nuts about them. Nuts to the point where I’ll even try to grow them in this climate. With limited success, I admit. And then only when I can sow them early enough, to flower well ahead of the wet season.
I was not successful this year. Well, not until now. I spied this tiny thing, peeping out from behind an overgrown orthosiphon beside the drive. Poor little scrap! It is having one last roll of the dice and hoping to set seed. (Difficult to see its size, but think a 5p piece.Or 5c Australian.)
Hopeful of a walk outside…
Hoping the rain stays away while he snoozes…
Some things thumb their noses at hope and just fling themselves about with wild abandon, like this “weed.”
Gloriosa superba On the Weed Police’s “hit” list. Poisonous in all its parts, this pretty thing seeds as if it’s going out of fashion. But it’s super-easy to rip out so what’s the big deal, I ask?
And some things have the tenacity of an investigative journalist. This Mussaenda philippica
is right on the edge of the drive so it’s been ” vehicular- pruned” many times. I just hope it can bear the weight of a passion fruit vine!
Yet another member of the great tomato tribe…
Solanum seaforthianum. The “Weed Police” are probably getting my canvas blanket and tin dish ready as you read… “Well, yes, Your Honour, I do know it’s poisonous. And, yes, I know it’s illegal to sell it. But it’s the birds, y’see…they eat the berries and… And yes, I probably should rip it out. But it’s pretty!” I hope Her Majesty doesn’t still serve cauliflower cheese!
Yesterday, I heard that the official count of flood-damaged houses in town is over 4,000. While we have a muddy mess in the garden and back yard, the house is fine. Well, it will be once I’ve washed the mould off the walls. And checked that framed paintings haven’t got mould inside the glass. And cleaned the windows. And aired all the linen.
But at least I have a house. And hope.
Moreidlethoughts Weblog 
Rain – can’t live without it, can’t live with it. Still, I guess Kevin is working on it! Seriously – sorry to hear of your recent trials.
Your poison plants are very pretty, I’d have trouble ripping them out too. I was heartbroken when the North Sydney Council made us rip out a curtain of beautiful pampas grass in our front garden. After which an elderly lady visited our house and commented: ‘Very public, isn’t it!’
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Glad your home came through ok. (Mold inside the picture frames?!) The poor wee black kitty waiting to go out is too cute!
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You have “Weed Police” crikey!
Is it just for poisonous plants or are they getting rid of non-native plants that may run rampant all over the bush like … rabbits! ?
I love zinnias too – the colours are just the right mix of bright coours, I love to pick them for the house, which encourages them to keep flowering. They are usually planted on either side of the asparagus bed – an otherwise unused space after the asparagus has been picked and they mingle nicely with the ferny asparagus fronds 🙂
Celia
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robyn…Kevin is coming to town (today, I think) to see the damage. Shame about the pampas grass.I know it’s a pain in the coastal bush, but you don’t see them saying the same about introduced pasture grasses!
ryan…thank you.And yes, if there are dirt spots or fingerprints inside frames this is just the weather they love! (I usually wear gloves when framing, but sometimes I’m slack.Then I pay!)
celia…well, it’s mainly the introduced garden escapees that are no-nos.Some can be a terrible nuisance in bushland areas.
There is a bigger picture (story) here; the problem is always worse where land has been cleared. Natural overgrowth of native specifics takes care of most invaders.But depauperate rainforest/bush struggles to stay on top.
Oh! For zinnias like yours!
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Damn that Mother Nature anyway. Can’t She see that you’re using the place? HELLO!?
She just can’t go around and flooding things just because She has for millions of years. Honestly!
Oh you have no idea how fabulous it is for me to see Flowers! This Winter has taken it’s toll on my already diminished facilities…
I can’t wait for Spring.
Thakyou,thankyou,thankyou,thankyou.
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dinahmow – so glad you escaped relatively unscathed. Enjoying your flower pictures (and SO wish we could grow passionfruit vines here!). I think I counted 11 tiny purple crocuses out in the yard this week, but that is the extent of spring color thus far…
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homey…this has been a bad flood for some, but we are all grateful for replenished reservoirs.
Glad you like my meagre garden!
tara…thank you. Crocuses! I haven’t seen them since England!Funny, isn’t it, that you want what I have and I long for the plants you can grow. Maybe we should do a house swap!
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good to know you’re still there, though. i thought i was going to come here and find you’d been all et by seagoing monitor lizards or keelhauled or had your timbers shivered or something.
i would KILL to be able to grow that gloriousa vine!!! it has to be conservatory grown in this climate. it’s always interesting to see whats a weed elsewhere!
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fn… hey! I’m a tough ol’ dinosaur! I’ve been through several floods, had close calls with bush fires, a scary night or two with house fires…even had my windows cracked by a bomb!
Yes, wou’d need some warmth for Gloriosa, but it might be worth trying as an indoor pot plant…
Oh! Those dramas were not all in this place! I’ve just lived in “interesting” times and climes!
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