364 DAYS AGO…

…this blog was 5 years old. W’appen? How did a whole year slip by so fast?

Traditions. Are they outmoded fancies? Relevant markers of important occasions? Should Dinah have an annual give-away to celebrate the fact that she still has a blog and readers?

And, should there be a great clamouring from the gallery, what should she give away? Cole Porter springs to mind here!

Another new banner. Croton leaves, this time. Apart from the vibrant colours, I love that all these different colours and patterns are on the same plant! I bet if I walked down the street wearing  such a mish-mash people would think (probably say!) “Poor old bat has no idea how ridiculous she looks!” But I get away with it in the garden.

Dwarf Heliconia (crab claw)

I love the bright blue seeds! They are beginning to lose their “blueness” now as they mature.

Peace lily Spathyphyllum. Generally called a Peace Lily, but I’ve no idea why. (I did ask Mr.Google, but he was no help.) Anyway, mine was overcrowded in a pot so, once we started to do something along the side fence I split it and brought both pots to the front. Oh boy! Both are flowering madly. And, so far, not objecting to having  more light. Confused creatures, like the gardener.

Clerodendrum ugandense

Clerodendrum ugandense  With the common monica of “blue butterfly bush.” Wonder why? This  is relatively young, so only about 20cms (8″) high, but it will eventually reach 1 metre or maybe more.

Right! So let’s consider this anniversary. If you think we should have a give-away, leave a suggestion in the comments. Yes, I am making you do the work! You can’t expect to wander in and have it all laid out on a plate! What am I – Liberty Hall!

When I hit the “publish” button, WordPress took me by the hand and led me to a page with a quote. Just for me! “I am a drinker with writing problems.”

(That’s Brendan Behan, in case you wondered.)

31 thoughts on “364 DAYS AGO…

  1. Blimey… I come here and you expect me to do maths????? Happy sixth bloggy birthday!!!
    I have done the maths, I can do no more *expires on chaise longue in a delicate manner*
    Sx

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  2. Happy birthday. I am thinking that it is much more usual to bring presents to the person having the birthday. Is this not so? I could offer one badly behaved (but beautiful) black cat.
    On a much more sensible note – I love your garden. Crotons do grow down here – after a fashion if nurtured sufficiently. Having seen them in a warmer climate I came home and put mine out of their misery. I know what you mean about natural colour schemes. If someone was to paint some of the more spectacular sunsets the consensus would be along the lines of ‘the exaggerated colour scheme detracted from the whole’ or some such pretentious twaddle.
    Happy, happy birthday.

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    • Thank you.
      I was thinking of Behan (and you, especially!) yesterday when we heard on the news of the latest in thing. …a new play is staged and the audience is invited to send their ideas of adjustments via smart phone. Imagine! An audience of know-alls fiddling with their bloody phones!

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  3. Happy 6th bloggy anniversary, Di. Apparently “candy” or iron! are the traditional gifts for a 6th anniversary. Well, we don’t have candy in this country, but in case someone sends you an iron, I’ve got a basket of crumpled clothes standing by….

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  4. Happy blogiversary! I say, it’s your blog, you should do whatever pleases you! (Not that I wouldn’t welcome a chance for a freebie from the illustrious Di, mind you…)

    Great garden colors indeed. And I’ve always liked crotons, although here they are strictly a house plant.

    So… is “candy” called “sweets” in your dialect?

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      • Funny, I say “sweets” because I always feel “lollies” is more English. Perhaps because I keep hearing English people referring to “ice blocks” as ” ice lollies”. Lucky we all understand one another. Now, when it comes to what you wear at the Aussie beach, we have cossies, togs, bathers, swimming costumes – and that’s just a few of them…

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  5. Happy Blogiversary! Sorting out the “Candy is dandy, but lollies are jolly – and as always, sweets is neats” verbage… i have to agree that we are the ones who should send presents for your anniversary! and i’d love to send some exotic plant seeds, but as you said, that is unlikely to happen without some sort of fines or incarceration…

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    • I think any plant that grows in your neck o’ the woods would fry here! I’ll stay with my beloved Ogden Nash: candy may be dandy, but liquor is quicker! Just be sure to pack the bottle well! 🙂

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    • Thank you, Mig. And no, I’m afraid your winters would be too much for them. Unless you could provide a heated conservatory. And then you’d want to be careful not to place them too near walkways or seating ‘cos the leaves are ychh!Foetid!

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  6. We have a Clerodendrum tree with cool flowers and a scent like peanut butter, but it looks nothing like that. All your flowers are hothouse plants here. I think you’re showing off. So thank you for that, and happy anniversary! You’ve got a couple years on me. I shall follow in your shadow.

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  7. love this post and all the wonderfully wry replies! I have no idea why Peace Lilies are peaceful except they are such soothing and easy to grow plants or why the blue butterfy bush is called that, does it attract those gorgeous blue Ulysses butterflies? am having a go at growing Indigofera tinctoris this year it would do very well up your way!

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    • Thank you, Mo. The C.ugandense flowers really are butterfly-shaped, but, as far as I know, not host to any lepidoptera. Certainly not the Ulysses, though we do see them sometimes. Blue Triangles are more common here though.
      And I grew an Indigofera at our former home, just south of Brisbane. Then left before I could harvest it! You shouldn’t have much trouble.

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