June 2005
When I tried to grow a Guichenotia macranthaseveral years ago, I managed to
lose it within
a couple of months. This one, growing on the large raised bed,
has bloomed non-stop all through the winter months
and seems to have suffered no ill effects from several quite heavy frosts.
Immediately after the first rain following a lengthy dry period, fungi sprouted
prolifically
in all areas of the garden
Recently I bought a book on Australian
fungi, but I'm not brave
enough to risk attaching names to these little characters
Some of them are just the most amazing
colour.
This one was such a rich red
and these were a beautiful deep
golden yellow
Just appearing through the leaves
- and by this time tomorrow some
enterprising little bugs will probably have nibbled around the edges!
It's not just fungi that offer surprises
when I walk around the garden.
This stick was so completely encased in pale green lichen with little raised
circles.
I went back the next day to see if I could find it to make a painting,
but I couldn't remember exactly where I'd seen it. I should have picked it
up
when I first noticed it!
I've been watching this one for
a couple of days.
It's growing on the bark of a dead pine tree trunk
It was difficult to believe the
extraordinary colour of this leaf
which I almost missed finding as it was so well camouflaged against the mulch