May
2011 - One
Beautiful Banksias
Banksias have certainly
proven their worth in the garden over the past years
(apart from the recent demise of my most mature banksia serrata)
They have happily withstood many years of drought
and are said to be fire retardant.
They have also withstood well the flooding rains of recent months,
as you ca see from the photos below.
With so many forms of banksias
in the Duckpond garden
I hesitate to attach names to them in case I pick the wrong one!
I have banksia spinulosa dotted through the garden in many forms,
from huge flowers on a large tree, to a very dwarf shrub.
One of the joys of the
banksia is its metamorphosis through to maturity.
This one is just beginning to open up.
Viewed from above, you
can see the intricate design of the multi-facetted flowers.
Darker curved loops offer
one more variation on its journey.
This is a prostrate form
of marginata which drapes over a large rock.
The yellow leaves are set
again dark green leaves which also like to show their silver side.
And finally the curved
loops open to display their pollen.
I can see why the birds love them so much.
Finally, you have a shrub
which display a wonderful array of colours,
with the browning cones set off against the lime green of the newly forming
leaves.
The Duckpond Home Page | The Garden | The Vegie Garden | The Frogpond