Chinese winter-flowering jasmine fountains near our post-box.
‘You’ve got a postcard from China!’
‘Ooh that’ll be from Annie Yim on G+ in Taiwan.’
 |
| Annie's postcard Nimmt sich kein Blatt vor den Mund - that would be both of us! |
It’s a strange feeling to hold in my hand a postcard handwritten by a virtual friend.
Makes me realise that on Annie’s side of our virtual reality, she is as living and breathing, as I am on my side. But then Annie knows I'm weird!
Makes me realise that on Annie’s side of our virtual reality, she is as living and breathing, as I am on my side. But then Annie knows I'm weird!
 |
| Annie's postcard with Chinese winter-flowering jasmine |
What is that glimpse of red? – the Japanese flowering quince is in full stride. Yesterday I saw our neighbour harvesting her vaseful.
 |
| King Arthur slipper orchid, Japanese flowering quince Chinese winter-flowering jasmine |
When I woke this morning everything was blanketed in thick grey cloud draped over the treetops. The mountains were cancelled. By mid-morning we have sky so blue and quince so red-pink that they both look synthetic.
 |
| Japanese flowering quince |
 |
| Paradise and Roses Summer Gold, Autumn Fire Winter Chill, Spring Promise |
 |
| Winter Chill (need to thin the daisy in favour of Santolina) |
Ludwig’s opened their Winelands branch just when I was planning Paradise and Roses.
We, that is he, took out the dead plum tree. Replaced it with a South African camphor bush Tarchonanthus camphoratus to echo the first one in Winter Chill. The tree claimed its blood tribute. The newly planted bed is Indian Summer. Mixing together plants from the red, pink, yellow and white beds - an invitation to explore Paradise and Roses.
 |
| Indian Summer |
Since I deliberately planted Paradise and Roses, heavy pruning has reminded me what I was aiming for. I want to sit at Inspire and feel the four beds cradling me like cupped hands, with the view sweeping away, across our garden and the fields to the mountain.
 |
| Paradise and Roses looking east, west north, south |
 |
| Paradise and Roses |
From China, Japan and Taiwan to always something new out of Africa, via a Taiwanese postage stamp of Solanum americanum. (American nightshade, this native is found in plains and hills. It has white or lavender flowers. Its round berries are green at first and turn shiny dark purple when they mature. The fruit is edible)
by Diana of Elephant's Eye
- wildlife gardening in Porterville,
near Cape Town in South Africa
near Cape Town in South Africa
(If you mouse over brown text, it turns shriek pink.
Those are my links.)
Those are my links.)
Lovely formality of Paradise and Roses, especially the view to your special mountain, that is stunning!
ReplyDeleteBorrowed scenery is deeply appreciated!
DeleteI've love those nice cooler temps. You're planning stage there is my pruning stage here:) Lots to cut back as everything is overgrown:)
ReplyDeleteI love how you have all your flower beds set up. They make nice borders along the walkway. I love that creacher(spelling comes from a book I'm reading now) known as Chocolat:) I'd love to have this sweet confection around while I'm gardening:)
I've pruned the plums, the apples, the figs, the roses, the companion plants to the roses (mostly) now I need to work on the trees and the mountain view.
DeleteI hope with your transplanted roses it becomes the garden that you envision in your dreams. It's already inspiring - love the shape. And your quince is blooming! That must mean spring is right around the corner for you - and autumn for us!
ReplyDeleteWe inherited the quince from Anna. She and I share a July birthday and those red-pink flowers are the garden's gift to us in mid-winter.
DeleteDiana, no shivering here, it's hot, and getting hotter each day. Mid summer madness and all that. I have learned to read between the lines, when reading your blog. The names for all of the gardens used to stump me, lol, but bit by bit I am figuring them out. Gorgeous postcard, wonderful quince.
ReplyDeleteJen @ Muddy Boot Dreams
between the lines, are the best bits!
DeleteI like that cupped feeling too. I was clearing dead stuff in the chaparral area where I don't often go - for fear of disturbing birds nesting - and found some very nice "cuppy" nooks to sit in for a while and just soak in being there. I'm thinking of adding a Peace rose, to remind me of my grandfather's garden. Your gardens are lovely! We are now having a weird windy, cloudy, and even a little rainy, morning. It makes me uneasy, because the weather is so strange... Like you we usually get foggy mornings that burn off to sun all day. Your vivid picture of blue and pink is quite literally stunning!
ReplyDeletesadly I lost my Peace rose, and I'm learning to chose the tougher modern Eco-Chic varieties.
DeleteDiana - what a wonderful concept, to be 'cupped' by your landscaping. Lovely tour of your gardens. Out of curiosity, how cold is your winter? (Seeing Chocolat snuggled in the sunshine was good indication.)
ReplyDeleteI have our weather on the sidebar, towards the bottom. Today was so cold we came back from church and lit the fire at 11 in the morning. But I count on NOT getting any frost in the garden!
DeleteYour gardens are looking lovely showing off their bones and when those roses bloom they will be heaven. Looking forward to Indian Summer both in your garden and here in mine. I need some relief from this oppressive summer. Oh well no gardening today...too hot at 6 am. I will be posting my choice a bit later on the 22nd.
ReplyDeleteSnow in Sutherland, weather undecided, I am at the computer.
DeleteWhat lovely views you have. And leave it to a cat to find the warmest and most cosy spot.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful setting--and your description makes it even more beautiful. The chairs against the wall...looking across the gardens...to the mountains...does sound like paradise!
ReplyDeleteYour rose garden is beautiful, and your view is amazing. Christina
ReplyDeleteI discovered Postcrossing.com last year. Its a website where you register on and it throws out random people and their addresses all over the world. You then send them a postcard with a handwritten message on. Your name then pops up with somebody who will then in turn send you a postcard. Its an awesome concept and I have loved receiving cards from all over the world.
ReplyDeleteDiana, I find those "musical chairs" plant moving sessions can be very satisfying. Your "Indian Summer" flower bed sounds delightful. I found that image of the flowering quince against the clear blue sky just breathtaking. -Jean
ReplyDeleteOh how nice it is to finish work in the garden before the rains come, but we are now deep into the phenomenal 10d continuous rains flooding most of Metro Manila and suburbs. While most people are deep in water trouble, i am thinking about the pruning that still needs to be done. I envy you for those works well done already. And how sweet of Annie to send you that...and how 'weird' also is your cat for producing nice portraits, haha!
ReplyDeleteI'll be away from Social Media and off the internet unable to moderate comments. Your blog posts will wait for me in my Google Reader. Back in a few days!
ReplyDeleteParadise and Roses looks like paradise indeed, well done!
ReplyDeleteYour quince is lovely and looks so much like my ancient, unnamed ones that bloomed of months here this year. I always enjoy long views over your garden; I especially like the one of Indian Summer and the one with the mountain in the distance. Good luck with your new roses!
ReplyDeleteYour slipper orchid is beautiful! It looks like you've been doing quite a bit of work in the garden. I love all the names you have given your beds - they sound so full of promise for each season!
ReplyDeletehi diana, i enjoyed the poetic language in this post - cradled as with cupped hands, sky so blue and quince so red-pink they both look synthetic, etc. Hope you successfully completely musical chairs without getting addicted.
ReplyDeleteMust be a pleasant surprise to receive a postcard these days as they are becoming quite a rarity...
ReplyDeletenearly every blog I read recently the blogger is taking a break there must be something is the air not that I do as much blog reading when I can spend more time in the garden while we have light and dry, enjoy your break Diana,
ReplyDeleteI've clicked through from Paulines blog, your comment to David that Paulines name is clickable, it is on her blog but not when she leaves a comment on mine and David's blog, she uses a different log in when she comments on our blogs 'paulinemulligan' and isn't clickable, take a look at her comments on mine and Davids blogs and you will see, it seems strange to me that her comments on her own blog have a live link when we are already on her blog but there is no link when she comments on my and some other blogs, Frances
oh yes, now I see what you mean. It is sad when bloggers lose out on the benefit of clicking thru new readers. That is why I prefer to moderate comments, and allow ANYONE to comment.
DeleteLovely views! The cats always look for the warmest place otherwise than dogs...
ReplyDeleteStill staggered that it looks so established. A nice elegance and serenity in your paradise and roses frieze.
ReplyDeleteHappy Lughnasa!! From a celtic land. What a cutie:~)
ReplyDeleteHello Diana, I linked to your blog for Dozen for Diana in my latest posting. P. x
ReplyDelete