Solstice wildflowers for Christmas

In South Africa the Christmas garden flower – what is picked in great bundles to arrange around the baby in a manger in our churches – is Agapanthus. Somewhat looked down on as commonorgarden, easy maintenance around office buildings. I love that colour and that the stalks stand high and Proudly South African. My version of the blue globes of Allium flowerheads.

Agapanthus

Foreign flowers in December

December’s memories of foreign exotic commonorgarden flowers. November was the rose’s month of glory, but today the next buds are unfurling in waves. Yesterday was overcast and it almost rained, about half a millimetre. Kind weather for the rose petals – which are not doing their usual – It’s summer! If you don’t pick us and bring us in out of the sun, we’ll just shrizzle up to toasted hasbeens!!

Tropical Sunset at Paradise and Roses
(the camera always lies, but I love this view of our garden!)

Pushed Out of Paradise and Roses

I have gathered and sorted pictures of the roses from the end of October to today. From bud to glory to ‘the last rose of summer’ as the next buds develop. Four of these roses we inherited. As we laid out our new garden they were stranded half way down the driveway. Against a new concrete panel wall, they faced into the full force of the afternoon sun. My two legs of the grey watering system whined louder and louder. He extended the two beds between the garage and the front door, making space for these roses. Not so far to walk, and they make a gracious welcome home. Now they have recovered from transplanting, we can see what we have. Some beauties, mostly nameless!

Pushed Out of Paradise and Roses