Well, it is a surprise that the Weekly Photo Challenge comes to an end this week. Over the years this series has in itself been a favourite, and it has inspired and connected many bloggers on WordPress. Continue reading “New horizons”
The buds of the Powderpuff Tree are so tightly clenched that they almost resemble berries. The transformation of the buds unfurling almost one stamen at a time to become flowers is particularly eye-catching. Continue reading “Transforming from bud to flower”
Beautiful when it flowers and highly sought after for the traditional medicine trade, this member of the Hyacinth family is one of my favourite plants both in the wild and in our garden. Continue reading “From dormancy to delicate blue: ‘Scilla natalensis’ in the garden”
The curves of the Calla Lily softened in the late afternoon sunlight. Continue reading “Calla curves”
Once upon a time, not long ago and not far away, a White Starred Robin visited our garden pond. If I had the powers to understand the language of robins, what might I learn? Continue reading “The understorey: The tale of the White Starred Robin”
The African dog rose takes its name from a wild briar rose that is native to regions in Europe, western Asia and northwest Africa. Despite the shared common name, they are not related; what they have in common is a superficial resemblance between their flowers. Continue reading “The African dog rose”
The name “Laughing Dove” derives from its bubbling call that is said to have a gentle laughing quality. Laughing Doves are thought to be monogamous, with birds pairing for life. Continue reading “Favourite Garden Birds: Laughing Doves”
Capturing the beauty of a single bloom is the theme for the Garden Photography Challenge for September. In response to the request from Jude to showcase a flower that you are particularly fond of or one that is unusual, here is my photo of a single flower of the Barringtonia racemosa, often referred to as the Powderpuff tree, for obvious reasons. In South Africa, this tree occurs naturally along the edges of coastal swamps, estuaries and rivers on the eastern seaboard of KwaZulu-Natal and north into Mozambique. Continue reading “September: Flower Portrait”
Not all cuckoos are brood parasites, but the cuckoos in our area all lay eggs in the nests of other birds and leave the hosts to raise the young. The female cuckoo surreptitiously approaches a host nest and rapidly lays a single egg and also removes another egg from the nest. She will lay 4 to 5 eggs on successive or alternate days in different nests, and most will lay about 20 eggs in total over one breeding season. Continue reading “The cuckoo has landed”
letting nature back in 