Mother Nature's Amazing Colour Reversal - Billbergia

Hello my kindred garden lovers


Today I've decided to simply mention one memorable plant.
Please find below: BILLBERGIA. 

Billy grows in several places in my garden beds, as well as in pots so I can see him up close and marvel at the colour combination. He flowers throughout October. The flowers look good but the leaves can get scrappy. If you put one in a pot so you can gaze at it up-close, it's probably a good idea to keep removing the leaves when they lose their attractiveness.


This is what Wikipedia says: 
Billbergia is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae. The genus is named for the Swedish botanist, zoologist, and anatomist Gustaf Johan Billberg. This genus is divided into two subgenera: Billbergia and Helicodea. Many Billbergia are endemic to Brazil but individual species are represented from Mexico to Argentina. 


I didn't realise till now that Billbergia is a Bromeliad. Canberra (Australian Capital Territory) is inland and high above sea level, with cold frosty winters. Many bromeliads would not survive this location unless they lived in a hothouse but our Billbergias don't seem to mind it.

See the amazing mix of green, pink and chartreuse flowers, growing on pink stems? Green flowers?! Pink stems?! Aren't they the wrong way around?! And what about that navy blue edging? 


I think Mother Nature is extraordinarily skilful. She never runs out of ideas and ways to bring us pleasure. Bless her.


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13 December 2010 - Canberra gardeners please note


I have just been in the garden dividing a huge clump of bilbergia and I'd like to give them away. I'm confident they'll be transplantable at least until April. 


If you live in Canberra Australian Capital Territory or nearby, and you'd like some plants, please send me an email. You can come to the Heart Garden to collect, and maybe stay for a cuppa. You'd be so welcome.

Magnolias and soft pink prunus blossoms

Greetings from Canberra, Australia, on a sunny Spring day

September in my part of the world is very literally 'change of seasons'. All in one day we can have gentle rain, then sunshine and stillness, then a wild wind from the west, coming off the last patches of snow on the Brindabella mountains. 

Magnolia soulangeana 'Star Wars'

This is the spectacular magnolia 'Star Wars'. She doesn't have many flowers. Her focus is grandeur. There are more photos in the slideshow on the right.

Other magnolias are flowering now. This one is magnolia soulangeana 'Alexandrina.' She has masses of flowers and looks wonderful beside the prunus 'elvins', just coming into bloom.

Prunus 'elvins'

'Elvins' has masses of sword-shaped branches, totally packed with bloom. The blossoms come out pale pink then turn to richer, stronger pink as they age. Nice metaphor I think for all of us to become more colourful as life goes on (and more rich).

Magnolia 'Star Wars' against a grey September sky

My first post in the first week of Spring down under

Greetings from 'The Heart Gardener' on the first week of Spring. 

The cyclamen on my desk finishes for winter

     I've been promising myself this blog for some years. I so want to share the beauty of my garden with you, wherever you are in the world.

     I live in the Australian Capital Territory in our magnificent national capital, Canberra. Canberra is like an enormous parkland. We're inland, and well above sea level. In garden climate terminology, we're in a cool temperate zone.

Ipheons are popping up everywhere!
Warning - don't plant ipheons unless you are willing to cull ruthlessly!

     My husband and I have a quarter-acre block we bought nearly forty years ago when it was bare, scraped clay. We designed and built our own home. Our house is rather conventional but our garden is totally unique. Its style is definitely romantic, with four well-defined seasons.

    

Soft pink tunnel of prunus cerasifera nigra

     As Spring begins in the southern hemisphere, the walk down our driveway is a glorious tunnel of soft pink prunus cerasifera nigra, underplanted with violets. In the garden, some flowers have been flowering through winter, especially the violas. 

Violas flower in Winter, but heaps more in Spring

The violas are becoming more colourful with each warmer day but the glory of the wonderful winter roses (hellebores) is quickly, and elegantly, fading.

Hellebore

Hellebores farewell Winter in Canberra ACT

     For a while, the garden will be open and sunny. The Spring equinox is only a couple of weeks away.

It's early September in the Heart Garden,
and it's early Spring in the Southern Hemisphere

     I just love this time of year!