Wednesday 30 December 2015
Sunday 27 December 2015
Thursday 10 December 2015
Friday 4 December 2015
Thursday 26 November 2015
Monday 16 November 2015
Flower Spot 11 2015
Thursday 12 November 2015
Monday 9 November 2015
Sunday 1 November 2015
Thursday 22 October 2015
Thursday 15 October 2015
Thursday 8 October 2015
Tuesday 29 September 2015
Tuesday 22 September 2015
Monday 14 September 2015
Sunday 6 September 2015
Friday 20 February 2015
Glad for Glads
Glad for Glads
Last time I wrote about how I have fallen for Streptocarpus flowers, well, I have "fallen"for a gazillion flowers in this place! Another genus that is well represented in this beautiful place is the genus Gladiolus. Now, most of us know Glads as a special type of flower reserved for the most posh of gardens. I, however, have managed to record eight species growing here in the wild. They are uber spectacular and bumping one while walking always seems to take ones's breath away. Here's a little gallery of the species that I have so far encountered. Remember, all photos have been taken by me, with my trusty old phone, here on the estate...
I mean, like, how's the G.ecklonii (third from the top)? Have you ever seen anything quite as spectacular? If you have not yet seen some of the above, then it's time to start walking this place (when the time is right, of course). Give me a call when you're here and, if the time is right, let's go walking...
Next time I'm gonna show you some Orchids I have found here. Not as many as Lesley Baardman has recorded yet but I'm on my way!
Saturday 7 February 2015
Beautiful Streptocarpus flowers!
STREPTOCARPUS PLANTS
Wow! Since I have been here, I have fallen completely for a certain genus of plant. It's called Streptocarpus, which means "Twisted Seed". Once the seed has germinated, it has a set of two cotyledons (Dicotyledon) or seed leaves and a tap root. As the plant matures only one of these cotyledons continue to grow and become the leaf while the other withers away. The plant then forms fibrous roots while the tap root withers away too. Therefore, you get a small plant consisting of a petiole (leaf stalk) and a leaf blade, no true leaves, really. The flowers are always spectacular, and are geared mainly (except for S.dunnii which may use birds for pollination.) to attract moths and mosquitoes for pollination in their dark, dank habitat. I have, so far, managed to find, photograph, identify and record six species of this magnificent plant on the Estate. Attached are photos of these. If, when the time is right, you would like to see some of these, give me a call and we will try to find them. It will, I guarantee you, require some serious adventuring because they live in deeeeeep, daaark places!!!
Streptocarpus cyaneus
Streptocarpus dunnii
Streptocarpus galpinii
Streptocarpus hilburtianus
Streptocarpus polyanthus comptonii
Streptocarpus wilmsii
Monday 12 January 2015
Successful Flower Walk!
Louise Twiggs (The Crofts / Unit 19) and I decided to challenge ourselves to try to identify 50 flowering plants in a day. So Louise, her lovely daughters Kenna and Ashley, the pooches, Graham and Rosa Leigh (Grilse Cottage / Unit 18) and their guests, and I headed off to the extreme North East end of the Estate and enjoyed a walk through the gorge East of Pebble Stream (Unit 25) on a perfectly clear day. We managed to photograph and identify 52 species of flowering plant in the day! Success!
The next two months are ideal for this sort of adventure, so if you come down here and are interested in this sort of excursion, contact me on the radio on your arrival or email the office prior to your arrival and we will make a date...
The next two months are ideal for this sort of adventure, so if you come down here and are interested in this sort of excursion, contact me on the radio on your arrival or email the office prior to your arrival and we will make a date...
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