Arrivederci Italia !

Sunrise on the morning of my departure to catch the flight to Rome and then back to Australia

after a lovely 10 day stay in central Italy to wind up an amazing 2 months of travel around the UK and Europe.

Linking in with Skywatch Friday

. . . . and some extraordinary flowers spotted in Brittany. If someone is able to identify them, I'd be very grateful !

Joining in with Nick's Floral Friday Foto and

Denise's Today's flowers

Poinsettia

Traditionally associated with Christmas, these striking Poinsettia's

add a colourful addition to any seasonal display.

Linking up once again with Nick's Floral Friday Foto

(Hoping my fellow photo-bloggers had a great Christmas Day and thank you all
for the pleasure your images have brought to my days. 
Thank you too, Nick, for hosting FFF)

Pretty White Blooms!

These prettily-shaped flowers were blooming in the garden of my Canberra hosts back in September. Initially I thought they were white Felicia Amelloides, but not so. Then, perhaps Pyrethrum - again no. Help! Nick, I wonder if you'd be kind enough to help me out here?

Happy weekend all.



Linking up with Nick's  Floral Friday Foto

Canberra's Floriade

 

The week before last I travelled to Canberra to not only spend time with friends

but also to visit the Floriade.  It was spectacular - Tulips galore in a myriad

of colours, shapes and sizes, with a supporting cast of thousands



Linking up with Nick's Floral Friday Foto

A gift

Last Christmas I was given a Phaleanopsis Orchid plant bearing several gorgeous blooms. Since my green thumbs are more a shade of yellow, I feared for its survival!

However, it seems to have thrived in the warm, light & sunny location

of my bay window and this is the first of its ten (!) buds

that opened a few days ago - I'm ecstatic!

Linking up with Nick's Floral Friday Foto
Macro Monday 2,
Monday Mellow Yellows and
Flowers from Today

White Gerbera

On Monday of this week I posted some images taken around North Adelaide.

During our stroll through a North Adelaide church courtyard,

I was captivated by this white Gerbera,

having only previously seen the brightly coloured varieties -

reds, yellow, orange and pink.

Linking up with Nick's floral friday foto

All things bright.....

It's been a busy week and yesterday I drove a lifelong friend

and her Tasmanian visitor to Clare in South Australia's mid-north.

In the midst of our meanderings, I found these cheerful faces

in a garden during our

"compulsory" visit to one of the many Clare Valley wineries !

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend.

Wherever you are and whatever the season,

find something to laugh at - whatever the reason!

Linking up with Floral Friday Foto 

In the wild

These blooms were growing wild on the outskirts of the Barossa Valley

and were such a contrast to the long grass and weeds amongst them.

Joining up with Nick's Floral Friday Foto

Can't help myself!

At the beginning of April I shared some of the magnificent roses on display at Newman's Nursery following the releases of new varieties.

On looking back through that file, I couldn't help feeling it would be selfish of me not to share some more pics of these stunning blooms, so here's another selection.....

Chateau Versailles

Cote d'Azur

Ebb Tide

Hybrid T

Ashram

Munstead Wood

Linking up with Nick's floral friday foto

Hydrangeas

In the midst of all the rich golden, rusty, red, yellow and brown hues of Autumn in the Adelaide Hills, a few fresh Hydrangeas demanded closer attention.

Don't you just love those cute blue "buttons" in the centre of the petals.

Joining up with Nick's Floral Friday Foto

Coming up Roses

During an Easter Monday visit to Newman's Nursery, there was an abundance of glorious roses upon which to feast the senses.

These beauties caught my attention -  this one on the left because of its soft honey-caramel-smoked salmon colouring,

 and the one below because of its unfolding formation.

Hope you enjoy them too!

 Linking up with Floral Friday Foto

(Thank you Nick, for hosting)

Delicate Pink

(I might have to retract the statement on my previous post!) :-) ...... this gorgeous rose is no less feminine or delicate than the lisianthus and is one of many roses on display last weekend at Newman's Nursery.

Joining up with http://www.floralfridayfoto.blogspot.com.au/

(Many thanks for hosting Nick)

Bougainvillea

Joining Nick's http://floralfridayfoto.blogspot.com.au/ and

Lisa's Macro Monday at http://lisaschaos.com/

Wishing fellow bloggers a fabulous week ahead!

Phalaenopsis Orchids

While acknowledging that a black backdrop would have better brought out the beauty of these orchids, they were a Christmas gift and the shot was taken on the day "in situ" amid the festivities!.

Participating in Gemma's http://www.mondaymellowyellows.blogspot.com.au and

(belatedly I know!) Nick's http://www.floralfridayfoto.blogspot.com.au/

Wishing all a wonderful week ahead.

That blooming pond!

More blooms from the Adelaide Botanic Gardens' pond containing the Amazon Lily.

Joining in with Nick's http://www.floralfridayfoto.blogspot.com.au/

I spy . . .

Spent a delightful few hours early yesterday morning with my photography buddy in Adelaide's Botanic Gardens. The capture above was one of many feasts for the eyes.

Joining Nick's http://www.floralfridayfoto.blogspot.com.au/

Raindrops on Roses...

Participating in Nick's http://www.floralfridayfoto.blogspot.com.au/ 

A pink crown

Came across this unusual hydrangea recently - one I've not seen before. I believe it is called a Lace-cap and the crown or coronet of pink petals surrounding the "lace" sets it off nicely.

Participating in Nick's http://www.floralfridayfoto.blogspot.com.au/

Soft orange

Connecting with http://www.lorikart.com/2012/11/mandarin-orange-monday-20.html  http://flowersfromtoday.blogspot.com.au/ and

http://floralfridayfoto.blogspot.com.au/

Grateful thanks to the hosts of these sites, enabling us to share with one another

Blue and Green

I wonder how that old adage "Blue and green should never be seen" ever came to be adopted in the fashion world!  These colours are the very essence of nature.

Contributing to Nick's  http://www.floralfridayfoto.blogspot.com.au/ 

Wishing all a wonderful week.