A stroll through my garden revealed some fabulous Australian natives in bloom in the middle of winter! Its a bright sunny day here with blue skies but a biting wind. Perforce the walk was shortened - besides its nearly lunchtime and I'm making chicken and sweetcorn soup for myself!
The first flower I noticed was the pink form of Correa alba (first photo). I was impressed at how good the hedges of Correa alba were outside the Exhibition Buildings in Melbourne many years ago, so I decided to grow one here. I spotted the pink form in a nursery and had to have it. The soft pink flowers look particularly good against the dove grey leaves.
The second flower was on Eremophila 'Winter Gold' (second photo) a reliable little shrub which never fails to delight every winter. I was once told the emu bushes should be very hardy in my area and this has proved to be the case with most of the cultivars I have chosen. The buds on 'Winter Gold' look attractive for weeks before they actually open, so you get a long season of enjoyment from it in an otherwise drab part of the garden.
The last flower was on a Hakea cucullata (third photo) and I nearly missed it because the shrub's branches are so high now and the flowers are hidden inside the cupped leaves. I am amazed I have been able to grow this Western Australian plant here, but after a decade it is now nearly 3m tall! The pink flowers are hidden away from human eyes although the honeyeaters have no trouble finding them.
The first daffodil has just opened too so although it is the middle of winter you can be assured that spring is on its way! I'm off to make soup!
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