:: rubus ursinus x rubus idaeus ::

From the abandoned early twentieth century experiments of the berry grower, Rudolph Boysen, Walter Knott (of the famous 'Knott's Berry Farm') rescued a few sick vines and nursed them back to fruiting health again...

...my childhood was filled with the taste of boysenberries - jam, fresh, icecream and in crumbles and pies...

...best memories were picking them and trying not to eat too many while doing so!

Apparently, these days, New Zealand is the world's largest producer of these delicious, huge and juicy, tasty Summer berries!

Fingers crossed for a luscious harvest here this Summer :-)

:: pansy xi ::

as busy as the pansies proliferating in the backyard today...not proliferating...just doing, doing,doing!

:: pansy x ::

soggy, still and chilly here today...time to declutter the work room...the 'W' room!!

:: geum? ::

tiny, tiny red flowers held aloft on leggy stems above furry soft-looking, geranium-type leaves...so sweet...geum, maybe?

:: rosa xxvii ::

one day I'll figure out how to capture the actual colour through my camera/computer so it is accurate on the screen - the red in real life on this rose is much darker and more crimson red than tomato-sharp...and the yellow more deeply golden...sigh!

:: erysimum allioni ::

this Siberian Wallflower has been quietly growing for the past year, almost and looking like nothing, just leaves and kind of almost weedlike...

...nearly ripped them out a few times...

...and then - this - stunning bright orange flowers erupted from their tops - amazing!

...and they couldn't be wallflowers, could they? Well, even though they look a bit different, yes they are!

So nice to get brilliant orange gardening surprises!

:: rhododendron vi ::

One of the (many!) things I find so lovely about Miss P's school are the grounds and how many lovely plants there are...

...as well as plenty of big trees (ones you can even climb!), many beautiful natives and stunning ornamentals, there is also a generous area devoted to growing food...

...our annual Spring Fair is on in a couple of weeks and the timing is perfect - all these pretty blooms are out - like this one - an eye-catching sunset-coloured rhododendron.