Flowers in the heat

Its getting very hot but we're still experiencing floral delights! My hoya flowered for the first time in four years! Crowea exalata has come back superbly after again, thinking I had lost it.  The cuttings I did of this are doing wonderfully!  I so far have only had one flower flourish of the roses.  Due to the heat (40+ over the weekend), I haven't had too many casualties. Even my baby cuttings are doing ok.  
The one thing I make sure to do if we are going to have a very hot day is to fill all the water receptacle around the place for the birds. The respite of the heat yesterday with all the heavy rain was wonderful. More importantly my friend who had to be evacuated from her property which was in the midst of fire was saved. Her dog sivived too.  Be careful out there. Fire is unfortunately a reality for most people in the bush.

Pelagoniums

Life & stuff!

Sometimes life knocks us for six. People let you down, trust is broken. Thank goodness for flowers and gardening! Sunshine helps too! (Also a punching bag hanging magestically in the midst of the said garden!)

Its getting warmer...

The sun is shining,  the  flowers are  blooming and the humans are enjoying the peace and quiet of Spring...unless you have a four year old and quiet is a distant memory... :) 

Croweas are bliss

Crowea exalata

Crowea exalata 'white form'

Crowea saligna

Crowea saligna

I've come to realise that I have never actually blogged about this flower. The Crowea to me, is one of the most beautiful flower, as its simple, but so delicate Its five- petalled star shape adds to its loveliness.  It is a an Australian Native, named after James Crowe, an 18th and 19th century surgeon and botanist.  There are three species of Crowea.  The three species are Crowea angustifolia, exalata and salingna.  There are many cultivars of the species exalata, including C. 'Bindalong compact' and C. 'Green Cap', two registered cultivars.  Another is a cultivar hybrid between C. exalata and C. saligna, known as C. 'Poorinda ectasy'.  Being from the Rutaceae family, it is closely related to the Phylotheca and Eriostemon. Crowea grows well through cuttings.  Once established, are quite hardy.  The more prolific species would be C. exalata as it has many cultivars or various shades of pinks and whites.  They like well drained soils but will tolerate periods of dry soils.  It is prone to sooty mould so desires a trim.  I have always cuttings on the go, I also have it in a pot.  It looks fabulous!

Crowea exalata in a Blue pot