This and that and the sunshine....

"You are my sunshine,.......... you are my sunshine" has been playing through my head this weekend.  We have been having a few days where the sun is shining during the day although it still rains at night.   The garden is loving it, and look!  a butterfly hatched!  I only found out after the fact, so didn't see it emerging, but there are three empty chrysalis cases.  One has still not hatched, so hope I can catch that one in the act.

It is weird that this one has so much white on the wings - maybe this is a female and the other one might have been a male? http://africanaussie.blogspot.com/search/label/orchard%20swallowtail%20butterfly

I saw an image like this labelled a female on wikipedia. 

In other news around the garden:
The cats whiskers are always lovely, and I thought this one looking at its own reflection in the birdbath as a few petals dropped off was rather a nice image.

The beehive ginger flower has collapsed under the weight of all the water embedded in the petals.  They do die down when the big rains stop - could this be a forecast?
This little fern has taken off under the base of the tree, I wonder if it too will die down now.
Grounds orchids are so reliable, this is the most common colour in my garden, then I also have a very pale one, almost white, and a darker one which has not flowered for  awhile, maybe a bit of sun will change that.. 

I am so happy that this little anthirium has taken off again - I subdivided it and gave it a bit more room, and it seems grateful for that.
I got this plant at a plant swap and now cant remember much about it - does anyone know what it could be?  The stem is forming a bit of a swollen base and originally I thought it needed to stay dry as it was planted in sand, but it seems to like the wet shade...... and has recently taken off since I re-potted it into regular potting soil.

Comments

  1. AmiMon Mar 14, 11:35:00 AM

    Oh, how cool is that Cats' whiskers looking down its own reflection! Yes, Cats' whiskers are so beautiful, and reliable too! I do have to trim it very often to keep it contained within its own boundary though...

    Sorry can not help with your plant ID. I am sure somebody can identify it. Yes, I do think the ground orchid will like a little bit more sunshine.

    Love, love that butterfly!

    ReplyDelete
  2. AlisonMon Mar 14, 01:27:00 PM

    Oh, the butterfly is beautiful, and the cat's whiskers at the edge of the birdbath! Such pretty flowers! I hope you find out what the plant is. Cause I want one.

    ReplyDelete
  3. BernieHMon Mar 14, 02:37:00 PM

    What a great shot of your Cat's Whiskers! It's such a lovely plant and I haven't had one in years and years ... think it will have to have a place on my wish list.

    Gorgeous orchids and anthurium ... my favourite colour! The Swallowtail is a gorgeous specimen. As for your unknown plant ... I've definitely seen it before but can't for the life of me remember what it is! I'll probably remember at some ungodly hour of the night, fall asleep and then forget it all over again.

    So glad to hear you're having sunny days up there ... I'm jealous. It's still mostly dreary and showery down here ... occasionally we get a few hours of bright sunshine, but those dark clouds just keep on rolling in! Send us some sun!

    ReplyDelete
  4. DesireeMon Mar 14, 05:30:00 PM

    I have never seen a Cat's Whiskers plant before! It's beautiful and I really love the picture you took here...your ground orchids and anthirium are gorgeous and the butterfly is lovely.

    I do not recognise the unnamed plant - I see Alison doesn't know it, either...and she truly knows just about ALL the names of plants!

    Another blogger who might know is Grace, author of the wonderful blog, Gardening with Grace...she is also a veritable hive of information!

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousMon Mar 14, 08:35:00 PM

    Glad to hear that a little bit of sun has been making an appearance for you. That swallowtail butterfly is just lovely, what a great shot of her pretty wings!

    ReplyDelete
  6. AndreaTue Mar 15, 01:56:00 PM

    Hi we have the same vegetation, i think that citrus the pupa cling to is a pommelo. I envy you because even if we have lots of butterflies, i still haven't seen an emerging one. Also i fail in locating where the alive pupa are, just see the butterflies. BTW, i have to check this, but i think the males are more colorful than the females, just like in birds.

    ReplyDelete
  7. africanaussieTue Mar 15, 02:04:00 PM

    Ami,
    I am also cutting mine back to try and keep it contained, but it sure is a honeyeater and butterfly magnet.
    Alison,
    thanks, and at first I thought it was a jatropha, but the leaves are very different. If it flowers I think that will make it easier to identify.
    Bernie,
    I could send you a little one in the mail I think, it transplants quite easily. E-mail me your address at vemvaan@gmail.com. I think I spoke too soon - it has been pouring today and the roads once again look like rivers! Oh well I have the memory of the sunshine to keep me going....:)
    Desiree,
    thanks for that - yes I do admire people who learn all the proper names - Bernie is one of those!
    Gippslandgardener,
    It is just such a wonderful feeling to have been a part of the transformation. I feel quite motherly about my butterflies.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Pas de blabla... Juste des photosTue Mar 15, 06:57:00 PM

    Wow !!!! The butterflies is so beautiful.

    ReplyDelete

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