The weather is definitely getting warmer, you can really feel it in the air. Everything is growing apace, especially weeds. I did a bit of a tidy up yesterday, and we are heading to the garden centre at last tomorrow just in time for the Labour Day holiday Monday. New pots are needed for my dahlia tubers, for repotting on a rosemary and for selected seeds, more name tags because they are useful and of course more potting compost. Thanks to The Propagator who encourages us to share what is going on in our gardens in all parts of the world. Check out the participant guide if you want to join in. Photos taken on Wednesday and Friday.
We’ll start with the rhododendron this week. It really is a bright spot of pink which can be easily identified from the bus stop on the other side of the road. The bees love it, we love it, but it is not a healthy tree despite all the flowers. Anyway, who doesn’t love a rhodo?
At number two, Choisya Ternata or Mexican Orange Blossom if I am not mistaken. It certainly smells delightful! It sits sort of underneath/next to the rhododendron on the slope that goes down from the house. I always forget about it as it is not in direct line of sight, but every year the scent reminds me it is there.
Number three I am calling ‘purple herb flowers’ or lots of pretty (and useful in salads) chive flowers and sage flowers. I know these have featured in a SoS post before. but here they are again because they are lovely, and with the daffs now finished, there aren’t that many flowers around at the moment (oh yes – there are a couple of nasturtiums about as you can see from the featured image at the top of the post).
At number four, we have a herb trio – lemon balm and variegated sage in pots and one of the kawakawa bushes that are dotted around the house. Does anyone think I can go to the garden centre and not buy more herbs? One of my parsley plants is about to go to seed…which is a perfect excuse to have a look at the herb section of the shop.
At number five, there are still camellias to be enjoyed on the large bush in front of the house. Lots of buds too, and another plant enjoyed by bees and also the tuis.
Finally….a promise of things to come….the alstroemeria, which should be in flower for Christmas, providing the standard backdrop for our annual Christmas Eve photo.
As usual, I am looking forward to seeing everyone’s beautiful gardens in other parts of the world. Hope you are all well and enjoying your gardens in whatever the season is with you.
You can find Thistles and Kiwis on Facebook, and also on Instagram @thistlesandkiwis. As for Twitter….am totally inactive these days. If you want to get in touch, email me on thistlesandkiwis@gmail.com
Thistles and Kiwis 
Nice to see so many spring flowers as we head into autumn up here in the Northern Hemisphere! I particularly like the Mexican Orange Blossom – a lovely plant.
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Nice to see your Choisya in bloom. Just added a narrow leafed variety to my garden this year and can’t wait for the promised fragrance. What is kawakawa? The chive blossoms are beautiful. Do you find that your herbs tend to self-seed around your garden?
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Kawakawa is a native plant https://www.visitzealandia.com/About/Wildlife/Plants/Kawakawa
All my herbs are in pots – not the kawakawa obviously!
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I always enjoy the blue sky photos and the rhododendron looks smashing. Oddly enough I was appreciating the fragrance of some Choisya the other weekend and the fragrance of the foliage is rather nice when it comes to pruning time.
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It is a lovely fragrance – brought a couple of small branches inside too.
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Rhododendron, choisya and camellia are among the many plants that I have in my garden and among my favourites. What a pleasure to see them blooming again this southern hemisphere season! ( and I’m sure you like the choisya scent, right?!)
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Yes I do like the choosy scent – and it is a really pretty plant.
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Ah, the camellias. Ours started last month and I can’t wait for the japonicas. Yours is lovely!
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Actually I am one person who does not particularly like rhodies! I don’t mind some of the flowers, but I dislike much of the foliage. On the other hand I do very much like Choisya. And I don’t think anyone who loves herbs can resist buying more! Is there any reason why you don’t plant yours in the garden?
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The choisya is really pretty I do agree. We only have two flat areas where I could grow herbs, one is in the shade, though I have grown borage in that spot. The other flat area is next to the house, and full of other legacy things already (like my lovely hellebores). I have a lot of things in pots….almost no room to sit any more!
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Sun is most important for herbs, especially the Mediterranean ones. You must have a sloping plot then?
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Wellington is a hilly city, with houses perched on the slopes. We have to climb 89 steps up to the the house and almost the same amount down from the street above…..
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You need a lift! I’d never cope with that many steps, especially with shopping.
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Those camellias are so colourful, especially against the blue, blue sky.
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Always love seeing your Camellias and the purple herb flowers. Chives taste terrible when grown in the ground here, so weird. Rhododendrons are difficult plants sometimes, but worthwhile for the flowers. I need to look into a Choisya..sound divine.
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The choysia is lovely – very pretty flowers and a nice, light scent. My chives are in a pot – maybe you could try that?
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The scent sounds wonderful. I was thinking the same about chives..the horrid ones in the ground put me off of growing them for a while and they still pop up now and then…
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Worth a try with the chives – they are useful in the kitchen.
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I know, I like them, thanks for the encouragement
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Purple herb flowers are a perfect name for chives I often call them chive blossoms. Please note you can eat his pretty, light purple, edible flowers they have a light onion flavor, and make a wonderful presentation in soups and salads.
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Beautiful as always. The feature photo in particular is a delight!
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Funny how one thinks of Christmas photos in the garden around this time. The backdrop of our Xmas lunch is usually large brown slabs of soil where plants have died from the heat (or the dog!), but perhaps this year it will not be so bad. I have a couple of amaryllis coming on, but they may flower sooner.
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Oh hope you don’t have large brown slabs of soil! Amaryllis would be lovely.
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Alas! My garden needs some serious weeding too withe the warmer weather and rain. That is a very pretty Rhododendron, and theMexican Orange Blossom perfume must be lovely! You do have a great herb selection!
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I love that Mexican Orange Blossom! My herbs are not doing too badly – a few things need to be repotted though.
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