From my Garden...

Anyone who follows my blog will know that I rarely share anything that isn't related to papercraft.  We've had such odd weather, with days of steaming humid heat, then days of rain, now flash floods. Today is almost 30 degrees (celcius), and is warmer than it has been.  My garden consists mostly of weeds, with a scattering of roses, daffodils, tulips, fressia, and a myriad of native Australian, South African, and South American plants.  You see, native plants are more water friendly, bird friendly, and frost tolerant.  And I toss in plants from South Africa and South America, because I like things that are little odd, or a little different to and English country garden (although it would be gorgeous to have one!).  I love bromeliads, and orchids, lillies, and all sorts....

So you can imagine my surprise, when in just over a day ( I guess) I'd noticed over an inch growth in my Pineapple Lily!  It's named such because of the flower it grows (I don't know what it's botanical name is).  The flower bud here is about as long as my thmb.... it will grow to a flower of about 6-8 inches. Ain't is just the cutest wee pineapple!

Oh, and I also caught this critter waltzing around my green strappy leaves .... take a look at the thorns on his legs!  I have no idea what sort of BUG he is, but dang, he was big! His body was the lenght of my forefinger... so he was about 2.5 inches long... and that doesn't include his long antennae!  And they didn't just wiggle up and down, oh no... in a circular motion they moved... I didn't kill him, I politely asked him to leave, or if he was going to stay, he was not to eat my flowers.... I don't know what he decided.....