As always, having a good look at the plants I’m working with has probably kept me sane this week-nothing new there. I always try to find something new to learn, whether that’s new plants or what not to do in a garden situation (there are always those) and sometimes there is a garden that makes me smile-I had one of those too this week.

I will start with the what not to do and get it out the way. I was working in a garden with some birds of paradise plants and had a good look at some irrigation pipes. As you can see in the photo below, the pipes are not in the ground. They are off the entirely and wrapped tightly around the trunk of a jacaranda tree. How long this has been like this, I do not know and why it hasn’t been fixed is also another question. Safe to say this will be getting sorted at some point in the very near future, as this irrigation set up will cause damage to the tree which isn’t good!

Now that that’s out of the way, on to the plants. The big leaves here are butternut squash, or Curcubita moschata. I think that they are rather good looking leaves.

This is the garden where the squash appears. It’s a random mix of plants, but I think it’s great as there is colour, different leaf shapes and shades of green.

These pink begonia flowers are rather lovely, I have to say. Plants like begonias are rather underused, and I do think we need to see more of them.

This kookaburra was quite happy me standing close by and taking a few photos. Kookaburra’s are my favourite species of bird here in Australia-I would quite happily sit watching them all day if I could.

I found these random yellow mushrooms. Not sure what species they are but I quite like the colour.

Strelitzia flowers are always bright and colourful, as well as being an interesting form. Birds love these flowers for the nectar-it’s rare to see a flower like this without a bird enjoying the offerings.

That’s it for today. Until next time, happy gardening.