At the end of another week, and one where the less is said about the week the better, there have been a few plants that have put a smile on my face.

First up, are the flowers of the Sydney golden wattle, or Acacia longifolia. I can’t say I’m usually a big fan of yellow as a colour, but wattles are the definite except to this rule. Being a genus of plants very common in Australia, Acacia species are a favourite of mine. Coming in various shades of yellow, the flowers do stand out but aren’t over the top showy in any way. I also love the smell, a subtle sweet smell that isn’t really like any other smell I know.

Next up are the lovely red flowers of this canna lily. They are more delicate looking than some canna lily flowers, I like them for that-I like having a variety of flower forms around me for interest and the wildlife they attract.

The crown of thorns (Euphorbia milii) has really nice little flowers. While not my favourite plant in the world, if it’s kept tidy, it can be a good addition to the garden.

Westringia is a tough little plant with pretty little flowers that I really enjoy seeing. The plant flowers all year round, which is another good reason to have westringia around in the garden.

This viburnum is about to come out into flower. This viburnum is often used as a hedge here in Sydney, which is a slightly odd one to me-the large leaves don’t really make it a good once hedged-it still manages to look a little untidy. Naturally, Viburnum odoratissimum is a small tree that can reach up to 15m tall and I would like to see more of these as a tree in gardens rather than hedged.

I really like these dietes flowers-I think just because of the combination of colours. The plant itself is a bit weedy and spreads so quickly if it’s left alone to do its thing.