Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Look What Is Flowering!!

The Bat Plant-


From the side - isn't she just the spitting image of a Triffid?


The colours are simply beautiful!

At the beginning of this summer, Alan and I were at a local nursery, when I spied a plant known to me as "Rose of Sharon".  I have always believed that it was related to the regular Hibiscus flower, which it is.

When I was young ( a long long time ago) There was a Rose of Sharon in our back garden, and I loved it's beautiful white flowers that turned to pink as they aged, and the bush would be covered in white and also pink blooms.  

It used to make a stunning sight in Sydney, so I grabbed this plant called Rose of Sharon, and we planted it in our back garden.

Well, the thing grew like a weed, and I was starting to worry that it was not the Rose of Sharon that I remembered.  Now I realize that it is probably just the change in climate, being so much warmer here.


Here is the plant, can you see the buds all over it? These  appeared at the end of the summer.


Here is the garden we planted beneath the tree, some colourful plants and ground orchids, along with some hoyas to grow up the tree.

This morning, I went outside, and lo and behold! there she was! the first flower!!


A lovely close up for you:-


This afternoon I went out into the back garden, and lo and behold!! the flower had turned pink!!


Another close up for you-



I am astounded! Isn't she absolutely adorable, and with all those buds coming on she will be weighed down by her flowers very soon.  I'll post more when she opens more buds, so you can see how she looks with both coloured flowers on her.

I am so glad that I don't have to dig her out because she was the wrong plant!!


3 comments:

Diane-crewe said...

such a bizare plant!! lovelly to see your garden flourishing x Mine is just about beginning to show some green after sucha wet and windy winter I began to wonder if it would all just be waterlogged or in the neighbours garden!! lol enjoy it all x

Fiona said...

The rose of Sharon is beautiful.. and that bat plant quite amazing...
Hugz

kiwikid said...

What am amazing plant! Love the huge flowers - so nice you can have a plant that has significance for you! Love the bat flower, never seen one of those before!
xx