Teeny Tiny Box

Buxus Microphylla - Japonica
an evergreen shrub grown for its rounded tight shape, with small dark green foliage, makes an excellent low hedge, so say the the tag.

grows to a height of 60cm by the same width.

I have planted it at the junction of paving, Left hand side done by moi, right hand side  laid ever so neatly & precisely by Skybax 2.  I have been politely asked if I am thinking of re doing my side!!!

Anyway the idea is that this little guy will grow to encompass that area as an orb, which is something to look forward to, hopefully he's not a slow grower.

Full view of paving with a little of one vegie garden at the edge.  Plants are the box of course, Aloe - bush baby yellow, Ageratum Houstonianum, Bracteantha - Mohave white & Hibiscus - Aussie Pink
Perth has had a nice lot of rain for July, but precious little went over the scarp to the wheatbelt unfortunately. Our crops are feeling very thirsty.

Fitzy side garden

Ive called this garden border my Fitzy Side Garden as my neighbours are the Fitzgeralds & that made sense to me!  In here are two gorgeous rocks!! Hahahaha, no seriously I have planted an acacia, euphorbia, Leucadendron, scaevola & salvia, not that you can really tell any of that at the moment.

But you can see some of the paving of my little path which Im quite pleased with.

Below is the other part of the border, here we have cordyline, alstoemeria,  osteospermum, pittosporum, aloe, & agapanthus.

We have had a lovely drop of rain, 20mls on top of these little lovely's which should settle them in nicely.

Corner Wall Garden

Three strappy leaf plants, I have popped in the corner wall garden
Beautiful chocolate leaves on this Cordyline Electric Star, clumping variety which grows to 1.5m by 1m wide.

Yucca Silver Star, slow grower to 9m

and Cordyline Burgundy Spire, a tough low water usage plant growing to 4m High by 1m wide

This garden is out front & in winter is fully shaded, but gets hot summer sun, so hopefully these plants can handle that when it comes

Winter Solstice

Solstice'in Latin means 'sun-stopping'. The point on the horizon where the sun appears to rise and set, stops and reverses direction after this day. On the solstice, the sun does not rise precisely in the east, but rises to the north of east and sets to the north of west, meaning it's visible in the sky for a longer period of time.

Leucadendron Inca Gold

I have decided to plant leucandendrons along my western facing fence, hopefully they can cope with our hot summer sun

Leucadendron Discolor

All three are bushy shrubs, growing 2m x 2m with yellow bracts, the tags say drought tolerant. which I knew anyway, I'm just not sure about reflective heat off a super six fence.

Leucadendron salignum

A solstice happens when the sun's zenith is at its furthest point from the equator. On the June solstice it reaches its northernmost point and the Earth’s North Pole tilts directly towards the sun, at about 23.5 degrees. http://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/june-solstice.html

So from now on the days will get longer again, seems a bit weird as I don't feel as though we've had any winter at all yet, it certainly hasn't been cold!

Not much flowering in my garden at present, probably because its winter, but most likely because there isn't any garden at present.
but I do love this african daisy hybrid, osteospermum voltage, I took a cutting from my Northam garden, & I must take more before it gets too old

Osteospermum Voltage

This half opened bud on a new native hibiscus hybrid is such a gorgeous shade of pink. It is still in the pot but will grow to 80cm high by 70cm wide. the label says it flowers from spring to autumn, its winter here & it is still going so that's a bonus.

Hibiscus geranioides "Fanny"

I have had this cyclamon a couple of months now & by some miracle I haven't killed it, which is what I usually do to these plants (touch wood), trying very hard to only water when almost dry, maybe thats the key!

Cyclamon

I have been lusting after a Euphorbia crown of thorns for many years, but never purchased one as the vicious thorns always put me off.  But this lovely little lipstick is just the ticket, it still has thorns but no where near as nasty as its parent plant, love this shade, such an appropriate name.

Euphorbia "lipstick"

thats it for my blooms for GBBD, more at May Dreams

Winter sun 10.30am

A photo to inform myself where the winter sun shines on this particular area which will now be referred to as the Bin Corner!

"One kind word can warm three winter months"

(Japanese Proverb)

Hakea francisiana 

"Joining in with favourite plant in my garden this week" from Danger Garden , although mine won't be weekly as just like with garden bloggers bloom day I am incredibly unreliable.

But any way this hakea is a little beauty, although I do wish it wasn't so shy with its flowers as they are outstanding.  It's about 3m high by 1.5m wide, extremely drought tolerant & indigenous to 

Western Australia.

The flowers are produced on old wood & so are well hidden in the branches, which of course is a winner with the birds.  I just love it as the flower suddenly appears in all its glory from avery unassuming little tree.

Winter

My courtyard plantings of aeoniums are in full growth mode, I have planted various sorts, but cant remember which ones are which!

This one is black rose, but isnt black as its in full shade for the winter

same garden bed in full shade, think this one is sunburst.