Flower Shows

This Picture shows a tad more of the Plant itself.

Very cardboard-like, if you cover your cardboard in velvet! I've been trying to find some pics of strange blooms from around here, and so far all I can come up with is Pine tree flowers.

That pine cone is very colour full.
I'm sure we don't bet anything like that around here.

Can you guess what kind of Cone this is ?

I have no idea! It appears to be a bit green, though, and it might look different if it ripens and opens-up.

It is fully ready to spread its seed as it is.
They can weigh up to 5 kilos.

"Dave", is there anyway you can move the last many posts to a new thread as "they" don't fit with the title of this same thread.

Sorry June I interfered here on what I thought was YOUR thread.
But you did ask me to post some Pictures.

'ginger' your pictures and corresponding posts are wonderful and deserving of a title and thread all its own. What do you think?

This message was edited Mar 26, 2013 2:27 PM

Guys, I don't mind that the thread topic changed from "flower shows" to "showing flowers"! Initially, I thought other folks might post flower show pics, but they didn't - yet. While we're waiting for more flower show pics, I welcome any plant pics. I have noticed that threads on Dave's Garden frequently go off-topic, and it's usually fun!

Well its your thread 'June' so you have the final call.

Loved the photo's..being on holidays in Florida I missed it, well almost..got a preview thru viewing your photos.

Love the begonias..have to refrain from purchasing lillies thanks to the lily bug, destroyed everyone of them 2 years ago and last year finished what the rest..

Did you break the bank??

one of the photo's showing metal art was interesting, have many of the same pieces..perhaps it's the same artist I buy from.

Yes, getting anxious to get my hands dirty..

Thanks for sharing!

This message was edited Mar 26, 2013 5:41 PM

They say it will be ions before its safe to plant again..I so loved my pretties!

My garden must live a very sheltered life, as I have yet to see any damage from lily bugs or Jap beetles. However, it has to cope with the incursions of deer, rabbits, raccoons, groundhogs, Canada geese, squirrels, chipmunks, and meadow voles. I also battle against some insect that lays eggs on rose leaves, and I have to inspect the roses on a daily basis all summer to remove voracious green caterpillars.

I did not buy anything at the Canada Blooms show! The potted perennials on sale so early won't survive in my zone - they die of shock after being coddled and forced in greenhouses all winter. I would have bought some jewelry if there had been anything exciting on display, but I only saw some "Murano glass" of dubious provenance (it looked like the sort that is sold cheaply in Italian street markets), and some uninspiring strings of beads. Those metal flowers were attractive, and I was tempted, although I'm not sure I could have gotten them onto the bus - they were big! - but the booth they were in was unattended and so I couldn't buy one. One of the aromatherapy vendors was offering a concoction of marjoram oil that he said cured snoring, and I wanted to know more. He told me to take a deep sniff of it to clear my sinuses. However, when I did so, I got an immediate sharp pain in my ears (why?) and my eyes flooded with water. No sale!

All I came home with from the show was a bag full of brocures and business cards, sore feet, and my pics.

Guess it means you can contemplate the treasures you want and order ..

Each you I purchase the piece of the year, last year it was 3 Canada gueese with wings spread open..it is about 10' high..balanced with rod and rock..beautiful to see them fly when the wind is up.

This year same tetal worker has about a 4ft blue heron..guess he will be my piece for 2013.

We sure love our gardens..

I often think just how much we spend on them, would have had a healthy bank account and less work without it.

I don't have any garden art yet, not only because I spend all my money on plants, but also because I am not sure what artwork would look good where. My garden is very open and naturalistic, so any artwork would really stand out, and could easily look out of place. The previous owner of the property had placed black-painted plywood cutouts of herons and fishermen all around the pond, and those had to go! I prefer seeing real herons, and no fishermen. Perhaps a stone henge or a fake ruin might suit the garden, when I win the lottery. Meanwhile, I make do with mobile garden ornaments, such as deer.

actually as the metal rusts it fades into the background and isn't appreciated until you happen to come across it..go for it..does become addictive! Lol

Ah, now I understand the aesthetics of all those old cars rusting away on my neighbour's property. There's about 10 of them - it's an art gallery!

The junk cars are a sore point. I'm not disparaging your ornaments, Betty.

Understand..

Long day today, made it from Ft. Myers, Florida to Tennessee border..if all goes well tomorrow just might be home early Friday..here is hoping!

My pieces usually take 3 or 4 weeks to rust, I spray the pieces while watering the gardens, off time spray with vinegar..while in Florida I saw a piece I would have bought, artist prided himself he sprayed a finish on them and guaranteed no rust..lost a sale. Lol

Nice photos of Canada Blooms! and the cycads!
Someday I will go to Canada Blooms!

Blizzard going on here today, got back from Florida and saw 2 or 3 pretties trying to peek up above the leaves..so for now, I'll just go back and look at the photo's above and dream..

Ginger, please, please, come back and tell us what tree the big, green cone came from. The suspense is killing me. More "show and tell" pics are welcome too.

I hope Yall enjoyed your Easter Holidays.
I had a glorious 6 days at my fav. camping spot.

'Girraween National Park' has everything for the Bush Walker/Climber.

Here is a clue as to what the Giant Pine Cone really is.
“The bunyip, or Kianpraty, is a large mythical creature from aboriginal mythology.
They are said to lurk in Swamps, Billabongs, Creeks, Riverbeds, and Waterholes.
The Origin of the word Bunyip has been traced to the Wemba-Wemba or Wergaia language of aboriginal people of South-Eastern Australia.” (and that's exactly where I live, S-EA)

This is a Picture of the Tree the Cone came from.

Is it a Bunya-bunya (Araucaria bidwillii)?

Yes it is June.
That clue was a tad cryptic.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Araucaria_bidwillii

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f9/A_Bunya_Araucaria_bidwillii_cone.jpg/800px-A_Bunya_Araucaria_bidwillii_cone.jpg

I wonder if the second link will work ?

I have germinated over a dozen Trees from My Pine Cone.
There could have been a lot more, but I cooked them up.
They taste like the Nuts they sell on the streets in Europe.
Mine tasted best when BBQ'd.

I once had a Bunya-bunya as a house plant, but it never fruited. At the time, I had no idea it was a tree. It grew larger and larger, and those sharp, prickly leaves would scratch any unwary hand that strayed into its ever-expanding space, but I refused to get rid of it. Finally, I had to leave the Bunya-bunya behind when I moved house, as I could not fit it inside my car. I sadly left it at the end of my driveway for any passer-by to take. I still feel guilty for abandoning it.

They don't get the fruit/cone till they are 30 years old or 200' high.

This Tree grew out in a big Cow paddock.
Then the developers moved in and subdivided the land into 10 acre blocks.
A bitumen road was built right around this Tree.
We all complained but no one cared.
And yes you guessed it, it caught disease.

It is indeed sad that developers all over the world see no value in living trees, just cut them down, or injure their roots so they die. Then, when no trees are left, they call their development something like "Evergreens" or "Shady Woods" to attract buyers. At least with a 10-acre lot, trees can be planted. The individual lot size of housing developments in and around greater Toronto is now so small that the house takes up most of the land, leaving no room for the home owner to plant a decent-sized tree if they wanted one. That's one reason I live out of town. There are still woodlots and forests in my neighbourhood.

This was a before and after Picture I presented to our Government as evidence.

This dark stain appears to be the problem coming up from the roots.

What was the Government's response? Was the developer fined? Has a replacement tree been planted?

The State Government wiped their hands of the whole thing.
As a small body of residents, we could not afford to fight it in Court.

I will go up there tomorrow and take some Pictures and see if they planted anything NEW.

That's sad. I do hope that a new tree has been planted, or has sprouted, in that area.

It is a tiny roundabout purpose built to go around that Tree.
30 years is a long time to wait for a new one to replace it.

This was Her in her former glory.

Well I went up and took these Pictures today of where the Bunya Pine used to be.
There are now 9 New Houses within one of the Pictures.
But all they have planted is some Wild Bushy Grass where the Tree used to be.

Looks a tad like a 'Lawn Cemetery'.

Can you sneak into the "cemetery" and plant something?

Council would have it out in a heartbeat.

This is the Fruit/Seed from the Green Pine cone.
They taste delicious.

I assume the husk comes off before you eat the seeds! Are they edible raw, or do they need to be cooked?