Gone potty? Plants gardens and lawns .

[Harpy]

I got another 20 of those plants separated and in new pots.
While I was tidying up my moms dog started barking, I looked down the back and all the kangaroos were back , must have been about 50.

I hope you can see them. The fence in the way is to keep our dogs in near the house. But the Roos love the grass in our back paddock.

 

[Harpy]

Hello all you potters and gardeners.
I had the best surprise in my garden yesterday.
The first two succulents my daughter found dumped and brought home for me, would any one know what they are?
The first one has a small ring of tiny flowers on the tops.

This little yellow beauty come
Up out of no where in my garden.
One single stalk with plenty of flowers.
Is it a jonquil?

 

[JayCS]

Hi Harpy - the whole pics were OK, but didn't help as much as snipping details out of them.
#1: Euphorbia mammillaris (corkscrew / corn cob) I got up to 60% from the flower snip, like you guessed.
#2: Crassula - probably perforata (string of buttons) (63%) rather than rupestris 21%/7% (necklace vine).
#3: Narcissus jonquilla 48%/49% (jonquil).
Wonderful plants. The names say it all, don't they... narcissus = daffodil, the German word Narzisse (or Easterbell, which wouldn't fit down your place... ;-D). Aren't they a bit early? Mine started coming in February, fully in March, 6 months later would be Aug/Sep?

A gardener friend brought us a few dumped plants around that I'm now caring for, too. The petunias were easy to get looking good, but the begonia's leaves are taking a while.

(´% = the probability the RHS-tool/app works out. >40% is usually fairly safe, but sometimes misguided by some strange detail of a specific plant photo, the background and esp. other plants near. I don't get 60% much, and only occasionally >90%. But then I'm usually trying to find out tiny wild flowers, so I have to try many detailed photos until I'm sure, or have to wait till they bloom).

 

[Harpy]

I wish I had your knowledge JayCs, once the two succulent type plants get healthier looking I will post better photos. The little jonquil is flowering in the nurseries atm. I’ve not had them before so it was a huge surprise.
Today I had a beautiful collection of birds feeding, lorikeets, large black and white pigeons, doves, native minors, rosellas, some beautiful bird I got no idea what it’s called, magpies, galahs and kookaburras (which I have started to feed at lunch times)
It’s great when you get up of a morning and find your magpie and lorikeets waiting to be fed at the back door, which I close of a night now as the Maggie comes in and steals the dog kibbles. The birds are a good pain distractions.

 

[JayCS]

So sweet with your birds!

your knowledge JayCs

Too much honour, I've just learnt how to use the "knowledge" of the RHS web tool/app as well as possible, cos I've used it 1000s of times to identify my wild plants as well as possible so far. So yours are "easy" in comparison, cos they're real, accepted plants, rather than my beloved "weeds".
I'm attempting to get every single plant in garden, house-front & balcony, identified, and have charted up most, maybe 200.
These are some of the non-weeds of the month...
#1 borage/starflower, #2 marigold (calendula) in my now luscious pot area, #3 oleander (needs tuning), #4 firewheel
#5+#6 The ox-eyes (German: sun-eyes) have increased above 100 now, and shine brightly in the dark. #6 with a bee.

 

[Harpy]

Your flowers are getting better all the time. Once spring comes I will be able to post some pretties. I love the flannel flowers and the Christmas bells.
I think spring is coming early , as you guys know I am having sinus infections, 2in 3 months. And today I found out why. Way too early but this is the cause. These trees are huge pine trees, we enjoy their shade in summer, and pine comes to start the fires in winter but this is not good, like a toxic cloud with a gust of wind.

The cars and everything gets covered in yellow .

 

[Harpy]

We have a new garden ornament this morning.

A bin chicken,

lol an ibis, slept there last night.

 

[JayCS]

We have a new garden ornament this morning. A bin chicken, lol an ibis, slept there last night.

Wow! The BBC tells me they don't just ravage bins, they actually should be highly praised for washing and decimating your invasive 2 billion cane toads (up to 70.000 per female...) - so toad heroes! And pretty!
(They throw the toads around so they eject their toxin, then wash them: "stress, wash and repeat")

Our new garden-inmate is a hedgehog (or 2) - I've seen they're new in NZ, but you don't have them.
S/He makes his way hopefully to my big dead wood heap at dusk. So yesterday I stood and watched patiently and saw the route which went to my right foot/shoe, later left, then scurried past a 3rd time.
For a minute or two I thought it was two, but the light had gone off, couldn't confirm that in the dark.

"Invasive" wild plant (boring, nerdy, weirdo, don't waste your time...): Some neighbour tore out
15 of my big wild flowers (marestail) )between the pavement stones in front of our house, which was putting some green between the stones, my mission. Irked. Found them in neighbour's biowaste and re-planted them, and more besides, and wrote a note explaining that those flowers are good for insects and common, but not invasive. Also made it a mission to get the wrongly used word "invasive" deleted from all German websites. The first just a few hours later totally changed their page on it from "red / invasive", to green and "super insect plant": success! A 2nd I could comment on, a 3rd I wrote to several times (bit slow on the uptake), they're considering changing, and a 4th I could change myself. What a waste of time, but somehow also rewarding in my own small way.

That has now also made me start moving plants around - beautiful but "invasive" ones like apple-of-Peru that I didn't plant and are maybe stopping the 100s I planted that aren't growing, and Chelidonium which is keeping to places nothing else is growing, but is everywhere. And I'm putting them into lots of spaces where nothing else is growing.
And the suneyes were now >150, so I've started cutting them off as decoration for spots in front of the house and in the kitchen table, making sure to do it so the next ones to take their place. They've also superseded everything I'd planted there, beautiful as they are, but it was all very slow in coming up.

This is all new to curb them, up to now I've been letting them do what they want, to see what it is they want. And even now I'm not killing any, I'm just helping them find a place where they can do even more good.... I've taken some farn fern and chelidonium to put under the cherry where I didn't get the ivy to grow, maybe cos I didn't do it right tho.

 

[Auriel]

I wish I had a garden (I could join in more then) Ive been buying myself plants and flowers though
(but then i get sad when they die) is the bin chicken still living in your garden harpy? (you'll have to name it then + charge it rent! ) I've never seen a bird like that before! (I guess they're Australia.native) 2nite I'm watching evil dead rise (hope I don't regret it)

 

[Harpy]

Wow! The BBC tells me they don't just ravage bins, they actually should be highly praised for washing and decimating your invasive 2 billion cane toads (up to 70.000 per female...) - so toad heroes! And pretty!
(They throw the toads around so they eject their toxin, then wash them: "stress, wash and repeat")

They’re the best at dumpster diving but what a mess they make.
Wow I didn’t know they did that to the yukky cane toad.

Our new garden-inmate is a hedgehog (or 2) - I've seen they're new in NZ, but you don't have them.
S/He makes his way hopefully to my big dead wood heap at dusk. So yesterday I stood and watched patiently and saw the route which went to my right foot/shoe, later left, then scurried past a 3rd time.
For a minute or two I thought it was two, but the light had gone off, couldn't confirm that in the dark.

Omg a hedgehog in your yard, they are the cutest little creature ever. I swap you for your hedge hog for one bin chicken

"Invasive" wild plant (boring, nerdy, weirdo, don't waste your time...): Some neighbour tore out
15 of my big wild flowers (marestail) )between the pavement stones in front of our house, which was putting some green between the stones, my mission. Irked. Found them in neighbour's biowaste and re-planted them, and more besides, and wrote a note explaining that those flowers are good for insects and common, but not invasive. Also made it a mission to get the wrongly used word "invasive" deleted from all German websites. The first just a few hours later totally changed their page on it from "red / invasive", to green and "super insect plant": success! A 2nd I could comment on, a 3rd I wrote to several times (bit slow on the uptake), they're considering changing, and a 4th I could change myself. What a waste of time, but somehow also rewarding in my own small way.

They came in your yard to pull out weedy flowers?

That has now also made me start moving plants around - beautiful but "invasive" ones like apple-of-Peru that I didn't plant and are maybe stopping the 100s I planted that aren't growing, and Chelidonium which is keeping to places nothing else is growing, but is everywhere. And I'm putting them into lots of spaces where nothing else is growing.
And the suneyes were now >150, so I've started cutting them off as decoration for spots in front of the house and in the kitchen table, making sure to do it so the next ones to take their place. They've also superseded everything I'd planted there, beautiful as they are, but it was all very slow in coming up.

This is all new to curb them, up to now I've been letting them do what they want, to see what it is they want. And even now I'm not killing any, I'm just helping them find a place where they can do even more good.... I've taken some farn and chelidonium to put under the cherry where I didn't get the ivy to grow, maybe cos I didn't do it right tho.

 

[Harpy]

I wish I had a garden (I could join in more then) Ive been buying myself plants and flowers though
(but then i get sad when they die)

Yeh I don’t like it when plants die either. Probably why I have more permanent plants not annuals.

is the bin chicken still living in your garden harpy? (you'll have to name it then + charge it rent! ) I've never seen a bird like that before! (I guess they're Australia.native) 2nite I'm watching evil dead rise (hope I don't regret it)

Nah he up and left, he heard there was talk about paying rent

 

[Harpy]

I found flowers Whoo hoo.
I am so excited I wet my plant

Ok JayCs more puzzle for you to match the plant flower with a name.




This last photo is one I sent photos of not long ago , this Is one of the cuttings I have taken that have grown, I have about 50 in pots ready to flower.

 

[JayCS]

Wow, still winter and already so many beautiful flowers!

puzzle for you to match the plant flower with a name

#1: I'm betting on Epidendrum secundum, like the app. That's a "crucifix orchid" type. Actually "only" in S. America. In AU (NSW) a hybrid occurs, but the pure secundum has exactly the same colours, the hybrid is more red or orange and yellow. Common names would be Crucifix Orchid or Reed-stem Epidendrum. Tool says 51% for secundum, and I agree.

#2: Definitely Crassula ovata = jade plant (or tree). (Tool says 78%). Ah, that's the money plant/tree, didn't recognize it cos never seen it in flower. From South Africa.

#3: Aechmea gamosepala, a "bromeliad" - tool says 96% - no arguing with that. But again from Brasil. Have you got South American relatives or friends? Related to pineapples and contains the enzyme bromelain, used as a supp.

#4: I'm betting on Kalanchoe marmorata - penwiper - the tool is distracted by the 2nd plant and says 12%, but comparing pics there can't be a mistake, and the name is perfect. From West/Central Africa.

#5: Schlumbergera or now actually Rhipsalidopsis gaertneri - funnily "Easter" or "Whitsun cactus" for us in the Northern Hemisphere, what wikipedia doesn't mention is that that "of course" means it's a Christmas Cactus for you in the Southern Hemisphere. Also saw "Holiday Cactus" - that sounds American or are they trying to simplify which holiday / holy days we refer to?? Again from Brazil.

Penwiper is my definite favourite here, altho we shouldn't be partial "I know". Couldn't keep my eyes off the others either, esp. that psychedelic bromeliad. Easy to get the -ai- wrong way round there...

My money plant trials aren't dying, but they're also not growing, they're minute. wp tells me it might need more light (four to six hours of direct sun or medium shade exposures with bright light). It's standing dark and my wife often leaves the blackout blinds down to keep the heat out, I've only been able to convince her to more often leave them half up. So I'll put it outside now, can't get any worse...
Our Christmas cactus is still growing, in 2 weeks it's time to stop watering.

Got a really big hydrangea "Miss Saori" a few days ago, so rearranging a lot again to get it fit in. I'm disappointed that it's not insect friendly, even tho it has been voted one of the most beautiful plants. But useless to my "friends" (who like pestering me!

 

[Auriel]

Oh my goodness he knows all of them! I think he's heading for world domination next!

 

[Harpy]

Wow, still winter and already so many beautiful flowers!

#1: I'm betting on Epidendrum secundum, like the app. That's a "crucifix orchid" type. Actually "only" in S. America. In AU (NSW) a hybrid occurs, but the pure secundum has exactly the same colours, the hybrid is more red or orange and yellow. Common names would be Crucifix Orchid or Reed-stem Epidendrum. Tool says 51% for secundum, and I agree.

You’re spot on there. I do have a lot of the orange one.

#2: Definitely Crassula ovata = jade plant (or tree). (Tool says 78%). Ah, that's the money plant/tree, didn't recognize it cos never seen it in flower. From South Africa.

I learnt something new too, first time it’s flowered as it’s about 20 years old.

#3: Aechmea gamosepala, a "bromeliad" - tool says 96% - no arguing with that. But again from Brasil. Have you got South American relatives or friends? Related to pineapples and contains the enzyme bromelain, used as a supp.

Yep spot on again. These are quite hard, tempted to cut a few and see if they last in a vase.

#4: I'm betting on Kalanchoe marmorata - penwiper - the tool is distracted by the 2nd plant and says 12%, but comparing pics there can't be a mistake, and the name is perfect. From West/Central Africa.

The leaves are quite large and spotted. I have no idea with this one. I just call it a spotted flapjack

#5: Schlumbergera or now actually Rhipsalidopsis gaertneri - funnily "Easter" or "Whitsun cactus" for us in the Northern Hemisphere, what wikipedia doesn't mention is that that "of course" means it's a Christmas Cactus for you in the Southern Hemisphere. Also saw "Holiday Cactus" - that sounds American or are they trying to simplify which holiday / holy days we refer to?? Again from Brazil.

Penwiper is my definite favourite here, altho we shouldn't be partial "I know". Couldn't keep my eyes off the others either, esp. that psychedelic bromeliad. Easy to get the -ai- wrong way round there...

I too enjoy the last one, it puts on a fantastic show of flowers.

My money plant trials aren't dying, but they're also not growing, they're minute. wp tells me it might need more light (four to six hours of direct sun or medium shade exposures with bright light). It's standing dark and my wife often leaves the blackout blinds down to keep the heat out, I've only been able to convince her to more often leave them half up. So I'll put it outside now, can't get any worse...
Our Christmas cactus is still growing, in 2 weeks it's time to stop watering.

Got a really big hydrangea "Miss Saori" a few days ago, so rearranging a lot again to get it fit in. I'm disappointed that it's not insect friendly, even tho it has been voted one of the most beautiful plants. But useless to my "friends" (who like pestering me!

I do like hydrangea. But the grounds gets too wet for them here. They don’t like it.
But my daughter across the road has them growing , go figure.