A dazzling display of native orchid blooms, Dendrobium speciosum

The Delights of Spring

What a beautiful time of year! A time for blooming shrubs, a time for abundant, fresh vegetables, a time for new growth... Weeding, pruning, planting. A time when hours can be spent productively in the home garden.

Below is a selection of photographs from our suburban garden, all taken during the month of September, the traditional start of Spring.

The harvest of Starfruits continues. Beginning in April, there has been a continuous ripening of tasty fruit, with more to come over the next few weeks.

One of two pineapples to reach maturity in the cooler months. They were utilised for splendid fruit juice.

Vegetables

The first Yao Mak (Little Gem Lettuce) of the season. The parent plant was allowed to run to seed in our front yard, of all places, where a wonderful crop has sprouted.

The developing Yao Mak crop

The six Wo Sun (Celtuce) plants provide one meal per week of delicious leaves for stir-fry

A little, close-planted crop of Snow Peas and Sugar Snap Peas.

Pretty flowers of the Asparagus Pea. The seeds were planted last Spring, but failed to thrive. However, the plants overwintered very well, and have begun to thrive. We are looking forward to our first harvest of these little winged peas.

A new planting of Coriander plants. The strongest plant will be allowed to set seed, to be harvested for the kitchen and for later plantings.

Fruit and Nuts

Developing flowers on the Maha Chanok seedling tree... Seven months to harvest!

The Limau Kasturi tree is in full flower... a bumper harvest assured for months.

The first flowers of our Macadamia tetraphylla, the Prickly Macadamia. The tree was grown from seed and spent many years growing in a large pot... it has been a long wait for flowering! More than 15 years.

Flowers

Among the many flowers in bloom is the lovely wisteria which shades our side passage.

Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow bursting into bloom and new leaf.