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  #91  
Old January 28th, 2012, 06:13 PM
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The not so nice side of Nature.

As you'd know, the Buddleja is nicknamed the Butterfly bush. Well, one of my favorite insects, the Praying Mantis, knows all about that and for the past 2 days has been seen hanging out under this flower, devouring butterflies. I guess the guy has to eat but the first time I saw him he didn't have to wave the remains of the wings at me like he did. Gross!
Funny, he didn't seem to put on weight between the first and second butterfly, wish I knew his secret. Eat butterflies? They aren't fattening?
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  #92  
Old January 28th, 2012, 06:26 PM
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Had disappointing news when a garden enthusiast friend called in on Australia Day. He told me my Bush Gem Kangaroo Paws are supposedly not long lived. Darn, 'cause I really like this pink one.

Sold to me as Camp David. Hmmm, I thought Camp David was a darker red rose? (But what do I know? )

Galtonia candicans
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  #93  
Old January 28th, 2012, 08:17 PM
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Cool mantis, GF! Looks pretty large, too. I've seen walking sticks here, but never mantids. I keep looking, though, cuz I know they're out there!
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  #94  
Old January 28th, 2012, 11:36 PM
lindapalm lindapalm is offline
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Goldfields, how in the world can a preying mantis be one of your favorite insects? They give me the creeps sooooo bad. If you ever want to see and old lady run very fast, put one within inches of me, and I'm gone.
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  #95  
Old January 29th, 2012, 12:43 AM
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I did wonder was it praying or preying, lindapalm, and was too lazy to look it up. I say "whatever", and how can it be a favorite, because it won't bite me.LOL. They're harmless to humans. A bit disconcerting due to how fast they can move if they get on you, they seem to travel from hand level to sitting on your face rather fast, but gee, if a spider did that I'd break all land speed records and leave you for dead. Don't tell anyone but I don't think hubby likes preying mantis at all. LOL.

I hope you find that elusive mantis, Hazel. We get the occassional stick insect here too and they tend to freak me out just a tad, the size they can get to. I'd never harm one or remove it from the garden though, just hope it didn't want to jump aboard.
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  #96  
Old January 29th, 2012, 08:14 PM
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It probably is "praying" because it looks like they are, I never thought of that. They don't have to bite to scare me, just standing there, looking ugly, and rubbing their legs together does it for me. Eating their mates heads off doesn't earn them any points with me, either.
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  #97  
Old January 29th, 2012, 09:53 PM
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LOL. Yes, bit of an antisocial habit that is, eating their mate's head. I don't see them as ugly, but it makes me wonder, what about grasshoppers or locusts, do they worry you also? I used to freak out when I first came up here if a locust was in our car. And I don't like moths when they start spiralling around the room either. Mice, in plague proportions ..... not good, but after all these years in a grain growing area, funny what you can get used to. I have always liked frogs, yet nothing would convince Ian to pick one up.
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  #98  
Old January 30th, 2012, 11:17 AM
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What a difference a day makes. First two photo's are of the same Grimaldi bloom and I like the way the colours mellowed during the day. Third I think is Tipsy Imperial Concubine, it lost its name tag but not many roses have the big fat round buds it does.( ...that ball the minute they get damp. )
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  #99  
Old January 30th, 2012, 11:23 AM
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This one has me scratching my head. It is Claire Austin, which can be seen here ...

http://www.helpmefind.com/gardening/l.php?l=2.44031

... and indeed it was a white rose when I bought it. I am not sure whether these pink roses are sports it has produced or not, I sort of doubt if just weather could make such a change. I'll tag the branches and see what colour they produce in future.
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  #100  
Old January 30th, 2012, 11:39 PM
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Grasshoppers and locust aren't my favorite, either, maybe because they're so fast, but I can tolerate them. Praying Mantis, no way. My husband thinks its funny, he can always tell when I've seen one. He always calls me to relocate a frog, caterpillar, mouse, turtle, etc. when their in a wrong place, but he knows better with a mantis.
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  #101  
Old January 31st, 2012, 12:26 AM
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I shouldn't laugh, people have phobias about all sorts of things. I've seen a number of baby Praying Mantis in the garden, conditions must be just right for them. I don't like the babies as much, they really do move fast. Of course your hubby would find this sort of thing funny, hubbies are the same the world over. LOL. Mine laughs whenever I freak out about our big, ugly hairy Huntsman spiders. I got the shivers just thinking about them.

Had a nice little buy up of some unusual plants yesterday, wish they were here flowering already.
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  #102  
Old February 5th, 2012, 02:46 AM
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Extremely windy here today, it'd blow a dog off its chain as they say, with gusts of over 100klm an hour in some parts of the state. My sister said the wind took about 4 metres off the top of her Grevillea Robusta(Silky Oak) and my Weeping Sheoak is now just firewood too.

Not wanting to gross you out again, Lindapalm, just wanted to ask Hazel if this would be a baby Praying Mantis in this first photo? Or a different insect?

Kniphofia (Red Hot Poker).

White Statice.
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  #103  
Old February 5th, 2012, 10:36 AM
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Looks like it could be, GF. Did it have little 'arms' tucked up in front out of sight of the camera? Cute lil bugger!

That's a shame about the trees. Here we lose more trees to ice and snow than wind, but we did lose an old hemlock a couple falls ago because the wind toppled it out of soggy ground.
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  #104  
Old February 5th, 2012, 11:08 AM
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I'm sure it did, Hazel, but I'll have a look next time I see it. I like what good hunters they are, I saw him right inside a rose, just sticking his little head out, waiting for a meal to come along. Can't imagine him tackling a proper honey bee but he might go the little native bees.
Yes, always sad to lose trees, they take so long to grow. We've also lost one in the back paddock but that one was lucky to live as long as it did anyway. Did what your hemlock did, got uprooted, but then continued to grow parallel to the ground, then upwards. The top finally got too heavy though. (sigh) Good winter firewood though I suppose.
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  #105  
Old February 5th, 2012, 11:36 AM
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Goldfields this is what I found for a juvenile praying mantis. It looks like yours.

Name:  4_PrayingMantis.jpg
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  #106  
Old February 5th, 2012, 07:08 PM
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Patti, thanks, that looks exactly like my adult one (eating butterflies) but I'm not so sure now about the smaller one. Of course when you want to see one and look for little front legs, they can't be found.

Here's a new plant, given to me yesterday for my birthday. Without going to look for the label, I think it's a pink and salmon Agastache. I love it, so dainty.

No regrets about buying this rose.... Red Coat.

A busy bee on the Buddleja.
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  #107  
Old February 5th, 2012, 07:13 PM
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Are the flowers on that Agastache two different colors, or does the pink age into the salmon color? Very pretty! And happy belated birthday!
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  #108  
Old February 5th, 2012, 07:39 PM
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I've been wondering that myself, Hazel, or are they salmon and open to pink? Time will tell, I've hardly had a chance to study it. My friend also gave me some bulbils for double tiger lilies, but that is a swap, I will give her some for a single Tiger Lily. She gave me a new fridge magnet too, an English (not American) type Sheltie which I'm rather pleased about. I have dogs all over my fridge. Thanks for the belated birthday wish - any excuse to eat a roast duck dinner is okay by me.
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  #109  
Old February 5th, 2012, 08:29 PM
lindapalm lindapalm is offline
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Goldfields, love your flowers, hate your bugs. I've learned to stop and enjoy the flower pictures, and click rapidly when I see the creepy ones.
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  #110  
Old February 5th, 2012, 08:51 PM
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LOL. You don't mind bees I hope, or butterflies?
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  #111  
Old February 9th, 2012, 04:35 AM
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I just noticed something strange when I was resizing these photo's, I assumed the first two are Pelargonium Gibbosum but their flowers are slightly different. Tomorrow I will carefully follow the stems to their source, they are a bit tangled in a Peppermint Scented Pelargonium so I need good daylight. Maybe the first one is just an old flower.
Third photo is Salvia Megan's Magic, not at its best but you get the general idea of what it's like. Wind has knocked the garden around a lot this Summer.

I was told of a good book going cheap last weekend and today finally went into town to take a look. It now lives here , the Royal Horticultural Society Encyclopedia of Garden Plants and Flowers. Usually $80 I think, got it for $30. Yay!! Might be my reading matter when I'm stuck in Hospital.
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  #112  
Old February 9th, 2012, 10:44 AM
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That salvia is unique with the white blossoms and purple calyx. Very pretty.
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  #113  
Old February 9th, 2012, 10:52 AM
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Yes, there certainly are some lovely Salvias. I have a heap of them waiting to be planted out when cooler , hopefully wetter weather comes.
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  #114  
Old February 9th, 2012, 10:58 AM
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Do you have a rainy season?
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"We are--each of us--dying; it's how we live in the meantime that makes the difference."

"It's not what you gather, but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived!"

"Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle."
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  #115  
Old February 9th, 2012, 07:06 PM
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Not like Queensland does, Hazel. They've got bad floods up there right now, Summer is their wet season. This part of Victoria has 4 distinct seasons, with most of our rain during Spring. I can feel Autumn coming. Cooler nights, leaves falling off the fig and mulberry trees etc., but I should look at the coats on the ponies, that will tell me how far off any Autumn break will be.
Oh, got all my potted bulbs weeded before breakfast today, the potted plants are next. I need new labels on a lot of things. We measured the beds for a medium size fence (one I can still step over)to be put up to stop Jarrah walking all over them when I put Dynamic Lifter or Blood and Bone on them, trying to eat it all. She seems to disrespect the low fence that could keep Cuddles out, and my Delphiniums are too fragile to have a dog amongst them.
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  #116  
Old February 9th, 2012, 08:43 PM
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Goldfields, I love butterflies, bees don't bother me if they don't get too close. Have you ever heard of a flower called Ivory Prince Hellebore? Its one of my favorites because its 30 degrees here and it is starting to bloom, it will continue to bloom probably halfway through the summer. I love it because it gives you hope that Springs not too far away.
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  #117  
Old February 9th, 2012, 09:48 PM
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I just Googled your Helleborus, lindapalm, it's lovely. I don't know if I have it myself. My sister gave me about 6 of them but couldn't tell me what they'll be, and they haven't flowered yet. I know there are some real beauties being produced and I try not to look at them ... I could feel another addiction coming on you see.
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  #118  
Old February 10th, 2012, 09:25 PM
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Their not the most colorful flower, (a pale green) but any flower that can bloom with snow around it has my vote. Its the first thing that makes me think of Spring.
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  #119  
Old February 11th, 2012, 12:21 AM
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Pale green is great, what about my pale green Zinnia? Are there any other flowers tough enough to survive snow? I used to think the Hellebores were nicknamed the Winter Rose here, I have my fingers crossed that mine survive this Summer heat so I can see them flower.
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  #120  
Old February 11th, 2012, 12:55 AM
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Haven't much in the garden now, far too dry this Summer. But, first a humble Petunia, and the two roses are Baronne Edmond de Rothschild, and Loving Memory. The last might be a rose (potted at the moment) I save and place at the head of a dog, or cat's grave perhaps. I can't lay my hands on the pedigree papers for our Persian cat, so asked at the Shire Office, Pheobe is 14 years and 10 months old now. She doesn't act it, so that we have her for quite some time yet. Where did that time go though?
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