Wildflowers of the Box-Ironbark forest

My local Box-Ironbark forest (encompassing Gobarup and Whroo) is in full springtime bloom after many years of drought. Here are a few photographs of the floral specimens I spotted on the weekend - the vast majority of these plants have not flowered in the last decade - happy times!

Chocolate Lily Dichopogan strictus

Fringe Myrtle, Slender Rice-flower, and Eutaxia (colloquially known as Egg and Bacon)

Egg and Bacon

Fringe Myrtle Calytrix tetragona

Fringe Myrtle, Guinea-flower and Eutaxia

 A kangaroo track carved through the wildflowers

Silky Tea-tree

This landscape reminds me a little of Monet's famous painting 'Red poppies at Argenteuil'

 Milkmaids Burchardia umbellata

Golden Pennants Loudonia behrii

Violet Honey Myrtle Melaleuca wilsonii

This one is going into Mum and Dad's garden underneath the Silver Princess Gum.... I love that intense colour.

Nodding Blue Lily Stypandra glauca

Clustered Everlasting Helichrysum semipapposum

And on a similar vein - Grey Everlasting Helichrysum obcordatum

Billy Button Craspedia globosa

Common Everlasting Helichrysum apiculatum

Fairy wax-flower Eriostemon verrucosus

'Finger Flower' Cheiranthera linearis

Wax Flower

 Everlasting Daisies amongst the Ironbark, Whroo Forest, Rushworth

Spring has definitely sprung in the bush!
Flower names from Flowers and Plants of Victoria, Published by A.H and A.W. Reed, Sydney 1968

Time for bed

Lenny is a big fan of tractors and headers, so I was very pleased to hear that he loves his Hiccups 'Field Days' farm theme bed linen. A big thank-you to my cousin Clare for sending me this photo of Lenny and his baby brother Herb (quite possibly another tractor fan) at bed-time.

Iris report

After a long wait the irises are finally in bloom. Unfortunately the fancier breeds of iris only flower for a couple of days before withering away - a very short-lived kind of beauty!

A lovely tale - Cinnamon Baby

I came across this beautifully illustrated book on the weekend whilst browsing the well stocked shelves of children's picture books at the Hill of Content Bookshop, Bourke St, Melbourne.

Cinnamon Baby is a contemporary fable celebrating the special bond between mother and child, and is an ode to the power of the senses.

Miriam is a baker who makes the most delicious concoctions, including a cinnamon bread so delightful that a musician named Sebastian buys a loaf of the bread every day for a year. Sebastian falls in love with Miriam and asks her to marry him, and before long a beautiful baby is born to the happy couple.

All is blissful until one day the baby starts crying, and crying, and crying..... Miriam and Sebastian find themselves at their wits end, unable to soothe the wailing child.

Early one morning Miriam suddenly has an idea... and once again all is well in their world.

Cinnamon Baby is written by Nicola Winstanley, and illustrated by Janice Nadeau.

First Published in Canada by Kids Can Press Ltd, 2011.

Springtime Wisteria

The first flowers of a pink wisteria coming into bloom.

A Saturday surprise

I received a text this morning from my fellow interiors magazine fiend Kelly of Little Bubble and Tree fame, letting me know that this wee blog is mentioned in the 'love at first site' column in the November 2011 issue of the Australian Home Beautiful Magazine. I have had a smile planted on my face all day!

Thank you Home Beautiful!

I was also pleased to see Melbourne based designer Lucy King's summery melamine plates featured in the 'fave finds' pages.  Congratulations Lucy.

You can view Lucy's collection of hand-painted designs for melamine plates here.

Rounding up the sheep

I think I am going to have to draw these fat lambs pretty soon - they are at the perfect cuteness level!

Spring Blossoms

I picked a bunch of apple and pear blossoms from the orchard which inspired me to create this textile design. I love Spring!

Inspired by the garden

Another mono-print inspired by a recent trip to my local botanical gardens where purple and pale blue tones dominated the plantings.