[Monday] I love Autumn!

1. Jonquil
2. Tibouchina Jules
3. Camellia Japonica Desire

From the garden ...

A bowl full of yummy tamarillos :)

Happy Sunday!

I LOVE Sundays & the extra hour this morning, although not really noticed with kids - was wonderful.

A lovely weekend ...

We had a great weekend with family and friends. It began on Friday afternoon, celebrating our special friend Cass' 30th! Family popped over that night on route to Mudgee to collect a wedding present and the weekend continued to have lovely highlights as well as some quiet family time.

I took some time out with the camera capturing some glimpses of our garden that seems to be starting to recover from the heat of summer. The Saturday night downpour definitely helped!

I love lying under this tree with Kirk and the kids. We call it The Magic Faraway Tree!

Hungry ants on a high from the nectar in the flowers on our grafted gum tree

Tamarillos that are almost ready to eat!

Geraniums that Milly picked from the garden

Star Wars Magnolia (of course!)

Elena

Gorgeous Crepe Myrtle

Flapjacks

The sun catches the clivias under the oak

The kids cubby house is nestled amongst the branches of the jacaranda

Doesn't belong here - but couldn't resist including these cute little feet!

One lone lavender flower...

Love this! I have a sparkly pink car :) It looked like pink popcorn!

Pruning the Roses

Gardening used to be my obsession. I once was an early bird, almost feeling ill if I slept in. I would head outside at 6am with my walkman turned on the weekend gardening show with Graham and Sandra Ross on 2GB and potter away. It seems like a very long time ago!! Water restrictions and 3 babies later, my garden isn't as manicured as it once was, but it has grown! It is exciting seeing fences disappear and being replaced with lush green plants.

This time of the year I attempt to time the roses to bloom at just the right time. It used to be for Christmas, but now it is for Milly's birthday in January and Thomas' in April. I was stoked to come home from the hospital with Henry to a garden full of flower - so now each child will have their flush! So 6 weeks before the event, the roses get chopped and fertilised. My aim is to prune at least two bushes a day and that way the job should be complete by the end of the week.

Nature is amazing. I love the Jacarandas against the blue sky on days like today. I think we underestimate leaves in a garden - greenery is so soothing. Today I found some gorgeous hydrangeas outside Coles - I don't know where I will plant them - but they look great sitting on the porch!

Although nature isn't always forgiving. I moved a rose away from a path this winter and I lost it. It survived kitchen trademen reversing into it chopping it in half a couple of years ago, so I overestimated its toughness. I am now on the hunt for a Mrs Cant rose. Unfortunately not a common one & I may have to wait until next Winter to replace it.

My favourite roses? Mrs Cant, Julia's Rose, Just Joey, Souvenir de la Maison, Iceberg, Grace, Tara.