Flowers as gift

When the theme for Floral Friday was ... 'flowers as a gift'  I thought I would like to share a few more photos of my roses, as a gift to all my readers.
I went out with my camera and basket in the early morning and picked a few bunches

It was the perfume wafting around the house, the pleasant scent hit me when I walked in, after a day out and the house had been shut up all day. 
The fragrance from the delicate pale pink roses was intoxicating and I  wish I could bottle this and send you all a little vial


Thank you ever so much to my kind readers who take the time to visit my blog and share their thoughts and leave a note. 
I know how busy life is at this time of the year

Notice the little dew drop on this rose

Have a fun and special weekend my friends
hugs
Carolyn

Native blooms ~ Floral Friday

When I conjure up an image of our New Zealand native blooms, I think of two very beautiful trees with spectacular flowers. It is the perfect time of the year to capture the breathtaking bursts of colour from these flowers 

The first is  flowering at the moment, I love the bright yellow flowers  of the Kowhai  tree which remind me of sunshine and look like tassels. These trees get the attention from all the native birds around, like the tui, bellbird, kereu (wood pigeon) who feast on the sweet nectar.
This lovely specimen is growing down the road.

The second is the pretty crimson flowers from the Pohutukawa trees, which can often be seen growing along the coastline.
This is considered the NZ Christmas tree, as it makes for a pretty sight when it flowers over the Christmas period. The photos here were taken last year.

  Floral Friday is a monthly photography project with different themes each month. This series is about fun and taking time out to smell the flowers. To play along next time, please email Trishie for next month's theme.

Thank you all once more for your lovely comments on my Mothers passing. It is great to have friends from all around the world and I appreciate the comfort and support from reading your very kind messages.
I look forward to coming to visit you and see how you are.

Happy weekend
hugs
Carolyn

Garden Flowers

Nothing makes me happier than to see some flowers blooming in the garden.
With Spring here there is a lot of work to do ... pull out the weeds and tidy up after winter.

The lesson I have thoroughly learnt and wish to pass on to others is to know the enduring happiness that the love of a garden gives
~ Gertrude Jekyll

 

I noticed the snails and slugs have been busy feasting on the hydrangea leaves {just about to flower} and geraniums, so not very happy about that.

Every flower is a soul blossoming in nature
~ Gerard de Nerval

 

'Susan' is the name of my new pretty pink Magnolia, I planted the other day

You cannot force open the petals of a rose.
When the rose is ready she will open up to you
~ unknown
So looking forward to my new rose 
 A little lesson we can learn, is that we have to let nature take its course and be patient.


 Floral Friday is a monthly photography project with different themes each month. This series is about fun and taking time out to smell the flowers. To play along next time, please email  Trish  for next month's theme.

Have a happy weekend everyone
If the weather is fine here, hope to get out and do some gardening.
hugs
Carolyn

Floral Friday - a flower quote

Spring really does seem to be just around the corner here ... the birds are singing more loudly and the blossom and leaves are appearing on the trees.

This is my favourite time of the year when the garden seems to wake up after winter. Growing along the side of the roads where I go walking, are some pretty pale yellow freesias. I always pick a little posy to bring home and the scent throughout the house is lovely

How does a pansy for example select the ingredients from the soil to get the right colours for the flower?
Now there's a great miracle. I think there's a supreme power behind all of this. I see it in nature.
~ Clyde Tombaugh

As I have said before, pansies are one of my favourite sweet little flowers... love the smiling faces and the soft velvety petals and all the pretty hues they come in.

Can't believe how fast the week has gone - it is Friday already!
I hope your weekend is all you wish and more
hugs
Carolyn

Floral Friday ~ Flower Arrangements

From  pretty bluebells, or the elegant and exotic orchid, to a simple vase of pink tulips, all flowers are beautiful and can make a wonderful arrangement.

Flowers can bring a room to life and give it a romantic touch from the fresh white to the subtle pinks, blues and lavender...I do love all the soft hues.

Some flowers murmur in tones scarcely audible, but exquisitely soft and sweet..."I am little but I am beloved"
~George Sand

Flowers have a language of their own and sometimes they do not need to be displayed in a big showy arrangement. Often I think a single rose in a vase can make a lovely statement.

 Flowers leave some of their fragrance in the hand that bestows them
~ Chinese proverb

Wishing you a great weekend, with lots of sunshine
Carolyn

Floral Friday ~ Foliage

I adore every season especially Autumn with a riot of colour, of the leaves everywhere.
Out driving the other day the vineyards were decorated with their golden and reddish hues and looked such a pretty sight.

 Walking down the tree lined shops at Newmarket the other day just seemed so much nicer looking up at the trees.  They sooth and relax us and help connect us to nature

 There are many benefits of trees not only do they beautify our landscape, they provide shelter and homes to the birds, animals and insects. Some trees provide fruit and others shade on a hot summers day.
Important too for helping to improve the quality of the air we breathe. Also a source of wood for building homes, firewood to paper and pencils.

The sky was an amazing colour of blue and as clear as could be
 the pretty pink magnolias were blooming along the street.

The flax bushes looked striking with the brilliant blue sky background

I like the tree ferns growing in the bush on our section ... they have huge lacy fronds

Floral Friday is a monthly photography project with different themes each month. This series is about fun and taking time out to smell the flowers. To play along next time, please email me {Trishie} for next month's theme.

thank you Trishie, for organizing this months Floral Friday -

Thank you for all the kind birthday wishes for our daughter and for all the welcoming comments, it always brings a smile to my face.
We have another birthday in my family, the 6th of June is my DH's so we celebrated with a lovely lunch out.
I look forward to coming over to say hello and to see what you are up to.

A happy weekend to you all
Have fun
hugs
Carolyn

Floral Friday ~ While walking

I know the Island so well as everyday, early in the morning I like to go out walking for my exercise, health and well being. This gives me the chance to peer over the fences and admire all the gorgeous gardens and say hello to other people out walking and the odd cat and dog I see along my way. I love seeing the plants and flowers that attract the birds and bees, that feed on the nectar.

The part I particularly enjoy is you see so much more, smell all the heavenly fragrances around and hear the birds tweeting and chirping. You just don't get this when you are driving in the car.

Mostly I just have my cell phone camera with me so every opportunity when I see something nice, like to snap away. Here are a few photos I took when I was out and about.

Days have been very busy here - the past week have gone in a flash - our dear daughter left for Melbourne on Thursday and we miss her already.
Blessings to all of you.
Have a wonderful weekend 
Carolyn

Floral Friday is a monthly photography project with different themes each month. This series is about fun and taking time out to smell the flowers. To play along next time, please email me for next month's theme.

Floral Friday ~ flowers that make me smile

When Trishie gave us the theme for floral Friday, it was to showcase some flowers that make us happy.
I must say I have a little bit of an obsession with fresh flowers,  whether they are picked from the garden, growing wild on the side of the road or even splurging, on a little treat with the grocery budget.

I immediately thought of the freesia and have fond memories ... transported me back to my childhood days when I used to go and stay with my grandparents for some of my school holidays.
Grandma's garden was beautiful and she always grew the soft creamy lemon coloured freesias  and we would go and pick them and bring them indoors to put in a vase ... ahhh! the fragrance was so gorgeous.

Nothing screams Springtime more, than a bunch of bright yellow daffodils - such a cheerful flower as winter is all over with...  Spring is the herald of summer, with warmer and sunnier days ahead.

I couldn't forget the Paris flower shops, they have to be the best and  every time I passed by one, wanted to get out my camera and take a photo ~the French just seem to do flowers so well.

Last but not least, the camellia bushes I have growing ~ these flowers I adore and for about two months they bloom so beautifully in the garden and  always like to bring some of these into the house to show them off.
These are a few of the flowers that make me happy.

Hope you take the time to smell the flowers!
Wishing you a fabulous weekend.
Carolyn 

Floral Friday

Thank you, to Trishie from the lovely blog, under lock and key for asking me to contribute to her new blog series,  Floral Friday.

It  is all about fun and taking the time to smell the flowers.
This months theme is ' a new bloom'

Here is my contribution

This is the photo of the blossom on the  French variety of apple tree my Father gave us, not long before he passed away.

We found a place in the garden to plant the tree and we were so happy when it produced its first small crop of apples ... four, juicy, crunchy apples that I must say were delicious.

It is a poignant reminder to me of my father who had a long life and was an avid gardener.  

Despite some of the driest summers in many years the tree continues to thrive and flourish and punches above its weight producing 4 - 5 apples on a tree that is less than a metre in height. 

It reminds me of him and his gardening skills and his tenacity in dealing with what life sometimes throws at us all. 

A little inspiration in my own garden and something tangible by which to remember my dad.

Best wishes to you all  Carolyn.