"Leadership is an opportunity to serve-

it is not a trumpet call to self importance"

J  Waters

The prevailing easterly winds which  recently blasted the country brought with them a lot of small birds from Russia, in fact some from as far as Siberia.  The town was full of Yellow-browed Warblers.  They were seen all along the nearby Rodwell trail and two birds were even recorded in the school garden

A Yellow-browed Warbler

In recent days the Living Stones (Lithops) have burst into flower in the greenhouse.  These delightful flowers do not last long but are always eagerly awaited through the summer months.

Yellow lithops

White lithops

Also in the greenhouse the "fish-hook" cactus is looking good with the top spikes looking very splendid

"Fish-hook" cactus

With the approach of colder weather prevention is better than cure and our ornamental banana plant has been trimmed and stored indoors.  It will rest all winter in a bucket of compost and leaf mulch and be replanted next April.  The treatment looks drastic but it will recover- honestly!

Awaiting the cut!

looks a little drastic!

The fabulous leaves laid out on the grass

The finished product prior to be planted in compost and leaf mulch

Tell tale evidence of Greenfinch activity has been noted under the giant sunflower plants.  The seeds are now ripe and ready for eating and the birds are quick to cash in.

Hard evidence!

The heavily laden sunflower seed head

The tetrapanax is in flower.  These magnificent flower heads adorn the monster sized leaves.  Next year the plant should be even more impressive.

Tetrapanax

The bizarre blue flowers of the 'scardey cat plant' (Coleus canina)continue to bloom.  The plant releases a very strong smell when touched or disturbed and it is said that this smell deters cats.  The flowers are similar to salvias.

Even by mid morning, in places where the sun has not yet reached overnight rain drops still sit on leaves.  These drops are on the peanut butter plant.

The flower sprout plants are rapidly developing the delicious flower sprouts and hopefully they will be ready for Xmas.  Different from brussel sprouts these plants produce very small cabbages at the leaf axil.  They are delicious with butter.

Flower Sprout plants

Detail of the forming flower sprouts

Work has started on the pond and will continue next weekend.  A lot of vegetation has been cut back to get light onto it during the winter months and the next stage is to remove a lot of the water lilies which are now clogging up the pond and reducing open water which Pond Skaters and Water Boatmen love.