rainy days, the haunting beauty of flannel flowers

Wretched weather if you feel like doing anything other than playing with flowers inside today. Happily, that is exactly what I did all morning. I'm a little obsessed with taking photos of single flowers against some very deep aubergine coloured velvet. I don't know how but it is as if the velvet draws all light in the room to the flower and itself looks very very dark. All of my bedroom plants {almost all begonias} are outside today, having a drink. 

The last shot is my favourite. I adore flannel flowers {Actinotus helianthi} so much. They are so delicate. I used to think that they get their luminous quality because they grow solely in moonlight. Actually, I still think that. 

carnation, cumquat, tulip {amazing feathered variety}, hydrangea, amaranthus

carnation, cumquat

helleborus from my garden, picked by our cockatoo.

sweet pea.

delicacy

blushing bride. gorgeous native

flannel flower x

3 of 4

Four very excellent things happened this week. For no particular reason at all I will start with Excellent Thing III: Begonia Wanderings.

I bought two relatively scraggly but lovable begonias at the flower markets one morning in January for $1.50 each. The guy didn't know what variety they were. The flowers are white and sometimes come out as singles, sometimes doubles. They look a little like helleborus at times.

mystery begonia

I started trying to find out what variety they were online, this lead me to discover the wonder and genetic diversity of these plants. They cross breed very easily so there are hundreds of varieties. They have such wonderful weird translucence. Often their leaves are more intriguing that their blooms. My internet begonia caper lead me to The NSW Begonia Society {yep.}. They meet monthly and in March hold their Annual Begonia Exhibition and Plant Sales. I went along to Annangrove, a gorgeously green area about a 50 minute drive from Sydney. The exhibition was held at Ross Bolwell's begonia nursery, the president of the society.

I was smitten the instant I arrived. When I arrived through the rain, I was the youngest person there by about 50 years {I could not have been more thrilled}. Everyone was so kind and charming and enthused about their plants. One man there called Alan was particularly sweet and said he saw me going back and forth and smiling at the plants so he invited me to become a member of their lovely coterie. Yes, I do believe I will join.

The breadth of begonia's diversity astounds me. I will stop writing now and post photos. I bought ten different plants. I'll photograph them in situ soon.

What a splendid way to spend a Saturday morning. 

Begonias are easily grown from cuttings, so if anyone fancies some do let me know I'd be more than happy to share them.

all delighted people {raise their hands}

Yesterday I spent wondrous hours with plants, blooms and very good music playing {The Tallest Man on Earth's latest album 'There's No Leaving Now'} whilst the rain and wind howled outside. I really love a good storm, when there is almost electricity in the air {actually, there definitely was electricity in the air---> I think that's what lightning is?! Perhaps not quite}. Roses are so gorgeous at the moment and the older growth/later blooming hydrangeas are making me swoon with delight. The deep dark bluegreenplum hued ones in particular cause stirrings in my heart. I also had some tuberose pinned to my hair all day and it's heady musk driven sweetness was beyond lovely.

hydrandea, clethora and gum

When I arrived home I had a quick garden saunter and saw my skywards climbing Madame Alfred Carrier roses are blooming beautifully. Oh I adore them. So fragrant and delicate!

perfection

daliahs and a new plant!

I am a little obsessed with this fellow

I bought a new plant home it is called a New Guinea Impatiens. I'll try to take a clearer photo of it-the leaves have a beautiful rich wine underside and deep dark veins which show through on the top side. The have a nice deep green luster to them. I've never been that keen on impatiens until I saw this one. I think I'll add it to my bedroom collection which is mostly begonias and dichondra. And beans. On my windowsill.

window harvest soon

daliahs are fun to work with

bedroom begonia

                                                        Have a splendid weekend!

an afternoon off, a little plant wondering, a little rain

I had such a great day off pottering about the house, dreaming of my plant buying adventure at the markets early tomorrow morning-wondering if it's too late, or early?! to be finding begonias there, specifically Rex Cultorum-which is the plant which grew these artful beauties:

to me it really looks like the skirt of a dancer

the prettily veined underside of a begonia leaf {such colours!}

The array of colours this plant comes in just astounds me. I am very excited to read that they make good indoor plants-my room has many many {too many, perhaps} dried branched, moss laden twigs, dried flowers etc etc strung up on walls and light fittings and window sills so I'd love to add some plants. I recently collected a few silvery Dichondra plants which are growing so beautifully and I think they'd be very good companions. I was reading a book about Constance Spry-she was describing a house she visited where ivy was rambling it's way into the house through a window and was slowly sprawling from picture frame to candlestick. This is something that would make me very happy.

drying little clumps of hydrangeas to make a flower crown for a friend

Dichondra cascade

dichondra in situ. doing well

The dichondra {silver falls is the name of variety, pretty apt} is much hardier than it appears. It is very heat and drought resistant and I can't believe how quickly it grows-the tendrils which lie on the dirt form roots rapidly-I am hoping to take a few cuttings to friends. This plant also comes in a few different shades, I'd love to see them. Does anyone know much about other lovely vines/drapey growers? I'd love to expand my collection and knowledge.