Summer in Winter

Strelitzia captured in the garden today [17/07/2011]

Lately, we have been enjoying day after day of picture-perfect weather.  Balmy temperatures in the mid-20's (that's degrees Celsius, of course!) during the middle part of the day, with cool nights perfect for snuggling under our duvet. This is not usual for this time of the year. This is mid-winter in South Africa and, where I live in the Western Cape, it is meant to be our rainy season. We are meant to have crisp, cold days with plenty of rain. It has not rained for well over a week now and there has hardly been any wind, with most days not only clear and sunny, but perfectly calm as well.

Could it be that we are having Summer in Winter? Does this mean we'll have Winter in Summer?

Cape White-eye enjoying a juicy orange

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Right now, the birds think this is the very best place to be. They have plenty of food (berries, nectar, worms and grubs in the garden, in addition to filled birdfeeders containing a selection of seeds, nuts, bread cubes, apples, oranges and suet). The birdbaths are emptied and filled every couple of days and they have an abundance of nesting materials from which to choose. Consequently, our garden has been a hive of activity with birds flitting left, right and centre, providing us with many hours of viewing pleasure.

Our resident male Lesser-collared Sunbird

Today,  I suggested that my husband take his camera into the garden and set himself up on a comfortable chair, to wait, until the birds arrive. He has always wanted to do this, but never manages to find the time to do so in a dedicated fashion. He certainly made up for lost time, today! He took loads and loads of lovely pictures, of which I've nabbed only a few to share with you, as several of you have mentioned how much you enjoy seeing our birds, often quite different from those elsewhere in the world. 

Look at the beautiful iridescent colouring of those feathers! He knows he's a beautiful creature!

A Red-eye Pigeon coming to snack on seed in the feeders. I have quite a few feeders in different designs hanging from the branches of this tree.

The Swee Waxbill's love this feeder and usually arrive in fours or sixes at a time. They are dear little birds, endemic to our area. This is a male.

Swee Waxbill (female) patiently waiting for her turn at the feeder.

This juvenile Olive Thrush kept popping up on top of the wall between us and our neighbour's property.

Swee Waxbills enjoying a feast of seed. They really like this particular feeder.

Resident female Lesser-collared Sunbird having a drink at one of the two nectar feeders in the garden. The squirrels love these feeders too!

Amethyst Sunbird (female)

Amethyst Sunbird (male)

This is so much easier than sipping nectar from a strelitzia!

Aren't I better-looking than that uppity male Lesser-collared Sunbird?

No, I'm not a bird! I'm a Gecko! Some birds find our sort a tasty snack, so we have to camouflage ourselves well.

We hide beneath rocks, stones, bark and leaves during the day and come out to hunt for moths and mosquitoes at night.

I also have quite a few of my own pictures to share, taken both in our garden and at one of my favourite nurseries, Aspidistra. I unfortunately had a bad day, photographically speaking, so my pictures are not of the best and I had to delete far more than half of those I took. I was very disappointed, as I had spent ages trying to compose artistic shots. I guess experience is a great teacher, so I'll just have to learn as much as I can from the experience, won't I? Nevertheless, I had an enormous amount of fun viewing my subjects, so the day itself was definitely not wasted...

I started off with a cup of coffee and a toasted sandwich at the nursery tea garden...just loved the little milk jug! My husband and the five dogs had dropped me off to enjoy myself for a few hours while they returned home to photograph birds!

The tea garden is set under large, shady trees amidst pretty gardenscapes and an ecclectic style of furnishings is used. Assorted old style garden chairs, some made from wrought iron, others wire and rattan are grouped informally around quaintly set tables, creating cosy little niches for guests. 

Tea garden scene taken with camera phone while waiting for my order to arrive.

Tea garden scene behind where I was seated. I love the colour combinations and textures in this.

The perimeter area of the tea garden is attractively decorated...

I enjoyed my coffee and toasted sandwich in this very pretty and restful setting!

View from the table I sat at in the tea garden.

A selection of clay pots on display.

An interesting wall-art effect created by using dried and treated pieces of vine creeper casually glued together to form an open-weave.

Ladies' slipper orchid.

The nursery has a lovely, deliberately aged and rustic feel to it. This contributes significantly to the feeling of unhurried timeless I always get when I go there.

There were several tin and wire shoes on display.

This idea would work well on a sheltered patio.

This nursery sells not only plants, but freely provides a wealth of lovely ideas for creating your own vignettes at home, using simple, everyday implements and artefacts you've very likely had stored in a garage, shed or loft for years. Bring them out into the sunshine, dust them off and Voila! You have created your own unique little spot in the garden to be enjoyed whenever the opportunity presents itself. You are only limited by your own imagination!

This bust has water trickling over it continuously, hence the lovely mossy covering.

Old gates propped up to make a nice feature/divide are not only practical, but rather striking, too! Hunt for these at flea markets and garage sales.

A rusty daybed makes a statement in this section of the nursery. Piled with pretty, floral cushions and a soft comforter, it would make a delightful recliner under an old, shady tree in your own garden. Bring on the tea!

I loved this urn!

Even broken pottery can be used to create a little feature!

I was fascinated by these wonderful twists of raw wood, or are they roots, or aged vines???

A length of bamboo fencing, a nice old window grid, a pretty clay pot and a piece of airplant. Simple, yet undeniably effective as a focal point.

General view across a section of the nursery.

Nicely laid out paths ensure comfortable browsing in all weather conditions.

These concrete dishes make great birdbaths! I love the way the mirror shards reflect the light.

Such an attractive, yet simple, wooden sculpture. It held my attention significantly!

A stripped old cupboard and table create the foundation for a little work of creative imagination and the pots can be swiched around and changed often to keep the display alive and interesting.

Naive concrete statues placed amongst the different plant groupings add novelty to the scene.

A simple wooden garden structure used to create a charming garden room with seating for two. Clever and inexpensive, especially if you have any old bits of wood begging to be given a new lease on life. Hang pretty planters on the cross beams, get creative with your flooring and add a windchime, some creepers, and an ornament or birdfeeder or two and you have your own special little haven to escape to when things get too much!

The owner is also passionate about using old pieces of wood and has quite an extensive collection which is not for sale.

A fun place to hunt for that special little something to add a bit of whimsy to your garden.

Look at that clear blue sky! This is a mid-winter's day! I'm strolling around with a thin, long-sleeved top and feeling pleasantly warm.

Adding height to a garden using old furniture topped with various plantings and artefacts.

This archway caught my eye!

Chairs and tables are used extensively as potplant displays or even planted up themselves, depending on the type of chair.

Not everyone's interpretation of an Angel, but certainly different and interesting in its own way.

This caught my eye!

The nursery is maintained immaculately. Staff are quietly busy throughout.

Don't throw that old wheelbarrow away...use it as a water feature! I had not seen this done before. Everyone seems to use their old ones to plants in. I did!

Something unusual...

A clever idea for building a water feature out of scrap.

A small, yet very attractive water feature perfect for a spot on the patio tucked amongst lush foliage.

A pretty Mandevilla vine with an early flower.

Several archways are used to divide the nursery into different spaces. I would love to have a couple of archways in my own garden.

There is so much to see and take in. This is not a place you come to if you are in a hurry. Part of the charm is being able to enjoy it at a leisurely pace.

Attractive stone pots planted up with wispy grasses. Simple yet very effective.

These large concrete Angels are particularly evident at the moment.

Concrete casts decorated with mosaic pieces and bits of chipped mirror can make attractive garden pieces. This nursery makes use of heart shapes a lot.

There is a lot of ironwork on show with the rusted-look featuring most predominantly. Much of it is old and weathered, giving it even more character than new pieces treated to look old.

The water features come in different styles, shapes, sizes and are suited to a range of budgets.

There are water-features tucked into every available space throughout the nursery...some small, others quite grand. Part of the delight of any visit is the sound of water that follows you as you wander about. In addition, many exotic birds and fowl are housed in aviaries strategically placed throughout the grounds. They are so well integrated into the overall design, you often don't realise you're beside one until the resident bird tweets at you! Many wild birds fly freely about, and this all adds undeniably to the magic of the moment. I am able to drift about contentedly for several hours, even though this is by no means a large nursery.

There are little vignettes throughout this nursery and these are changed frequently. The owner is passionate about landscaping and garden design and keeps the nursery fresh and vibrant at all times. Consequently, there is always something to be surprised by with each visit.

If you have time to browse, you'll find interesting plants tucked away amongst the little displays throughout the nursery grounds.

I thought this made an attractive 'sculpture' The Palm is not growing in the pot! It is a large tree planted firmly in the ground in the background. I thought it added something to the empty pot along with the broken garden fork.

A rusty birdcage serves as a focal point for a small, concrete and mosaic, mirrored, water feature.

Art from junk...this nursery specialises in featuring original Junkyard Art, some of which really is quite striking. I thought this a clever way to display old spades.

I loved this daintily flowered plant.

Broken pieces of pottery casually grouped on the rungs of an old ladder, softened by the addition of asparagus fern.

A clever idea for decorating with stones and pebbles.

I do hope you enjoyed this look-in at my favourite nursery, Aspidistra!

 The final few pictures were taken in my own garden this afternoon...

A selection of special little rocks collected from all over. The latest added to the collection was brought back for me by my daughter after she and her Dad went to Beaufort West. It's the rock immediately behind and to the right of the little stone bird.

This birdbath needs a scrub. I'll do it tomorrow!

One of my favourite indigenous shrubs in full bloom at the moment! I must find out what it's called next time I'm at the nursery!

Fallen leaves to remind us it is indeed winter! Although there's so much green about, the trees above are bare!

Coco's camelias are flowering well, now. She'll have plenty to pick up from those that fall to the ground.

Our strelitzias are coming into bloom now. They are called Bird of Paradise in some countries, and are native to South Africa. The Sunbirds love them as they are dripping with nectar!