Chameleon Roses & Possum Magic

One thing that intrigues me is just what chameleons roses can be, how the blooms change throughout the various stages of their development, how the colours can also vary depending on the season and how there can be different coloured roses on the very same bush at the same time.

Some of these photos were taken earlier this year, however the last half dozen or so were taken today, (1 July 2014)  which just goes to show how giving the Icebergs are.

Long Tall Sally

Long Tall Sally

Long Tall Sally

Princess de Monaco - always shows perfect form, always lovely!

Princess de Monaco

Princess de Monaco

Princess de Monaco

Princess de Monaco

Ebb Tide

Ebb Tide

Ebb Tide

Leander

Leander

Leander

Rosette Delizy

Rosette Delizy

Hero - 9am Tuesday

Hero - midday Tuesday

Hero - 6pm Wednesday

Chicago Peace - January

Chicago Peace - March

Chicago Peace - March (24 hours later)

Chicago Peace - April

Chicago Peace 48 hours later

But perhaps the biggest chameleons of all are the Icebergs, particularly the Blushing and Brilliant PInks. .Let's take a look at some of these. And yes, the white flower was really growing on the Brilliant Pink bush.

Brilliant Pink Iceberg

Brilliant Pink Iceberg

Brilliant Pink Iceberg

Brilliant Pink Iceberg

 Brilliant Pink Iceberg

Brilliant Pink Iceberg

Brilliant Pink Iceberg

Brilliant Pink Iceberg

Brilliant Pink Iceberg

Blushing Pink Iceberg bush

Blushing Pink Iceberg Bush

Blushing Pink Iceberg Patio

Blushing Pink Iceberg Patio Rose

And now for a little "Possum Magic". Luckily possums are such cute, furry little critters or I might be quite cross with them and their night snacking.

This used to be a fuchsia, until the possums magically made most of the leaves disappear!

Unfortunately this is not the only one like this. Many others have had a similar haircut and I'm hoping the leaves will regrow with a little TLC

I've moved the fuchsias away from the base of the tree that forms part of the HIGHway used by possums to move in and around our garden. Hopefully this will deter our night raiders.  Fingers crossed :)

Beautiful Bathurst

This weekend we were invited to a family function at Bathurst in NSW. We took the opportunity to take a look around the town centre.

Historical Bathurst Court House

We visited this park last year, in autumn, and it was beautiful then. In winter it has a different beauty, the stark contrast of the leaf-bare trees against the so very blue sky and the lovely old buildings forming a backdrop, the buildings that are not normally seen this way when obscured by trees carrying a full coat of green leaves.

The gardens have been planted with some annuals but at this stage they are almost dormant, waiting in their garden beds for the warmth of spring to gently awaken them.

The roses are still tenaciously holding on to their last blooms before winter well and truly takes its course and in those patches of sunlight, here and there,  perennials and early spring bulbs make their own colourful statements.

I love this rotunda

The trees seem to reach forever

A late Camellia Sasanqua

A few roses remain

Clumps of Irises

Geraniums seem to do well in this climate

We found this sign quite amusing, the ducks were easily some of the largest we have seen of this kind, they seemed to do more walking (or should I say waddling) than flying. They are obviously so very well fed.

A clump of Erlicheer Jonquils

Sparrows are such city birds and we almost never see them at our place. This little guy is quite fluffed up against the cold

A large clump of nerines

The needles of this Blue Spruce look as if they are covered in snow, they are not, it is simply the light striking them

This is a row of standard Peace roses. Note the thickness of the trunks, they've obviously been there a very long time.

A few blooms remain amongst spent flower heads

The bed of Peace roses is bordered with a tiny heath kind of ground cover

 When we returned home, we were treated to our own bird show.

A pair of Galahs being given the word by a territorial Noisy Miner Bird

A Sulphur Crested Cockatoo took ownership of the bird feeder

The ground below was covered with Rainbow Lorikeets eager to snack on any seeds that had fallen from the feeder above

The cockatoo kept shooing them away and they moved to a nearby tree to await their opportunity to try again