Purple Patches

All along our journey from Mwanza to the Usambara Mountains -the landscape remained arid and dusty; yellows and browns the predominant palette. However breaking up the colourscheme throughout, the Jacaranda trees providing eye catching purple patches across the plains, mountains and valleys of Northern Tanzania. In the Usambara they flower against a greener landscape. They herald the yet unseen rains and will continue to flower until Christmas before returning to their usual green for another year.

Beautiful Bougainvillea

The rains are imminent – in fact three storms have come and gone – nothing on the scale that is to come, but a sign things are changing.

Even so the ground remains parched and yellow, dusty and dry – the exception being the Bougainvillea which is in bloom at this time and throughout the dryest time of the year and provides a welcome splash of colour to the garden.

 

Giving the Garden a Short Back and Sides

It’s been getting a bit dark in the house. Our compound  garden has a number of trees, great for shade and bird life. However of late the foliage has overgrown in the El Niño rains and now block out so much light even in the day. So time for drastic action. Our ‘Askari’ guards were dispatched this morning to cut some branches and trim the bushes back.

Just hope the birds don’t mind too much.

 

Red Garden

The first of a series on the colours of our garden.

The most prominent accent colour in garden is red. Whether it is in the flowers or in the birds (Black Headed Gonolek, Red Billed Firefinch or Red Chested Sunbird).

Planted Avocado

just before we went on holiday we planted out our two Avocado saplings – 5 weeks on they are growing well – it will be a while before they become trees let along produce fruit but it’s a start 

   

Uganda Retrospective : Botanical Gardens

Whilst in Entebbe we visited the Botanical Gardens. Planted by the British over 100 years ago the gardens are home to a variety of trees and wildlife. We decided to hire us a guide to show us around which was a worthwhile investment. The gardens are reputed to have been the location for the filming of the early Tarzan Films and we were shown the area where this was purported to have happened. We managed to see a number of bird species including a Crowned Hornbill. We also found a stray puppy, very much alone and neglected, which we gave to some locals after a few cuddles.

Canon Ball Tree Flower

Canonn ball Tree

Grey Heron and Open Billed Stork

Crowned Hornbill

Into the Hills

This morning we took a walk from our hotel up the road and up into the hills. Our aim to see closer up the Waterfall which cascades down the mountain behind Mbale and to see a little of village life. Although, not as dramatic as Sipi Falls or as Murchison Falls it was still worth it.

The walk of 90mins duration was uphill all the way. Leaving the main road we followed a track up the hillside through a village.  It was good to get out of the town

               

Four Seasons, One Tree

The tree outside my classroom is currently exhibiting all four seasons. Autumn, Winter, Spring and Summer.  Branches bare, in bud, in leaf and losing leaf. Such are the trees of the tropics

Potting Pineapple

The next stage in our quest to grow our own pineapple.

Having removed the pineapple head, placed it in water and allowed it to root for a couple of weeks. Today was the day when we decided to introduce our new plant to soil and much needed nutrients.

</a

Let’s see how it goes  grows.

 

Christmas Tree Close Up

Not able or wanting to get a traditional Christmas Tree we decided on a more local tree – a Palm in place of a Spruce. Simply decorated in LED lights I love the way the fronds cast shadows on the wall as the lights illuminate the branches.

I hope the tree does well in the corner of our living room – it is near two windows so I should do. After all potted palms were once all the rage in the UK

Mwanza Garden Chronicles: Plants

T + 8

Our house has a large garden. There are a number of exotic plants which I don’t recognise (and a bougainvillea which I do).

There is also a great variety of bird life which I will chronicle another time.

Garden Chronicles – A Different Garden

T Minus 27

Here in Lincoln at Mum’s on a sweltering hot July afternoon.

Garden Chronicles : Crocosmia, Hollyhock and Veronica

T Minus 33

So glad I got to see this plant before we leave. One of my favourite summer plants is Crocosmia. I love the vibrant orange flowers against the lush green vegetation. Elsewhere we have Veronica with it’s spiky purple spires and the tallest flower in the garden the Hollyhock – self seeded purple flowers adorning a 6ft stalk.

Garden Chronicles (Not)

T Minus 51

Unfortunately one plant has not appeared which is a regular in our garden year on year :-(. So instead these are from Anita’s work place. Globe thistles!

Garden chronicles – Lavender, Rose and Hollyhock

T minus 55

The garden is beginning to burst forth in a variety of colours. For my own memories I am chronicling the various blooms which will soon fade into distance. Earlier this week I posted from the back garden. This post is taken mainly from the front,

Garden Chronicles – Yellows and Purples

T Minus 58

Following on from earlier posts a look at our garden in June as Knapweed, Verbena, Buddleia, Fuchsia and more. Yellows and purples predominate amongst the green leaves.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Garden Chronicles – Hemerocallis and Geranium

T Minus 73

As we move through June and with the Wisteria and Ceanothus long faded. The next plants to show are the Hemerocallis (Daylily) and the hardy Geranium.

 

 

 

 

Cee’s Fun Photo Challenge: Floral Macros

a variety of recent pictures taken and are a submission to Cee’s Fun Photo Challenge: Floral Macros

Red and Wet!

T Minus 79

Yet again it’s raining. It seems like Britain’s rainy season is virtually non- stop. So on that matter it will be a relief to escape these shores in August.

Tanzania will have it’s rain, I know, but maybe a little more predictably so.

I suppose the rain is what gives us our verdant landscape but for me the grass will be greener overseas.

I have said before I will miss our garden and another of my favourite plants the poppy.

This now resides in the front garden, though many years ago, before the decking we had some in the back garden.

I love the large papery red petals surrounding the black centre, and the hairy green buds before opening.

The last of these photos is a cheat as I took this last week in Cornwall at Lanhydrock, but the rest were taken last night in the dry – it’s far too wet out there now 😦