Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Another, "What's Blooming Wednesday"..... here already!



This is the first "Sterling Silver" rose this season. This little bush was on it's last legs last year from being heavily shaded, so I transplanted it and oh my goodness.... it must be very happy in it's new location!


This climbing rose, "Dublin Bay" is in it's second season and is just starting to be a prolific bloomer. These flowers are on the lower branches amongst the Margarite Daisys and Lavendar Gazania ground cover.


This is a very small "Peace" rose bush and these are it's first blossoms this season. Humongous!

Now.... onto the Popcorn Bush!.....
There was much interest in the Popcorn Bush last week (yes, it really does smell like buttered popcorn!) and so I thought I would give you an update.
Day before yesterday, I noticed from a distance that the blossoms looked a bit odd
so... I went in for a closer inspection.
Gah!
What a difference a few days makes!!!!

Whoooo Arreeee Youuuuu?


I wasn't looking so much at lovely flowers as juicy fat yellow caterpillars!
Not just one mind you.... but several, on each flower!
I'd never seen this guys before,  and I must admit, they were just too beautiful to remove from the plant.



These aren't tiny little fellows either, but large 2 1/2inch individuals. I'm hoping that they'll eventually emerge as a larger moth or butterfly, adding another dimention of beauty to the garden.
Lepidoptera Update:
Thank you Lori Ann for the super butterfly link!
It turns out these caterpillars are Pheobis Sennae- "Cloudless Sulphur Butterflies"!



I've been a bit delayed with my work of late....There has been some saddness in the household.... as my red factor Canary, "Montague", passed away, then 5 days later our family's elderly Pembroke Corgi, "Foxy" passed away.... then 3 days after that, the Cooper's Hawk got our male "Scarlet Chested Grass Parakeet" on the wire of the Aviary.  :-(
Strange how we can go for years without loosing our pets, then for whatever reason, like beautiful climbing roses, they creep above the garden walls out of sight, then ...
crossover all at once.
Though we can't see them, we know they're blooming still, on the other side.
      

7 comments:

Lori Ann Corelis said...

Beautiful photos!
check this link . . I think your catterpillars are butterflies to be!

http://www.pbase.com/tmurray74/butterfly_caterpillars

So sorry for your losses . . our little friends have such big hearts.

Lori Ann

Leah said...

I'm so sorry to hear Foxy is gone, and the birds, too. Beautiful flowers.

Jennifer MacNeill said...

Oh, I am so sorry to hear of your loss, how very sad.
On a positive, your roses are sublime! I just bought another rose and planted it here. I can't wait until it blooms.

Unknown said...

Thank you for all of your kind words with the loss of Foxy, Montague, and Mr. Meeps. Glad you all are enjoying the flowers!

Unknown said...

WOW, Such a beautiful garden and I'm so fortunate to be able to just walk down and enjoy it, the prettiest garden in the neighborhood. I knew about dear Foxy but not your feathered friends, so sorry about them. I've been chasing the neighborhood possum to get a pic but Nikki keeps chasing him away. The possum is HUGE!! Maybe tomorrow?We will see.

Unknown said...

WOW! Where do YOU Live? Some of the cherry blossoms and pear blossoms are blooming, but we definitely have not ONE rose out, and certainly not glorious caterpillars that turn into even more glorious butterflies! :)

Unknown said...

Zan, I live in Southern California where the weather is temperate for much of the year. I'm only about a 10min drive from the ocean so we have a bit of coastal influence which is helpful in the heat of Summer, and a bit damp in the Winter from the Coastal Edies. It's nearly ideal flower growing weather. I'm so glad everyone is enjoying them! :-)