Category: Posts

Exotic Singapore …

Published on by FJB
Honey Eater at Botanic Gardens

I’ve come to the end of my visit, and steamy Singapore has lived up to its reputation, with a tropical downpour every afternoon.  I’ve had a great time, walking for as long as I can manage each day and then retiring to the Martini Bar for a late afternoon refreshment.  I cannot believe how many shopping centres and European designer outlets have been built, and I am so glad I first visited Singapore in the late 70’s when it still had quite a bit of colonial character.  Still, if you go looking, you can find plenty of interesting things to do, none of which involve shopping.  One of my favourite spots is the Botanic Gardens which I visited three mornings in a row and still found something new to photograph each time.  I tracked this honey eater (which was only the size of my big thumb) from ginger to ginger until he held still long enough for me to get this shot.  My list of favourite spots and non-shopping things to do will follow soon.

♥ ♥ ♥

A long weekend at Coco’s …

Published on by FJB
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The entrance to Coco's Cottage

When I arrived at Coco’s Cottage last night I was greeted by a massive thunderstorm.  Lightning lit up the sky and cracks of thunder shook the cottage.  But this morning I woke up to a clear sky and the smell of a freshly drenched garden.  Not a hint of the drama of last night – just birdsong and gentle dripping sounds. I am already relaxed.

Coco’s Cottage is one of those “I could live here” places.  Warm, eclectic decor with everything you need, but nothing overdone. And the gardens are just as inspiring. Shaded and protected by bamboos, figs and native trees is almost every sub-tropical plant you can think of, all massed together in huge lush beds.  This is the garden that inspired me to dig up my lawn and replace it with heliconias, gingers and other exotics.

But … now I must drag myself away to vist some of the local attractions – the boutiques of Bangalow, the beaches of Byron, the serene gardens of Crystal Castle and maybe a tropical fruit nursery or two !!

The promise of things to come …

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September was a strange month weather-wise, alternately hot and cold, dry and rainy.  It was also a busy month – pruning, planting vegetables and working on my new tropical garden beds.  So far I’ve planted heliconias, gingers, pink bananas (more on those later), chives, tomatoes, rainbow silverbeet, rocket, basil, russian garlic and mixed lettuce.

So … if it rains at just the right time, and the rain isn’t too heavy, and the winds aren’t too hot, and the humidity isn’t too high, and the fruit fly stays away, and the bower birds and bats have plenty of other things to eat … it might just be a productive summer.  It sounds like a sure thing doesn’t it ????

Here are just some of the plants making rash promises …

The spring plant fair …

Published on by FJB
Crowds at the Plant Fair

After a week of intermittent rain and thunderstorms, the day of the spring plant fair dawned clear and crisp.  I was up with the lorikeets and arrived at 8:00am along with about 100 other plant enthusiasts.  Armed with our lists, the early birds swooped …

There were over fifty stands selling native, bush tucker and european plants, vegetable seedlings, compost, and even bottles of worm wee.  To keep us entertained there was a riveting workshop on composting, and our local reptile expert demonstrated what to do when coming face-to-face with a red bellied black snake.
(Freeze … apparently they have really bad eyesight !!)

To ensure that none of us fainted from hunger before having spent the maximum amount of money, there were …  felafel rolls and decadent organic cakes, coffee and chai tea. One stand run by a cheery local Sikh identity was selling samosas and egg & bacon sandwiches – is that “fusion food” I wonder ??

My purchases

Two hours later I was able to extract myself and return home with my purchases… several grevillias and powderpuff lilly pillys, a tahitian lime, a chocolate pudding tree, tomatoes, a curry leaf bush and a gorgeous pink cordyline.  Now comes the task of finding a suitable spot for everything.

♥ ♥ ♥