PINCUSHION FLOWERS

I was in the Royal Melbourne Botanical Gardens in mid-December and this Jacaranda caught my eye with its amazing carpet of fallen flowers. The house in the background was built in 1856 as the original official residence of the Director of the Gardens. It is now used as an event space. Notice there is another Jacaranda to the left of the house. 

Staying with blue, this small multi-headed 'blue pincushion flower' (brunonia australis) was growing in a local nature reserve near our house. I came across it on a sunny day also in mid-December.

In my posting two weeks ago I included a photo of this clump of Scabiosa growing in our garden. Like the flower above, it has a similar pincushion appearance with the flowerhead made of a cluster of smaller flowers. 

I thought the scabiosa went well with the colours of the acanthus flower spikes, also from our garden, and have arranged them in an informal summer arrangement in a small basket. In addition I have added foliage of acacia baileyana which is a soft blue grey. 

Greetings from Christopher

12th January 2014