I have planted a large number of plants which attract butterflies and other insects. Here a Large Brown Fritillary is feeding on a Lantana camara.
Passion flowers catch the first sunbeams of the day. They will only stay open for 6 to 8 hours though.
Autumn is fast approaching. Leaves are changing colour and dropping, accelerated by the abnormally high temperatures. Even the vibrant Bougainvillaea is starting to look a little faded.;
While almost everything else wilts with the heat, just one or two local plants seem to thrive in the parched orchards.
The Golden Oriole, one of our brightly coloured summer migrants have left for their winter home. It is always a sign of the advancing seasons when our summer visitors start to depart.
My fruit harvest is in full swing. This week it has been plums. Next on the list will be Passionfruit.
An early morning saunter along the lanes and tracks around my home is, at this time of year, one of the best experiences you can have. It is cool, there is usually a light breeze and the sun is warm, but not yet hot.
The lack of rainfall this year is really starting to show. The olive trees which a dew months ago were covered in flowers, are now dropping their young fruit because of the drought. There is no sign of any rainfall on the horizon either!
De-cluttering is a term that is in vogue at the moment. I tend to “rationalise”. To me, de-cluttering means ‘getting rid’, rationalisation means tidying up, sorting out and a trip to the recycling bins…
Some plants appear without fail every year, others take a little coaxing. But that is all the fun of horticulture.