Just the flowers, ma'am

[spideyGirl]

Wow gorgeous pics everyone, will get clicking and load some up soon. Our garden is full of spring, butterflys, bees, ladybirds and unfortunately ants on my apple tree

[Penfold]

Thank you all. I think its probably blackthorn as well (after looking at other pics on the 'net).

[deldaisy]

Lovely pics, Penners! It's so nice to see so much colour after what seems like such a long winter.

Funny what you take for granted huh.... its coming into autumn now and we can finally wear jeans without melting. Even had my shoulders covered tonight.

Even right through winter our city will be alive with colour as the trees bloom.

What is your birthday flower? (NOT what tradition says is your birth flower)

What I do for the children is..... I know what bushes, trees and flowers come out leading up to thier birthday. It was lovely when they were young to get excited with flame trees, or tibouchinas blooming and knowing their birthday was due. Found my 23 yr old pointing out her "tree" to her boyfriend the other day. Millions of wattle trees are in blooming right now.

So what blooms in the month leading up to YOUR birthday? to signal your day.

[Tina a.k.a.SusanSto.Helit]

I have only seen a Flame tree once, what is the "name" of it? I am going to be landscaping now that we are closing the paintball field and am looking for beauty for our 1.9 acre chunk up here in NukeLand.

Edit: Violets, been nuts about 'em for decades.

[deldaisy]

Here in Australia they are Illawarra flame trees, Brachychiton acerifolius.

They look spectacular if you plant them with Jacaranda Trees which bloom purple. I love when I drive into the city and the hills are covered red roof houses, the trees are covered in purple, and then a blinding red flame tree.

If you have a temperate climate Tina you should be able to grow them. My sister planted a huge massive garden out on a property up north (she was a horticulturist/landscaper as is my brother). She planted a Jacaranda, a flame tree and a bougenvillia as a clump.... when they bloomed it was like this amazing GIANT vase of flowers in the middle of the home paddock. All bloomed together and not too showy for the rest of the year but when they DID bloom... amazingly beautiful.

[chris.ph]

are those primroses i always thought they were weeds

[Tonyblack]

are those primroses i always thought they were weeds

The definition of 'weed' is something growing where you don't want it to. If it's growing in the countryside it's a wild plant, not a weed.

These are primroses, chris.

[chris.ph]

those are the ones growing out of my wall

[Broccolee]

I have the great luck to have my birthday on the first of may.EVERYTHING is out when I have my birthday,but I especially love the cherry blossoms,because they look so beautifully pink and ruffled.That comes out end of April,too,so I guess thats the reason I love them so much.Besides,theys are one of the few flowers that come out in spring I´m not allergic to!!!

[Catch-up]

Great pictures! It's still cold here.

[deldaisy]

Wow gorgeous pics everyone, will get clicking and load some up soon. Our garden is full of spring, butterflys, bees, ladybirds and unfortunately ants on my apple tree

See here for ants on your trees....and yes the ants are usually farming something else in your tree.

http://mygarden.rhs.org.uk/forums/p/17935/19068.aspx

[The Mad Collector]

Thank you all. I think its probably blackthorn as well (after looking at other pics on the 'net).

The Blackthorn is doing really well this year. From the pictures I took on The Heart of England Way yesterday

[Tina a.k.a.SusanSto.Helit]

Oooh, I would like to get a Blackthorn tree.

[deldaisy]

1.9 hectares???? OHHHHHHHH how wonderful Tina! How ecxciting for you.

Start collecting pics of gorgeous trees you love, do up a plan and start planting hun. Best idea is to drive.... look around your area... any tree or shrub or plant that is doing well in the most neglected house or park will do well through all times, lean and good.

A long as you give your trees a good start in life and make the hole huge to let them settle in, lots of blood and bone dug in and good soil if only in the hole for starters, and look after them the first two years they will give much love for years to come. Hint: Our local scientific org has discovered if you dig a SQUARE hole to plant, trees bed down better than a round hole

And don't forget to take pics of the Nuke site so you can get all goosey smug when its all green.

[spideyGirl]

Wow gorgeous pics everyone, will get clicking and load some up soon. Our garden is full of spring, butterflys, bees, ladybirds and unfortunately ants on my apple tree

See here for ants on your trees....and yes the ants are usually farming something else in your tree.

http://mygarden.rhs.org.uk/forums/p/17935/19068.aspx

Grossed out now but also grateful, cheers Deldaisy