Walking in the Gardens today

Yippee............I went back to see the eye specialist today and he is happy that he has reduced the swelling and haemorrhage in my eye sufficiently that he has set a date to do my cataract surgery - 23 July. Great news, then after about a month I may be able to get some new glasses and see a bit better.
We finally made time to walk in the Gardens again this afternoon so here are a few photos of what is flowering. The beautiful jade vine is looking very spectacular, I can't remember its botanical name, but there is no surprise it is called jade vine, the colour is beautiful and so intense.

The next two photos are of cane and taro and then the arrows of the cane. This section of the Gardens is a replica of Richmond mill garden from the early part of the last century. The South Sea Islander indentured labourers built lots of dry stone walls and grew their taro plants on the terraces. The varieties of cane planted here are some of the original types grown in the district. When I was first married there were fields of arrowing cane all round the district at this time of the year. Then the variety which produced all the arrows was banned because of a disease it developed, but this year there must be a new variety being grown all round the area which once again arrows. I haven't been able to get it in the photo, but the arrows look almost purple from one direction, then almost white as you look at them from another angle. People with allergies hate the arrowing, hay fever always takes over at this time of year, also not helped by all the fires around at present as the tops which have been cut off the cane during harvesting are being burnt. I am not sure why that is happening again either, I thought they were mostly used as a trash blanket to conserve moisture in the soil now. Bill has just told me that it is probably because the fields are being replanted - cane rattoons (regrows) for anywhere between 4 to 6 crops before being ploughed out and replanted.

the last photo is of one of the acacias - acacia conferta - looking very pretty just now. There is a different acacia in another part of the Gardens which I was hoping to show you, but it still has tightly closed buds, so will probably flower while I am away and I will miss it.

Of course the weather has thrown in a cold snap just as I am about to depart to the cold parts of Australia, but thank goodness not to Canberra where our son is. I heard on the news they had the coldest day for over 40 years today, I am glad I am not there. I don't need heavy clothes up here and it is always a panic trying to find something warm enough to take away with me. No doubt someone will lend me something and I will survive. I will still be able to talk!

Back in a couple of weeks