Australian native trees

Grevilleas. But not just any grevilleas. Pale creamy yellow ones. I was going to wow you with my erudite knowledge (freshly acquired) and tell you the particular name of this Australian spider flower.  But having just gone through the library – What Wildflower is That? And Wilflowers of Australia. I can’t find it.

Three of these magnificent showy small trees (shrubs?) grow at the top of our hill.  I have seen them start out as titchy nothings into these billowing beasts you see here.

But what are they called? I’ve never seen any others like them. Most people only see the red flowered ones.

Mind you with 250 cultivars of this member of the proteacaee family it’s not surprising that I can’t spot it.  And my two volume grevillea guide is in France.

What is it doing there? Sadly, that’s where my small Australian native plant collection lives. And it’s only in book form. Unless you count one grevillea grown from seed by Diana, and a kangaroo paw that may or may not still be alive in my potting shed.

I don’t even have any eucapytus trees to boast about. I killed the last ones grown from seed a few years back.

Maybe it’s time to try again. This time with some native eucalypts that are found in the colder regions of Australia – snow gums.  We shall see.

If I’m very very luck and can nurse them to a substantial size, I may be rewarded with flowers like these.

This eucapypt is growing in someone’s garden in a modest side street on my walk to Manly.  Were it out on the street and ‘public property’ I may accidently grab a branch and put it in a small vase.

I love eucalpytus in flower.

The seeds here aren’t ripe yet. And besides, what is the point of trying to grow trees that are suited to a beach side, mild and Australian climate up in the mountains in France?

Right plant right place. I’ll just have to keep my nostalgic yearnings for turning the pages of my books. And studying the prints of Margaret Preston.

Consolations?

Here is the view from the Bather’s Pavillion restaurant where we had dinner on Friday night.