Australian Flora and Fauna in the Garden

Here... the sun shines every day...

Mike is a big guy...

and Auntie Dot...

and a family picture!

This beautiful Python Snake, common name is Carpet Snake, because of its pattern, lives since many years in my garden in this Staghorn fern. Here she is just going home, enjoying the sun for a while.

Emerging Banksia Robur flower

Banksia robur, commonly known as Swamp Banksia or, less commonly, Broad-leaved Banksia grows in sand or peaty sand in coastal areas from Cooktown in north Queensland to the Illawarra region on the New South Wales south coast. It is often found in areas which are seasonally inundated.
Though it was one of the original banksias collected by Joseph Banks around Botany Bay in 1770, it was not named until 1800 by Cavanilles, with a type collection by Luis Née in 1793.

Emerging flower of Banksia Robur

Growing Banksia flower

Lilli's Majolica Pottery, Possum with red flowered Eucalyptus. (Not for sale)

Rainbow Lorikeets on Banksia Robur flower.

The Rainbow Lorikeet, Trichoglossus haematodus is a species of Australasian parrot found in Australia, eastern Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. In Australia, it is common along the eastern seaboard, from Queensland to South Australia and northwest Tasmania. Its habitat is rainforest, coastal bush and woodland areas. The taxonomy is disputed, and it is often split into several species (see Taxonomy).

The Rainbow Lorikeet is very colourful as its name suggests. Almost every colour in the rainbow is used on the feathers of the rainbow lorikeet. They are not a huge bird with a Rainbow Lorikeets height ranging from 25-30 cm (9.8-11.8 in) in size, with a wingspan of about 17 cm (6.7 in) and vary significantly in colouration between the numerous subspecies. Their eponymous markings of the best known subspecies moluccanus are particularly striking: A dark blue or violet-blue head and stomach, a bright green back, tail and vent, and an orange breast and beak. Several have darker scalloped markings across the orange or red breast and the Weber's Lorikeet is predominantly green. Wikipedia

Lilli's Majolica Pottery, Pigmy Possum with Wattleblossom. (Not for sale)

Grevillia Honey Gem is a tough, for ever flowering Shrub.

Grevillea is a diverse genus of about 360 species of evergreen flowering plants in the protea family Proteaceae, native to Australia, New Guinea, New Caledonia, and Sulawesi. The species range from prostrate shrubs less than 0.5 m tall to trees 35 m tall. Common names include Grevillea, Spider Flower, Silky-oak and Toothbrush.

Grevillea flowers were a traditional favourite among Aborigines for their sweet nectar. This could be shaken onto the hand to enjoy, or into a coolamon with a little water to make a sweet drink. They might be referred to as the original "bush lollies".

Believe it or not:

Marsilio Ficino 1460 the greatest scholar in the world, translated 17 books of the Hermetic Text into Greek and Latin.

Organic Tip of the day: Do not use "Finish or any other commercial Rinse aid in your dishwasher. It leaves a bitter taste from the chemicals on the dishes. I use since years white Vinegar. The result, sparkling dishes without chemical residue. And it is much cheaper as well!