Sun-dial Dog

Our Byron. Back Yard

Anthurium, Impatiens, Pan

Peace Lily or…

…. Flipping the bird?

Brobdingnagian Banyan

Orchid Ovation

 

North wall. South facing 

The Orchids still bloom on our Frangipani.

The koi carp still replicate in our fish pond. 

The sun still rises over our Banyan tree. 

Wars aside.

Bougainville Best Blossom

It’s everywhere now, blossoming best ever

Bougainvillea Boulevard

Our backyard today. Discovery Bay, Hong Kong. 25C, sunny.

Elderly Banyan

Near our house, Hong Kong

Bread, Butter, Breakfast, Binoculars, Book, Bifocals, Birds, Balcony

Poinciana. Flame Tree.

Fall. Discovery Bay

Lantau Island, Vege Garden

Looking South east to Hei Ling Chau, South China Sea. 

This is on the daily walk to the Monastery I used to do with our dog Marcus the Weimaraner, via the tiny "Philippine village", and Nim Shue Wan beach.

Marcus guards the front door

Marcus guards the bronze geese

Hong Kong gardens…

A touch cloudy, but otherwise fine. They’re high clouds, not rain bearing. 

Hong Kong is in drought. We have to water the garden. This, in a tropical place with an average 63" (160 cm) rain per year. Mind: the pattern is "Summer rain; winter drought", the exact opposite of the Mediterranean climate. Why olive trees don't grow here. I know, I've tried them… 

 
Drought aside, the weather lately in Hong Kong is perfect. 20C and low humidity. Like California (its perfect weather not even Governor Gavin Newsom can mess up).

Camellias and Orchids. Home grown

Purple Orchid Cattleya

Used to be pink. Today purple. In our garden

Grok: This beautiful orchid is a Cattleya (likely a hybrid variety, as pure species are less common in cultivation). Cattleyas are often called the "queen of orchids" for their large, showy, ruffled blooms.

Key identifying features from your photo:

• The vibrant magenta-purple petals and sepals with heavily fringed/ruffled edges.
• The prominent yellow-orange throat (inner part of the lip/labellum) with a contrasting central column.
• The overall large, flamboyant flower shape typical of Cattleya hybrids.

These are popular in homes and greenhouses, often bred for bold colors like this deep purple-magenta with yellow accents. They thrive in bright indirect light and well-draining orchid bark.

Dawn-Sun. Dog-Ball

Our Labradoodle, Byron, in Siena Park, Discovery Bay, Hong Kong 
Photo: Arlene Villante

Flower, Mountain, island…

Madagascar Periwinkle. Tiger Head Mountain. Discovery Bay. Hong Kong. Lantau Island

The Arboretum, Canberra, A.C.T., Australia, March 2016

Canberra Arboretum. Looking NE to Lake Burley-Griffin.
(Today on my Apple Photos feed)

The Canberra Arboretum became one of my favourite places to visit, when I’m back in Oz. Above, nearly a decade ago, with my then 95-yo Mother. Still in fine fettle, at rising 104. 

The Arboretum has a wonderful Visitor Centre with a very special collection of Bonsai trees that’s the best I’ve seen. Many exotic trees, but specially wonderful are the bonsai gums. Those grand, grey, gnarly ghosts, the famous eucalypts of the Australian Bush. A Blue Gum, fully grown at 200 feet, here just a foot or two tall, fully mature. 

Note the bird on the branch. Looks like a Magpie, those cheeky scoundrels of the bush. 

I’d love to see that view today.

ADDED: here's one from Mr Google. At May this year, Australia's Autumn colours. And the Visitor's Centre in the distance. 

Backyard

50 Shades of Green

 

Madagascar Lily. Tiger head mountain. Lantau Island, Hong Kong

On my bike trip around Siena Park, Discovery Bay, Hong Kong. That's Tiger Head Mountain in the middle at back, up which we've climbed many times. It's a grand trek. On the other side, goes down to the town of Mui Wo, 20 or so miles south of us here. 

The domed structure is Discovery Bay College, a private school teaching the International Baccalaureate. Our son, John, attended for a few years. 

Orchid time

We have an orchid-whisperer at home...