Hello and Welcome to the Group. Topic for discussion: Monstera Deliciosa.

Keith thanks for making this group happen and I hope it is not an imposition to start off with a discussion here?

Last week I ventured to the side of the house where in previous years the well shaded area was home to the shade loving plants and more fussy of my over grown house plants. I go out there from time to time and because I had camera in hand I thought I would snap a few photos of my Monstera Deliciosa which is quite mature and also now a very large plant. It produces fruit and I managed to snap a few photos of the healthy looking crop of fruit, sometimes referred to as, fruit salad plant fruit. It has never been sprayed and it lives a very primitive life but thrives and it has made it through a few droughts lately which makes me think it gets water from very deep down. I have a little bit of information here about the plant, courtesy of Wikipedia :

 

Monstera deliciosa (also called Ceriman, Swiss Cheese Plant, Fruit Salad Plant, Monster fruit, Monsterio Delicio, Monstereo, Mexican Breadfruit, Monstera, split-leaf philodendron, Locust and Wild Honey, Windowleaf

Click here for more information.

MONSTERA, Monstera deliciosa 

Click here too.

Often called the Fruit Salad plant or the Swiss Cheese Plant as the ripened fruit has a pineapple-banana odour and fruit salad taste. The mature fruit has a yellow-green, violet-spotted rind of hexagonal plates covering a creamy-white, soft pulp. Highly ornamental, an excellent choice for heavily shaded positions.

More info here too from this Australian site.

Now my question for this group is.

Has anyone ever eaten the fruit of this plant?

I have never tried it and just leave the fruit on the plant and forget about it. I have read that it can be a bit tricky as far as eating the fruit goes because it must be fully ripe and I read that the fruits can take a year to ripen fully. So if you have any information and wish to share please do so. Most people who grow these plants start out with them as pot plants because of their lovely shiny green heart shaped leaves and for one of these plants to even think of fruiting, it takes at least four years and conditions must be fully met for that to happen.

Regards from Milli.

Garden Gurus.

I have made the little fellow into something more suitable for an avatar. Tell me your thoughts are guys?

Wild Almond Trees in Blossom.

There is never such a finer scene

Than when the almond trees send forth their pretty blossoms. Whilst other fruiting trees are still sleeping soundly.   In shades varying from softest pale pink, to full blush pink. Also some varieties have papery pure white petals.   Grown in Almond Groves as we refer to them here  The beauty of the blossoms on the tree is so pretty.
Whilst still looking magnificent as their petals Fall to the ground or scatter on the wind Leaving a beautiful cover across the Winter Earth.   Spring surely follows after the Almond blossoms have displayed their perfect colours.   Please enjoy My Almond Blossom Photos.   Milli               

What Tree Did You Fall From?

Photo above taken by myself locally and yes at an angle. Falling trees?

Now let us see what tree you fell from?

 

 

What Tree Did You Fall From?

 

Find your birthday and then find your tree. This is really cool and somewhat accurate, so they say. 

Dec 23 to Jan 01	Apple Tree
Jan 01 to Jan 11	Fir Tree
Jan 12 to Jan 24	Elm Tree
Jan 25 to Feb 03	Cypress Tree
Feb 04 to Feb 08	Poplar Tree
Feb 09 to Feb 18	Cedar Tree
Feb 19 to Feb 28	Pine Tree
Mar 01 to Mar 10	Weeping Willow Tree
Mar 11 to Mar 20	Lime Tree
Mar 21 (only)	Oak Tree
Mar 22 to Mar 31	Hazelnut Tree
Apr 01 to Apr 10	Rowan Tree
Apr 11 to Apr 20	Maple Tree
Apr 21 to Apr 30	Walnut Tree
May 01 to May 14	Poplar Tree
May 15 to May 24	Chestnut Tree
May 25 to Jun 03	Ash Tree
Jun 04 to Jun 13	Hornbeam Tree
Jun 14 to Jun 23	Fig Tree
Jun 24 (only)	Birch Tree
Jun 25 to Jul 04	Apple Tree
Jul 05 to Jul 14	Fir Tree
Jul 15 to Jul 25	Elm Tree
Jul 26 to Aug 04	Cypress Tree
Aug 05 to Aug 13	Poplar Tree
Aug 14 to Aug 23	Cedar Tree
Aug 24 to Sep 02	Pine Tree
Sep 03 to Sep 12	Weeping Willow Tree
Sep 13 to Sep 22	Lime Tree
Sep 23 (only)	Olive Tree
Sep 24 to Oct 03	Hazelnut Tree
Oct 04 to Oct 13	Rowan Tree
Oct 14 to Oct 23	Maple Tree
Oct 24 to Nov 11	Walnut Tree
Nov 12 to Nov 21	Chestnut Tree
Nov 22 to Dec 01	Ash Tree
Dec 02 to Dec 11	Hornbeam Tree
Dec 12 to Dec 21	Fig Tree
Dec 22 (only)	Beech Tree

YOUR TREE (in alphabetical order)

Apple Tree (Love) -- quiet and shy at times, lots of charm, appeal, and attraction, pleasant attitude, flirtatious smile, adventurous, sensitive, loyal in love, wants to love and be loved, faithful and tender partner, very generous, many talents, loves children, needs affectionate partner.

Ash Tree (Ambition) -- extremely attractive, vivacious, impulsive, demanding, does not care for criticism, ambitious, intelligent, talented, likes to play with fate, can be very egotistic, reliable, restless lover, sometimes money rules over the heart, demands attention, needs love and much emotional support.

Beech Tree (Creative) -- has good taste, concerned about its looks, materialistic, good organization of life and career, economical, good leader, takes no unnecessary risks, reasonable, splendid lifetime companion, keen on keeping fit (diets, sports, etc.).

Birch Tree (Inspiration) -- vivacious, attractive, elegant, friendly, unpretentious, modest, does not like anything in excess, abhors the vulgar, loves life in nature and in calm, not very passionate, full of imagination, little ambition, creates a calm and content atmosphere.

Cedar Tree (Confidence) -- of rare strength, knows how to adapt, likes unexpected presents, of good health, not in the least shy, tends to look down on others, self-confident, a great speaker, determined, often impatient, likes to impress others, has many talents, industrious, healthy optimism, waits for the one true love, able to make quick decisions.

Chestnut Tree (Honesty) -- of unusual stature, impressive, well-developed sense of justice, fun to be around, a planner, born diplomat, can be irritated easily, sensitive of others feelings, hard worker, sometimes acts superior, feels not understood at times, fiercely family oriented, very loyal in love, physically fit.

Cypress Tree (Faithfulness) -- strong, muscular, adaptable, takes what life has to give but doesn't necessarily like it, strives to be content, optimistic, wants to be financially independent, wants love and affection, hates loneliness, passionate lover which cannot be satisfied, faithful, quick-tempered at times, can be unruly and careless, loves to gain knowledge, needs to be needed.

Elm Tree (Noble-mindedness) -- pleasant shape, tasteful clothes, modest demands, tends not to forgive mistakes, cheerful, likes to lead but not to obey, honest and faithful partner, likes making decisions for others, noble-minded, generous, good sense of humor, practical.

Fig Tree (Sensibility) -- very strong minded, a bit self-willed, honest, loyal, independent, hates contradiction or arguments, hard worker when wants to be, loves life and friends, enjoys children and animals, few sexual relationships, great sense of humor, has artistic talent and great intelligence.

Fir Tree (Mysterious) -- extraordinary taste, handles stress well, loves anything beautiful, stubborn, tends to care for those close to them, hard to trust others, yet a social butterfly, likes idleness and laziness after long demanding hours at work, rather modest, talented, unselfish, many friends, very reliable.

Hazelnut Tree (Extraordinary) -- charming, sense of humor, very demanding but can also be very understanding, knows how to make a lasting impression, active fighter for social causes and politics, popular, quite moody, sexually oriented, honest, a perfectionist, has a precise sense of judgment and expects complete fairness.

Hornbeam Tree (Good Taste) -- of cool beauty, cares for its looks and condition, good taste, is not egoistic, makes life as comfortable as possible, leads a reasonable and disciplined life, looks for kindness and acknowledgment in an emotional partner, dreams of unusual lovers, is seldom happy with its feelings, mistrusts most people, is never sure of its decisions, very conscientious.

Lime Tree (Doubt) - intelligent, hard working, accepts what life dishes out, but not before trying to change bad circumstances into good ones, hates fighting and stress, enjoys getaway vacations, may appear tough, but is actually soft and relenting, always willing to make sacrifices for family and friends, has many talents but not always enough time to use them, can become a complainer, great leadership qualities, is jealous at times but extremely loyal.

Maple Tree (Independence of Mind) -- no ordinary person, full of imagination and originality, shy and reserved, ambitious, proud, self-confident, hungers for new experiences, sometimes nervous, has many complexities, good memory, learns easily, complicated love life, wants to impress.

Oak Tree (Brave) -- robust nature, courageous, strong, unrelenting, independent, sensible, does not like change, keeps its feet on the ground, person of action.

Olive Tree (Wisdom) -- loves sun, warmth and kind feelings, reasonable, balanced, avoids aggression and violence, tolerant, cheerful, calm, well-developed sense of justice, sensitive, empathetic, free of jealousy, loves to read and the company of sophisticated people.

Pine Tree (Peacemaker) -- loves agreeable company, craves peace and harmony, loves to help others, active imagination, likes to write poetry, not fashion conscious, great compassion, friendly to all, falls strongly in love but will leave if betrayed or lied to, emotionally soft, low self esteem, needs affection and reassurance.

Poplar Tree (Uncertainty) -- looks very decorative, talented, not very self-confident, extremely courageous if necessary, needs goodwill and pleasant surroundings, very choosy, often lonely, great animosity, great artistic nature, good organizer, tends to lean toward philosophy, reliable in any situation, takes partnership seriously.

Rowan Tree (Sensitivity) -- full of charm, cheerful, gifted without egoism, likes to draw attention, loves life, motion, unrest, and even complications, is both dependent and independent, good taste, artistic, passionate, emotional, good company, does not forgive.

Walnut Tree (Passion) -- unrelenting, strange and full of contrasts, often egotistic, aggressive, noble, broad horizon, unexpected reactions, spontaneous, unlimited ambition, no flexibility, difficult and uncommon partner, not always liked but often admired, ingenious strategist, very jealous and passionate, no compromise.

Weeping Willow (Melancholy) - likes to be stress free, loves family life, full of hopes and dreams, attractive, very empathetic, loves anything beautiful, musically inclined, loves to travel to exotic places, restless, capricious, honest, can be influenced but is not easy to live with when pressured, sometimes demanding, good intuition, suffers in love until they find that one loyal, steadfast partner; loves to make others laugh.

The photo is one of my own and the content is shared from an email sent to me recently.

I hope that you enjoy this post and tell me if it does ring true for you?

Twisted.Snail Vine, Vigna caracalla

I used my Ricoh Digital Camera RDC6000 for this photo taken in the  Beautiful Garden where my son and daughter in law were married in 2007. The vine was a twisted mass of the most beautiful corkscrew type flowers. 

For Marianne ~ I Had a Farm in Africa. Karen Blixen

Karen Blixen's Museum Page Where You can see photos of her farm.

Click Here

     

            

 Paying tribute to Sydney Pollack for presenting one of my favourite movies

about one of my favourite writers Karen Blixen aka Isak Dinesen.

Click here for so much more information about Karen Blixen.

The rose in the photo above is named the Karen Blixen Rose.

Sydney Pollack, Oscar Winner for `Out of Africa,' Dies at 73

By Laurence Arnold

May 27 (Bloomberg) -- Sydney Pollack, the actor, producer and AcademyAward-winning director of ``Tootsie'' and ``Out of Africa'' who used love stories, politics and humor to explore loss and human frailty, has died. He was 73.

Pollack died yesterday at his Los Angeles home after battling cancer, Leslee Dart, a spokeswoman for the family, said in a telephone interview. Pollack is survived by his wife, Claire, two daughters, a brother and six grandchildren.

Pollack excelled at serious, sometimes melancholy movies that explored relationships strained by emotional and cultural differences.
The connection between man and woman is ``a metaphor for everything else in life,'' he told Newsweek in 1985. In a 1990 interview with the Los Angeles Times, he said he was drawn to ``love stories in which the obstacle is too great to finally be overcome.''

I had a farm in Africa at the foot of the Ngong Hills. The Equator runs across these highlands, a hundred miles to the north, and the farm lay at an altitude of over six thousand feet. In the day-time you felt that you had got high up; near to the sun, but the early mornings and evenings were limpid and restful, and the nights were cold. Karen Blixen.

If I know a song of Africa, of the giraffe and the African new moon lying on her back, of the plows in the fields and the sweaty faces of the coffee pickers, does Africa know a song of me? Will the air over the plain quiver with a color that I have had on, or the children invent a game in which my name is, or the full moon throw a shadow over the gravel of the drive that was like me, or will the eagles of the Ngong Hills look out for me? Karen Blixen.
Finishing with the last poem from the movie and said to be on Finch-Hatton's obelisk stone here in part:
Denys Finch Hatton loved this poem. The lines "He prayeth well, who loveth well /Both man and bird and beast" appear on commemorative brass plaques, once placed by Denys Finch Hatton's brother Toby on the obelisk at Denys's tomb in the Ngong Hills, and still found in Ewerby Church, Lincolnshire, England. In the flyleaf of the copy of the poem owned by Karen Blixen, Denys drew a picture of a rhinoceros. This drawing is reproduced in Isak Dinesen's Letters from Africa, page 140.)

"...--Laughed loud and long, and all the while /His eyes went to and fro. /Ha, ha, quoth he, full plain I see /The Devil knows how to row.
Farewell, farewell, but this I tell /To thee, thou Wedding Guest: /He prayeth well, who loveth well /Both man and bird and beast." 
Taken from: The Rime of the Ancient Mariner
by Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834)
 

Far North Queensland Butterflies.

I love to see butterflies in my garden and to my delight, the sighting of a small local species of The Monarch Butterfly, came fluttering through this morning as I watered some of the freshly planted pots.

I did capture the Monarch's on camera Click Here to see them, last January whilst on a small vacation and I also did a search for the beautiful Ulysses Butterfly from Queensland. In doing so I came across a slide show so kindly offered for sharing by This Enthusiastic Photographer. Click here

He has a wonderful slide show of butterflies from the Kuranda Butterfly Sanctuary a place I have heard of but never been to, up until now.

I did get to Kuranda a few years back and because there was much to see in between my trip up through the rain forest in the gondola and back down the mountains in the old train, my time was too short to make the trip to the Sanctuary.

Kuranda Butterfly Sanctuary--Far North Queensland, Australia

I was searching originally for this butterfly below. It truly is beautiful. What do you think?

The Ulysses butterfly (Papilio Ulysses), also known as the blue mountain butterfly, is a large Australian swallowtail. The Ulysses butterfly has a wingspan of about 14 cm (5.5 inches). It lives in northeastern Australia along the coast of Queensland. It inhabits tropical rain forest areas and suburban gardens. The Ulysses butterfly's favourite food plant is euodia (Melicope elleryana), a tree with clusters of small pink flowers growing straight out of the branches. The upper side the wings are an iridescent electric blue; the underside is a more subdued black and brown in colouration.

The colours are produced by the microscopic structure of the scales.
Ulysses butterfly at the Melbourne Zoo

Nostalgic Musings As I Plant Pansies.

The song goes like this:

Rain, Rain, go away come again another day.

My song goes this way:

Rain, Rain come and stay

We need you more, every day.

I have finally attempted to plant a few pots up with the beloved little pansies, cosmos and impatiens. The autumn this year has been very beautiful, weather wise with sunny, delightful days and cooler nights.

 

The ground is still very dry, in fact I dug the ground today to plant some rosemary and yellow daisies and there was no moisture in that soil at all.

I have always loved these sweet little flowers called Pansies. I remember as a girl my very first planting or attempt at planting out seeds were pansy seeds in a pot on the front veranda. My mother was so impressed that she picked some of the beautiful big purple flower heads with the sun gold centres and pressed them in a big book. I know they are in a big book somewhere even today, however I am not too sure which book to look in because it has been so long since I sought them out.

Have you ever pressed a special flower in a big fat book? Or made a daisy chain?

Or eaten the leaves of a nasturtium? Then again if you were brought up near a paddock full of sour sobs, did you ever suck their sour, juicy stems?

Or maybe you ate the parsley straight from the bush? Or one of our very favourite activities was eating the fresh peas out of the pea pods. There were never many left to cook if we children were left to shell the peas.

I remember the big apron my mother wore in the garden and as she picked or planted, her apron with it’s useful big pockets became swollen and full She would often use them as storage vessels for all kinds of vegetables and even for the bantam’s eggs.

We kept Bantams as I was growing up. Those smaller and cuter little chooks, who make the best little mothers, because they are so diligent and determined when sitting on their own eggs and the eggs of other chooks too.

After bringing out a big brood of new chicks they would be soon out searching for new eggs to sit on. Really cute to watch these little bantams, as their little warm bodies with all the pretty feathers fluffed out would cover the eggs, keeping the eggs warm until hatching.

Great little mothers the Bantam hens are for sure and cocky are the little red roosters.

Bantams make the absolute best mums...

It will be Anzac Day here next week on the 25^th of April and the weather is renowned for being wet on Anzac Day. So if I plant now and hopefully we get some rain soon, my dry summer garden will revive, albeit minus quite a few of my old favourites that just did not make it through the fifteen consecutive days of above 35 degrees celsius.

Pansies

R. C. Lehmann

Tufted and bunched and ranged with careless art

Here, where the paving-stones are set apart,

Alert and gay and innocent of guile,

The little pansies nod their heads and smile.

With what a whispering and a lulling sound

They watch the children sport about the ground,

Longing, it seems, to join the pretty play

That laughs and runs the light-winged hours away.

And other children long ago there were

Who shone and played and made the garden fair,

To whom the pansies in their robes of white

And gold and purple gave a welcome bright.

Gone are those voices, but the others came.

Joyous and free, whose spirit was the same;

And other pansies, robed as those of old,

Peeped up and smiled in purple, white and gold.

For pansies are, I think, the little gleams

Of children’s visions from a world of dreams,

Jewels of innocence and joy and mirth,

Alight with laughter as they fall to earth.

Below, the ancient guardian, it may hap,

The kindly mother, takes them in her lap,

Decks them with glowing petals and replaces

In the glad air the friendly pansy-faces.

So tread not rashly, children, lest you crush

A part of childhood in a thoughtless rush

Would you not treat them gently if you knew?

Pansies are little bits of children too

~~~~~~~~~

Autumn Treats. Slide Show

.

Emily Dickinson:

Who has not found the heaven below
Will fail of it above.
God's residence is next to min,
His furniture is love.

All Photos taken by Milli 2008

 

Return of The Parrots.

A lovely surprise yesterday I found in the poor dry garden, was a pair of Rainbow Lorikeet dropping by to feed from the left over apples on the apple tree and also to visit the gum tree blossoms which are out in full bloom on the eucalyptus trees in the surrounding gardens.