Thursday, October 22, 2009

A Record Of My Garden in Flower - Summer 2008-2009

I just wanted to keep a record of my garden in flower through the seasons - starting with ...

My garden flowering through Summer (December to February) 2008 - 2009:

Acalypha in flower
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Ardisia elliptica shrub
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Ardisia elliptica flowers
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Allamanda cathartica
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Barleria
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Begonia
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Bougainvillea
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Cassia Fistula
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Citharexylum Spinosum
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Clitoria Ternatea
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Coleus flower spike
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Combretum Constrictum – New Guinea Bottlebrush
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Coral Ardisia
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Croton flower spike
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Cuphea Mexicana
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Delonix Regia flowers
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Dianthea Nodosa
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Duranta Repens
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Dwarf Mussaenda
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Galphimia Glauca
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Gazania
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Gerbera
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Gum in flower
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Hibiscus rosa sinensis.
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Hibiscus Schizopetalus
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Ixoras
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Jacaranda Mimosifolia
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Jasminum Officinale
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Kaemferia Elegans
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Lagerstroemia Speciosa
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Our native Lobelia
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Mandevilla
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Malvaviscus Arboreus var. mexicanus
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Mussaenda Philippica ‘Aurore’
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Mussaenda Philippica ‘Bangkok Rose’
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Nematanthus Glabra
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Pelargonium
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Pentas
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Petunia
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Planchonia careya
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Plumeria Obtusa ‘Hawaiin Sunset’
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Plumeria Obtusa ‘Singapore White’
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Portulaca
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Russelia Juncea
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Tabebuia Heterophylla
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Torenias
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Our native violet – Viola Hederacea
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Neomarica Longifolia
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Zephyranthes Grandiflora
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For the record:
My region’s climate is unique amongst other coastal locations along the North Queensland coast. Unlike most of tropical Queensland, my region is appropriately referred to as the Dry Tropics because of its relatively low rainfall compared with other areas. The climate is warm and sub-humid, with a hot wet summer period of variable duration and intensity, and a warm dry winter season.

The summer months here are very hot and very humid with “build-up” thunderstorms starting in late October or November. Bursts of monsoon rains from late December through until early April deliver our highest rainfalls, and this is also the season that Tropical Cyclones can threaten the region. Previous 'wet' seasons produced very low rainfall averages - we had a series of drought years as well. So far this year we’ve received 1690mm – a record.

December, which is the warmest month of the year, records a daily maximum average temperature of 31.4 o C and daily minimum temperatures averaging 25.0 o C. Hot, muggy and uncomfortable conditions are common during the summer. Humidity is frequently between 60% and 75% during this time. It is thought that because of the humidity a 32°C day in Townsville will often feel like a 37°C day in a drier climate. Keeping the garden going through summer is hard work – with monsoonal rainfall, cyclonic winds, scorching summer heat, high levels of humidity and very bright sunshine.

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