Hello again and Happy New Year wonderful gardening bloggers! We were in Brisbane last week, so this is my first post of 2019. Thanks once again to The Propagator for allowing us to share what is going on in our gardens.
Sticking very briefly with Brisbane, below are two pictures of the South Bank Grand Arbour, a kilometre long structure located in the South Bank Parklands of the city. It functions as a pedestrian walkway, and is composed of 443 steel ‘tendrils’ with a bougainvillea canopy. It is such a beautiful structure, and the pink flowers against the blue sky were stunning.
On getting home, I was faced with a lot of very dry pots and ground, as there had been lots of sunny weather when we were away. I had popped the three basil plants indoors, which all looked fine (even the little one that appeared from nowhere), however the bergamot…well, you can see below. I’ve cut it back as can see some new leaves towards the bottom, so let’s see what happens.
Yesterday we stopped off at the garden centre after a lovely brunch out at Scorching Bay, and I picked up a new curry plant (the other one is looking really sad) and this ‘pizza thyme’, which has both flavours of thyme and oregano (hence it sometimes being known as Italian thyme). That’s four thymes now in my herb collection.
We had to clear the back steps to the house a bit, as it was getting impossible to walk up past the Peruvian lilies. Not that we use these steps at all often, but it is good to keep them clear in case of an emergency. The hosts are now flowering, adding a dash of purple to the side of the house.
And so to the agapanthus, which have now taken over the landscape. The featured image at the top of the post is what we now have next to the steps to the house. Most of the blooms are blue, but there are a few white ones too. They are weeds here, but despite that, do look lovely.
Finally, here is part of the herb collection, which after being away, is in need of a bit of tidy up and attention. And on that note…I’m off out to do just that.
You can find Thistles and Kiwis on Facebook, and also on Instagram@thistleandkiwis. As for Twitter….am totally inactive these days. If you want to get in touch, email me on thistlesandkiwis@gmail.com
Thistles and Kiwis 
Liking the flowers against the sky and the agapanthus. You always seem to have a great selection of herbs in your garden.
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Thanks! I am slowly building up a collection. It’s fun and they can be used in the kitchen,
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Ah, a year ago we were in Brisbane (I did two months of Aussie sixes) and visited South Bank a couple of times. I just read your Lone Pine post too; we went there some years ago. Seen a few Agapanthus in New Zealand too, they grow like weeds (indeed, as weeds) for you, we have to work at it a bit more. Then there’s that tree fern, which just about survives in the mildest of UK gardens and I’m trying to pay attention to the basil . . .
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Yes the good old agapanthus…still think they look pretty even though they are a bit of a pest. I had never had any luck with basil, until I started to treat it with care, bringing it in on cold nights etc. You always read about how easy it is to grow….I think it needs a lot of looking after.
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So lovely to see colour and flowers on a dreary winters day here in the U.K. Love that Bourgainvillea against the sky; stunning!
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Thank you! We are luckily having a good summer at the moment. I enjoy seeing the crocus popping up in northern hemisphere posts.
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Beautiful hostas and agapanthus and those pink flowers are stunning against the blue sky!
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Thank you! I loved those pink flowers too.
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The South Bank Grand Arbour looks amazing. My son has recently moved to Brisbane so I am hoping to pay him a visit some time this year and I look forward to visiting that. My last visit to Brisbane was in 1998! Love your Agapanthus, I have one which isn’t doing so well in my Cornish garden – I don’t think I have found the right place for it so might have to dig it up again in the spring and relocate. I want some more dark blue and white ones which I might keep in pots so I can move them around.
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Enjoy Brisbane when you go! Agapanthus are everywhere here. You know it is the middle of summer when they appear.
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I love the vibrant colour of the bougainvillea against the brilliant blue sky… and your agapanthus. *laughing* If they are weeds I’m jealous!
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Yes that pink and blue was stunning. I know it is hard to believe, but agapanthus grow along the side of the road, in any space they can find here.
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That grand arbour is quite something! Would love to see that in person.
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It really is! Quite lovely.
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I love the bougainvillea – so colourful!
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I know! Quite lovely.
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what a lovely container garden.
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Thanks!
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