After a very rainy day yesterday – but no wind – today started misty and humid, brightening up in the afternoon making it too hot to be out in the garden doing any much needed work. I need a morning, free of any work/appointments/other things needing attention to do a big tidy up before our guests arrive. Anyway, thanks to Jim at Garden Ruminations, for hosting Six on Saturday, whose knowledge of all things plants and gardening makes him an ideal host.
Today’s pictures are things around the house rather than in pots. First up, more rengarenga or New Zealand rock lily, that low maintenance plant good for semi shade that is a borderline weed. It does look pretty, and certainly helps to keep weeds at bay in parts of the space around the house.
Nestling in between these and the alstroemerias are these little violas of some sort – clearly a spreading weed though, they pop up every year and just look so pretty. They seem to stick to one part of the garden at least.
Moving on to the camellias, which as still flowering and the falling petals and flower heads means I am out there nearly every day sweeping the steps up to the house and the decking. The bigger picture below was taken in Friday’s rain.
Nestling next to the violets are a favourite of mine, forget-me-nots. There is something so pretty about those little blue flowers, hidden away but still brightening up our lives with their happy faces.
Close by, the hostas are beginning to show signs of flowering…will show some more in the weeks to come no doubt.
And…for the next few weeks there is likely to be alstroemeria spam in these posts. We have mostly yellow, but there are some deep orange ones as well.(see the featured image picture at the top of the post).
That’s all from me folks for this week. As usual, I am looking forward to seeing everyone’s beautiful gardens in other parts of the world. Hope you are all well and enjoying your gardens in whatever the season is with you.
Thistles and Kiwis is a Wellington, New Zealand based blog written by Barbara, who likes cats, summer, good food and pretends to garden.
You can find Thistles and Kiwis on Facebook, and also on Instagram @thistlesandkiwis. If you want to get in touch, email me on thistlesandkiwis@gmail.com or lofgren@thistelsandkiwis.com
Thistles and Kiwis 
I love those little violas.
They grow in my Hosta pots – I keep them – they are lovely.
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I agree – they are lovely.
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The little Viola looks like the wild Sweet Violet (Viola odorata) – very fragrant if you can manage to get down to flower level (I struggle to with mine). Forget-me-nots are lovely.
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I might try lying down and trying to smell them!
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Just tried to smell them – no scent.
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I love alstroemerias, I have 2 varieties of different sizes, and I’m thinking of adding more (a pink one and orange one like yours. ) Lovely rengarenga that looks like a good covering carpet
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Oh yes do get more alstroemerias! I would love a pink one.
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I’m loving the orange alstroemerias which look much more interesting than my more common ones, and also happier in your kinder climate.
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nice pics
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You do have some very pretty “weeds”! I especially love the rock lily. Another lovely lily is your alstromeria, especially the orange one. Feel free to share to heart’s content. 🙂
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🙂
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I don’t mind violets or forget-me-nots, they are always in my gardens. Lovely to see all the other flowers too.
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We have the same violas here, also growing as ‘weeds’ in the lawn and semi shaded nooks. Do you think they’re edible?
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Hmmm…not sure and a bit scared to try…
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Love the alstromeria – My mom grew them in San Diego, and I used to buy bouquets of them as they last so long in a vase and can accommodate any color scheme..
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They look like common wood violets that are the state flower of Wisconsin. You can definitely eat them. People candy the flowers and you can also eat the leaves but I have not tried it yet. Supposed to be healthy. I will try in the spring, but I have to be careful not to take too much as I think I have a lot of caterpillars that will need to eat when they wake up in spring.
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As I said to Chris, I am a bit scared to try eating them just in case. I’m not sure if they are native ones or invasive ones either. I do remember violet cream candies as a child now you mention it.
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i wish I had some Renga Lilies! My mother had a violet lawn for years. Many people do consider it a weed. I love them…they won’t grow here!
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A violet lawn – what an amazing idea.
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It was never particularly dense but looked great in flower.
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No one could call our garden beautiful at the moment so it was nice to enjoy your colours.
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The New Zealand rock lily is lovely. I have a big problem with dog violets (the ones that aren’t scented). Not sure how they arrived in my garden, but they are spreading all over the place including containers. I shall have to do a big purge of them next year. But forget-me-nots are always welcome.
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They have certainly spread a bit but seem to stay in one area so far at least!
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Your summer garden looks lovely and your opening photo is stunning. Enjoy your guest!
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I love alstroemerias too. Spam away!
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I’m looking forward to seeing our first forget-me-nots but that will be several months yet. I pull them all up every year, then the flowerbeds are full of them the next spring.
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My goodness, your orange alstroemeria is *gorgeous*! I have a what is probably a very common pink color, but I definitely need to open my garden to something in this beautiful shade! Your camellia is quite pretty, too (something I can’t grow due to non-acid soil). So glad I stopped by!
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