The Garden in April

Today has been a cloudy, overcast day.  We even had a bit of a drizzle in the afternoon!  How lovely!  It was the perfect day for a stroll around the garden.  Would you like to come with me?

In the side yard:

Cherry/Strawberry Guava Flowers

This is known as cherry guava (that's what I call it), strawberry guava, and Cattley guava, and apparently comes in both red and yellow fruited varieties.  What I have is the red fruited variety.  

Nearby, the feijoa, or pineapple guava, tree is also in bloom:

Feijoa/Pineapple Guava Flowers

I actually have three feijoa trees and all are in flower.  


Continuing along the side wall in the back garden, one of my star jasmine vines in full bloom:

Star Jasmine Vine

I had three such star jasmine vines, but one died from heat damage after the neighbor's garage caught fire (growing along the wall that separates our properties).  So now, I just have two.  Only one is flowering because the other one had to be pruned all the way to the ground and is just now starting to grow again.   But I noticed that it is having some buds forming, so it might bloom a bit later on!  It is half hidden by the self-seeded African daisies that are also growing in the same bed.

The Second Star Jasmine Plant

Star Jasmine Close-Up

 Since pictures of my garden have to include some of my roses:

Newly Bloomed Rose

Baby peaches forming on my little peach tree:

Baby Peaches

 More roses:

More Roses

 Along the back wall, the oleander shrubs:

Pink Oleander

I had several oleanders growing in the side yard and along the back wall.  The ones in the side yard had to be cut down and removed when I replaced the sewer.  The others died from a disease known as Oleander Leaf Scorch.  Now I just have two of these pink oleanders.

Oleander, Close Up

Along the other side wall, behind the shed, the lantana and plumbago hedge:

Lantana and Plumbago Hedge

Both types of plants are quite drought tolerant once established.

Lantana

Plumbago

One of the white iceberg rose bushes (plus a yellow flowered gazania and a self-seeded curry leaf plant in front):

 Behind the garage/in front of the shed, purple flowered geraniums:

Geranium

Before we leave the back garden, the bottle brush tree in bloom:

Bottle Brush Tree

It grew from a seed from my neighbor's tree, which fell into a planter my mother had kept on the low wall between our houses.  The hummingbirds love the nectar of these flowers.

Bottle Brush Flowers, Close Up

So named because the flowers resemble a bottle brush, of course.

Closer Up

And in the front garden, the pomegranate tree has flowers:

Pomegranate Flowers

Such pretty flowers:

Pomegranate Flowers

And that's a tour of the garden, in April.  Hope you enjoyed it.