CLIVIAS AT FLAGSTAFF GARDENS

The Flagstaff Gardens is the oldest park in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, first established in 1862. It is one of the most visited and widely used parks in the city by nearby office workers and tourists. The gardens are notable for their archeological, horticultural, historical and social significance to the history of Melbourne.The gardens are 7.2 hectares (18 acres) of Crown Land bounded by William, La Trobe, King and Dudley streets, managed by the City of Melbourne.

The park contains extensive lawns with a variety of mature trees, flowerbeds and native animals including possums. The southern end is characterised by deciduous trees, while the northern end contains mature eucalypts. Avenues of elms shade pathways along with several large Moreton Bay Fig trees. The north corner contains a bowling lawn, rose beds, flower and shrub beds. Scattered about the lawns and gardens are memorials and sculptures that illuminate some of the social significance of the area.

Clivias are wonderful, hardy plants, which brighten the garden during late winter and early spring with clusters of vibrant orange trumpet flowers. The flowers are held on stalks above the clump of dark green strap-like leaves.Native to Natal, South Africa, clivias were named after Lady Charlotte Florentina Clive, Duchess of Northumberland, who was the granddaughter of Robert Clive, better known as Clive of India. As well as orange flowered forms there are also newer colour varieties of clivia available including red-orange, yellow and cream.

This post is part of the Mandarin Orange Monday meme,
and also part of the Weekly TopShot meme.