AGAPANTHUS 'BLACK PANTHA'

This post is part of the Blue Monday meme,
and also part of the Nature Footsteps Floral Macros meme.

2014: MY YEAR IN REVIEW IN IMAGES

Today's post is a review of some of my photos from 2014. Each of the twelve photos represents a post of mine for each of the twelve months.

This post is part of the Nature Footsteps Floral Macros meme,
and also part of the Our World Tuesday meme,
and also part of the Ruby Tuesday meme,
and also part of the Wordless Wednesday meme.

JANUARY: Sunset in Melbourne, Australia

FEBRUARY: Geranium in our garden

MARCH: Hanoi, Vietnam

APRIL: Sunrise in Melbourne, Australia

MAY: Temple of Hephaestus in Athens, Greece

JUNE: Carpet maker in India

JULY: War Memorial in Canberra, Australia 

AUGUST: Reminiscing in Melbourne, Australia

SEPTEMBER: Tulip festival in the Dandenongs, Melbourne, Australia 

OCTOBER: Skyscrapers in Perth, Australia

NOVEMBER: Castel Sant' Angelo in Rome, Italy

DECEMBER: Rock church in Cappadocia, Turkey

YELLOW CLIVIA

This post is part of the Monday Mellow Yellows meme,
and also part of the Nature Footsteps Inspiring Photography meme.

SPARROW IN RED

This post is part of the Nature Footsteps Floral Macros meme,

and also part of the Our World Tuesday meme,

and also part of the Ruby Tuesday meme,

and also part of the Wordless Wednesday meme.

CARMINE NASTURTIUM

Tropaeolum majus (garden nasturtium, Indian cress or monks cress) is a flowering plant in the family Tropaeolaceae, originating in the Andes from Bolivia north to Colombia. The species has become naturalised in parts of the United States (California, New York, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Connecticut). It is of cultivated, probably hybrid origin, with possible parent species including T. minus, T. moritzianum, T. peltophorum, and T. peregrinum. It is not closely related to the genus Nasturtium (which includes watercress).

This carmine nasturtium is a more unusual shade than the orange or yellow varieties and it is a striking addition to any garden. I also find the developing seedheads as photogenic as the flowers!

This post is part of the Nature Footsteps Floral Macros meme,
and also part of the Our World Tuesday meme,
and also part of the Ruby Tuesday meme.

RED ROSE BOUQUET

This post is part of the Nature Footsteps Floral Macros meme,
and also part of the Our World Tuesday meme,
and also part of the Ruby Tuesday meme.

JACOBEAN LILY

Sprekelia is a genus of at least three bulbous plants in the family Amaryllidaceae, subfamily Amaryllidoideae. They are native to Central America. Like Hippeastrum, these plants were known as Amaryllis. Sprekelia plants are also sometimes called "Aztec lilies", although they are not true lilies. This genus is named after Johann Heinrich von Spreckelsen (1691–1764), who supplied the plants to Lorenz Heister.

S. formosissima shown below growing in our garden, is common in cultivation, planted in warm climates or raised in pots in colder climates, or planted and lifted, much as the gladiolus. Even when well grown, bulbs often do not bloom every year. In a grouping of about a dozen bulbs, only two or three may bloom in any given year. We are very lucky with ours as they bloom consistently and abundantly!

This post is part of the Nature Footsteps Floral Macros meme,
and also part of the Our World Tuesday meme,
and also part of the Ruby Tuesday meme,
and also part of the Wordless Wednesday meme.

ROSES IN SPRING

Spring has sprung in Melbourne and the roses have begun to bloom in our garden. We are having some changeable weather at the moment (32˚C maximum, sunny and fine last Sunday, then 15˚C maximum yesterday, with rain overnight), but that does not deter the blooming.

This post is part of the Nature Footsteps Floral Macros meme,
and also part of the Our World Tuesday meme,
and also part of the Ruby Tuesday meme.

CAMPO DE' FIORI MARKET, ROME

Rome's oldest market is held on Campo Dei Fiori (Flora's Courtyard, not 'flower market'). Here you will find the best fish in the city, fresh vegetables and attractively-piled fruit, spice, as well as kitchen utensils, tablecloths and toys.

The open air market in Campo de’ Fiori is undeniably one of Rome’s most famous. Much of this has to do with its location. It is pretty much the only open air market left in the centre of Rome (except for the one in Trastevere). All of Rome’s rioni, or neighbourhoods used to have an open air market. Sadly, things change. Due to transformed shopping habits, rising real estate prices and shifting family customs most of these markets have died a slow death over the last two decades...

This post is part of the Nature Footsteps Floral Macros meme,
and also part of the Our World Tuesday meme,
and also part of the Ruby Tuesday meme.

RED GLADIOLI

This post is part of the Nature Footsteps Floral Macros meme,
and also part of the Our World Tuesday meme,
and also part of the Ruby Tuesday meme.

TULIP FESTIVAL

The Dandenong Ranges (commonly just called "the Dandenongs") are a series of low mountain ranges, rising to 633 metres at Mount Dandenong, about 35 km east of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The ranges consist mostly of rolling hills, steeply weathered valleys and gullies covered in thick temperate rainforest, predominantly consisting of tall Mountain Ash trees and dense ferny undergrowth.

The Dandenongs are home to 100,000 residents, but the area is very popular with visitors and tourists. many of which stay for the weekend at the various Bed & Breakfasts through the region. Much of the Dandenongs were protected by parklands as early as 1882 and by 1987 these parklands were amalgamated to form the Dandenong Ranges National Park, which was added to again in 1997. The popular Puffing Billy Railway, a heritage steam railway, runs through the southern parts of the Dandenongs.

There are many small towns and village-like settlements throughout , but there are also farms and orchards, flower gardens and nurseries. The relatively high altitude and cooler temperatures favour the growth of Spring bulbs and one of the larger bulb farms is the Tesselaar Tulip Farm, which is in existence from 1939. The annual Tulip Festival at this farm is well-attended event very popular with visitors and tourists.

This post is part of the Nature Footsteps Floral Macros meme,
and also part of the Our World Tuesday meme,
and also part of the Ruby Tuesday meme.

MARKET IN SOFIA, BULGARIA

Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria. Sofia is located at the foot of Mount Vitosha in the western part of the country. It occupies a strategic position at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula. Sofia's history spans 2,400 years. Its ancient name Serdica derives from the local Celtic tribe of the Serdi who established the town in the 5th century BC.

The city remained a relatively small settlement until 1879, when it was declared the capital of Bulgaria. Sofia is the 15th largest city in the European Union with a population of around 1.4 million people. Sofia has been ranked by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network as a Beta− city. Many of the major universities, cultural institutions, and businesses of Bulgaria are concentrated in Sofia.

This post is part of the Nature Footsteps Floral Macros meme,
and also part of the Our World Tuesday meme,
and also part of the Ruby Tuesday meme