Carpobrotus rossii, commonly known as karkalla or pig face (Western Australia), is a succulent coastal groundcover plant native to southern Australia. Karkalla leaves are succulent, 3.5–10 cm long and 1 cm, and curved or rarely straight. The flowers are light purple in colour, and 6 cm wide. The globular purplish red fruit is about 2.5 cm long and 1.5 cm wide.
The species occurs in the states of Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria. It can be found year-round in large patches covering sand dunes close to the ocean, due to its hardy nature and salt resistance. Aboriginal people eat the fruit traditionally, fresh and dried. The salty leaves were also reported to have been eaten with meat. Extracts of the plant have significant in vitro antioxidant, antiplatelet, and anti-inflammatory activity.
This post is part of the Pink Saturday meme,
and also part of the I Heart Macros meme,
and also part of the Macro Monday meme.
The view towards the East on the Yarra River in the City of Melbourne. Queens Bridge, a historic road bridge can be seen. The bridge was built in 1889 and has five wrought iron plate girder spans, and is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register. The bridge was built by contractor David Munro, and replaced a timber footbridge built in 1860.
This post is part of the Weekend Reflections meme,
and also part of the Weekly TopShot meme,
and also part of the Photo of the Week meme,
and also part of the Pink Saturday meme,
and also part of the Scenic Weekends meme.
The Queens Bridge is a historic road bridge over the Yarra River in Melbourne, Victoria. The bridge was built in 1889 and has five wrought iron plate girder spans, and is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register. The bridge was built by contractor David Munro, and replaced a timber footbridge built in 1860. The bridge is a very flat arch, and has five spans constructed of wrought iron plate girders. The bridge rests on iron cylinders filled with concrete, in groups of eight, with arched bracing between. It connects Market Street and William Street on the north bank to Queensbridge Street to the south. Trams on route 55 also cross the bridge.
This post is part of the Weekend Reflections meme,
and also part of the Weekly TopShot meme,
and also part of the Pink Saturday meme,
and also part of the Scenic Weekends meme.
I had not seen this beautiful native flower on some shrubs that are growing near our house. It almost looks like Bottle brush, but it's not. In any case, it is very delicate and striking.
This post is part of the Pink Saturday meme,
On the 25 April 1916, the first anniversary of the landing of the Australians at Anzac Cove, Gallipoli, a fund was opened to raise money to erect a permanent memorial to those from NSW who served in The Great War 1914 - 1918.
By the end of the year the fund had reached £60,000. In 1923 the Institute of Architects suggested the Memorial be erected in Hyde Park. During 1929 a competition was held for the design of the memorial and 117 designs were received from all over the world. The first prize was awarded to Mr Charles Bruce Dellit, which did not include sculptures by Raynor Hoff at the time that it won the prize.
Building commenced in 1930 during the height of the Great Depression, and the Memorial was officially opened on 24 November 1934 by His Royal Highness, The Duke of Gloucester.
In 1984, following a proposal by the Trustees, the ANZAC Memorial (Building) Act 1923 was amended to enable the Memorial to be rededicated as a Memorial to include all Australians who serve their country in war.
This post is part of the Weekend Reflections meme,
and also part of the Weekly TopShot meme,
and also part of the Pink Saturday meme,
and also part of the Scenic Weekends meme.
The first day of Spring in the Southern Hemisphere and it was a glorious day too. Here is some nectarine blossom.
This post is part of the Pink Saturday meme,
and also part of the I Heart Macros meme.
Fuchsia is a genus of flowering plants that consists mostly of shrubs or small trees. The first, Fuchsia triphylla, was discovered on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola (present day Dominican Republic and Haiti) in about 1696-1697 by the French Minim monk and botanist, Charles Plumier during his third expedition to the Greater Antilles. He named the new genus after the renowned German botanist Leonhart Fuchs (1501–1566).
This post is part of the Weekly TopShot meme,
and also part of the Pink Saturday meme,
and also part of the I Heart Macros meme.
Luculia gratissima has rose pink flowers with a strong perfume, which is often described as being between a gardenia and a vanilla fragrance. The generic name, Luculia, is the Latinised form of the Nepalese name, Luculi Swa. The specific name, gratissima, is Latin for 'most pleasing'. Luculias are evergreen shrubs with rounded, often irregular growth habits. In the wild they are said to reach 6m but in cultivation they are usually around the 3-4m mark. In winter scented, pink flowers appear on the ends of the stems, in large clusters up to 20cm across.
Luculias grow well in a semi-shaded position (or a spot with protection from hot afternoon summer sun). A free-draining coarse soil with added organic material is best. They like a cool root zone, so keep the plant mulched. Do not let the soil dry out. Luculias resent root disturbance and don't like to be transplanted. During prolonged periods of heavy rain, spraying the foliage with a phosphorus acid product may help prevent root rot. Shoots that have been damaged by frost can be cut back to a pair of healthy leaves or buds in late winter to early spring, when the chance of frost is past. A light prune to remove spent flowers at this time will also help to shape the plant and keep it bushy. Luculias benefit from the occasional application of a small amount of lime, except in areas which have alkaline soils.
This post is part of the Pink Saturday meme,
and also part of the I Heart Macros meme.
A bunch for pink chrysanthemums for all Mothers out there! Happy Mothers Day!
This post is part of the Weekly TopShot meme,
In the recent Chinese New Year celebrations, there was plenty of opportunity to try out the colour range reproduction of one's camera. Here si a stall selling parasols at the Southbank Crown Chinese New Year Festival, Hawkers' Bazaar.
This post is part of the Weekly TopShot meme,
and also part of the Pink Saturday meme.
A few kilometers west of Dimboola, Victoria, next to the Western Highway, you can find Pink Lake. This lake is easily viewed from the rest-stop beside the highway and you can walk down the path to the edge of the lake. As you walk along the path to the lake, you will see yellow gums, buloke trees and paperbarks, giving way to the smaller and very distinctive salt tolerant plants that grow in this unique environment. The pink colour of the water comes from a pigment secreted by microscopic algae.
The intensity of the pink varies with the amount of water in the lake. When the lake is drier more light is reflected from the white crystallised salt reducing the impact of the pink. The salt was commercially harvested from the lake for many years and some of the relics from that time can still be seen near the edge of the lake. Harvesting and selling of Pink Lake Salt is now carried out again.
This post is part of the Signs, Signs meme,
and also part of the Pink Saturday meme.
The petunias are in full bloom at the moment in what is turning out to be a hot and dry summer in Melbourne. These flowers at least seem to love the hot weather!
This post is part of the Pink Saturday meme.
