We set off for Kings Park Botanical Gardens early yesterday morning.. it always surprises me that despite the heat there are so many people in the park.. with all the huge old trees there's plentiful shade to be found. All the trees have a small marker to say what species they are except the tree above.. the bark is an extraordinary colour of red and if you pull the shot below in closer you can see how it seems to be peeling off in a very regimented pattern, unlike the paperbarks that are a messy bunch :) I checked with one of the young gardeners who said he thought it was a 'Irish strawberry tree' definitely more European than Australian, can anyone confirm for me?
Below an elegant West Australian variegated peppermint tree.. such a pretty tree, this is the only one I've seen in the park..
Aforementioned messy old paperbark tree :)
The common screwpine aka the Pandanacea and it's almost pineapple like fruit..
Remember the story of old Gija Jumulu the massive Boab tree that captured world-wide attention when it was transferred 3200kms from the Kimberley region in 2008, still going strong!
... and to finish, a Kookaburra up an old gum tree entertaining a group of visitors with it's raucous laughter :) Happy Wednesday, take care and stay safe.. p.s. big catch up today!
Gloriously colourful. That peppermint tree in particular!
ReplyDeleteIrish Strawberry tree? He's having you on!
ReplyDeleteLove the bird in the tree.
That first one, we have them in the Jerusalem Hills! There is an Arab legend about how it got that blood red color.
ReplyDeleteGenus Arbutus, in English the Eastern strawberry tree. California bloggers told me they know it as manzanita. You can see the Israeli ktalav tree at
http://jerusalemhillsdailyphoto.blogspot.co.il/search/label/trees--ktalav
What a contrast to the conditions I woke up to this morning!
ReplyDeleteWhat a splendid variety of trees! It's now been 2 weeks since I got the "wicked virus" and am still recovering. Amazing;stay well; do NOT get sick!
ReplyDeleteI can see that you had a lovely, and most productive day in the park. Fine series showing us some of the native Australian trees.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great day in the park! I love all the trees. The red one is gorgeous but, even after checking the internet, I'm not quite sure what it is. I do love the Kookaburra. That brought back loads of memories of singing that song when I was in Girl Scouts.
ReplyDeleteGreat tree series Grace. Love the peppermint tree photo.
ReplyDeleteWat zijn die geweldig mooi en erg oud denk ik.
ReplyDeleteHow gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteALOHA from Honolulu
ComfortSpiral
<3
Looking at the pics it is hard to believe it is as hot as it is there, Grace! I like the idea of a peppermint tree.
ReplyDeleteGosh that all looks so inviting!
ReplyDeleteGrand park views and so close to bonus water views too. The red tree trunk fascinates me. I've never seen that before. My father used to be a well-informed gardener, and I remember he talked about a blood gum - from his growing up days in north western New South Wales. I wonder if this is it.
ReplyDeleteYou grow so many trees that are TOTALLY different from what I can grow here north of Toronto.
ReplyDeleteReally a beautiful park with amazing trees, the red one is extraordinary, almost magic!
ReplyDeleteThe first tree is very interesting, as is Dina's relevant comment. Great photos and I can feel the heat. Well, we are experiencing it now.
ReplyDeleteOh, these are awesome, Grace!! Certainly a number that I've never seen before and your captures are superb!! Thanks so much for sharing the beauty!! Hope your new year is off to a great start!! It does look like it is!!
ReplyDeleteI love them all Grace! These pictures are really warming me up. We are freezing here in north Florida this week!
ReplyDeleteWonderful group of trees.
ReplyDeleteWhat neat trees! It's cold here in Virginia.
ReplyDeleteIt is a beautiful park and those lovely trees must provide some welcome shade. I don't remember seeing the red trees but do remember the boab tree.
ReplyDeleteThe peppermint tree is magnificent! Never seen that red bark tree. Love the Kookaburra, never saw them in Kings Park.
ReplyDeleteWe are definitely going to have to have a Kings Park wander soon Mamma!
ReplyDeleteThe colour of the bark on that first tree is amazing.
ReplyDeleteA good interesting variety in the park.
ReplyDeleteYou have some very different trees over there in Australia. None of them I have seen in Europe, even the red tree I haven't noticed in Ireland where I was last summer. As far as I know strawberries however don't grow on trees but on the ground....Funny gardener!
ReplyDeleteNot seen that first one in Europe- it looks so tropical to me! Wish I could wander among them now!
ReplyDeleteA splendid series, Grace! So different from here...
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed taking a look at all the differences you pose today.
ReplyDeleteI will be heading to Maui soon and look forward to seeing screwpines (what a name) again. Tom The Backroads Traveller
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year to you Grace!
ReplyDeleteTook you quite some time after your break to get around ;)
I never saw a tree with a red bark like that anywhere.
And I fell in love with that peppermint tree. :)
Does it smell like peppermint?
【ツ】Knipsa
The first tree looks like some sort of a Manzinita. They grow freely in southern California (where I live). The Native Americans had many uses for them. It is illegal to cut them down here.
ReplyDeleteThe trees and photos of them are all fantastic Grace.
The red tree trunks present quite a contrast to the almost-white peppermint tree.
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure Pat is right. This is a type of manzanita we call madrone. Fabulous looking specimen.
ReplyDeleteThe peppermint tree is gorgeous. my husband, the photographer, would probably opt for the messy tree. He would find infinite possibilities in all that texture.
ReplyDelete