Gymea Lilies

I have posted about Gymea lilies some time ago but this has been an exceptional season which has had an impact on all growing things in my yard. My Gymea lilies were given to me some years ago as very small plants by a friend. I have a number of plants in different places around the yard but this year must have just suited the plants in the front yard. I don't know if it was the very warm winter or the lack of rain. All except one plant has flowered and this has been quite spectacular.  The first two plants to put up a flower stem were right in among the palms and the flowers became very high - I am guessing about 5 meters high.  I kept photographing these first two flowers but they did not become fully formed perfect flowers. I don't know if it was just too dry.

Then another plant started to flower and this flower was only a couple of meters tall and much easier to photograph.  It was interesting to see it gradually open up.

One of the other plants put up a flower stem right among the palms and the flower started to open before it got clear of he palm frond

Now I wonder if it was the lack of rain that damaged those first two flowers or if it was maybe those 'wicked' Blue-faced Honeyeaters?They are so aggressive and constantly pull apart the beautiful blue and white flowers on the strelitzia nicolia. They also made my poor little cat's life a misery if they ever caught her out in the open! She would crouch down under a plant and cry until the dog came and rescued her. The dog loved it! These were one of the few birds she was allowed to chase!! (These bird photos were taken a while ago.)

For more scenery  from around the world visit Our World Tuesday

and for more birds visit Wild Bird Wednesday