COOROY COLLAGES...

In July last year when I first visited the Noosa Botanic Gardens in Cooroy, I was fascinated by quite big fruits growing on several large shrubs/trees called Elephant Apples.  Today I returned and guess what? The fruits look much the same, slightly more yellow is all, despite the signage saying they flower in summer. When one was cut open it was layers of fibrous flaps enclosing what looked like banana flowers.  There were quite a few lying on the ground and let me say if one hit an elephant on the head, it would get a headache I think. They are pretty hefty "fruit". Read more about the apple  here. It appears I missed the flowering and so will have to keep returning to catch them. Tragic because you know how much I hate the Gardens... not!

Today I was also treated to a climbing frangipani. I've seen native frangipani but this one is a hardy looking vine which I'd not heard of before (not difficult as I'm fairly ignorant about lots of plants) which was climbing up a palm tree. The flowers were subtlety perfumed.

I love cassia and this Rainbow Shower example is also new to me. What a delight! From under the very shady branches the flowers look more yellow but you can see from outside more pink/red and in the close up, lots of different tones. An absolute stunner.

Honestly, the people who live near these Gardens are very, very lucky. I wish it was on my doorstep, not a 30 min drive away.  

AND THE AWARD GOES TO...

It's award season apparently with many such events on the horizon for celebrities.  Here is a red carpet of a different kind.  I think this beauty deserves an award too, for the most glorious showing. The Illawarra Flame tree or brachychiton acerifolius, is one magnificent beauty and grouped together, as in this shot, undeniably eye-catching. Of course, there's always someone who won't play the game, in this case an early bloomer now dressed in green finery, the odd man out.

Just before Christmas I visited a friend at a lovely place called Valla Beach and the flame trees were in flower there too.  This acrobatically inclined, juvenile blue-faced honeyeater was taking advantage.

I'm so used to seeing bright red flame trees that I was shocked to see a fairly subdued red on a neighbour's tree.  Perhaps it's a different kind or the soil is different but I decided I liked it anyway. After all, in the words of Christian Dior "... There is certainly a red for everyone."