The poet Mary Oliver liked to go out walking early in the morning. Although her landscape in the USA is undoubtedly different to mine, her poem has universal appeal to all who go out early in the morning.
”Softest of mornings hello. And what will you do today, I wonder with my heart…”
The National Arboretum of Canberra is a wonderful place to see the sun rise on a soft autumn morning.
Autumn is a very busy time for us, and we are trying get as much planting and tidying done in our garden, before we go and visit other gardens.
So here are just a few photos of our autumn garden…. and of course, the birds that come to visit…
A King Parrot feeding a young chick Easter daisies are a welcome addition to the autumn garden, the flowers are still attracting the bees The Chinese Lantern loves an abundance of rain, and has flowered all through the autumnCharlie cooling down amongst the Japanese anemones The Crimson Rosella is checking up on the last of our almonds Our granddaughter loves putting water in the apron of this little statue…The Pineapple Sage almost covering the window!
The tiny Eastern Spinebill is a regular visitor, feeding on the Pineapple Sage, which has almost taken over this part of the garden.
It is a most elusive little bird, but Paul just managed to get a photo of him with his phone.
My neighbour’s beautiful Banksia shines at us every morning It is amazing that cockatoos do not electrocute themselves!Job done!
Thank you for visiting Canberra’s Green Spaces today, and I hope your autumn or spring days are bright and sunny, where ever you are in the world.
Season’s greeting from the bush capital of Australia.
I began blogging about 18 months ago, to write a low key kind of diary about our garden.
Before long I realised that the blog was really about my place in the world: Canberra, the bush capital of Australia.
The National Arboretum in Canberra….. 100 trees in 100 forests
The word Canberrais often used to explain the workings of government….”Canberra raisedtaxes this year…”
Parliament House Canberra
But of course, behind the workings of Parliament there is a city of people who call Canberra home.
Since I began blogging about green spaces in Canberra, I have met many gardeners, volunteers and ordinary Canberrans who are very knowledgeable and proud of their place in the world.
Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahony Griffin. National Library Australia copyright
The gods were smiling on this lovely part of the world when Chicagoan Walter Burley Griffin won the competition to design Canberra, and his wife Marion Mahony created the beautiful drawings of his design.
He dreamed of a city in green spaces, and that is what we have today… a city in a big bush garden.
Lake Burley Griffin and Parliament House
The land around the lake is reserved for all people to enjoy..
This kangaroo was photographed five minutes away from our house, on the edge of Mt Taylor. Not long after we moved to Canberra, 30 years ago, a kangaroo from Mt Taylor hopped down our suburban road. A great introduction to life in Canberra for our family!
a young kangaroo on Mt Taylor
I’ve shared the blog with some big personalities
A Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo
and some colourful ones ….
King Parrots
A Crimson Rosella
and some that are just plain cute.
young Kookaburras
I’ve had the pleasure of following many blogs, in UK, US, Canada, Italy, France and of course, Australia and New Zealand. The Northern Hemisphere seasons, especially the autumn and spring are a delight to see. As an armchair traveller, I also enjoy the breath-taking snowy winter photos….happy in the knowledge that I won’t have to go and shovel snow at any time!
Thank you very much to the all the people who have visited and followed Canberra’s Green Spaces, over the past 18 months, I appreciate every visit, and every comment.
