Monday, September 05, 2016

Spring flowers near Darling

As we were in the area last Saturday, we were able to drive from our appointment at Ridgeback through the very green countryside through Malmesbury and Darling, looking for spring flowers which we had heard were spectacular this year. They were good, but perhaps the best are inside the Postberg Nature reserve
A blindingly acid yellow field of daisies
And they stretch almost as far as the eye can see
There is also a lot of oxalis about
A close up of the first field of daisies. We have not seen this kind in such profusion before
More round the bend
It is also the season when rape seed is in bloom
This is sign that summer is on the way, our sour fig succulent Carpobrotus edulis, also know as pig face, blooming. And next to it Cape Snow Bush or Kapokbossie, often called wild Rosemary, though not related
Misty mountains and more yellow daisies with a blue flower
Nice contrasts of Cape fynbos, probably Renosterveld up in this area, wheat fields, resting vines, spring flowers and Cape thatching reeds (restios)
Blue flowers with yellow centres, we have looked but cannot identify them, growing alongside the yellow daisies
A shiny black beetle on an Arum lily
Another blue flower, rather like a harebell
John was standing near this kiewiet’s (crowned plover’s) nest and he was the beneficiary of a lovely display of GO AWAY! with loud warning noises from the breeding pair
Those blue flowers in profusion
These were growing in the Tienie Versveld wild flower reserve near Darling
Colourful Mesembryanthemum - locally known as vygies (fairies)
Up close they glow
More star flowers, Cape Star or Spiloxene
 Ornithogalum thyrsoides, known here as chincherinchees, just beginning to bloom. There were acres of them
It seems to be a predominately yellow year in this region
The yellow daisies laced with blue flax Heliophila
Romulea Rosea
Bright orange gerbera daisies
Such pretty colour mixes
© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2016

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