Thursday, December 15, 2011

FAVOURITE THINGS FRIDAY

Twenty years ago we moved from a relatively inner suburb to a semi- rural outer suburb where we had 13 acres.
Horses, dogs and lots of space.
That's when I first discovered Storm Lillies.


Imagine my delight when I spied a paddock of these beauties a couple of days after a Summer downpour.
Growing wild in the paddock they had multiplied and every time we had a decent downpour ( only during Summer ) up would pop these delicate pink flowers by the hundreds.


Armed with my little spade, I snuck into the paddock and dug up a few bulbs then took them home and planted them.
In the garden, in the paddock, under trees, along the fenceline, just a bulb here and there.
Over the years we were there they multiplied and I dug some up and placed them in a pot on the verandah so we could see them up close.
The only time they bloomed was after rain. Watering the pot had no effect at all.


When we moved after 16 years I brought my pot of Storm Lillies along and planted them in my garden here.......
and with the recent summer rain they are doing what they do best.

When I noticed them blooming away today I thought I'd take a drive out to photograph the paddock with its pretty pink lillies for you.
Imagine my disappointment when I found nothing growing there where they had been in their hundreds.
All gone , the result of progress!

Earthworks in the paddock had put an end to the dear little pink beauties.

Gone without a trace.


At least I have this little pocket of them growing still in my garden here.

I'll have to give them lots of encouragement to grow, thrive and multiply so they are not lost from the area altogether.

These little beauties are my favourite thing to day.

........................

I'm a bit early with my FTF post but Sally and I are off to Hervey Bay for an early Christmas with Mum and Dad and my brother. Tony is staying home to babysit the geriatric dogs

Cheers.

15 comments:

  1. Enjoy your visit to Hervey bay!

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  2. How beautiful but how sad that your paddock ones had gone. Have a lovely time with your family.

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  3. Very pretty pink flowers! It's a good thing you bought some with you. The cleaning gals from Merry Maids are here this morning. I'm down in the finished basement blogging on my Hubby's MAC. Hubby took my MAC to an Apple Store yesterday to get a new battery and hard drive. He went to pick it up this morning. I must be hard on my computer. LOL!

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  4. I have some of them growing in my garden. I have no idea how they came to be there as I didn't plant them, and the garden bed was previously lawn. They are very pretty and delicate, aren't they.

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  5. They are gorgeous. I think I have some of those in one spot in my garden. They don't last long and only flower in winter.

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  6. What lovely lilies .. great FTF.

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  7. Those ar really pretty flowers...no wonder you like them so much.

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  8. They are little beauties Helen and I loved seeing your photos of them.I have not seen them before.

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  9. Those are beautiful. Lillies are by far my favorite flower, we had a great bunch of Tiger Lillies in front of my house growing up.

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  10. So pretty and what a nice, happy sight to remind us why the rain is so good. :)

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  11. How lovely! Your great pictures of these beautiful lilies might just help me get through the cold, grey days of winter here. Let's me know summer is somewhere.

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  12. What a delightful favorite thing! Beautiful. I love flowers and am partial to lilies myself. Thanks for sharing these.

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  13. So your former piece of property is being developed? So sad.
    I'm really glad you thought to bring some of your bulbs with you. Wonder what it is that makes them grow with rain and not a watering can?

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  14. Oh those are gorgeous! We have something similar. We call them naked ladies because there is no foliage when they bloom.

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  15. What a shame they are gone from the paddock at least you still have a pocket of them to share with us. They are lovely, I'd be interested to know what makes them only flower after rain. Great FTF hope you have a lovely time at Hervey Bay

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