A few plants loose in the top paddock

I have previously posted an image of a very large Blue Devil (Eryngium ovinum) in our top paddock.  As other 'Devil's' seem to be approaching full colour I went back on 11 January  to see how it was going.  Rather well, albeit a bit palely, is the answer!

This time I measured the clump and it was approximately (my feet are not yet on the metric system) 1.2m x 1.1m x 0.4m - the last value being the height.  In close up the flowers are quite interesting, although not as dark as some of the smaller specimens around the place.

This plant is growing close to our top dam.  Here is another Blue Devil, not far from the biggie,which appeared in the paddock to be a darker blue.

The difference is not fantastic on screen.  An impact of light and digital photography?


I noticed that for the first time in a couple of years there is a flower on the Swamp lily (Otellia ovalifolia).

The flies prove that this is the Australian bush!  It was interesting to read the comments about this species in Water Garden Plants & Animals: The Complete Guide for All Australia by Nick Romanovski.  It appears that the plant likes shallow water and warm temperatures.  Last year I suspect the dam- although still holding water was probably dry in the region where the lilies are found.  They also like warmth, readily available last year, but it only really got hot here for a few days in December (apparently when cool the flowers stay underwater and self-fertilise).

On my way back from the paddock I noticed (again that the Brittle Gums (Eucalyptus mannifera) are beginning to lose their bark as they get up to speed in the growth department.  As usual this makes some nice patterns and colours.