Monday, June 29, 2009

Mellow Yellow

The Adventures Of Peter Pansy

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON



Yes, it’s winter here in Melbourne, Yes, there have been mornings when I’ve had thick ice on my car. Yes, there have been heavy frosts. Yes, my rose bushes needed to be pruned.

But despite the visible signs of winter everywhere, there are still pockets of colour all round the city. We have terracotta planting boxes of all shapes and sizes that are blooming in a very healthy fashion. How so, you might ask? Because they are cunningly placed under a verandah, so they are shielded from the frost.

And we’re not the only ones who enjoy a splash of colour – these pansies were a riot of colour a few days ago on the Crown promenade beside the river. Victoria used to be known as The Garden State a couple of decades ago – for good reason.


Visit Luiz Santilli Jr for the home of Today's Flowers.

28 comments:

Louise said...

I know pansies do better in cooler weather, but I never thought about winter. I think I may try it next winter in front of a wall that gets very warm sun all winter--my roses there never go completely dormant.

Beautiful pictures. There's no way I could get a pansy to grow here right now!

Unknown said...

We have pansies here all winter long and usually they last way into spring. Yours are just beautiful David and so healthy, so I'm sure they thank you for placing them so strategically.

Maggie May said...

I love pansies. Great display.
They must be winter flowering pansies. I usually rely on those for colour during our winter.

Loran said...

Great chunks of ice come off our roof in the winter and squash our poor little pansies. Lucky you to still have some around!

Ananda girl said...

I love pansies because they do hang in there. I live in the Pacific Northwest and my pansies never die. They leave briefly but are the first peeps of spring and the last fall hurrah.

Charles Gramlich said...

That's some heavy yellow, man.

Unknown said...

Pansies are sweet little flowers. So happy. Your winter pansies in Victoria look better than mine right now - summer in the northeastern U.S.A. Around here they become somewhat leggy by now and then we've had so much rain...but in springtime they were looking very good in four of my large planters.

My post depicts Foxglove.

Pseudo said...

So how cold is winter down under?

Susan English Mason said...

Victoria looks good in yellow.

SquirrelQueen said...

Panies are the perfect winter flower, that is such a beautiful yellow.
I also am curious, how cold is your winter?
SQ

orneryswife said...

I do love pansies. Alas, our 100 degree days have pretty well wiped all of ours out, but I am harvesting veggies from my garden! Long time no visit, hope things are well with you!
tm

Berni said...

Lovely colour. Our flowers are way behind this year do to our cold summer probably almost as cold as your winter. We have had to fire up the wood stove.

SandyCarlson said...

These are beautiful, David! Gorgeous and cheerful. Thanks.

Hey, have you been over to Smitten Image? She has a wonderful post that I nominate for POTD!

http://thesmittenimage.blogspot.com/2009/06/along-way.html

Madame DeFarge said...

Lovely photos. We were walking along the Thames Embankment today and most of the flowers seem to have wilted from heat and lack of water. It's a shame, as they would have looked great.

Digital Flower Pictures said...

Here New Jersey is known as the Garden State and with good reason as it has a rich horticultural and agricultural history. It also has an industrial legacy.

:lol: I think we have two different opinions as to what winter is. Yours looks good.

Rosaria Williams said...

Yes, pansies do like cool weather. These are great.

Bogart said...

Pansies look really beautiful and I am sure they sing well too!

Annie said...

Ah, a lovely splash of color for a winter's day! Thanks David.

i beati said...

pansies withold the cold even the snow I love their happy faces sandy

San said...

Here in the high desert we certainly don't have showy flowers like that in wintertime, not even on covered portals. We have snowy flowers.

Gorgeous colors--the yellow against the purple.

2sweetnsaxy said...

Beautiful shots of the pansies. The colors are so vivid. I'm wishing it was a little cooler here. My air conditioner has been running all day.
:-(

Regina said...

Pretty pansies.

Deanna Bland Hiott PhD, MSN, RN said...

I love pansies for just that reason. Here in SC they flourish up by the house in planters all winter!

Kathleen said...

Sweet little Peter Pansies. What would early spring and late fall be without their happy faces?

Thick ice on your car? I want to see a picture of that!

(Say, just wondering if my nominations are getting through? Haven't seen any on-my-ways of late?)

Be well!

Hilary said...

That's such a rich shade.. lovely

cheshire wife said...

Classy colours. Gold and royal blue. A combination fit for a king!

Mojo said...

I suspect Australia's "Garden State" is far more deserving of the title than America's (New Jersey). Pansies, I had occasion to learn last winter, are tough little beggars in just about any weather. I have photos of them struggling up through the snow in a planter by the front door of my office. Which, I hasten to add, is not shielded from the frost.

Luiz Santilli Jr said...

Wonderful yellow flowers!

Thanks for posting for TODAY'S FLOWERS.

Luiz