11.13
Looking for new design inspirations I took my camera out into the garden this morning.
white allamandas against an early morning sky
It was still a little overcast after a predawn shower and the flowers and plants were wet from the rain.
Heliconia flower
The garden isn’t looking at its best at the moment as I have been too busy quilting lately to devote as much time to it as I should. Everything grows so quickly in this climate and the garden can very quickly get out of hand. Perfect for small cats to play hide and seek in!
No one can see me here if I keep very still
The bougainvilleas also grow into huge shrubs here, and are in constant need of pruning.
Of course, Millie isn’t the least bit interested in gardening and thinks it is a complete waste of time as long as she has somewhere comfortable where she can lounge and keep an eye on things.
Millie looking contented with life
Madagascar periwinkles grow almost like weeds and crop up all over the garden, but they are pretty and add a bright splash of colour wherever they turn up. I have used them for inspiration for both a cross stitch design and a small quilt, so maybe it is time for another one.
Madagascar Periwinkles
I have yet to make a quilt featuring a Bird’s Nest Fern, but we have a beautiful specimen in the garden, and the best thing now is that the spores have been carried on the wind and we have new ones cropping up all over the place. I love the delicate curves of the new leaves as they unfurl.
Birds Nest Fern
My favourite colour is green and I love using it in my quilts. I have a large selection of fabrics in every possible shade of green and I’m working on my thread collection so here is yet another possiblity for a new design.
A pretty pair of toads
These toads were taking an early morning bath, but nice as they are, I’m not planning to put these into a quilt, unless of course, someone specially requested it. Frogs are very popular, and I have sold a large number of my tree frog wall hangings but I don’t think toads have quite the same appeal.
Well, that’s all for now. I think I have given myself some new ideas to think about once I have done my final craft show tomorrow.
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gorgeous Ann, what inspiration for your designs. I love the vibrancy of the bougainvilleas (never heard of them before) but am also a fan of all things green. Perhaps not toad shaped green though!
Your photos are beautiful. I especially like the angle and clarity of the first one.
Thank you for this wonderful photos!
Tatyana
very pretty flowers – love the cat!
Karen
http://karensquilting.com/blog/
Thanks for commenting, Nic, Kim, Tatyana and Karen,I’m glad that you have enjoyed the flower photos, and of course, the cats just had to creep in somewhere. Luckily the cats didn’t spot the toads though because they can’t resist chasing them and if they bite them they get an awful reaction and start dribbling and foaming at the mouth. The first time this happened I was away in England and my husband had a major panic.
Nic, I’m surprised you haven’t heard of bougainvilleas before although they’re not common in England except perhaps in greenhouses. You see them everywhere in Southern Europe but usually just the common pink ones like these. Here in Brunei we get all sorts of wonderful colours and I have several different varieties in pots. I used to have a lot of different hibiscus plants too which are my favourites, but they don’t seem to do very well in this location and I only have a couple left now.
Lovely photos Anne – I especially loved Molly peeking through the greenery. this year has been unbelievable for most flowers on my terrace. My one time spindly bouganvillea has blossomed amazingly since I moved it to a sunnier spot against the wall, also the hibiscus keep growing and growing and the red one you gave me for my fourtieth birthday has come to life again, and the other day produced a massive bloom. did not take a photo, I should have.
Glad you liked the photos Susie, Molly did look so sweet peering through the greenery, but that area definitely needs a bit of tidying up! Shame you didn’t take a photo of your hibiscus I would love to have seen it.