Freshwater National Park Qld.
This National Park is 34 km north of Brisbane, an absolute treasure!.
Grass Trees by the hundreds, thousands even!
This small NP covers a small area of only 0.94 sq.km.

These photos were taken last week in the
south-eastern corner of this small park.
(please click on the photo to enlarge)

After such a rainy summer ...
the trees in this NP are looking so healthy!
You can see how the leaves are shining in the sunlight!
I noted the earth was a little swampy in this area.

It appears luckily no fires have burned through this area
in recent years, the older leaves were forming lovely skirts
around the plants. We had to be very careful not to stand
on any of the new plants hidden in the grass.

This pic shows the prolific tree growth in the Park.

These photo's also show that it is not necessary
to have fire the for germination of seeds.
A reminder too... that these plants only grow
approx 2 &1/2 cm or 1 inch per year!

Grass Trees of all sizes.
I will be visiting the Freshwater National Park again!

A delight for a Grass Tree lovers!

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The Tally 2009 seedlings = 34 (-4)
2008 seedlings = 64
6 in the garden and 2 in large pots.
Total = 106

Cheers Carol

Boars Head, Katoomba and Inhabitants

Recently my daughter went abseiling at this
wonderful Australian landmark!
The Rock so-called because of it's
likeness to a Boar.
And definately not a bore!

Katoomba is in the Blue Mountains
in the State of N.S.W

This lovely Grass Tree with a flowing skirt of old
foliage was growing half way up Boars Head!
Thanks for the terrific photo Joanne!

(Click on the photo's to enlarge)

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This Grass Tree is a lot closer to home!
In fact only 2 km from where I live.
I had never noticed it before although
I had passed by many times!
Possibly because of the recent
two lots of rain we have had,
It has sent up a very tall flower spear!

********************

Last year I posted the photo's of some caterpillars
pruning my Crown 0f Thorns plant!
Well! a relative is back this year!
This one has the same white dots on its head.
Croton Caterpillar - Achaea Janata
As you can see he/she has had a great chew!

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Orchids
Recently A neighbourhood couple showed me their
collection of 300 orchid plants

(amended from 80 plants -apologies)
This one was slightly damaged (a point made vigourously by the owner)
which I felt did not detract one bit from this lovely Orchid.

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The Tally

2009 Seedlings = 38
(2 doubtful - 1 frail & 1 whitish)
2008 seedlings = 64 seedling(2 doubtful)
6 in the garden 2 in large pots.
Total = 110 !

Note-It seems at any time these little plants can
up and die - basically they all are kept in the same
area and given similar amounts of sunshine,water
and fertiliser, however some die!

Cheers Carol