For the identification of insects and other fauna and flora of South Africa.

Saturday, May 15, 2010

The park - Part 3

There are so many different kinds of daises around.
The Cluster Fig had its fruit on but it was not quite ripe yet so the birds would have to wait another few days for their meal.
The Quiver Tree mainly grows in very dry areas and was named by the Bushmen people who make quivers out of the trunks.
A very eye-catching patch.
The Euphorbia protects itself with these huge thorns. One of the species gets huge white flowers on which only blooms at night and is visited by bats for pollenation purposes.
A shady and tranquil spot......
Over one of the ponds was this interesting looking stalk filled with seeds.
I have no idea what this is called but they are very pretty.
Most of the ponds had these cute ducks on them.

34 comments:

Kirsty said...

I love quiver trees! Beautiful pics.

Tony nile life said...

I remember the cluster fig tree while working on the word of life camp on Diani beach Mombasa Kenya.
The monkeys ate them and threw the green ones at anyone passing.

Andrea said...

A very nice serie.
I have the fourth one on my balcoon and it's beginning to flower:I bought a small one many years ago and I found it very strong,no ice or warm period is heavy enough to kill it.

Gaelyn said...

This park is sooo loaded with great sights. Must have been in the spring as I know you're going into winter.

BTW, I'll be looking for you at the canyon today. Don't forget to tell them you know me at the gate so you don't have to pay.

Diane said...

Internet back on for a bit until it goes AWOL again! Great pictures as always. Have just watched your slide show while I was talking to my husband. Amazing pictures. Diane

troutbirder said...

These plants are another world for me.

Zane said...

Amazing what is right under our noses. Lovely selection of photographs and insightful comments.

Mary said...

Such interesting looking plants! That one with the thorns looks really wicked! Love the baby duck, whatever kind it is....no parents with them?

Diane AZ said...

I've never seen so many figs! I like the Quiver Tree and the baby duck. :)

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

Thanks Kristy. They have become quite popular in the gardens here.

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

LOL!! Lovely story Tony. :) There is always a big fight going on in them when the fruit is ripe as both the monkeys and the birds think it is only theirs. :)

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

Thanks Andrea. These succulents are very hardy and can live through very extreme conditions.

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

Thanks Gaelyn. I think I did take them last spring. We are lucky to have such a lovely weather here that there is always something interesting to see, even in the winter.

I'll see you at that lovely lookout shot you have by the railing. :) After the coffee and cookies of course. LOL!!

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

Glad your sort-of have a connection again Diane. Thanks, I was not able to put the slide show on for quite some time as they changed something in it and it would not load. I am pleased it is fixed. I think there are about 500 pics in that one.

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

Thanks TB. Our moderate to sub-tropical climate allows us to grow many strange and unique plants.

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

Thanks Zane. This little park is right in the middle of town and quite a gem.

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

It IS wicked Mary and is one of many of the species we have here. It is the baby of our Egyptian Goose. I have some pictures of the mother and more babies somewhere in the series.

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

Thanks Diane. It is a lovely place to spend a Sunday having a walk around and a picnic on the lawns. Even though it is in the middle of town, it is very quiet and peaceful.

Unknown said...

Great post! The photo I most enjoy is the quiver tree, actually a kind of aloe I would love to keep but we have too much rain in winter for it to thrive...

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

Thanks Jose. They are most unusual trees and at one time we never saw them in the gardens in our area as they come from the Karoo. Some specimens are very tall, probably about 20 meters.

Sean said...

Originally from SA I love to see photographs from there, especially with the info attached. Great blog!!!

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

Hi Sean, thanks for visiting and commenting and am pleased you find something to your liking on my blog.

Gaelyn said...

I'll be looking for you.

Hey, I haven't gotten my recipe for Rusks yet, and I'm missing them, and my coffee made for me in the morning.

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

LOL!! Recipe will be sent as soon as I get home. Sorry about the coffee but I overslept this morning. :)

Leedra said...

Very nice post with the different lovely photographs.

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

Thanks Leedra. It was so pleasant in the park.

Vagabonde said...

Very pretty pics. I like the daisy and the little duck. What type of weather are you having right now? When is the best time to visit South Africa, I mean weather wise. Oh also, before I went back to work full time, years ago, I grew many roses. Double Delight had been my youngest daughter’s choice, so I remember it well. My eldest daughter liked Queen Elizabeth, a grandiflora. After I worked full time, they slowly died, of disease and neglect. One wild rose survived a climbing rose. This year I bought 5 new rose bushes.

Rambling Woods said...

You know how I love ducks..and I think my duckling is gone....

Unknown said...

These are all so beautiful. I love the purple flowers!

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

Thanks Vagabonde. For myself I like May or September as it is cooler in most of the areas where I go to and out of the rainy season. Oh what a pity those roses did not do well. At one time before I went back to the bush, I had 102 different species of roses in my garden and it was quite a sight to see when in bloom, but oh what a jb when it came to pruning time. :)

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

Oh what a pity Michelle, but I guess that is how things sometimes go in nature and we have to accept things like that too.

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

Thanks Krista. It is a lovely place to go and spend some quiet time.

This Is My Blog - fishing guy said...

Joan: Nice set of captures, I was waiting for you to tell how the tree quivered. I saw a peacock on my trip and it could really make its tail quiver.

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

LOL!! No this is the quiver they put their arrows in. Love that peackock pic you took. They are so beautiful.