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Christmas Bells - Blandfordia nobilis

Saturday, August 11, 2007

Cherry Tree and Photo Exhibition

The main street of Robbo is lined with Cherry Trees, and one of them snapped off at the base, today. Crack. The whole tree went over. I told you yesterday that it was windy. This is a shot from last spring of some of the Cherry Trees of Robertson.

Here is the tree which snapped off at its base, today. Fortunately, it did relatively little damage to the veranda of the shop.

Here is the base of the tree, with its tap root snapped, as well as other supporting roots coming from sucker-points at the base of the tree.
Apart from that, the main event (for me) was the launch of my little photo exhibition at the CTC entitled "Unseen Plants of the Local Forests". It was a presentation of 23 photos of local ground Orchids, of some 19 different species. It is not the full range of local Orchid species, but it is a fair representation.

Celeste Coucke, local ceramic artist, "launched" the exhibition for me, and I really appreciate that. She gave a very nice talk, with frequent mention of my blue hat. She invited people to stop and ask me what I am looking at, if they see my blue Daihatsu car, and my blue hat, down near the ground - a sure sign that I am photographing Orchids, or something else interesting. Indeed, I am happy to share with people the joys of finding these tiny Ground Orchids, out on the roads of Kangaloon. The more people who know, and appreciate, what plants are out there in the bush, the better.

Here is a photo of one of my favourite Ground Orchids, the Small Tongue Orchid (Cryptostylis leptochila). This photo has pride of place in my little exhibition.
The photos are able to be viewed at the CTC at Robertson, from Wednesday to Saturday next, from 10:00am to 4:00pm. There is no charge, but you might consider buying a coffee from the friendly volunteers, to help keep the till ticking over. It is a community organisation.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Congratulations on your exhibition, Denis. The detail in your tongue orchid photo is exquisite.

Regards
Gaye

Denis Wilson said...

Thanks Gaye,

I really like that Orchid - it photographs well, as the features are so extreme. So I like to share that image.

Denis

Anonymous said...

Hello, Mr Denis Wilson.

Thank you for showing us cherry blossoms. The Flowering Cherries are the most beloved trees in Japan.

Mr. Wilson, I would like to ask you about flowering cherry trees in Australia. I see only double flowering type of the cherry in Australia. On the other hand, 80% of the Japanese cherries are Somei-yoshino cherry (Prunus yedoensis).

Is there any Somei-yoshino cherry in Robertson area? If you have Yoshino cherry in your area, please show us. Japanese people in Australia are looking for Yoshino cherry for OHANAMI(flower viewing).

We miss Yoshino cherry very much.
Thank you. kai

Denis Wilson said...

Hello Kai.

Thank you for your inquiry.
The village where I live, Robertson, NSW has the whole main street planted with the pink double-flowered Cherry.

They usually flower late in September, or early in October. They are not in flower yet.

There are some single-flowered Cherries amongst the other trees, but not many. The single ones flower before the double ones.

Some individual gardeners have single Cherries, but none have as a large display, that I know about.

There are many thousands of mature Cherry Trees planted in Canberra, and you could find some trees to admire there. But I love our trees in Robertson. When they are at their peak flower, they are wonderful. I will publish photos on my blog when they start to bloom. Last year they were in flower on 1 October. This is the normal time, at the long weekend in early October.

Thank you for your inquiry.

Anonymous said...

Dear Mr. Wilson,

It has been for two years since I asked you about Yoshino cherry(Prunus x yedoensis) in Southern Highlands area, NSW.

Well,I found a news that 320 Somei-yoshino cherry (Prunus x yedoensis)trees were planted for the future site of the Canberra International Arboretum !!!
They were gift from the Canberra's sister city Nara in Japan. These somei-yoshino cherry trees will bloom in a few years between Septmber 15th and 28th in Canberra.

I also found that beautiful weeping higan cherry trees are seen at the Fountaindale Grand Maner's garden(formerly known as Ranelagh House, the corner of the Illawara Highway and the Fountaindale Road) in Robertson, NSW.

Another example is The Cherry Tree Walk in the Settlers Park (the corner of the Mittagong Road and the Oxley Drive) in Bowral, NSW.
About 130 Taihaku cherry trees are planted so far along the Cherry Tree Walk by the Vietnum veterans in Australia. Their goal is 504 cherry trees.
You will be able to see these beautiful Taihaku cherry trees between the end of September and the beginning of October.

Mr. Wilson, if you have a chance, Would you show us your area's beautiful flowering cherry trees on your webpage?

We, Japanese people are looking forward to seeing your area's beautiful flowering cherry blossoms!!!

Cheer for Australia, and thank you!!!

from Kai.

Denis Wilson said...

Hi Kai
Welcome back to my Blog.
The Cherry Trees of Robertson are not yet in flower. They normally bloom in the last week of September.
This year many local plants seem to be flowering early.
I will keep an eye open for them, and publish the photos.
Thanks for the details of other Cherry Trees in the Southern Highlands.
I have already published photos of several other species of Cherries (Prunus) (Prunus x blirieana and the "Taiwan Cherry" (Prunus campanulatus)
But the massed flowers of the large-flowered Cherry Trees are very special.
Cheers
Denis

Denis Wilson said...

Dear Kai
.
Please visit my blog of 19 September 2009 to read the news about our Cherry Trees this year.
.
They are just starting to flower, and, as predicted, they are flowering early this year.
.
Cheers
,
Denis

Anonymous said...

On July 29, 2008, 320 Yoshino Cherry(Prunus x yedoensis) were planted at the National Arboretum Canberra.
If you like to see the Yoshino Cherry blooming, please come to Canberra the second or third week of September.