Australia Flowers in Summer

Australian is home to many native wildflowers and also many beautiful flowers have been introduced. During summer in Australia we are lucky enough to host a magnificent display of colour and life from a range of flowering plants. Summer is the time when we get used to seeing exotic blooms like the Bougainvillea draped over gardens and off balconies. Unique native wildflowers explode across treetops and the local flower shops are bursting with colour and variety. If you are planning to go shopping for flowers online, take a drive to the local flower market or into the country, here are some exquisite flowers to look out for in Australia.

What’s in Season?

Calla Lily

The Calla Lily is arguably the simplest and most beautiful summer flower. The Calla Lily blooms out the top of a thick lime green stem and presents into a trumpet shape. The top edges fold back around like a scroll exposing the yellow stamen. Calla Lilies make extremely elegant cut flower arrangements, especially in all white and bring a sense of peace and tranquillity into your home. They are also quite easy to keep in the garden.

Hibiscus

The Hibiscus enjoys both tropical and sub tropical climates and grows very well in parts of Australia. The plant produces flowers that range from red through to light pinks, yellow, orange and purple.

Bougainvillea

The Bougainvillea is a native of South America, mainly from Brazil and Peru. Sir Joseph Banks discovered this vine on the Endeavour Voyage to Botany Bay. During the Australian Summer the Bougainvillea blooms and the flowers produced range from deep reds through to hot pink, lighter pinks, orange and purple.

Frangipani

The Frangipani is native to parts of Central and South America and are known generally for their existence in exotic locations. Many Pacific Island cultures use them to make leis and Polynesian women use them symbolically as decorations to indicate weather or not they are married. They produce a fragrance during the night to attract moths in order to reproduce however bear no pollen. The Frangipani flower is quite beautiful and is a popular choice for summer weddings.

Keeping Cut Flowers Fresh

Extend the life of fresh flowers during the hot summer months by ensuring you replenish water regularly. Flowers drink more during hot, dry days and re-filling the vase at night is a good idea. Always cut the stems before arranging the flowers in the vase. Strip away any extra foliage as the greenery reacting to the water will speed up the wilting process. Adding preservative to the water will keep them fresh longer and it is usually available at the florist. Sugar or a vitamin tablet mixed into the water can help revive wilting flowers if you are unable to get preservative. Always keep cut flowers away from direct sunlight and out of the air-conditioners line of fire.

Native Australian Wildflowers

Wheel of Fire

Stenocarpus Sinuatus is the correct name for this Australian native tree. The flowers bloom during late summer and are shaped like a wheel or barrel. Flowers are coloured red and usually hide within the leaves of the tree so a closer look is required to take in the full splendour of the bloom.

Golden Penda

Xanthostemon Chrysanthus is a tropical rainforest tree that also reaches full bloom during late summer. The tree produces many heads of bright yellow flowers that attract nectar feeding birds. The tree is native to North East Queensland however has adapted further south quite well. The flowers are similar to eucalypts and bottlebrush and occur in clusters. The actual flower consists of many stamens giving it a gorgeous fluffy look.

Swamp Bloodwood

Corymbia ptychocarpa is another tropical tree that is also attracts nectar feeding birds. The Bloodwood blooms in the late summer and produces cone shaped flowers that burst out at the top in fluffy looking stamens. The flower colour ranges from red to hot pink and white and turn into a wooden seed capsule by the end of autumn.

 

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Another Monday Post

Last Saturday my husband and I watched Men in Black 3 at the cinema. I love it, a hilarious movie! If you haven’t yet seen the movie, you should watch it. I laughed almost along the movie.

Waiting for our main food, my husband ordered french fries and orange juice.

On Tuesday last week, we had lunch at the same place that we’ve had dinner a few days before. I made a mistake when I said that I didn’t see things in blue there. On daytime, I saw several blue things that I can share for Blue Monday.

If you live nearby, I recommend you to visit this eating place. As I said before: good place, good price. We never pay more than $10 for our main food, drinks and appetizer. I'll surely be back again :)

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Tips for School Leavers

So it’s getting to that time. You’ve hit the third term of year 11 and your parents, teachers, and what seems like the entire world is pressuring you with that one big question – so what are you going to do when you leave school? It’s a year away right? So who cares! But you should, the subjects you excel in over the next twelve months and in your exams are really going to dictate to you what your options are, so best to have a goal so you know what you’re aiming for.

If, like most of us, you’re wracking your brain and you’re coming up with nothing, don’t fear, you are normal. So many people are just completely overwhelmed by the prospect of having to choose a ‘career’, a ‘direction’ that they throw their hands up in the air and start snapping whenever anyone poses the question to them. But the important thing to remember is, what you choose isn’t forever. It is not the only direction you will take, the only area within which you will have jobs, and hey, likely not even the degree you will finish at uni. The beauty of today is, you can change your mind a million times, have a million careers and directions in your life. So release the pressure, you only now need to decide what you’d like to do for the start of your career! If you’re still coming up with blanks – electrical services or plumber, scientist or teacher, have a think about some of the below.

·          

    *The physical

Trades are respectable, physical and mental fields that can earn you good dollars. You know your local electricians Sydney? While they may not have competed for big marks in year 12, they have put in the hard yards after, with at least a four year apprenticeship and a lot of man hours learning how electricity works and how we harness it! Not electrical services material? What about a plumber or builder?

·          

    *The academic

If you consider yourself a bit of an intellect, and want a career that will really stretch your brain, both in study and later years, there are a lot of options out there. How about one of these?

-Doctors, lawyers and vets

Being a doc takes a lot of work – but there are big rewards – good dollars and saving people’s lives. It is a diverse field, so don’t just think of your GP who looks after your colds and vaccinations. You could specialise in any number of areas, from feet, to stomachs to blood!

Like medicine, if you want to study to be lawyer, you are going to need to knuckle down and get excellent results. If you succeed, you can specialise in different types of law, and perhaps even make it to the top of your field or become a barrister against war crimes in The Hague.

·        

         *The commercial

Finally, if you’re looking for something corporate, but not quite requiring the academic dedication of the first group, something more commercial, competitive and creative, why not try advertising. It’s a dog eat dog world, but incredibly rewarding. Not into bells and whistles? How about IT or banking?

/image:career.una.edu/

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Sit and Stand

 This honey bear lives inside the Ragunan Zoo (Jakarta, Indonesia). Honey bears can be identified by the light-colored fur on their upper-chest.

Camera Critters

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When should You Teach Your Child to Swim?

Regardless of whether you have a pool and the pool supplies to match, it is essential that you teach your kids how to swim. Too many children die each year from drowning; in fact, drowning is the number one cause of death for children under the age of five in Australia. If your child is under two years old, giving them swimming lessons may scare them away from swimming altogether. If you wait too long, however, it may be too late to teach your child, as they may have moved on to other activities. So let’s take a look at the perfect age to teach a child to swim:

Is There Such a Thing as ‘Too Young’?

Many people believe that there is no such thing as ‘too young’ when it comes to teaching children to swim. But generally speaking, anywhere between the ages of two and four is a good time to teach your children how to swim. Just remember to be present when your child is first learning to swim, as it is a very dramatic experience.

Buy Safety Equipment

To start, make sure you purchase all the required water-safety equipment. Some parents and children feel more comfortable when using floaties, whereas others think that it’s a crutch that will stunt your child’s swimming progress. It’s really up to you how you approach this situation.

Avoid Dependence on Pool Gear

As mentioned above, there is a danger of your children becoming overly dependent on floaties and other water-safety gear. If you want to use floating devices to help your child get in the water initially, make sure you slowly wean them off when they start showing signs of confidence. If you take too long, they may be dependent on the devices forever. Also ensure that the area around the pool is clear of any unnecessary equipment such as Frisbees, buckets, hand tools, or any other objects found in the backyard.

Be Confident

If you don’t exude confidence when teaching your child how to swim, chances are they won’t be confident in the water either. If your young ones know that Mum and Dad can help them if they are in trouble, they will be much more comfortable in the water. It goes without saying that it is very important that you yourself know how to swim. If you don’t know how to swim, then this is the perfect time to learn.

Pool Safety

Teaching your kids to swim is only half the battle; you should also teach them about being safe around the pool. This means no running or sliding around the pool, no backflips or dangerous stunts, no swimming without an adult present and no dunking. It’s a good idea to teach your child CPR once they have got the hang of swimming.

Swimming is lots of fun and a great way to keep healthy. During the summer months, millions of Australians of all ages spend their weekends relaxing by the pool. So the sooner your kids know how to swim, the better!

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