Black Narcissus

OK well its not black but very deep purple and its actually an iris but I've likely pulled in a few searching film buffs with the title. Isn't that nice though? Our big fancy iris have been flowering for a week and a half now which is early. Normally we don't see the first until the first week in May. Others are out earlier but ours are in the shade of a fence as they are so tall they need the windbreak. There are 6 colours and they give a nice show for about 6 weeks , the different colours coming into flower in sequence. They are one of the first things we planted when I arrived. The backyard had always just been an area of grass with 3 trees in the middle of it. We've spent a lot of time and effort digging beds and garden areas both front and back. And a lot of plants have been and gone in the intervening years. Its hot and dry in summer when its isnt raining torrentially. Plants have to be tough to survive and very tough to thrive.

You just have to see what lives and plant more of those

These look even better to me with a little rain shower on the petals like this.

I've got some better shots of the Hentzia palmarum, my little 'stripey jumper' of a couple of weeks back. Shot in the same place I'd guess its the same individual. The light was a little better this time and I got shots a little closer and a touch sharper. Hes so small though that its pushing the cameras capabilities outside with a moving subject. But thats what I do. I don't usually catch and I never keep.

And here is the first nice little grasshopper nymph of the season. Very small again this is not much more than a quarter of an inch yet and sitting on the petal of a dianthus. Everythings a little slow the last day or two though as the weather has cooled back to the 60s. I shouldnt complain though, rather that than 95 and sweaty. Oh and the ticks are early. Damn!