Poppies by Pat

Artwork copyright 2013 Pat Crawford

Flowers by Friends is having a well deserved break, and will be back again, with some new changes from mid January 2014.  In the meantime, you can still see a new flower each weekday on Flower of the Day.

Thank you to all my friends and family who have contributed to these pages.

Wishing you beauty and joy in your life for 2014,

from Frances 

Old Rose by Liz

Image copyright Liz Orr 2013

An Old Rose, as the old year draws to a close in just a few days.

Christmas Flowers by Romaine

Image copyright 2013 Romaine Moss

Merry Christmas everyone!

Anniversary Rose by Sophie

Image copyright Sophie Wilson 2013

This gorgeous rose is from the garden of Sophie and Tony.

Red Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) by Georgie

Image copyright 2013 Georgie Brown

Hibiscus are native to Asia, but have been hybridised in Hawaii, Sri Lanka, Fiji and Australia.

Holly by Liz

Image copyright 2013 Liz Orr

More Holly, sent from Scotland by Liz.

These glossy green leaves and bright red berries say traditional Christmas all over!

Epacris by Georgie

Image copyright 2013 Georgie Brown

Holly by Liz

Image copyright 2013 Liz Orr

Poinsettia by Janet

Image copyright 2013 Janet Denne

Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrina hybrid) photographed by Janet.

Holly by Liz

Christmas Holly, photographed on a very cold day by Liz, in Winter in Scotland.

Red Poppy (Shirley Series) by Liz

Image copyright 2013 Liz Orr

Another gorgeous bright red poppy from Liz.

Hardy Fuchsia by Liz

Image copyright 2103 Liz Orr

Red Poppies by Romaine

Image copyright 2013 Romaine Moss

Photo taken in Tuscany, Italy

Lords and Ladies (Arum) by Frances

Image copyright Frances Brown 2013

Arum, or Lords and ladies are spring flowering tuberose plants with arrow or  heart shaped leaves.  After flowering the plants develop these bright red berries.  

As colourful as they are, the berries and the rest of the plant are highly poisonous, and will cause severe irritation if the sap comes in contact with skin.  The plants are not native to Australia.

Red Hibiscus bud by Frances

Image copyright 2013 Frances Brown

Red Hibiscus by Georgie

Image copyright Georgie Brown 2013

Red Rose by Georgie

Image copyright 2013 Georgie Brown

Red Poppy- Shirley Series by Liz

Image Copyright 2013 Liz Orr

Another gorgeous red flower, photographed by Liz in Scotland.

Red Begonias by Frances

Image copyright 2013 Frances Brown

Flowering Red Gum by Georgie

Image Copyright 2013 Georgie Brown

With its bright red blossoms, this flowering red gum is a bright and festive start to December. Photo taken in Perth by Georgie.
Flowers by Friends will feature red flowers from now until Christmas.

Pink Liliums by Margaret

Image copyright Margaret Denne 2013

These beautiful liliums or lillies were photographed as a "still life" by Margaret in Byron Bay.

Formosa Lily by Georgie

Image copyright Georgie Brown 2013

Formosa Lilies photographed in Perth by Georgie. 

Star Jasmine by Georgie

Image copyright Georgie Brown 2013

Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) has pure white star shaped flowers with a sweet perfume. Originally from South China and Malaysia, Star Jasmine is a vigorous climber.

Japanese anemone by Liz

Image copyright Liz Orr 2013

Anemones (Anemone hupehenis) are delicate  pink, rose or white flowers with long slender stems. They are also known as windflowers.

Flower of the Day - Acanthus by Janet

Image copyright Janet Denne 2013

Acanthus mollis is also known as Oyster plant or Bear's breeches - not very nice names for a pretty flower!  

However, this plant has a proud history - it was grown in Ancient Greece and Rome, and acanthus leaf was used as a motif to decorate the tops of Corinthian columns (from Don Burke at Burke's Backyard).

The big leaves are up to 60cm long, and the flower spikes grow up to 50 cm high.

New Guinea Impatiens by Janet

Image copyright Janet Denne 2013

New Guinea Impateins (Impatiens hawker) are easy to grow in a warm climate. To propagate, just break off a piece and put it in the ground! Colours include mauve, white, pink, red and orange.

Blue Periwinkle by Georgie

Image copyright Georgie Brown 2013

Blue periwinkle (Vinca major) is a ground cover with mauve/blue flowers, originally from Southern Europe and northern Africa. However, in some parts of Australia it is classed as a weed because it smothers other ground vegetation and prevents growth of shrubs and trees.

Lobelia by Liz

Image copyright Liz Orr 2013

Another pretty addition to this weeks collection of mauve flowers.

Pin Cushion Flower by Liz

Image copyright Liz Orr 2013

Scabiosa lucida or pin cushion flower, a delicate lilac/mauve flower.

Mauve flowers - Chives by Janet

Image copyright Janet Denne 2013

Chives (Alium schoenoprasum) are a popular ingredient in cooking, but the mauve and white flowers are very pretty to0. 

Geum by Liz

Image copyright Liz Orr 2013

A bright and cheerful flower to end the week!  To me, geums look like a combination of a poppy and a buttercup. However, they are actually in the same plant family as the roses (Rosaceae). They have bright green foliage and single flowers, usually orange, red or yellow in early summer.  This one was photographed in Scotland by Liz.

Pink Flower by Georgie

Image copyright Georgie Brown 2013

I don't know the name of this flower, sent to me by Georgie, but the star shaped flowers are a gorgeous pink colour. 

Cactus flower by Frances

Image copyright Frances Brown 2013

Cacti by Janet

Image copyright Janet Denne 2013

A pretty soft pink cactus flower.  There is also a red flower bud on the cactus in the bottom of the picture.

Cacti by Janet

Image copyright Janet Denne 2013

Garden Classics - African Daisy by Liz

Image copyright Liz Orr 2013

African daisies (Arctotis hybrids) are easy to grow and come in a wide variety of colours - purple, mauve, white, cream, yellow, apricot or carmine, and many are two toned or have splashes of contrasting colour. No wonder they are popular garden plants.

Garden Classics - Grape Hyacinth by Georgie

Image copyright 2013 Georgie Brown

Grape hyacinth are perennial bulbs that have blue flowers arranged in a form that resembles bunches of grapes.

Garden Classics - pink Poppy Shirley Series by Liz

Image copyright 2013 Liz Orr

Icelandic poppies are native to the Northern hemisphere, and have delicate papery cup-shaped flowers on a hairy, leafless stem.

Garden Classics - Lupinus the chateline by Liz

Image copyright 2013 Liz Orr

Lupins, originally from Mexico and Southern Europe have pea shaped flowers arranged in tall racemes that may be up to 60cm long.

Garden Classics - David Austin Rose (William Shakespeare) by Liz

Image copyright 2013 Liz Orr

This beautiful, richly coloured rose was photographed in Scotland by Liz

Blue wildflowers by Neil

Vibrantly coloured blue wildflowers, (probably Dampiera)  photographed by Neil in Western Australia

Rock Lily by Michelle

Rock Lily (Dendrobium orchid) photographed by Michelle in Sydney. There are over 50 species of Dendrobium orchids in Australia

Wildflowers by Neil

Image copyright 2013 Neil Brown

An unusual wildflower, probably a Hemiandera or a Prosanthera, photographed in Western Australia by Neil.

Cheirantheraa cyanea by Neil

Image copyright 2103 Neil Brown

Cheiranthera cyanea or Finger flower is a pretty Australian native found naturally on the east coast of Australia.

Cheiranthera is a small genus of plants that occur only in Australia

Rice Flower by Neil

Image copyright 2013 Neil Brown

White Banjine or rice flower (Pimlea ciliata) photographed by Neil in the Dryandra region of Western Australia, an area famous for its wildflowers.

See more unique and beautiful Western Australian wildflowers at Tourism Western Australia website.

Native Hibiscus by Janet

Image copyright 2013 Janet Denne

Budlea by Liz

Image copyright 2013 Liz Orr 

Orange blossom by Georgie

Image copyright 2013 Georgie Brown 

Geranium by Liz

Image copyright Liz Orr 2013

Geraniums by Janet

Image copyright Janet Denne 2103

Pretty geraniums in a vase, photographed by Janet.