My mother lives not far from the city on a fairly large block of land. Before I left for Italy I wandered around her garden with my camera. She has some amazing plants, mostly bromeliads. My brother grows them in a hot house and I find them fascinating.
There is a large lagoon and birds like to make their home nearby.
/>
When my father was alive he fed a large flock of wild ducks that would follow him around every afternoon. Jabirus and other wild birds occasionally made an appearance. Dad loved them and he felt it made up for his duck shooting days in his youth.
It is hard to believe the house is only 20 minutes from Brisbane city centre.
PS
My sister sent me this photo of Dad in his favourite place…in his golf buggy in his garden. He mowed a 3 hole golf course in his, and 2 of the neighbours’ back yards. This was his idea of heaven.
Dad took up golf quite late in life, but he was very good at it and once hit a ball further than Greg Norman. Wherever he is now, I hope he has a golf club in his hand.
So beautiful, so beautiful… They are amazing photographs. Thank you dear Deb, with my love, nia
By: niasunset on May 5, 2012
at 8:41 pm
Bromeliads are strangely beautiful.
By: Debra Kolkka on May 5, 2012
at 8:47 pm
Love the photos! Wonderful detail and what a lovely garden you have ^^
http://www.beilovebei.com
By: Beibei Wu on May 5, 2012
at 8:42 pm
Thank you. The plants are very beautiful.
By: Debra Kolkka on May 5, 2012
at 8:47 pm
those plants are certainly unusual and enchanting in a way, but I had to laugh when i saw the birds, they were lined up as though they were going to break into song! So stunning. fabulous! c
By: ceciliag on May 5, 2012
at 9:11 pm
What a pity ibis can’t sing, it would be fun.
By: Debra Kolkka on May 6, 2012
at 4:46 am
Beautiful pics … the red/green combo works well. Love the closeups!
By: aFrankAngle on May 5, 2012
at 9:45 pm
I think the colours are amazing in the centres of these plants.
By: Debra Kolkka on May 6, 2012
at 4:46 am
Such ‘exotics’ Deb. Would the extremely humid and wet summer we have had in Queensland this past season have brought on such prolifc growth and gogeous colours? Glad to see your Dad’s lovely garden thriving.
By: dianne Cant on May 5, 2012
at 10:15 pm
I took these photos in January and it was very hot and steamy that day. Bromeliads love Mum’s place.
By: Debra Kolkka on May 6, 2012
at 4:49 am
I agree, Debra, they are strangely beautiful. What a beautiful property as well.
By: Karen Overton on May 5, 2012
at 10:55 pm
Dad loved looking after his yard. He spent most of his time there mowing, clearing and taking care of things.
By: Debra Kolkka on May 6, 2012
at 4:51 am
Lovely exotic garden!
By: linneabylinneanilsson on May 6, 2012
at 12:21 am
My brother does a great job growing bromeliads. Some of those plants are huge.
By: Debra Kolkka on May 6, 2012
at 4:52 am
I love bromeliads too and have many in my garden. The frogs love them and the big huntsman spiders. They surprise you with exotic blooms that look otherworldly and are so easy to grow here in Brisbane. Love you pictures Deb. x
By: lizgolding on May 6, 2012
at 12:29 am
As long as you have the right conditions they are easy to grow and look great massed in a garden. Anything that attracts frogs has to be good.
By: Debra Kolkka on May 6, 2012
at 4:53 am
Farf lives on in the garden and forever in our hearts. Thanks for showing us the sanctuary. Nifta
By: nifta on May 6, 2012
at 2:11 am
He loved it there, with his ducks and his golf.
By: Debra Kolkka on May 6, 2012
at 4:54 am
That’s so lovely about your Dad, Debra. He sounds a gorgeous fellow. Lovely too that your mother can enjoy their beautiful garden still.
By: janinevasta on May 6, 2012
at 6:53 am
Dad was great fun, we miss him a lot. He died 5 years ago, but he will never be forgotten.
The house is for sale now. I hope somebody loves it as much as Dad did.
By: Debra Kolkka on May 6, 2012
at 7:31 am
The garden is beautiful. But that picture of your father is priceless. It says so much. What joy! I love that!
By: The Daily Cure on May 6, 2012
at 6:59 am
Dad loved nothing more than being outside in his garden. He was a builder who could turn his hand to anything.
By: Debra Kolkka on May 6, 2012
at 7:32 am
My father was like that too. It’s amazing, isn’t it, how they leave a hole…the longing for my father never diminishes. I talk to him all the time.
By: The Daily Cure on May 6, 2012
at 5:43 pm
Gorgeous photos Debra. The plants are so complex and exotic. Lots of them look sticky! I love the pics of the birds by the water and your dad on his golf cart – he looks like a lovely man. Anyone who likes golf is a friend of ours!
By: farfalle1 on May 6, 2012
at 7:06 am
Dad loved his golf, he was a natural athlete…something I did not inherit.
By: Debra Kolkka on May 6, 2012
at 7:33 am
That’s a lovely story about your Dad feeding the wild ducks and them following him about all afternoon and your wish for him to have a golf club in his hand (wherever he is) is a lovely thought.
By: Just Add Attitude on May 6, 2012
at 7:00 pm
One of the last things he wanted was another game of golf.
By: Debra Kolkka on May 6, 2012
at 8:28 pm
Hi Deb,
Liam can still remember hitting a golf ball at your parent’s home with Farv. I have a great photo (must have come from you) of Liam, golf club in hand, with the lake in the background. Great memories, but geez, it doesn’t seem that long ago!!
Bronwyn
By: Anonymous on May 6, 2012
at 10:04 pm
Hi Bronwyn, I remember that day as if it was yesterday, but of course it must have been 16 or 17 years ago. Dad loved to teach people how to play golf, even if they were only 4.
By: Debra Kolkka on May 7, 2012
at 5:00 am
Great plants, Deb. I didn’t know what they were called, but we had a number of them in Haiti.
Hugs,
Kathy
By: Kathryn McCullough on May 6, 2012
at 11:30 pm
Some of them look prehistoric don’t they?
By: Debra Kolkka on May 7, 2012
at 5:01 am
Beautiful beautiful pictures! I have never seen that kind of flower before!
By: thirdeyemom on May 7, 2012
at 2:20 am
They are quite common in Brisbane gardens and I see them here as well, where they are indoor plants.
By: Debra Kolkka on May 7, 2012
at 5:02 am
So beautiful! I’m working on my garden as we speak. I usually put a lot of annuals in because I don’t have the time or patience now to tend a perennial garden yet this year I’m slowly going to move over to trying new perennials. I love flowers and plants!!!! 🙂
By: thirdeyemom on May 7, 2012
at 12:36 pm
The bromeliads put on a fine show and are quite easy to look after.
By: Debra Kolkka on May 7, 2012
at 2:56 pm
Where is your mother’s house? Love the bromeliads but would love to have a garden in Brisbane – we are still looking for a property!
By: Anonymous on May 7, 2012
at 3:19 am
The house is in Loganholme.
By: Debra Kolkka on May 7, 2012
at 5:02 am
Awww love that picture of your dad Debra! 😀 And the flowers are so beautiful!
By: Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella on May 7, 2012
at 5:24 am
Your mother’s garden must be wonderful. So different to that which i’m used to. I love Brisbane. Just love it!
By: Rosa on May 13, 2012
at 1:29 pm