All Bright and Beautiful

We had a wonderful warm today in the city with around 23c, which what a Spring day should be like. I decided to take a walk to the park to see if the Blue Bells were out. I did find a few but it will be another week I would say before you see the carpet of blue.

It was cloudy when I started out and was only going to do a small walk, but the bridge was closed so I had to walk to the next one. It was lovely seeing all the daffodils and some Monarch Butterflies flitting about.

As I kept walking it got hotter and hotter so I had to stop for a coffee and rest in the shade. We are not used to nice Spring days because most days there has been a really cold wind blowing.

This shot is of a Golden Wattle tree in flower which looked so beautiful covered in lovely golden flowers. It is native to south-eastern Australia.


About the Golden Wattle
Golden Wattle (Acacia pycnantha) is Australia's national flower. The Golden Wattle blooms in spring, - beginning September - in Australia, with large fluffy, yellow, sweet smelling flower heads. Each Golden Wattle flower head is a bunch of many tiny flowers. Acacias are popularly called Wattle.

Australia's national floral emblem is the golden wattle (Acacia pycnantha Benth.). When in flower, the golden wattle displays the national colours, green and gold. The golden wattle has been used in the design of Australian stamps and many awards in the Australian honours system. A single wattle flower is the emblem of the Order of Australia.

Indigenous peoples of Australia soaked the gum of the golden wattle in water and honey to produce a sweet, toffee-like substance. The tannin from the bark was known for its antiseptic properties.

Colonial settlers cultivated the golden wattle using the bark in the tanning industry, the gum for glues and the blossom for its honey.

Golden Wattle are the most fragrant flowers and are used in making perfumes, bath herbs, and potpourris.
For more information on the Golden Wattle.

My extra shots are of the Daffodils in North Hagley Park and some wonderful magnolia trees around the neighbourhood.