Back in the garden, Baptisia australis has joined the throng of deep pink Bourbon Madame Isaac Perreire roses and white valerian around the ponytail tree, pushing out the aquilegias after their early spring froth.

I so love the intense blue of the false-indigo's, pea or lupin-like flowers....especially juxtaposed against the deep green of the pencil pine behind.

The Epiphyllum that Pacita Moore kindly gave me a slip of from her garden a few years ago is thriving now, against the north-facing stone wall of the old house and has produced a phenomenal number of spectacular red-tipped, white blooms from exquisite buds on its peculiar foliage these last couple of weeks.

And the Arc is slowly building to its peak of contrasting textures and foliage....the sweetly scented philadelphus has now been joined by the delicate, white crepe white flowers of Romneya coulteri, the odd Greek Orange Poppy still makes a cheery appearance and it won't be long now 'til the Salvia azurea buds stand upright and open their pretty blue petals.