1 June was the first day of winter in My World. Temperatures fluctuated between 3 degrees Celsius in the early morning and rose to a mild 22 degrees by midday. I made a quick detour to Celliers' Park on Venning Street, Groenkloof - about a five minute drive from my home - to snap the aloes in bloom.
What are the colours of winter? In my world they are brilliant orange, green and gold dislayed against the bluest of skies. 
Aloes reflected in the pond as did...
the blossoms of the purple broom.
Bees were busy on the strelitzias.
A young mom pushing with a pram, an old man engrossed in the daily paper, a couple with a picnic spread on the grass - all were enjoying the winter sunshine and the sound of the water.
Pink blooms amidst a web of fine spines which edge a succulent's leaves.
Yes, this is the wild dagga or leonotis as Raph rightly identified in an earlier photo on my blog. The earliest dwellers in South Africa chewed and smoked this plant instead of tobacco.
The lime green trunk of the fever tree. This lovely park, whatever the season, is one of Pretoria's best kept secrets. Make a visit to the many other lovely postings on My World and discover the seasons in other parts of the globe.
23 comments:
What a gorgeous header! The whole park is a wonderland -- thank you for taking the time to show it to us!
So many beautiful blooms and reflections! I have a tiny aloe vera in my house. I guess the seasons run differently for you than in California. Winter was from end of Nov. till March. Spring began in March and lasts till July, from July to Sept we have summer. Sept to Nov. we have Fall.
Oh Eleanor......I'm speechless sweetie!
The header took my breath before I even got to the other stunning photos! You live in a flora and fauna paradise! Do come by the porch, alot has happened since you've visited!
Love,
Carol
Thanks for making that detour and sharing these pictures!
Stunning, Eleanor! Thanks for sharing these beauties. (yep, Winter is here for sure!)
Best from a somewhat chilly Cape Town,
Pierre
Your Bird of paradise has bloomed. Mine is still a bud for more than three weeks. Your aloe flowers are so beautiful. They look like our New Zealand flower we call Red Hot Poker.
Thanks for visiting my site. Have you thought of visiting New Zealand in person? We have many South African people here.
Your winter certainly looks like spring. Gorgeous blooms and gorgeous photos.
Eleanor, your photos are stunning. Thanks for sharing this beautiful park with us. What a beautiful header. I've read back on your blog (now I have newer, faster Internet) and see you visited Die Blik Plek. Did you know that Ansie's life story is a very interesting one? She went from Riches to Rags and has since re-built her life and become a very successful business women in Ficksburg. Thank you for visiting my blog. Blessings from a cold Free State.
Oh what a lovely post! I love the colours too!
Hello Eleanor, I am happy that I found your blog! Winter in South Africa is quite different from winter in Central Europe, there are still so many colours in your wintry world!
If you miss Vienna, please come visit again! I also have some hiking blogs, in case you love the countryside! Have a great week!
My first time at your blog and I love it. The bird pictures on the side bar are stunning!!
It always throws me off when I get to the Southern hemisphere blogs and see them talk about winter when it is super hot where I live.
Lovely pictures.
Many werid and wonderful blooms of which I will only ever see most virtually. Gorgeous.
Your flowers are beautiful, your dogs precious ~ and I am so glad we're not in our winter months!
what wonderful winter scenes.. and lovely flowers
Fantastic! I am still wrestling with it being winter there as we are almost at summer. How fun! Love the park, the flowers are beautiful!
What a great bunch of flowers and how nice to have a park like this nearby where you live. I'm adding it to my list for when I visit there during your next fall.
You have a lovely winter, nice and colourful. Very attractive park.
A lovely mild winter's day. We had a good one today as well so I got some weeding done. I love your wonderful park, so good for people to be able to enjoy.
This makes me ache for home. Cilliers park was one of Calvin and I's favourites! The summer here is the same temperature as a South African winter so we are still adjusting but amidst that we are really happy and enjoying all of the elements which we did not have back in Pretoria, like being 10 minutes from gorgeous beaches and white wool all over and green that never ends and safety and large open spaces in our countryside home. Thank you for peeping in...
Oh my goodness, I have certainly enjoyed my visit here and will return when I can stay longer...
Hugs and Rubs to your precious labbies!
~Kit
Wonderful photos of your park. The plants are fantastic!
Eleanor we share many of the same plants in our gardens, but in different hemispheres. I love the strelitzias, succulents and aloes and you have some wonderful birds. Beautiful blog.
Thanks for stopping by mine.
Sharon (Canarybird)
This is the most beautiful winter I have ever seen Eleanor !
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