Spring

Bougainvillea walkway

Spring is the air in Brisbane, but we still aren't quite accustomed to all of the signs of the season.  In Canada we have melting snow, trees that seem to turn green overnight and all kinds of flowers and perennials that poke their heads out of the soil once it starts to thaw.  Here, since it doesn't freeze and the native trees don't drop their leaves, we need to work a little harder to see the signs of the season.

All along the Southbank suburb is a walkway borderd by a wire trellis.  Bougainvillea line the trellis and they are in bloom the entire year.  We noticed yesterday, though, that the blooms definitely have more punch than they did a month ago.  The entire walkway is slowly turning magenta and it will be completely flowered in by the end of summer.

Oooohhhhh...pretty

The one sign that seems the most "Canadian" (well, from a temperate zone) to us is seeing the Jacaranda trees go into bloom.  Jacarandas are not native to Australia and they drop their leaves for the winter.  Beginning in early spring they bloom beautiful purple flowers.  These are quite large trees, up to 30m, and they line the river as well as feature as a prominent tree in yards and parks.  Looking out over the city they appear as great purple clouds.  They really are a wonderful sign of spring and a fantastic import from South America and the Carribean.  We can only imagine how much the squirrels would love leaping around in these!

Jacarandas along the Brisbane River

Jacaranda "clouds"