The almond tree was planted about 18 years ago for the kids to climb. The blossom is beautiful in the spring, lasting about a fortnight from first bud to over. It fruits plentifully, but I have never eaten any nuts from it. Each year the parrots descend in one afternoon when the nuts are way too early for picking, and eat the lot.
Nasturtiums bloom everywhere over winter. The entire floor of the garden is covered with them. I shared an old house in Subiaco where this happened, so when I moved here I started with one small packet of seeds. Recently I have planted the 30-metre-long driveway with any nasturtium seedlings that grew in the wrong spot. One side of the drive has taken beautifully and leaves are nowbeginning to spill out to the street. I use the flowers as a contrast to the chocolate glaze on a chocolate cake when serving. The leaves can be used in salads, but I am not overly-fond of the peppery taste.
A bobtail lizard lives in the bathtub underneath the almond.