All things nature, animals, art & life.
Have you ever walked past a garden and been stopped in your tracks by a plant with oversized, sculptural leaves and tall, elegant flower spikes - only to realise you have no idea what it’s called? You’re not alone. This was one of those plants I admired for years before finally learning its name.
Spending time around wildlife teaches you one important lesson very quickly: things can change in an instant. A quiet moment can suddenly turn into one that demands attention, care, and calm thinking. That’s exactly what happened during this encounter with a young Magpie-lark - often called a Mudlark - one of Australia’s most familiar and intelligent birds.
There’s something quietly exciting about starting something new with no expectations. Sitting down with a blank page, a pencil, and no real plan can feel both intimidating and freeing at the same time. This sketch marks my very first attempt at drawing a flower, with no practice beforehand and no idea how it would turn out - and that uncertainty was part of the fun.
If you appreciate clean white blooms paired with bold green foliage, Zantedeschia aethiopica - commonly known as the Arum Lily or Calla Lily - is a plant that never goes unnoticed. In this update, we follow the plant’s progress over a two-month period, observing how it develops from early leaf growth into its signature flowering stage.
Have you ever planted something and eagerly checked in a few weeks later to see what’s changed? In this update, I revisit my Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia) plant one month on, taking a closer look at how it’s growing, whether there are any signs of flowering, and what these early changes can tell us about the plant’s overall health.
If you’ve ever noticed a tiny spider hopping across a windowsill or pausing to watch you from a garden leaf, chances are you’ve met a jumping spider. These small but charismatic arachnids have a way of capturing attention, thanks to their alert movements, expressive eyes, and surprisingly curious behaviour.