The Hunt for Autumn.
- 17/3/2015 <--Prev : Next-->
Do yourself a favor and follow the route of the Grey Street Cowboys!!
Nip down Robert Mugabe Way, past the Revenue Hall, past the Grey's Inn and see the glorious Tulip trees in flower. Our City Fathers surely had an eye for the dramatic!!
The African tulip tree, pichkari or Nandi flame, or Spathodea campanulata, also commonly known as the fountain tree.
In addition, while you are out driving around Bulawayo to absorb the beauty, drive down Cecil Avenue between Burnside Road and Old Esigodini Road. The Cassias are in full bloom and they are absolutely breathtaking. Their brilliant daffodil yellow colour, as well as their delicious scent, will shake all the cobwebs from your head and definitely stop you feeling bad thoughts!!
Also in flower at the moment is the Bottle Brush Tree, with its elegantly drooping boughs groaning under the weight of the brilliant scarlet blooms.
Late March and early April are possibly my favorite months, the grass is still fairly green, the Jacarandas are dense and shady, there could still be a promise of late rains, the evenings are cool and the days are not too hot. Summer is slowly meandering into Winter, the bogans are full of great promises, and the roses are enjoying an autumn flush.
Our seasons are not as obvious as those in other countries, but we very definitely have four seasons, and autumn is upon us. The leaves of our giant ficus fall in literal tons upon the roof and on the lawn, not so good for composting as the tiny figs are very acidic for the soil.
We don't get those fabulous Fall colours in Zimbabwe, for which the Northern European countries are famous, instead the glorious autumn colours on our Eastern border, will confuse us all in August by announcing a riotous Msasa Spring!!
