The back paddock... Actually, over the fence from the lovely Moss Vale dogs-off-leash area, with Reg, our cocker spaniel, beside me looking longingly (at rabbits too)

Exciting for those not living in southern Australia, and perhaps for some who are. The flying duck orchid (Caleana major) seen in Willow Vale, near to my new home town. And in case you find all plants dull, I've included a local bird: a gang gang...

Tim Entwisle has been busy doing interviews and events for his new book The Sceptical Botanist... have you caught any of them? We love this happy snap from the book launch at Royal Botanic Garden Sydney last month. @timentwisle.bsky.social | #Botany

The Age/SMH, this morning (Saturday, 30 August)

If you happen to be in Bowral (Southern Highlands, New South Wales, Australia, Earth) on 5 September 2025, here is something you might do. I'll be there 🙂 www.thebookshopbowral.com.au/event-info/t...

As Morgan said in her repost, look past the tardigrade to the glistening green Hydrodictyon (water net), just one of many beautiful (under the microscope) freshwater algae: "@fwredalgae.bsky.social Lovely! The #algae is Hydrodictyon -common name water net 😀."

A vivid red form of this always stunning species, Fritillaria imperialis. Here in Iran, at the westerly end of its natural range from the Middle East to the Himalaya, thanks to the wonderful photography of Sajad Alipour

Beautiful colours

Purple Loosestrife, a pretty wetland plant in many parts of Australia, where assumed to be native. But see www.publish.csiro.au/book/8151/

One of the few orchid species (apparently) shared between UK and Australia. Perhaps the only one, excluding a weedy one or two

If you too would like to read my latest book, The Sceptical Botanist, head over to www.publish.csiro.au/book/8151/, or to your favourite online or brick bookshop. RRP $39.99

The Sceptical Botanist live at the Southern Highlands Botanic Gardens thanks to The Bookshop Bowral. 📚 Friday, 5 September, 10am Do trees talk to one another? What's a native plant and what's a weed? Tickets at www.thebookshopbowral.com.au

Tonight, 6 pm, in Sydney. Launch of 'The Sceptical Botanist: Separating Fact from Fiction' at Royal Botanic Garden Sydney A free event, where I'll chat with John Siemen before signings of my new book published by @csiropublishing.bsky.social Register at www.botanicgardens.org.au/whats-on/sce...

Just Published: The Sceptical Botanist Do trees talk? What is a native plant and what is a weed? Are some plants immortal? Through 50 engaging essays, @timentwisle.bsky.social delves into everyday questions about plants and gardens, separating fact from fiction. www.publish.csiro.au/book/8151/

Final post from my new book of 50 essays, 'The Sceptical Botanist: Separating Fact from Fiction' (CSIRO Publishing) Released in bookstores this Friday (1 August 2025), although I note a few have escaped prematurely Illustration by Jerome Entwisle talkingplants.blogspot.com/2025/07/guil...

"I love plants and I think they're fascinating, and I think they do amazing things that animals just can't do." @timentwisle.bsky.social chats with ABC Radio's Robyn Williams about botanic gardens and being a sceptical botanist: www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...

Don't miss this event hosted by the Australian Garden History Society! @timentwisle.bsky.social talks about his life in botanic gardens and his new book, The Sceptical Botanist. Sunday 3 Aug, The Hoskins Centre - The Armidale School Buy your tickets: www.gardenhistorysociety.org.au/events/north...

With only 10 days until its release into bookshops, another glimpse inside 'The Sceptical Botanist'. talkingplants.blogspot.com/2025/07/plan... Illustration by Jerome Entwisle

My talented colleague has been working on bringing this wonderful book to life: Planet Fungi Makes me want to pick up my paintbrush! @csiropublishing.bsky.social #fungi

One from this morning's paddle on the Wingecarribee (more at www.instagram.com/timentwisle/)

"What eventually converted me to the plant (and algal) world was the image of a plant cell ... I dropped maths and physics and headed full throttle into botany..." @timentwisle.bsky.social origin story + a teaser from his book, The Sceptical Botanist: talkingplants.blogspot.com/2025/07/what...

As we approach 1 August 2025, publication date for 'The Sceptical Botanist', another teaser... www.blogger.com/blog/post/ed...

Teasers for my new book, weekly talkingplants.blogspot.com/2025/07/stup...

From the kayak again. Wingecarribee River as the fog lifts over a light frost. More pictures at www.instagram.com/timentwisle/

Rotated (no other manipulation) reflection on river this morning. Just for fun

For more from the Wingecarribee this morning, see www.instagram.com/timentwisle/

Back in the water, or at least at the edge of it. Collecting red algae in Barren Grounds Reserve, south of Sydney (Type locality for Psilosiphom scoparius)

Those working on cyanobacteria & river algae (or interested in Corydalis or artist John Tunnard) will know of Brian Whitton. Sadly he died earlier this year. I've just caught up but these are good obituaries microscopesandmonsters.wordpress.com/2025/04/11/b... www.theguardian.com/science/2025...

Tim Entwisle talks a little bit about his gently sceptical approach to plants and gardens. Lovely to have worked on his upcoming book, coming out August: www.abc.net.au/listen/progr... @csiropublishing.bsky.social @timentwisle.bsky.social

The rare Australian and New Zealand red algal genus Psilosiphon, gathered today from the 'Type Locality', Barren Grounds Nature Reserve in New South Wales (a 30-minute drive and then 20-minute walk from home...)

Some reflections on algae kept in the dark talkingplants.blogspot.com/2025/06/alga...

Wingecarribbee River, early morning

The birds visiting our feeding tray are getting larger, and heavier Crimson rosella and yellow-crested cockatoo Bowral, New South Wales, Australia ...

The rather large acorns of Quercus insignis, a species from Mexico and Central America. These beauties shown to us by Bill Funk at his Mereweather Arboretum in Dunkeld, Victoria (Australia). An amazing collection of living oaks, and a few acorns...

Avenue of Quercus engelmannii in Canberra, Australia. An unusual street tree in any part of the world

Late autumn and swallows have replaced darters on this 'nesting tree' in Wingecarribee River. The large nests were left by the darters

Wingecarribee River, 7.30 am this morning. 4 degrees C. [More pictures at www.instagram.com/timentwisle/]

I'll be giving a talk on oak communities at Longwood Gardens, July 19, then a walk with Associate Director of Collections (and great plant explorer) Tony Aiello. Join us if you are in town! longwoodgardens.org/events-perfo...

Spring in Chenshan Botanical Garden, Shanghai. More pictures at www.instagram.com/timentwisle?...

The American approach to foreign aid in 1942, Morocco, as a contrast to the present. At least as stated.

Rather old and gnarly olive tree in the 'blue city' of Chefchaouen, Morocco

The partially blue city of Chefchaouen in northern Morocco (in Rif mountains)

Roman city of Volubulus, Morocco, named after flower convulvulus. Of which there plenty, and many other wildflowers...

Impressive planted holm (ballota) oak (Quercus ilex/ballota) in Dar Batha Museum of Islamic Arts الفنون الاسلامية متحف البطحاء, an old royal garden in Fes, Marocco. Also, a couple of old Moroccan cypress (Cupressus atlantica)...

Fes

My first sighting of Cistanthe phelypaea, the yellow-flowered, parasitic relative of roommates. On the edge of the Sahara, in Merzouga, Morocco

Oh, and morning in Ouarzazate, Morocco