It Took...

It took thirteen years for the first flower to bloom, year fourteen it's second year of flowering there are two blooms. 

Until last year I didn't even realise that this plant flowered at all.

 Each year in late autumn the large leathery leaves appeared before disappearing in summer.

The first flower was a complete surprise, and I discovered it's a blood lily or paintbrush lily (Haemanthus coccineus) a native plant from South Africa.

This year I kept a close eye on this area of the garden as the flowering coincides with the pincushion hakea. 

The blooms only last several weeks, so I made sure I enjoyed their beauty every single day...