20 October 2023
Jacaranda holds a very special place in my heart.
When I moved to Australia, it was the end of October. One of many things that amazed me was an unbelievable tree in our neighbour’s front yard.
It was covered in bright purple flowers and had a purple carpet of fallen flowers underneath it. It was truly like no other!
I had no idea what it was and, silly me, didn’t even think to simply google it to find out. I messaged my friend overseas telling her about this mysterious tree and she replied that it was called Jacaranda! When I asked how on earth she knew about it, my friend said she googled ‘purple tree Australia’ and got the answer! Not my brightest moment but felt very grateful to have a smart friend!
Although Jacaranda is native to South America, it seems to be doing very well in Australia.
I used to love October for its colourful autumn leaves in the Northern Hemisphere. Now I love it for Jacarandas in bloom. Every time I drive past one along the road, it brings a smile to my face. I am not joking. Every single time. It’s such an amazing purple cloud of joy.
