We have had some very welcome sunshine today - after a patch of really cold grey days with rain and hail and strong southerly winds. Brrr. Unfurling in response to the sunlight, the profuse flowers of Oxalis versicolor - a small winter flowering bulb from South Africa.
You can see why it is sometimes called the candy cane oxalis - the red edges of the white petals make the characteristic candy cane stripes when the flowers are closed - which has been most of the time recently. They need bright sunshine to fully open - and then they make a sunny display of their own.
But if any clouds should start dimming the sunshine, the little flowers start to close quite quickly...
Furling petals, showing their candy cane stripes.
I have found it a very easy bulb to grow, mostly in small pots, providing a very cheerful and quirky display during the greyest time of the year.