Winter

August in Melbourne. This year's beginning to August has been a warm one. We had one of the warmest mornings ever recorded the other day. Its been a while since we have had the heaters on (more than a few days in Melbourne in the middle of Winter, is a long time!) Of course, these warm days/nights are happening through the weeks and then when the weekends come to us, we're back to the wintry Melbourne days. I saw a beautiful Magnolia tree full in bloom this morning, so I thought I would share a photograph with you. Its amazing this flower. I love the colouring and size of the flowers.

Winter is nearing to the end. And I would have spoken more about it, but I have been having some publishing difficulties of late. I do not know why. So hopefully this will publish.

Winter in the gardening world is fun. One could see that as sarcasm, however, for once, I am not! ;) From the beginning, in June where we're still battling with the rest of the falling leaves, to unpredictable rainfalls and icy dark mornings. There is so much to do, but there is hardly enough time in the day for it all. It should be a time to relax a little. But because of all the rain we've been having, most plants seem to be confused on what they should be doing. Winter, we should be slowing down mowing. However, it did not seem to slow down until early July, way into the middle of the season. We are also inundated with weeds, which is a never ending job. Oxalis (Oxalis sp), winter grass, Common sow thistle(Sonchus oleraceus), fat hen (Chenopodium album) are just a few of the weed species we have to deal with. Winter is also the time for winter pruning. I enjoy rose pruning. They seem to respond well to my kind of torture. A sadistic type pleasure envelopes me as I hack into the old wood of a very old rose. Two-thirds come off spectacularly. Large spindling roses which may not have been pruned for a few seasons and still seem to produce one or two flowers are cut down in size and some of them into a mere stick, yet they still survive and thrive. Pruning fruit trees can be dramatic and very therapeutic also. Especially to trees who may have never been pruned and then are injected with a new lease on life for years to come. So winter is about to leave us and we're about to leap into Spring...bring it on!