December including Christmas

What’s your favourite thing about this time of year?  The artificial lights on houses?  The random acts of kindness by individuals.  The very bizarre but completely normal Melbourne weather.  Wondering whether one will need an umbrella or sunscreen?  I love it all.  I am not a very religious person, but I see Christmas as a fabulous time around family.  As our family is expanding, the better Christmas gets.  At the moment, the weather is very odd.  I have vegies that have gone to seed way too early.  I also have fruiting tomatoes already.  It sure is a magical time to be in the garden.  This humidity is doing wonders for everything.  The rain and dry days too.  To reflect back on the year its been amazing.  I have orchids that have flowered for the first time.  I have Cliveas who have flowered twice.  The roses are just beautiful this year.  I believe the aphids have been less.  Everything seems more green.  All the different types of green...its just wonderful.  It still amazes me that some people would rather concrete in their backyards than the myriad shades of green.  Then we have the mixes that defy fashion.  An example: Chorizema cordatum, a beautiful plant which is pink and orange and is exquisite, however on the cat walk, a scary thought! I am not a huge fan of the colour pink however Croweas are known in their pink form.  Deep red bottlebrush are wonderful.  Lilac irises are startling.  I have a Hibbertia obtusifolia in a hanging basket and it is flowering at the moment.  People say that natives are boring have not really had a good look at the spectacular views in the bush.  For the moment, I am just in awe of the outside world.  Whether it be a flower, an insect or grass, it is great to be welcomed outside.  We are so lucky to have a garden and to be gardeners.  Merry Christmas and have a happy new year!

Hail to the Gardener

It is a wonderful time of year.  It is also a busy time of the year.  Especially for the gardener because the client wants everything spick and span and looking fabulous for the big day in December.  Its amazing to me that some people forget that some tasks require quite a lengthy amount of time to really come together, however they ring up the gardener two weeks before Christmas and expect their job to be done.  A busy time indeed, for the humble gardener.  So hail to the Gardener at this time of year.  The over-worked, under paid gardener.  Sometimes people look down upon us, but we don't mind, because we're happy with the job we do and accomplish.  The gardener enjoys seeing a single plant grow from a seed or cutting they have planted.  If you have a gardener, or know someone who is one, please hug them!  They are a lovely people and will hug back!  ;)  But not in a creepy way!