Flowers in the heat

Its getting very hot but we're still experiencing floral delights! My hoya flowered for the first time in four years! Crowea exalata has come back superbly after again, thinking I had lost it.  The cuttings I did of this are doing wonderfully!  I so far have only had one flower flourish of the roses.  Due to the heat (40+ over the weekend), I haven't had too many casualties. Even my baby cuttings are doing ok.  
The one thing I make sure to do if we are going to have a very hot day is to fill all the water receptacle around the place for the birds. The respite of the heat yesterday with all the heavy rain was wonderful. More importantly my friend who had to be evacuated from her property which was in the midst of fire was saved. Her dog sivived too.  Be careful out there. Fire is unfortunately a reality for most people in the bush.

Pelagoniums

Life & stuff!

Sometimes life knocks us for six. People let you down, trust is broken. Thank goodness for flowers and gardening! Sunshine helps too! (Also a punching bag hanging magestically in the midst of the said garden!)

Its getting warmer...

The sun is shining,  the  flowers are  blooming and the humans are enjoying the peace and quiet of Spring...unless you have a four year old and quiet is a distant memory... :) 

Croweas are bliss

Crowea exalata

Crowea exalata 'white form'

Crowea saligna

Crowea saligna

I've come to realise that I have never actually blogged about this flower. The Crowea to me, is one of the most beautiful flower, as its simple, but so delicate Its five- petalled star shape adds to its loveliness.  It is a an Australian Native, named after James Crowe, an 18th and 19th century surgeon and botanist.  There are three species of Crowea.  The three species are Crowea angustifolia, exalata and salingna.  There are many cultivars of the species exalata, including C. 'Bindalong compact' and C. 'Green Cap', two registered cultivars.  Another is a cultivar hybrid between C. exalata and C. saligna, known as C. 'Poorinda ectasy'.  Being from the Rutaceae family, it is closely related to the Phylotheca and Eriostemon. Crowea grows well through cuttings.  Once established, are quite hardy.  The more prolific species would be C. exalata as it has many cultivars or various shades of pinks and whites.  They like well drained soils but will tolerate periods of dry soils.  It is prone to sooty mould so desires a trim.  I have always cuttings on the go, I also have it in a pot.  It looks fabulous!

Crowea exalata in a Blue pot

SPRING!!!!

Spring! Who doesn't live spring? One of the best times of the year ever!! Everything seems a bit more brughter even if life knocks you for six, flowers will still bloom & there's hope...

Alyogyne huegelii

Alyogyne huegelii

Alyogyne huegelii, native hibiscus is tolerant to a most conditions.  It has beautiful deep lilac flowers, looking like Hibiscus flowers, hence why it is known as the native Hibiscus.  It is also known as Hibiscus huegelii. It is from the family Malvaceae. It grows very quickly.  It will get quite leggy if not pruned back. It flowers between late spring and early summer.   After flowering has stopped, this is a good time to give it a hard prune.  It has hairy foliage and grows well from cuttings.  It's purple flowers will be a talking point to all.

Herbs

Who grows herbs?  There is a myriad of ways to grow herbs.  In containers, in designated herb gardens, in the general garden, dotted through the garden.  In hanging baskets.  All of the above.  I'm smiling as I write this, because I love herbs.  I love using fresh herbs in cooking.  I love having some fresh herbs in a glass of water on my kitchen window ledge.  I would love to have a designated herb garden, but I do not.  I started to, when I first moved in, but its very shady and other than chives, rosemary, mint and oregano, nothing else grew.   I have parsley, perennial basil, mint, oregano, sage, coriander and thyme in pots.  I have oregano dotted through the garden beds as I adore the smell.  I also have a trial of thyme and parsley through out the garden beds as well.  I enjoy traditional gardens, but I also enjoy a variety of plant species in one space as it give the senses a blast.  Differing smells and sights are a visual and aromatic pleasure.  In this world of different tastes, its not suprising that there are more and more interest in the sensory gardens.  Childrens' gardens are great for this, as well as hospital gardens and places.  Spaces which are welcoming to all.  From the very young to the very old.  This can also be great for people with disabilities.  Back to my herbs, I've since come to my realisation, that thyme does not like wet feet.  Coriander, however, is water hungry.  Placing them in the same pot, was not a good idea.  The thyme has been repotted else where.  The coriander, in the self-watering pot, is going well.  Its one of my most favourite herbs, but I find it difficult to grow.  I remember seeing it grow in a crack in a footpath once and it thrived.  Mine, in a pot, fed with seasol, does struggles.  The sage has died back at the moment, but it tends to struggle too.  As with most things, I believe it it trial and error with herb planting.  

Origanum vulgare

Petroselinum crispum

Mentha sachalinensis

Rosmarinus officinalis

Frosts

This Winter has been cold.  The past few winters have seemed quite mild in comparison.  I work outside, I know how to layer, its one of those fashion statements that all gardeners/horticulturalists understand.  This year, the beanie and finger-less gloves have been mandatory.  The flannelette shirts have become a part of the seasonal uniform.  Even doubling up on socks have been needed.  Then of course, there is a frosts.  I can't remember frosts being as prevalent as this winter.  My seedlings have thankfully been protected so I haven't lost any of them.  Plectranthus is sensitive to frost.  I have three different species of this genus: Plectranthus argentatus, Plectranthus forsteri and Plectranthus "Mona Lavender".

The Mona Lavender doesn't like the winter full stop.  I have noticed that around this time each year, this Plectranthus struggles.  It is semi protected from our veranda, but it seems its not protected enough.  The Plectranthus forsteri is doing quite well.  Although, this too can be sensitive to frosts unless under-planted, these are dotted around the back yard and haven't been knocked around at all.  Plectrantus argentatus is struggling. The foliage looks like they have been sucked dry.  I do hope they come back.  I think I will have to cut them all back when it warms up a bit.  Next winter, I will them back prior to winter, to give them more of a chance.

The other plant which has been struggling is my Fuchsia 'Thalia'.  I have had it in a pot other years.  Perhaps I should have kept it in a pot.

When I worked in a native nursery, we had a frost section, which would be covered in the wintered days. Some that I remember are Lechenaultia biloba, Eutaxia cuneata  and Gastrolobium minus.

Plectranthus argententatus after and before the frosts

Fuchsia 'thalia' after and before frosts

Winter 2015

Start of Winter and it seems colder than last year.  I don't know, maybe its because I'm in it more this year.  The end of Autumn saw me falling off a ladder.  Something I hadn't (weirdly) planned to do, but it still happened.  Luckily, I wasn't too badly hurt.  I ended up on my foot and damaged ligaments.  It hurt A LOT!  I am ok now. I garden, so I need my feet.  I like how the doctor says "Keep off it as much as you can"  People assume that I sit behind a desk all day.  The great out doors is my office and although I wouldn't change this, sometimes it can be detrimental to your health!  Anyway, I digress...
Winter!  Cold and rainy.  Cold mornings, but still dry.  We're not getting enough rain to really penetrate the roots.  So, I am still hand watering - not as much, but a bit.  So how many people have been doing cuttings?  I did some Acacia cultriformus prostrate cuttings the other day.  I tried this another time, but they died straight away.  My little seedlings are doing well.

My seedlings

Of course, being winter, not much is happening.  However, they all seem to be alive, so that's great.  We've also been getting some interesting plants come up.  For instance, below our stairs, where there is nothing, just dirt and a drain, there is some potatoes growing.  They just popped up one day.  This same place a few seasons ago, we had tomatoes spring up.  Perhaps its just a magic food bed!  I am growing brussel sprouts at the moment, and Kale.  I like kale.  Its very easy to grow.  The in thing at the moment, is to make Kale chips.  I make mine with olive oil, vinegar and salt.  Yum!  My sister makes hers with chili.  That would be nice too.  I'm looking forward for my crop of potatoes.  I love potatoes.  Its so easy to stay indoors on these cold days, but the garden still needs some care.  Weeds still come, especially after the rain.  Plants needs to be pruned and trimmed.  Rose pruning is also one of those chores which has to be done, but done well.  Its not too hard, but people still seem to do it wrong.  For people who have roses and don't know how to prune correctly, they should really get someone who knows what they're doing.  Next post will possibly be able rose pruning. Enjoy the season.

Summer Rain

Do you remember Belinda Charlisle's hit "Summer Rain"?  I loved that song.  I also might be showing my age...I'll admit it, I turned 40 last week! 40 and fabulous.  I received two beautiful bouquets of native flowers which are still going strong.  I love the fact that these are lasting so long. They're both quite large bouquets so I had to go and buy two new largish vases.  All I can is, thank Goodness for Savers.  :) My wedding bouquet was natives and I like that these were natives too.  Obviously from people who know me quite well!  
Its been quite hot over the last couple of days.  My son and I have been subjected to inside activities. Its hard, when a small person has pent up energy and just wants to go outside.  So I decided we should out go for a bit.  Look for some worms.  We ended up very dirty but isn't that the whole idea? Of course there was no worms, too hot for them, but it was fun looking.  :)  It bucketed down for about five minutes.  A lot of noise - thunder - for nothing, really.  Oh this weather is crappy at the moment. We're sliding back into drought territory...some parts of Australia are already there.  I find interesting that there is no flutter of talk about this...anyway. Although, as our Government stands at the moment, it really doesn't surprise me...(Lets not get into rant territory about the Government Dani!)

We have been getting huge thunderstorms.  I say huge, because the noise has been huge, yet the rain hasn't been anything spectacular.  The small four-legged feline does not like the thunder.  However the three year old loves it! The garden knows when its rained though.  The garden doesn't thrive as well after a good watering as it does after the rain.  The smell, it just oozes yumminess for the plants.  You can almost hear them sigh with relief.  Its nearing the end of February and we haven't had too many 40+ days.  I wonder if that's it for this season.  Anyway enjoy the Summer rains people.  I know I am...

Natives

I started this blog in 2009 with a post called natives.  Fast forward 5 years and we're going to talk about natives again.  I have become better acquainted with the exotics and even have some favourites, but my first love will always be natives.  They are just so beautiful and unique.  They suit our arid conditions, including topography, climate and diversity.  It seems odd, as an Urban horticulturalist, that we don't plant more native species, as they are the ones that survive our harsh conditions.  Black Saturday proved that.  I have become a real fan of the paper daisy.  Its flowers are everlasting and even as they die, they still look wonderful.  They are the ultimate cut flower.  Of course, there is one species in this lot that you won't see in the same spot all the time, but he's a favourite Native to Australia as well.

Crowea exalata

Xerochrysum brachteatum

Tiliqua scincoides scincoides

Banksia blechnifolia

Adenanthos sericeus Cuttings

Correa 'Dusky Bells'

Eremophila maculata Purple

Banksia ericifolia 'red'

Callistemon viminalis

Anigozanthos flavidos 'Red'

Grevillea Royal Mantle

Banksia blechnifolia in flower!

End of Winter

It's been too long.  It's the second last day of winter. It was especially cold this winter. And there is a chance we could go back into a drought. The plants, as they have the last few years, have no idea what they're supposed to be doing. There have been roses refusing to die down. It's just one of those months, I guess.

Xerochrysum bracheatum syn Helychrysum bracheatum

What goes on now in your garden? This morning, I was trimming back.  An Eremophila and grevillea look a bit sick so instead of giving completely up on them, I decided to chop them back. Spring is coming so let's hope it brings some rain which will be fabulous for our plants. I planted some potatoes the other day - I hope I get a bumper crop this year! I can't get over this weather - quite beautiful! 

More Flowers

The dreariness of Winter makes me yearn for colour, I am sure I am not alone so I give you...some colourful flowers...

Dendrobium Orchid

Xerochrysum bracteatum

Clivea miniata

Crowea saligna

Aeonium ciliatum

Dendrobium

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Tagetes