More flowers

Its been a great year for flowers. Spring has sprung and we're getting the best flower crop for years. Funny what a little rain and bit of TLC can do. I just wanted to share these with you. Not much to say. Just open your senses and be mesmerised by everything. Enjoy!

Flowers, flowers, flowers!!!

Spring time means flowers, flowers and more flowers. Wherever you look, there is a wonderful display of flowers and buds. My grapes are in flower, so too are my tomatoes and berries. These flowers shown here are a small array of petals in my garden. We were told that the hellebore would not flower until next season. So we're very lucky! We're not completely aware of everything in the garden beds of our new home. From first glance, I knew there were geraniums and roses, but the poppy was a surprise. We also have iris, lavender and a collection of salvias. I have potted fuchsias and scented geraniums and of course herbs and veges. I have orchids and this hellebore.

The rain has completely drenched our garden at the moment and although we have been told that we will be getting a months rain fall in two days; its nice to think the drought has finally broke. Of course, the rain has brought us nasties with it. Snails have taken over my garden. I was spreading some seed the other day and came across three of the buggers hidden in the raising mixture. All other insects seem to be in full flight this season too. As well as weeds. They seem more prevalent than ever. A colleague commented that they seem more resistant this year. I am beginning to think that weeds are never going to truly disappear and that we as a horticultural society need to accept that. They will not disappear completely and I don't want to put any more poisons into the ground. Its been proven over and over again that the more elaborate the pesticide, there will be other nasties associated with it plus the weed will eventually get resistant to it as well. Perhaps we need to look at the weed and appreciate it for what it is. Of course, as a gardener in rich areas, I do not think they would want to partake in leaving weeds as they are. :) It is a nice thought though.

Missed Winter, now its Spring

I am amazed its Spring. I love spring. Vibrant colours and beautiful aromas. Its all good. My job allows me to appreciate these. Its amazing how quickly Winter seemed to pass us by. Winter in Melbourne this year was cold and wet. It was hard to get out of bed in the mornings, but we did it and I ignored my friends who had indoor jobs complain of the bitter cold. How would they truly know? Yes, it may have been cold and yes, it may have been wet, but it was beautiful also. After the blistering heat the last few years, it was good to see that wet stuff coming from the sky. It is falling in our catchments so our water levels are slowly rising. We are still in no way stable yet. However, if you listened to the politicians, they may dispute this. In their infinite wisdom (election year), the Victorian Government have decided to ease the water restrictions. We are still at only 45% full. Not even half way and they have eased out restrictions. The problem with polies, is that they only see the future in terms of their stint in the job. Anything beyond that is black. I worry, that we will dip again and the restrictions will come on too late. We need to be at least 60% full before easing the restrictions, surely? But I guess, that thinking will not win an election.

So spring has sprung and its a beautiful season. In the fauna world, we can see young animals taking their first steps. And the flora world, we see buds about to bloom. Veggies about to provide us with plentiful edibles. Its a great time of year to be in the garden. Its not just the visuals, although sometimes, that is hard to beat. Its also the smells of the flowers and foliage as well as freshly mown grass and rain smells. Nothing beats that, well perhaps the sea and lucky me, I have some clients near the beach! Its a gloomy day outside but I see my cliveas about to bloom; I see geraniums in flower; I see the grass which was mown only a week ago needing another trim. I hear the birds chirping and my indoor cat eagerly watching them as if she's ever been outside! And I smell the rain which we just had. Winter's gone, but we have a lot if Spring left to talk about!

Autumn II

Watching Manchurian pears, Boston ivy and plane trees of Melbourne go through their extraordinary colour change is almost enough to make me truly change my mind about deciduous trees. My last entry made me realise the amazing technicolour show they transpose onto us each year. When I first started as a gardener about four years ago, everything was so different from being a nursery assistant in the native wholesaler that I could not appreciate the wonders of other species. Now, as I mature in my horticultural ways and see beauty in non-native plants. I also have come to really like Autumn. I have always liked the crisp mornings followed by the warm days. I loved Spring at the nursery because I thought this was when most things came alive and in part that is true. Although, I've learnt that all seasons have their moments of glory sights, sounds and smells. I never stop learning in the field. Its wonderful.

Autumn

When I worked in the Nursery, I didn't really notice Autumn. Let's rephrase

that, in an Australian native nursery (Of course, there are a few Australian deciduous trees - Example: Toona ciliate - Australian Red Cedar & Adansonia gibbosa syn. Adansonia gregorii - Boab Tree. There are also some semi-deciduous natives such as Brachychiton acerifolis - Illawara Flame Tree & Grevillea robusta - silky oak. The nursery I worked in, however were only evergreens), it does not have the same BANG as it would in lets say, you're run of a mill nursery. Working around the outer suburbs and some areas in Brighton with their mainly evergreen trees, made life as a Gardener relatively leaf free. Working in Toorak, Malvern, Mont Albert with corridors of Deciduous trees and land mark exotic trees truly makes a former native plants only horticulturalist to dig deep into herself and realise that 'we're not in Kansas any more'. Plain trees are losing their leaves; magnolias, Japanese maples, Crepe Myrtles, Ceders, Dog Woods and ornamental pears are just some of the trees which go through the Autumn change. And although the colour change is so wondrous, the picking up of leaves is somewhat a nightmare for the Gardener. In some councils, there are trucks that pick up the leaves in the gutters throughout this time. This makes our jobs a little more easier. However, blowing leaves into the gutters for someone else to pick-up seems a little lazy. Windy showers are also key elements of Autumn which also makes picking up leaves a chore. Angry neighbours despise gardeners blowing leaves onto their properties, however are fine when their gardeners do the same.

Before, when I worked in the native nursery, I wondered why anyone would plant deciduous trees. However, since working as a gardener, I think I understand. It is gorgeous to drive through corridors of such species and see the change in their foliage throughout the seasons. I have come to appreciate the beauty that lies within these trees. And seeing their nude trunks in the Wintry months. I would not, however, like to be surrounded with these trees as it would be too depressing. However, seeing a few amongst our evergreen species is special. Every tree has its purpose and it may have taken me some time to figure this one out, I am glad its been shown to me.