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.

White in the Garden

I like colour in gardens. Some grand houses looks sofisticated in just one colour. Its is usually white. White gardens apparently equates to sofistication and wealth. I wonder why, because if I had lots of money, I would want my garden to look different to my neighbours. However, in some wealthy areas, the landscapes are the same and the colours are just white. Boring. There are so many beautiful rich and elegant species out there and all I see is white. Ice berg roses, Gardenias, vibernum and Trachelospermum jasmoides. All these species would look lovely by themselves, amongst colour.

Chemicals versus Eco-alternatives.

As a gardener, we have many decisions to make. One, which, I think is very important, is whether we should or shouldn't use chemicals in place of alternative methods. For example, using chemical based pesticides/insecticides/herbicides.

Carbaryl is a very strong pesticide, which pretty much kills all that it has contact with. However, at what cost? Not only is it unsafe to our environment, it is also a poison to us. The problem with a lot of pesticides, is that after time, insects become resistant to it. What happens next? Other chemicals are then used and the viscious cycle starts again. I believe pesticides like Carbaryl should be banned. It will come to its used by date soon enough and then what happens? There are environmental alternatives we can use. Why are they not more readily used? Laziness? Cost? Society?


The one thing I believe in, is education. Whether we want our teens to stop drinking, or saving the environment; nothing can be 'fixed' until we are educated into reason. Kids are not going to stop drinking just because the Baby Boomers or Gen X say its bad, they need to be educated from a young age that alcohol is a drug - plain and simple. The environment is not suddenly going to get better. People needs to understand this.

Saving the environment is being jammed down everyone's throats at the moment due to Government change. You talk about the Government, and no one gives a crap about the environment or climate change. I am as sick of their talk as anyone and I'm a believer. Education in our schools about what will happen if we stick to the chemical fertilisers and climate change may get through.


I want my children to have the opportunity of a great life and atmosphere to grown up in. I don't want them to miss out on what I've taken for granted - fresh drinking water, fresh produce, etc. To those who says it has nothing to do with them; what about the next generation and the next? Have we turned into such a selfish entity? Its very sad.


Carbaryl or Eco oil, Eco-neem? A pesticide which is poisonous to its user or a safe alternative? Of course, its the Gardener's decision and for what ever reason they decide, I do hope they are able to live with it. And the next generation.