Several years ago, I visited a Spring Harvest day at Elizabeth Farm in Rosehill, NSW. Let me tell you a little about that place. It was the home of John and Elizabeth Macarthur, who arrived in the colony in 1790 on the Second Fleet. The building commenced in 1793. It is the oldest existing colonial […]
Do my plants talk about me?
I read an article recently that outlined how trees communicate with each other to warn of danger. It focused on the work of Suzanne Simard. To quote from the article:“Chemical alarm signals generated by one tree prepare nearby trees for danger. Seedlings severed from the forest’s underground lifelines are much more likely to die than […]
In my garden column: June 2021
Aah, June – that month when winter finally arrives. We’ve had a blast of cold air this past week and some long-term locals even started talking up the possibility of snow. That didn’t happen, thankfully, but I wouldn’t rule it out as the season progresses. There’s lots for me to do in my garden this […]
In my garden column: May 2021
Hello to everyone who loves camellias. May is the month when they feature in our gardens here – fat buds are on all my shrubs and many are starting to open their blooms. A lovely time to choose new ones to plant! My May column for our local newspaper, Southern Highlands Express. features these gorgeous […]
In my garden column: April 2021
This month is all about autumn leaves in my garden. The deciduous trees in our area are showing all their glorious autumn colours this month. It’s hard not to gaze at all the shades of red, orange, yellow and brown. But what to do with all those fallen leaves? Please enjoy my column from our […]
Dahlia days are coming to an end
We had our first frost for the year last week. That and the cooler temperatures are signs of seasonal change as we slip through autumn. It’s also a warning that my dahlias are coming to an end. Their leaves are starting to yellow and the blooming is slowing but I’m still able to pick huge […]
In my garden column: March 2021
I’m starting to write my April gardening column for our local newspaper. I checked to see what I’d written in my March column and realised I hadn’t shared it here. Can’t let that happen, so here it is, complete with newspaper creases. This time, I’m looking through seed catalogues. What seeds are you planting for […]
Japanese Anemones
Japanese Anemones are such pretty plants to have in my garden. With their long stems and delicate flowers that ripple in the breeze, it’s easy to see why they are known as Windflowers. I have a pot of pink ones, that I brought with me from my previous garden but haven’t yet transplanted into the […]
In my garden column: February 2021
In February, my thoughts turn to bulb catalogues – for blooms in spring! It’s so absorbing, looking through the photos of perfect blooms that we see in plant catalogues. It’s even better, though, if the flowers we grow from purchased bulbs look just as good. Last week, my February column was published in our local […]
In my garden column: January 2021
Ooh! My latest garden column has been published in my local newspaper – such a thrill. We’ve had plenty of rain here over the past month – 291 ml since the beginning of December, according to our rain gauge. That’s helped many plants look lush (including the weeds) but hasn’t been good for my roses. […]