When you have a few different activities to occupy your time, some of them get neglected. Such is the case for my garden. Strangely though, that doesn’t stop all the plants growing and spreading. I used to get anxious about this and worry that I should be more serious about maintaining my garden but now […]
Popcorn in the garden
Last month at our garden club meeting, the guest speaker talked about miniature roses and showed us a selection in flower. I was inspired to add one of these pretty flowering plants to my garden and, since the speaker had mentioned Ross Roses as a dependable supplier, I looked at their website. As I was […]
Tulip regrets
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote an article for our garden club newsletter, suggesting members order any special tulip bulbs they wanted to plant for next spring’s flowering. I’ve often been caught out by wanting certain flowers in my garden way after the time I should have been sowing seeds or planting bulbs. Sometimes, […]
January so far
So far, I’ve managed to gloss over all those posts on social media about setting goals, lighting candles and choosing a word of the year. I’m pleased if doing those things makes other people feel good but they’re not for me. I enjoy meandering through life, picking up new hobbies and ideas as I go. […]
Summer love
Hydrangeas I’ve been told that hydrangeas are making a comeback in gardens but, in my opinion, they’ve never gone away. With their serrated-edged leaves and huge balls of flowers, why wouldn’t you like them? The flower heads are composed of small fertile flowers surrounded by larger sterile bracts. The bracts can last on the plant […]
Unfurling
I check each day, watching the unfurling. Spring is taking a few tentative steps forward and the air, but not yet the earth, enjoys a few warm days. It’s been flung back to winter temperatures as a cold southerly change blows through and we have frosts again. The growing season is shorter here than in […]
Greenhouse fail
The westerly winds have been roaring around many parts of eastern Australia this week, causing damage and power blackouts as trees were ripped from the ground and snapped branches sent flying through the air. The winds are milder today (only 35 km/h gusts – great for drying my washing) but are expected to increase up […]
Spotted in my winter garden
After a couple of weeks of showers, frosts, and gale force winds blowing straight from Antartica (or feeling like it, at least), it was soothing to spend an hour in my garden this afternoon. I’d written an article for my garden club’s newsletter on one of the worst days. I bemoaned the lack of colour […]
Learning about bluebells
I’ve been researching bluebells this week, to use as background in a chapter of my book. I’ve found useful information but have been sidetracked by pictures of bluebell woods in England. Masses of these glorious flowers (Hyacinthoides non-scripta – the English bluebell) are in bloom there now and, although the photos are beautiful, I am […]
Orangery dreams
During the many years I’ve been reading about and making gardens, I’ve encountered tantalising ideas from different climates that have inspired dreams. An orangery – a greenhouse or glasshouse to protect and grow oranges during winter in a cool climate – is one of those. Other exotic plants can also benefit from this overwintering. I […]