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 […]
Once upon a greenhouse
I spend a lot of time lusting over photos of gardens in full bloom. Who doesn’t? I particularly love gardens frothing with flowers that punctuate the green backdrops, with patches of colour inviting closer inspection. I’m drawn to photos of cottage-style gardens showing healthy plants, clean edges around garden beds, and not a single weed […]
Three favourite blue flowers
Blue + flowers = yes, please! It was a tough task, choosing so few, but here are my three favourite blue flowers. Bluebells With their elegant, arching stems and pretty bell-shaped flowers, bluebells are a welcome sight in my spring garden. They hold a special place in my heart and you can discover the reason […]
Growing epiphyllums
Picture this scene. I was at the Collectors’ Plant Fair at Hawkesbury Racecourse some years ago, admiring the variety of plants on display. I was drawn to the wall of dahlia flowers (of course) and started to ponder which ones to buy. It was overwhelming so I wandered away, planning to come back. Then I […]
The promise of cherries
It wasn’t until the second summer we moved house that I realised there was a fruiting cherry tree in the backyard. I’d watched the tree blossom and grow new leaves but assumed it was only an ornamental tree. It never occurred to me that there could be fruit. Only after I’d seen spots of red […]
Tulip time?
But not in my garden. Look at these spent tulips. They have fulfilled their purpose – grown healthy leaves, long stems and flowers. They are now in their wind-down phase and will store energy and then rest for next year’s blooming. It’s a job well done. Something went wrong with all the tulips in my […]
Divine Daphne
At this time of the year, I’m grateful for shrubs that flourish in the cold weather. Daphne is one of these and it thrives in the frost, too. Just as well, with all the frosts we are experiencing this year. There was already a Daphne in my front garden when I moved here and I’ve […]
Frosty mornings
We’ve had two consecutive heavy frosts at my place this week. They were thick and I could hear the crunch of frozen grass beneath my shoes as I quickly snapped some photos before scooting back inside. Frost, that thin layer of ice that forms on a solid surface, is a sure sign of a cold […]
Striking Streptocarpus
Now the cold weather has arrived, my attention has turned to my flowering indoor plants. Their blooms can be admired without having to venture out in the chilly winds. What a bonus! I have a collection of African violets that bloom all year round if I remember to feed them regularly. The plants are easily […]
Smashed windflowers
Isn’t it frustrating when you look forward to particular plants flowering and then the weather spoils the occasion? That’s what happened with my Japanese windflowers. I love to see the blooms of my windflowers sway in the breeze. I have several patches of them throughout the garden and, when they are out of season, the […]