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 […]

There’s a crepe myrtle tree in my garden that was planted by the previous owner. It needed some love so, last year, I cut the branches back heavily to promote a better shape and encourage new growth. Now it is in full flower and looks splendid. I love crepe myrtles (Lagerstroemia). They are the ultimate […]

On a walk around my neighbourhood, I notice there are spreading patches of clover throughout lawns and nature strips. I’m sure that they weren’t so widespread this time last year. Initially I thought this was a Bad Thing and not to be encouraged in my lawn but now I’m not so sure. Clover is an […]

Please reassure me that I’m not the only gardener who is excited when new plant catalogues arrive. The first of the spring catalogues arrived last month and they are bursting with temptations. Whether online or in print, the colourful photos always entice me to add more bulbs to my garden. I’ve been trying to decide […]

Seven years ago, I visited Glenmore House near Camden for a gardening workshop. Not only did we learn much about seasonal plants but we also enjoyed a tour of the garden. That’s when I fell in love with poppies. There were huge beds that included poppies towering over me. You can see in this photo […]

Do you keep a garden diary? I started one when I moved here a few years ago, mainly so I could keep track of what I had growing and where. It’s been so useful. My diary has been through several reinventions. I waver between wanting an online one so I can use it on my […]

I saved seeds from my aquilegias last spring, handfuls of them, carefully dried and stored in paper bags. Most of them, though, came from deep purple flowers so I bought a few packs of seeds in lighter colours so I could vary the look. These are such hardy plants that do well in our cool […]

The bluebells in my garden have thrust their flower spikes towards the sun and opened their blooms. They are plentiful in my garden, some surprising me for the first time, but it’s a particular patch that draws my attention. They are the bulbs I transplanted from my father’s garden. His garden was fronted by a […]

Hello and welcome to the spring equinox! Longer days and warmer weather are on the way for us here in the Southern hemisphere. One of my crabapples is in glorious bloom and, even though the flowers will only last a few weeks, it is worth it. I always celebrate the spring equinox; it’s the period […]

I knew as soon as we moved to a cooler climate I would plant tulips. I’d never been able to successfully grow them in Sydney (humidity? microclimate?). So, after we moved, I had to learn about their requirements and tap into local knowledge. May is tulip planting time in the Southern Highlands. I always take […]