a few recent garden experiences




It feels like an extra leafy autumn. I collected some of the oak leaves that blanket the verges and roadsides.


With the gathered leaves I covered the earth wherever there was space between plants.  Now the garden's all tucked in cosily ready for winter.


Some of the trees in the street are oak and some are plane trees. The oak leaves are smaller and finer and much better for the garden than the coarse strong plane leaves. Plane leaves take much longer to break down and if you're not careful can form a water repellant mat.


The wooden steps on the verandah finally rotted and split and had to be replaced. I placed the wood in the garden. Hopefully fungi will grow on it and insects shelter under it and in it. And it will rot down slowly and enrich the soil.


There are a few flowers: reliable correas, a few golden Acacia iteaphylla balls, year round blooming seaside daisies and showy Lavatera. The greens and greys are broken up by the black seeds on the garlic chives.







I never get bored or sick of the mysterious secretive leaf curling spiders lurking in their
carefully rolled up leaves.


I was lucky to see this stick mantid. They are usually very well camouflaged.


Every so often I find labels like this in the garden. Whatever discarded item of clothing it was, it's all turned to compost except the non biodegradable label.


The front garden is currently dominated by Smoke Bush 'Grace', the glowing foliage echoed by orange wallflowers.


A Feijoa has kindly seeded itself in a perfect position in the back garden.  It struggled a bit a bit at first but it's doing well now.


So that's it for now - a sharing of a few recent garden experiences.

Comments

  1. The auburn leaves contrast beautifully with the green plants. I also like to leave pieces of wood in the garden for creatures to hide under and to see what fungi will grow.

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    1. what I love about the leaves is when you look closely they're all different colours.

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  2. The joys of autumn are many and you've shared some beauties. I'm fortunate to have some large trees in my garden that shed their leaves on the beds but have been known to add leaves from elsewhere as well.

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    1. I get leaves from the street because there are so many of them and because I don't have many deciduous trees in the garden. Most Australian natives are not deciduous. You've spoiled me now, Peter, and I'm disappointed there's no witty poetry among your comments.

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  3. The stick mantid is fascinating! I've very few deciduous trees so leaf collection is haphazard here but I dump what I collect into my compost bin as they otherwise tend to blow away. The leaves I collect are maddeningly slow to decompose and I'm thinking I need to start shredding them before composting.

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    1. I fill the compost as well. They do blow around until it rains, then they seem to settle down and behave. If your leaves are like the plane tree leaves then it probably would be better to shred them. I just have a few that float down over the fence so it doesn't matter that much.

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  4. Love the shot of the stick mantid! I am fortunate that I have a ready source of fallen leaves with all our trees. In the woodland garden they provide nutrients and protection for woodland garden plants. It is refreshing to read of your fall preparations as we are entering summer with its sweltering heat.

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    1. It's fascinating that we are in opposite seasons. A bushland garden like I've got with mostly Australian natives mostly doesn't shed leaves so I guess I'm lucky the street is lined with deciduous trees.

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  5. that smoke bush is a lovely flash of colour

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    1. It does seem to vary from year to year, I don't know why, and this year is extra flashy.

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  6. Lovely garden experiences. The dry leaves make the perfect cover. I have a big Wisteria and get dry leaves for a long time to gather, now the last ones are falling. Also a mature tree, Pride of India shed it's leaves in big quantities. Many see it as a nuisance. Just the way of nature to nurture the soil again. Your garden is very special with its wonderful surprises.

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    1. I hear people complaining about fallen leaves being a nuisance too. The local government council realizes their value though, and they collect the ones on the street. I'm so pleased you like my garden.

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  7. The leaves of the big trees along the main road sometimes get into my house compound. I need to swept them away, sigh. Anyway, the Smoke Bush 'Grace' is a beauty and I love your blog's new look, Catmint!

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    1. Can you use the leaves in any way? I'm so pleased you like my new look blog. It was time for a change - and a challenge figuring it out.

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    2. Oh, I do turn those dried leaves into leaf mould sometimes.

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  8. Love the color of the Smoke Bush 'Grace'.

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  9. I wish you had identified the plants by photo rather than in a paragraph. Not sure which was which. Your smoke bush is fabulous!

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    1. Sorry for that, Linda. From top: acacia ityphealla, correa, correa, garlic chives, seaside daisies (erigeron), lavatera.

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  10. Oh how beautiful is that smoke bush! The colour of it is absolutely beautiful. Great blog!

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