garden catchup, and thanks to Feedspot




Over the summer the garden drooped, wilted and sulked and I couldn't bear to take photos. It's now come back smiling again, and I feel bad that I forgot how resilient it is. Even when I don't get round to mulching it in time for summer, it's generally very forgiving.



Autumn leaves are falling. June is supposed to be winter, but the days are alarmingly sunny and pleasant, although the nights are cold.



I collected oak leaves from the street and chucked them straight onto the garden, like a cosy blanket to protect it from the cold.

I spent a few days pulling things out and generally rethinking the garden pictures. You have to do this, I have found, every few years, otherwise the picture deteriorates as things get out of proportion.



I realize that I garden for the future, not for the ever-changing now. I love seeing the potential beauty of the garden in my mind, even if it looks currently a bit bare or puny to other eyes. When the Loquat in the photo above self seeded, I decided to clear the growth around it to give it light and the best growing conditions. It will take several years to fill the space, but that's OK. I'll watch its progress.


I appreciate the casual untidiness and contrasting foliage in the picture. I re-arranged the hardy New Zealand Lilies that thrive in shade (Arthropodium cirratum) and dotted them around the weedy but likeable fishbone ferns.


The Correa pulchellas are doing well and blooming prolifically.


The flautist has seen many changes in the garden, but just goes on soundlessly playing. He doesn't mind the informality (a polite term for messiness).


The Crabapple tree has lost its leaves and showing off its gnarled branches behind the row of Correas.


I think it's very important to have a few spots in the garden inviting you to sit down, although I rarely do. Sticky Boobiallas (Myoporum petiolatum) form a see through screen now that I've loved them with my secateurs.


These Winged Spyridium (Spyridium vexillerum) are short lived. I used to have them in the garden, but they died. These are newly bought and planted, and hopefully will last a few years. It grows wild in other regions of Victoria, but is not local to Melbourne.


Wallflowers are one of my very favourite plants. They require so little care and flower so generously, except in summer.


I'm still trying to establish an interesting dry cottage style garden in the front. There are gaps and many plants need to grow larger, but I think (hope) I'm on the way to getting there. Plants that seem to be working include Euphorbia Silver SwanEuphorbia characisAsparagus meyerii (Foxtail Fern),  Liriope gigantea 'Evergreen Giant', Helleborus argutifolius, Salvia greggii with white flowers and others with yellow flowers and Echium candicans that self seeded in the back and were moved to the front.


I bought some more Lavender Hidcote to replace the newly planted ones that died over the summer. It was the wrong time then to plant them, but these should get established before the bruising heat returns. These lavenders have dreamy bright purple flowers.


The colours of the Smoke Bush keeps changing. Soon after this picture was taken there was hardly any green left.


Symmetry is employed sparingly in an informal garden, so on one side of the brick path is the sharp foliage of Euphorbia rigida, and on the other is the softness of Cretan savoury (Satureja thymbra) and Seaside Daisies.

...and ... drum roll ...

Thanks to Feedspot for choosing my blog as one of the ten best Australian gardening blogs in 2018 - https://blog.feedspot.com/australian_gardening_blogs/.

Feedspot is a content reader that lets you keep up with your favourite blogs by keeping them in the one place so you can easily see when there is a new post. Very convenient, and definitely saves time - that precious commodity that, in varying degrees - we all crave more of.




Comments

  1. I think that your garden is absolutely lovely, quite splendid with local plants and a delightful natural look to it all. Kudos to you for using the leaves to cover and protect the ground as nature intended. They will also leach nutrients into the soil. Bravo, Catmint!

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  2. Congratulations on being selected by Feedspot. Your garden looks like a truly wonderful spot to wander, and to dream.
    I hear you on not taking photos in the garden over summer too. The sweaty season is unkind to me, and to the garden.
    Now I am longing for rain.

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  3. So nice to see a Fall garden from the other side of the world. My Spring flowers are started to bloom. Happy Winter from Canada.

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  4. Congratulations on Feedspot's recognition of your wonderful blog, Sue! Summer is the toughest period here too and it's so easy to get discouraged, especially if as here temperatures continue to rise and rain continues to dwindle. Still, I always treat fall as a time to re-imagine my garden as well. Winter is usually late to arrive here and the challenge is to avoid jumping into planting while summer's heat retains its hold on the garden , something I too frequently forget in my hurry to refresh the garden after summer's ravages. I was pleased to see you mention Arthropodium cirratum, which I coincidentally featured in my last post. The plant is uncommon here but I fell in love with it years ago when I acquired 3 plants from a Northern California nursery by mail order. I keep dividing it, spreading it in various locations on my lot and giving some divisions away.

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    1. Interesting comment about Arthropodium, a New Zealand native. It's great that this plant's virtues are being recognized all over the world, but I wonder whether all this global trade is leading us to a kind of McDonaldization in gardens.

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  5. I so agree with gardening for the future. That is me absolutely. I have far too many gaps in the garden because I'm constantly moving things around to achieve the picture I see in my mind's eye. Which never seems quite to happen in reality.. cue another move! One year I should just leave it all alone and see what happens.
    Love the foliage tapestry in the last shot. I found Euphorbia Silver Swan just this year. It's a keeper.

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    1. Hi RD, reassuring to know I'm not the only gap creator. It's truly a never ending project, or rather a relationship between us and the piece of land, that will end eventually. I like the term foliage tapestry. I think that's what I'm aspiring to.

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  6. I was sure I had commented. I certainly ticked the box for follow up comments. Trying again.
    Huge congratulations on your deserved recognition by Feedspot.
    I too avoid taking photos of the garden in the dispiriting sweaty season.
    We are, finally, cooling down but are so very, very dry. Rain is needed.
    I have planted spring bulbs and can only hope. And continue to weed. And dream. With luck if I get my rear in gear I will order (and spread) mulch early next week.

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    1. Hi EC, You did comment already, I think. Blogger has got some glitches. It told me there were 3 comments but there seemed no way to find them. So I'm so pleased you commented again. The other two will remain mysterious unknowns. We've just had some solid rain. Hope it goes north for you too.

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  7. Congratulations Sue! Well deserved. Your blog is inspiring, informative, unique and a joy to read.

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    1. Thank you so much, Denise. I really enjoy this blogging hobby, and it's nice but also uncomfortable-making, to get this kind of response.

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  8. Hi, I loved your pictures. Here in Brazil the Samanbais are in pots we rarely see planted on the ground.

    r. So ... about your question about the hearts around here we give as a gift of appreciation or appreciation for someone, friendship, etc.
    June 12 is celebrated the day of the boyfriends in Brazil.
    Thank you for your visit and come back whenever you want.
    janicce.

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    1. Hi Janicce, that is really interesting. I have a lot to learn about Brazilian culture. So pleased you love the pictures.

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  9. I need to follow your example and open up my green garden a bit. Some serious pruning needed.

    Congratulations on Feedspot - which is very well presented to encourage your new readers!

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    1. I didn't really plan to open it up. I just prune where I think it's telling me to, and then sit back and look at the result. I'm aware that the back garden is an established garden in terms of the basic structure, so there are things to do that weren't an issue earlier.

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  10. Sue, your garden looks very autumnal, it's time in Australia . I love your thought about 'garden for the future'. I agree, I think the same way when I clean my garden in autumn and prepare plants for winter cold. It's time to plan and realize your dreams about dry cottage style garden. I'd like to see the result :-)
    Congrats on your award!

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    1. I wonder whether I'll achieve those dreams. I think I do achieve some garden dreams, but then the garden changes and so the dreams evolve too.

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  11. Wonderful color on the Smokebush. I also am always thinking about how the garden will evolve, not just how it looks right now. That's one reason I tend to throw weeds on the grass rather than in the waste bin - in a few days they will whither and be hardly noticeable. My spouse does not share this approach.

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    1. I didn't enjoy looking after grass, so gradually turned it all into either garden or path. My spouse leaves the garden to me. His role is encouragement and bringing out cups of tea. Division of labour means no need to negotiate different approaches!

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  12. Congratulations on this award and for being a steward of native Australian flora. Judging from the pictures I would very much enjoy a visit to your garden. Maybe the flautist would play a special ditty for me.

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  13. Thank you, David. I'm sure the flautist would be as hospitable as I would be...

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