Casualty No. 2

Earlier this year my beautiful pink flowering gum, snapped off at the base.
I was very sad.



And last night it happened again!
This gorgeous rose - Double Delight - that my mother-in-law kindly struck for me, snapped.
B#st##d!
It wasn't even that windy.

That's it!
Every plant in the garden will be staked within an inch of its life!

(and I'll take a cutting from the rose to see if I can grow a new one).


Photos:
Jan, 2010
Feb, 2010
Feb, 2011

WooHoo!!

The first Black Russian Tomato.



Destined for bickies with that there little onion (one of ours)
and some cheese.



Photos: 13 Feb, 2011

6 Weeks Later

It's been 6 weeks since I took this photo of the white strawberries.
Fraises Des Bois.
(As Julie pointed out, that's Wooden Strawberries for those who don't parlez the francais - wink).


As well as sitting in front of the strawberry patch and just scoofing them straight from the plant, I whizzed them up with some little strawberries off the Golden Leaf Strawberry and made some very delicious warm strawberry sauce.


Anyway.....
6 weeks later and the plant is still fruiting like the clappers
(what ARE the clappers?).
I have 6 different strawberry plants and this one is the most prolific.
I thought the Fraises Des Bois would be the least successful of the 6 as it is an "alpine" strawberry.
Just goes to show - you just never know til you have a crack, do you?


Photos - Jan, 2011

Gentle Encouragement Goes a Long Way

You may recall I had to have a word with the carrots and explain the manner in which I hoped they might grow - I gave them an example to follow.

Well...
They listened!!


Here are the Heirloom Carrots.
Purple and white and pale yellow.



And here are the Mini Round Carrots.


Bravo carrots - well done!
And to show my appreciation, tonight they are heading for the roasting pan.
To feature in this Jamie Oliver dish.
roasted carrots and beets with the juiciest pork chops




Photos: Home - Jan & Feb, 2011

Aren't Seeds the Coolest?

Look what they can do?
'Mazing!
innit?
I only put these in 9 days ago and look at them already!
The problem is I have to thin them out.
It's just like that movie "Sophie's Choice"!



Photo: Home, Ararat - 4 Feb, 2011

More Babies

More baby plant purchases from The Native Shop in Dimboola.

In a couple of years they will look just like these photos (fingers crossed).


Eremophila laanii - Pink Emu Bush
3 x 3mt
For Pendlebury Hill - between the Pomegranate tree and the Judas Tree

photo: wikimedia



Grevillea Robusta - Silky Oak
30 x 20mt
LOVE, love, love these trees.
I'd have to say it's my all-time favourite tree.
And you know, I never really noticed them til we were on holidays in Forster 3 years ago - then they hit me right between the eyes..
I ordered two for street trees at Pendlebury Hill.

photo: Mallee Native Plants



Melaleuca wilsonii - Violet Honey Myrtle
2 x 2mt
For Pendlebury Hill - next to the Olive tree

photo: Wikimedia



Melaleuca linarifolia - Snow in Summer
8 x 5mt
I adore this plant - it is absolutely glorious in spring.
It's for Pendlebury Hill - Southern side - next to Cherry Grevillea

photo: Kate's Photo Diary



Eucalyptus forrestiana - Fuchsia Gum
6 x 4mt
Western side of house next to Scarlet Blaze wattle (it's on its last legs)

photo: Melburnian at Oz Native Plants




Acacia microbotrya - Manna Wattle
6 x 4mt
Eastern side of house next to Grevillea in the corner.

photo: TrekNature



Eremophila alternifolia - Native Honeysuckle
3 x 3mt
For the western side of the house on the northern side of the Little Spotty Gum

photo: Mallee Native Plants

Little Babies

I wanted a few more native plants around the joint (and over at Pendlebury Hill) so I've ordered 16 baby plants from The Native Shop in Dimboola.
One thing about this rainy weather - it's great for planting out newbies.


Here's a few I ordered - all suitable for clay soil - and what they will look like in 2 or 3 years.
Aren't they just beautiful?


Eremophila racemosa
2 x 2mt
For the eastern side of the house next to the Weeping Myrtle (right side).

photo: Berri Native Plants


PimPin Mallee
2 x 2mt
For eastern side of house next to Weeping Myrtle (left side).

photo: Mallee Native Plants


Banksia Ericfolia
7 x 5mt
Eastern side of house.

photo: marbiz


Eucalyptus Woodwardii
10 x 5 mt
For western side of house where pink flowering gum used to be.

photo: Ivan Holliday - Westflora


Grevillea ‘Poorinda Constance’
3 x 5mt
For Pendlebury Hill between the Quince tree and the Judas tree.

photo: Jim's Plants

Summer: Bang for ya Buck

I do love a lot of bang for my buck.
And don't these nasturtiums deliver?
Such tiny unassuming little dudes,
but they liven up any corner they live in.
This little one at the front gate is my favourite at the moment.

He's a mix of all three nasturtium colours (red, yellow, orange).
Don't they look like little paint smudges?




And I love their pinwheel leaves.


Look! They've got eyelashes!


AND....
you can even eat them!



Photos: Home - 8th January, 2011

Oh Come On!

You're just not trying!


But surprisingly tasty.
Kind of peppery.
And nutty.



Photo: Home - 10th Dec, 2010

Spring 2010::Asphodeline Lutea

I love the green grey swirly leaves of my luteas.
This is the first year they have flowered -
although, they have only been in the ground since winter 2009 - ie: less than 18 months.
We planted them in the garden bed outside the lounge room window.
It's a plant of the Mediterranean, so it suits our wet winters and dry summers perfectly - here are some growing naturally in Crete - the last shot on this link is a bewdy.

According to the interwebs it is also known as
Jacob's Staff and King's Spear -
and the roots are edible - roasted on the fire and served with oil and salt.
If I get hungry, I'll give it a try.

I bought them via mail order from Lambley Nursery which is an excellent source for dry-climate plants.
I don't think they have any yellow ones at the moment but they do have a couple of different whitey ones.



Photos: Home - November, 2010