Our Gardens

[Neferti]

I like the cottage garden look too, but you have to get the balance of everything right so all these fussy plants can live together. Survival of the fittest is my formula these days.

The weather is horrible here at the moment - lots of strong wind and rain. Lisa and BO would be experiencing it too. There are branches down everywhere and gardens are being wiped out.

I just plonked things I liked together, taking note of colours, etc. One thing my Mother taught me was to have a "curved" garden (not straight lines) as that added more interest. This sort of thing.



Yes, the weather is horrible here too, wild and windy.

[lisa jones]

I like the cottage garden look too, but you have to get the balance of everything right so all these fussy plants can live together. Survival of the fittest is my formula these days.

The weather is horrible here at the moment - lots of strong wind and rain. Lisa and BO would be experiencing it too. There are branches down everywhere and gardens are being wiped out.

Hey everyone

We've been out all day sorting out medical appts. Coming home was tricky. Roads were flooded and traffic lights were out. Police were out on traffic duty....smash repair tow trucks were out and about sorting out car accidents.

Right now? The weather here is ridiculous. Cyclonic type winds have brought down large branches ...even whole trees. You can't walk outside... it's too cold, wet, windy and slippery. The rain won't stop and it's coming from all directions. Front and back gardens around us are under water.

We're inside with the gas heater on full blast atm.

Blackouts everywhere..so far we've been unaffected but I'm hurrying everyone along here..showers, dinner etc just in case.

[Neferti]

Hey everyone

We've been out all day sorting out medical appts. Coming home was tricky. Roads were flooded and traffic lights were out. Police were out on traffic duty....smash repair tow trucks were out and about sorting out car accidents.

Right now? The weather here is ridiculous. Cyclonic type winds have brought down large branches ...even whole trees. You can't walk outside... it's too cold, wet, windy and slippery. The rain won't stop and it's coming from all directions. Front and back gardens around us are under water.

We're inside with the gas heater on full blast atm.

Blackouts everywhere..so far we've been unaffected but I'm hurrying everyone along here..showers, dinner etc just in case.

So how are the Broadbeans coping?

[lisa jones]

Hey everyone

We've been out all day sorting out medical appts. Coming home was tricky. Roads were flooded and traffic lights were out. Police were out on traffic duty....smash repair tow trucks were out and about sorting out car accidents.

Right now? The weather here is ridiculous. Cyclonic type winds have brought down large branches ...even whole trees. You can't walk outside... it's too cold, wet, windy and slippery. The rain won't stop and it's coming from all directions. Front and back gardens around us are under water.

We're inside with the gas heater on full blast atm.

Blackouts everywhere..so far we've been unaffected but I'm hurrying everyone along here..showers, dinner etc just in case.

So how are the Broadbeans coping?

Over yonder, I may have mentioned that I planted my broadbeans in 2 batches this year.

The earlier batch of broadbeans are presently around 60cm in height.

This morning I quickly went outside to empty the garbage so I had a quick look at these earlier broadbeans. All have been flattened by the strong winds and heavy rain. They don't look too good IMO although I've not touched them to see how badly damaged they are. They could very well be ok if I can get a stake into the ground to support each plant.

The 2nd batch of broadbeans are only 10 cm in height. They're fine...well they LOOK fine.

I need to get out there ... and soon. It's just too cold and wet atm and that dreadful wind isn't helping matters.

Passing the choko vine...I picked up some 6 chokos. There's heaps more out there but they'll have to wait.

The latter half of our backyard is just well...kinda under water. It's very slippery atm and I don't want to fall again.

[Neferti]

A.G. said:

I love the cottage garden as well-- I have one as well, of a kind- desert style. Of course mainly the odd native plant and paths and any interesting stones/rocks to line them- very pretty.

You mean gardens like this? There's not enough rain out there to have an English Country/Cottage Garden is there?



and this?



or even this (love the rock effect).

[AiA in Atlanta]

plenty of rain here in Georgia but the heat and humidity somehow doesn't allow for the kind of cottage garden i would really like ...

[Neferti]

No Nef- not really- as we are semi desert I work with desert plants, bushes , trees and succulents and there are some beautiful ones around- I use a feng shui style with curved paths and lines and I have no lawn just crushed rock in parts. Its difficult to have to forgoe all the lovely plants we are used to but you have to work with environment and what you have available that will survive this harsh landscape. I do keep a few big ornamental pots with rose bushes and fruit trees..water is precious and soil poor so building it up is essential .. have a lot of bird life.

There are lots of things you can do with a garden in a dry area ... use drought tolerant plants. Lots of plants don't need watering, except the odd downpour ... once they are established, of course.

Check these out? They are pretty near English Country/Cottage Garden, aren't they?





I just Googled "drought tolerant gardens".

[Neferti]

plenty of rain here in Georgia but the heat and humidity somehow doesn't allow for the kind of cottage garden i would really like ...

I lived in Sydney for many years. Sydney is hot and humid and it pours down at times. I grew all sorts of pretty flowers in my garden there. Some of which I can't grow here in Canberra due to the cold Winters. However, bulbs and all sorts of Perennials should thrive in your climate ... IF you actually want lots of flowers and curved paths, et cetera. There is still the weeding and pruning.

How about a a Host of Golden Daffodils?

I WANDERED lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed--and gazed--but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.
Wm Wordsworth, 1804.

[mantra]

They are beautiful, particularly the garden in the first picture.