Spring 2012

Spring according to a Northern Hemisphere viewpoint is a season of hope.  However, from this tiny spot in the Southern Hemisphere, I always am torn between hope when I see the new growth and dread for what will happen before I can relax  and enjoy Autumn and Winter again.

The plants this spring are just as ambivilent ...still some flowers on the Japonica Camellias while the Brugmansia and Mexican Mist are heavy with flowers.  My Iodantha Salvia which flowered profusely in Autumn and was cut back is again flowering as is the Butterly Clerodendrun even though it is still growing its new leaves. My Autumn flowering Christmas Cheer Heliconias are also flowering.  My spring flowering (or all year except when I cut them back in winter) Salvias are blooming and my large rose which was covered in blooms in winter, was cut back  and has begun to flower again.  I don't know whether it is stress from the dry weather or the crazy fluctuations in temperature (T shirts and sweat one day, polo fleece the next)...but I suspect it is not good. I am watering, still a little tank water left and bucketing washing water for the back tropical garden.  I am using town water as well, trying to keep it to once or twice a week.  I don't understand just allowing plants to die because of lack of water...after all, I use town water to survive and I'm not half as pretty or useful as my plants. In Brisbane,plants designed for dry conditions are OK in drought times but just die when we have our normal wet and humid summer.Colin Campbell also pointed this out.

I have been trying to correct a bad mistake.  I bought a Loganberry at last year's Garden Expo in Nambour.  I was so thrilled that I could grow  a berry in our climate and had visions of loganberry and apple pies ..I could almost taste them.In fact, I think I put on weight just in anticipation.  Being a child of the sub tropics, I did not realise how invasive the bramble family is.  I thought I could just keep it pruned and under control like in all the books I poured over..thought the worst problem was deciding what design to tie the canes in.  Lets just say that I have been digging it out the past few days after spotting one popping up in the middle of next door's yard.  I think I might end up having to use poison.  I didn't get any fruit either as my usual method of protecting the crop from fruit fly by covering did not work.  It was difficult ...even the leaves have prickles which catch and tear the netting.  Oh well! live and learn.

Let's hope it rains soon.  If just one more vacuous weather girl says "and another LOVELY day tomorrow, sunny and dry" I might put my foot through the TV

Cheers,

Denise