Tuesday 1 September 2015

Spring has arrived!

One of the great things about keeping a blog is that if you are a keen gardener you can keep a record of what is happening to your plants from year to year. I just had a look at the blog posts I wrote at the start of spring during the last two years and it is interesting to read that some plants just haven't appeared this year at all, others have almost finished flowering which were just starting off in past springs and yet others are having a slow start this year. I guess it all depends on the amount of rainfall and how cold winter has been but seeing the flowers spring to life at this time of the year is always fascinating.


There are going to be some big changes in our garden this year due to the CEO's health issues and he has decided that he just can't keep up the maintenance of our 1/2 acre and I am getting a bit long in the tooth as well and don't want to be spending too much time weeding etc. and heavy lifting is definitely out. So one of my ideas is to make the succulent garden larger as we have lots of different varieties that we can use rather than buy new plants. Succulents are low maintenance and some of them have lovely flowers like....


...the Kalanchoe fedtschenkoi which I finally identified online today. The flowers are dying off now but they have put on a lovely show during the last few weeks and considering I was thinking of pulling this succulent out because it didn't look terribly impressive, I was pleased that it flowered before that happened so that I could see how pretty the orange and purple looked together.Obviously procrastination does pay off sometimes ;-)


Mum's old pelargonium  will be staying as it is also low maintenance and seems to flower year round.


The apricot tree will probably be cut down as the birds eat the buds before the fruit fly can get to any fruit that would grow and the CEO meant to cut it down last year. As you can tell a lot of procrastination goes on here.


My birthday present last year, a very expensive Peony, is just coming to life again. It never did flower which I was really disappointed about. Some pest kept eating the leaves but hopefully I can give it a bit more TLC this year and actually get some flowers as they are just beautiful and I see them all the time on US blogs.


At the moment I can pick a bunch of Freesias every morning and they are just such a joy to look at and to smell.


 I took a chance on the weather staying warm as we had a couple of warm nights last week so I planted some seeds that I was given by Fair Dinkum Seeds including Pepino seeds. Some are just starting to peek through to the soil so perhaps I didn't plant them too early. This is a Pepino from some seeds I planted last year. This is the first one on the plant so I am keen to taste it when it is ripe. It is about the size of a passionfruit at present. I have never tasted one before have you?
 
So...changes are coming on this patch of land as well as changes in the seasons. Do you have any big plans for your patch this season?
 
 


 


17 comments:

  1. Hi Chel, Good news about the garden re-plan, but what will he do with his time? I love freesias and geraniums too. I pinched a piece from a friend's garden just yesterday. So cheerful.

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    1. He will keep himself busy with his wildlife, Barb. We have a few different geraniums and pelargoniums here and they just keep on keeping on.

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  2. Dear Nanna Chel, I try and add to the garden every year as well as keep up with what I have. I like lots of flowers, herbs, climbers... I have never managed to get Hollyhocks established here so that is an aim this year. Once they are at a certain size you have them forever.
    I add roses every year.
    Spring is evident everywhere and you can feel the warmth and it is light much later.
    I am traveling to the farm tomorrow and will get to see Mums garden too. I am hoping to come home with wildflowers for the house.Love Annabel.xxx

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    1. Annabel, it must look lovely at the farm if there are wildflowers there. We have no roses unfortunately so I have to make do with visiting the State Rose Garden which isn't that far from here.

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  3. Love Pepino and was given a struck root a few weeks ago. Spring is here - Oh Happy Day!

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    1. I had never heard of them before I saw them on the Fair Dinkum Seeds site, Lynda.

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  4. I've eaten pepino before, and they're very juicy. The flavours can vary, not just from plant to plant, but from fruit to fruit, on the same plant. I've heard it described as a cross between a rockmelon and honeydew, and that would come close.

    I pick mine when the flesh goes from pale white to yellow, and the purple stripes are dark. You don't want to pick too early, or they can taste astringent.

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    1. It took me a while to work out if they were a tomato or a fruit although I believe tomatoes are technically fruit. Thanks for those hints, Chris. There are no purple stripes as yet.

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  5. pepinos are delicious! i love them but they don't grow so well out here, too dry & hot i think, might give them another go sometime in the future.
    am just starting to collect more pelargoniums, scented as well as the unusual plains (crinkly leaf ones) just love them for their hardiness, "keep on keeping on" nature, great when there is limited water.
    thanx for sharing

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    1. Perhaps the pepinos like a bit of cool weather, Selina. In that case they should do well here. Yes the pelargoniums are really hardy and don't need much water which suits me down to the ground.

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  6. I'm not sure what we're letting ourselves in for at this time of life Chel, but we've just bought half an acre at Beerwah and will be building a house and putting in a whole new garden. Sometimes spring does that to you. Argh! Love the freesias and pelargoniums - just gorgeous.

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    1. Hutchy, I thought you wanted to get away from the humidity. You aren't quite as long in the tooth as I am so probably won't have any trouble maintaining a large garden but I guess if I were in your shoes I would plan with the future in mind when the aches and pains kick in when your body starts remembering all those sporting injuries etc. of one's youth ;-)

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  7. I think it would be impossible to get bored with your photography - especially your botany shots. Fabulous....again.

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    1. Thanks Phil. I still need to learn how to use my DSLR but it is so convenient just to grab my little point and shoot Canon camera.

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  8. Fall is starting to rear itself here. Looking forward to the cooler evenings after so much humidity this summer. We plan on putting in 2 more raised beg beds before winter hits. Your flowers are always beautiful to see. Thanks for sharing. :)

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    1. I believe it has been hot in some areas over there this year. Hard to believe when it won't be long before it is snowing again.

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  9. We are in the same boat - looking to expand and use our space but keeping in mind that we are not going to be able to do it forever! We added flowers this year and will add more next, seems like they take less energy and perhaps almost as many health benefits as veggies!! Have to admit the chill in the air here has me doing the happy dance!! Enjoy the return of the warmth - I did my best not to use it up while it was here. ;)

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