November 2014

October 2014

first bloom for this Rhodo

these Black Cockatoos come to the neighbors garden every year, a flock of about 20 - very noisy.

September 2014

This has been an exciting month – a trip to Penguin, staying at Ulverstone and going to the beautiful Rhododendron gardens near Burnie – and this year’s Orchid Show.

At home I got a few veggies planted – spring onions, pak choy (first time I’ve tried this) zucchini and more snow peas.

The camellias and azaleas are looking amazing and the whole front garden has sprung into colour.

Really thrilled with my orchids – most are flowering with just a few still in bud. 

Penguin Beach

a cute cottage in Penguin

our B & B in Ulverstone - gorgeous gardens

views around Burnie's Rhododendron Gardens

This was a huge flower head - bigger than a basket ball

an orchid I bought in Ulverstone - it is an Australian native

this looked amazing - a right angle rainbow?? - just an illusion because of the mist and cloud

August 2014

This month I’ve been busy getting the garden back under control after not being able to do much due to the surgery on my right hand.  So great to be back to being able to use both hands!!!

The front garden has continued to grow and a few clumps of daffodils have popped up to add a bit of colour.  A lot of the natives have buds and a few are in flower.  Some of the plants have more than doubled in size since we planted them a year ago.

The veggie garden is dug over and some more kale and snowpeas planted.  Against the side fence where I grew tomatoes last year I decided to plant 3 ‘Sweet Jane’ camellias.  There is enough space between to grow some snowpeas.   This will improve the look of the side fence and give the little birds that come to the birdbath, an extra place to enjoy.

The orchids are all in bud and next month promises to be a very pretty one.

The cyclamens that grow out in the garden continue to grow and flower happily.  I have some in the house for the flowering time then out into the garden the following year.  They seem to like this arrangement.  I’m looking forward to the warmer days and being able to spend more time outside.

 

a beautiful morning sky

the white Daphne is very fragrant

the large as well as the small cyclamen are growing well outside

some self sown pansies 

this is a close up of the following native

it must be at least three times the size it was a year ago

I planted 3 "sweet Jane' camellias with a growing frame for snow peas between.  It should cover the fence and improve the look of this area as they all grow.  At each end there is also a dark purple salvia.  It should look very pretty once everything has grown .

This garden bed has been heavenly to walk past - it has a brown and a pink boronia and also a white and 2 pink daphnes all out in flower.