June - part 2

Mulch mulch mulch  mulch ....to the tune of the Mickey Mouse club entertained me while I moved the remaining pile of mulch.

14^th June – I woke up early and for a change it wasn’t raining.  Yesterday had been a total frustration as it was either raining or misty rain all day.  So I was determined to make the most of every dry moment.  So out to the pile of mulch at 8am and by noon I had it moved.  The back garden was covered as was the fern garden at the off side of the house, a new layer of mulch in the shade house and a large bin filled to the brim.  One back corner needs a bit of a makeover and so the reserved mulch will be handy for that.  Just as I was tidying my tools away down came a heavy shower.  Timing is everything.

After lunch the weather fined up and so I headed for the shade house.  Despite the cold most things are doing well, but the carnivorous plants are struggling with the cold.  I moved a few things around so they are a bit more protected and decided to bring the little ones back inside where they were before we started our renovations. 

15^th June -  Another bleak day so in a break in the weather I darted out to the shade house The pleione orchids were having a struggle as they were too moist for this time of year and so I re-potted them in a bowl together.  I used packing foam as a base and then a very open mix for them to enjoy – fingers crossed.  I planted another ‘D0donaea’, a correa named ‘Canberra Bells’ and a ‘Dazzler’ acacia I bought from the adoption area of the plant nursery for $5.  Not a bad reduction from $12.95 and it looks like it will make a good recovery and so worth taking the chance.

The next 2 weeks were taken up with catching up on house things and another trip to see our daughter and her family. The weather has been really cold - the other day the top temperature was 8 degrees.  I poked my head outside, gave the compost bin a flip and rushed back inside.

A day of 15 degrees (it felt quite balmy) and I was outside fiddling about in the shade house and was really excited to find my Masdevallia (orchid) in flower.  I didn’t even know it had a bud!!!  It is gorgeous –hot pink shot with orange – a bit like Thai silk.  It is so pleasing to know that it is happy and doing well.  Nothing much else has changed in the shade house except when I look back to the photos of last June I realise how much things have grown.

Not much happening in the vege garden.  I planted some Asian Greens and they look like they wish they were in Asia and the red beet seem to have gone on strike since I thinned out some of the colleagues.  Oh well maybe I shall do as my Sis suggested and plant some peas.  Good for the soil if nothing else. 

My sweet peas - planted at the start of June - still haven’t appeared (don’t blame them) but I’m still hopeful that I will have a lovely display like last year.

One success has been my compost.  It was due to be ready till mid July but ever curious I had a look and decided it was done and have spread it around a rhodo and a camellia and the rest went into the vacant vege patch.  So I’ll start another batch hopefully by the end of next week, and it should be ready mid August.

The shade house a year later

I was thrilled to find a Masdevallia in flower

It is growing in an old pot I've had for about 30 years made from a mulga root

My first batch of compost - a bit lumpy but I don't mind.

It has been rather chilly and gloomy

The off-sideway is my fuchsia and fern garden - some extra pavers, a few more plants and mulched

One of my favorite fuchsias

I love this little bundle of pots but have never had anything survive well in it. I decided to try with this succulent.  It should do well and I think will look great when it gets growing....worth a try anyway.