July 2016 - Andrea Whitely Garden Consultant

Ever experienced house magazine envy when scanning the glossy pages and you see a beautiful container filled with Phalaenopsis orchids and thought to yourself “Hey, I wouldn’t mind one of them” but then you go to a florist or to the big hardware store with green paint and red writing and freak out at the price while at the same time being careful not to make the same noise Dawn French did in the Vicar of Dibley when she was demonstrating Emma Thompsons reaction to Hugh Grants proposal in Sense and Sensibility?!

Here’s the solution-hop into your car drive to the Swedish store with the blue paint and yellow writing and select a nice glass container (I used one called POMP Lantern $19.95) and one or more of their potted orchids which are ALWAYS $14.95 each

Bring glass container and plant/s home
Fill bottom of glass container with some wood chips (I took mine from our mulched garden bed) or tiny bag orchid potting mix
Remove the plants carefully from their containers and gently tease out the roots from the Sphagnum peat moss surrounding them (put this to one side you will need it later) and place the plant into the container spreading the roots over the wood chips.
Use the moss you put to one side to pack around the plants under the leaves to secure it in place and VOILA a better than store bought one and you did it yourself in under 15 minutes!

Easy Peasy Project — Easy Peasy Indoor Project

These are low light orchids so will do very well in your bathroom too. They require an occasional drink but not too much and occasional low dose orchid fertiliser.

Cheaper than replacing bunches of flowers if you have a home open for inspection, no smelly vases from bunches of flowers that you have wished would last longer but didn’t or you work in an office and desperately wish the boss would spring for real flowers on the Reception desk and…. even better once the flowers are spent just cut the flower stem down to a node about half way down and like magic new buds and flowers will soon emerge…why not give it a try…

There’s much to be said for the cool winter mornings (1-2 degrees celsius) and sunny days (17-20 degrees celsius) that we are currently experiencing here in Perth. We do complain a lot (well I do) about how cold it is but really we are pretty blessed to live in such a beautiful place as even in the winter our garden is filled with plenty of blooms to enjoy. Actually, I have to say that my garden is looking an absolute treat. There’s not much to do really except pull the odd weed here and there and sit, take in some winter rays and check out the happenings with a hot cup of tea in hand….Let’s take a walk through the garden shall we….

Star of the show this week is ‘Star above Sea’ (species vernalis), a beautiful Camellia sasanqua, it’s a large semi-double but for some reason, our flowers are only quite small however the flowers hold up really well to our windy conditions. I am growing it as a specimen right beside our pool fence and it’s a favourite because it starts to flower at the end of April and will still be going strong in September. It has also coped very well with really hot summer days and reflected heat from limestone paving by the pool.

Star above Sea-stunning little blooms

A hedge of Salvia ‘Wendy’s Wish’ is just starting to bloom again around the base of our Marri tree after a brief spell following the winter prune. I have replaced some which did not survive the harsh summer.

Salvia ‘Wendy’s Wish’

Erlicheer Jonquils alongside some lovely purple Iris are blooming beautifully amongst the fallen leaves of the Pyrus Usseriensis (Manchurian Pear). Pots of Hot Pink Cyclamen add a pop of colour in the urns on my front verandah.

Our potted succulent collection is in flower and in the middle of the day, the bees are just loving them, they must be full of nectar. Those darling bees are obviously not afraid of the spiky bits associated with these plants.

Here’s some of our succulents…sweetly pretty

A second double flowering Brugmansia x candida (I have a huge old one in a large pot) was planted last year and over this short time we have moved it three times, now she sits firmly in the ground beyond the swimming pool and takes pride of place there and has duly rewarded us with a stunning show of heavily scented blooms. Eventually, this plant will grow to about 3m and sits under the low branches of the Liquid Amber which we planted when we moved into this property about 17 years ago. Finally, the last of the claret red leaves has fallen into the pool which is a time of great joy for our family as it gives us a brief leaf scooping break!

Double Flowering White Brugmansia

This signals a break from leaf scooping!

My beloved Tree dahlia (Dahlia imperialis) which I have planted under our Jarrah tree succumbed to the strong winds again this year and so has been unceremoniously chopped down by my husband who I honestly believe fails to see the joy in this plant, chopped up into many pieces by me (because I can’t stand waste) and shared among lucky friends and clients.

My poor battered Tree Dahlia did look lovely for a day or two

Everything has had it’s winter prune now, except for the roses which I like to leave until August at my place, it reduces the time between cutting and bud burst which seems to reduce the incidence of fungal disease and opportunity for aphids to get their little mitts on my buds.

I’ve let my veggie bed have rest this winter, our side fence blew over and it was all a bit of a mess, so I’m looking forward to spring planting and lots of lovely homegrown treats. Every cloud has a silver lining as they say and as a result of the Super 6 concrete and very ugly fence taking a tumble is that we have replaced it with Pine lap and I’ve made room for a stunning new tree, I’ve chosen and planted a Chinese Pistachio (Pistachia Chinensis) and I just can’t wait for it to start growing and produce that beautiful orange and red autumn colour next year.

A very old Camellia (name unkown by me-anyone hazard a guess?)

Here’s a tempting morsel growing on our street verge…not enough to feed the family so will leave it for the insects

The lawn has slowed down now and is looking nice and green after some good winter rains. I will fertilise it in early September so as to produce a lush green spring flush.

Well, Folks, that’s it from me for now…….as the night air comes in, another hot cuppa awaits or maybe a cheeky glass of red wine while I cook something hot and hearty for the starving hoards……How’s your winter garden looking?

Month: July 2016

Glossy Magazine Envy stops now

Winter Joy