#gardens Archives - Page 2 of 8 - Andrea Whitely Garden Consultant

According to our Indigenous Noongyar culture, this season is called Bunnuru and it is the hottest time of the year. http://www.bom.gov.au/iwk/nyoongar/bunuru.shtml

The tiny birds love perching on these metal spirals while they dry off after a dive in the birdbath

During February and March here in Perth it is hot and dry with little to no chance of rain. We did have a short heavy shower last Friday night but that was a bit of a teaser, just like the thunderstorm a couple of weeks ago. In February 2024 so far we have had 0.22mm of rain in Perth, which is about the same as we had last year in 2023.

There are some things that you can do during this time to help your garden thrive and not look dry and crispy, which let’s face it is enough to make even the most positive person feel a little down and sad.

Every year the same conversations are had all over Perth, the week that the kids return to school…”Oh my God, it is so hot!!!” Well, it is and we just have to get used to it, wear fewer clothes, drink more water get a bigger fan, and embrace this lovely warm weather.

Indigenous people used to move towards the coast at this time of the year so that they could be well placed to enjoy what we now call the Fremantle Doctor. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fremantle_Doctor

The cool sea breeze blows from the Indian Ocean over the city in the afternoon. The afternoons are a great time to get out with the hose and water your garden by hand. I find it very meditative. It is a time when I feel very connected to my garden.

Gardeners all over Perth are smiling after Friday night and here’s why

I can hardly stop smiling, after the storm. Credit Susan Mulvihill

You may be wondering why it is that over the next few weeks, your garden will be looking a whole lot greener and a whole lot healthier, and yet you haven’t done a darn thing except sit on the couch and try and forget how hot it is out there.

It is going to be another scorcher today, in a long line of stinking hot days here in Perth, looking like a good day for sitting inside and out of the hot sun for sure. There must be something great to watch on TV or a good book to read.

What happened on Friday night?

I was dining out at a local cute, cheap, and cheerful Thai restaurant with some friends from my mother’s group. We all met 24 years ago when we had our firstborn children and while the conversation has moved on from newborn babies to new jobs, education, and HRT we were very distracted when the rain started and the lightening show began. All at once we exclaimed “Petrichor” and heard the pitter-patter of giant raindrops. It has been months since we have had even a drop of rain here, sop it is super exciting for us. We received about 8mls of very welcome rain in our suburb but even more exciting was the huge bolts of lightning that came with the rains.

What’s so exciting about lightning?

Tag: #gardens

How to Help Your Garden (And You) Survive Bunnuru

When Lightening Strikes Magic Happens