April 2009

Gardening in Canberra

April has brought rain. We are well on track to reach or exceed the monthly average! On the 19th we went to a rare plant fair at Bilpin in the highland behind Richmond (On the road to Mt Tomah). It was a great day for acquiring unusual plants - I purchased the hybrid Brachychitons 'Belladonna' and 'Clarabelle', two Primula auricula and Primula X kewensis, the shrub relative of Camellias - Sinocalycanthus chinensis' and a few other 'wants' including an Hacquetia (Apiaceae).

Last week Urban Services commenced removal of a large gum from our front nature strip. It was leaning dangerously towards the house. This prompted a renovation of the driveway garden and I have planted one of the Brachychitons there, sheltered by a large Cotoneaster.

I potted the Primulas in a mix of sieved peat, sand, potting compost with added seaweed slow release fertiliser, some perlite and a good amount of drainage (crushed bricks) in the base. They are establishing well (picture opposite). In last few days, we have had over 40 mm of rain, and the temperatures are dropping. We expect frost before the end of the week.

Traditionally, Anzac Day is the time to plant tulips in Canberra - as the soil temperatures start to drop. I followed the rule and planted up two hexagonal pots with parrot tulips (Weber's and another one) - refreshing the soil in the pots with store bought bulb soil. The soil in the pots has a high proportion of brick chips and is well drained. In doing the replant I had to relocate the summer dwellers - two types of rosette succulent - to the banksia and driveway gardens. I overplanted the tulips with a perennial snapdragon that had been in one pot for the summer. It was thriving - I think appreciating the loose soil mix amended with water holding crystals. In potting in the tulips I discarded the top part of the soil mix that had most of the water holding crystals as these may not be good for them in winter. Also potted up Tulip 'Queen of the Night' in two squat green glazed pots - adding back a yellow leaved succulent to one side.

Gardening in a warm climate.

The following was first written for Gardening in the Sub-tropics in Your Garden Magazine in 1994.

As we slide into Autumn, the promise of Spring still lies ahead. April is often the main month for planting seedlings for the Spring display, either store-bought or grown from seed planted in early March. As the weather cools, self-sown annuals also emerge. Light waterings every evening ensure that the tiny germlings of poppies survive. Watch for their distinctive pale green leaves and remove other seedlings that may crowd them out.

Mulching is tricky when self-sown seedlings are wanted, a thick mulch will smother weeds and plants alike. I only mulch lightly during autumn, leaving patches of bare soil where small seedlings can grow. Vigourous, heavy seeding plants like Cosmos that grow all year round (in Brisbane) can also interfere with the emergence of the more delicate spring flowers. Cull out all plants from parts where self-sown Spring annuals are hoped for. I help my poppies along by over-sowing with seed from the previous crop that I have saved indoors. Thin emerging seedlings ruthlessly. Move some to other parts of the garden. Once the seedlings are up and away, some mulch can be carefully placed between individual seedlings. Be careful, contact with seedlings, especially in the crown, can encourage grey mould (Botrytis cinerea) and Sclerotinia rot in showery weather. Ultimately, when self-sowing is being encouraged, major mulching is best done at the end of Spring. I lift out the spent annuals, apply a good thick mulch, and reapply the remnants of the annuals (In Canberra, Autumn is the main time to mulch). Seed from the spent plants then lie at the top of the mulch layer, a good position for enhancing survival.

Last Autumn, seedlings of Oriental poppies Papaver orientale were available from local nurseries. These are really perennials, and often don't make sufficient growth to flower in the first season. In our climate, getting the dormant plants through summer, and remembering not to dig-over where they rest is a challenge. Those plants that have survived the summer need to be well fed to encourage abundant growth while it is still warm. The plants grow up to 1 m with large, hairy foliage and produce dessert-plate sized flowers. The plants die down again in early summer, so a late Spring fore-ground planting will ease their passing. It's worth saving seed of any plants that do flower, you may select a strain more tolerant to our climate.

Peony poppies pop up in April, along with Flanders and Shirley poppies (Papaver rhoea). Their smooth, glaucous foliage suggests an affinity for dolomite. The plants appear quite striking even before flowers appear. Peony poppies grow to 1.5m, so early staking will provide support for later flowering. If you have the double-flowered type in your garden, cull any singles that emerge to ensure maximum numbers of doubles next season. In the 1993 season, I had a good number of double white plants, grown fron a single plant that sprang from nowhere the previous year. With dessert-plate sized flowers resembling hemispheres of crumpled white tissues emerging delicately from plump, celadon buds, the flowers are sure to be envied by all who pass. Thin peony poppies to 1 m apart. Grow them in full sun and keep well watered. Avoid overhead watering at flowering, petals on flowers and opening buds can brown, marring the display. Unlike their Oriental cousins, Peony poppies appear to like our climate, they're well worth growing.

Gardening in March - Canberra

It is the last day of March and we have had virtually no rain for 2 months - this places a great strain on the plants and the gardener. It has also been extra warm for March. Even today it was 32 C in the front of the house.


The sweetpeas that I planted on Valentine's Day are growing well - this way they make enough growth before it gets cold. In Canberra, planting on St Patrick's Day is too late. I have also planted anemones and ranuncus in pots. All of the ranunculus (well, 80%) are up, but so far only 2 anemone (8 %) have emerged. I have also planted a range of bulbs ordered from Hillview Nursery in Tasmania and Anemone nemorosa .

Gardening in March - Brisbane

This was originally written for a 1999 Gardening in the Sub-Tropics column in Your Garden magazine.

In the last few days, a passionfruit vine has appeared at our bedroom window. Climbing straight upwards, caressing the glass, the tendrils clasp the insect screen, anchoring its claim on our familiar arboreal view. Silhouettes of the large trifoliate leaves and curling tendrils aglow with the morning sun add a tropical flavour to our awakenings. The vine is a lusty competitor for a climbing rose, `Mermaid', which provides a thorny frame on which to clamber. Later, I expect to reap a harvest from this impassioned growth.

Silhouettes are an overlooked aspect in plant selection and placement. Literally the plant's profile, a plant's silhouette can improve garden vistas in early morning or evening light, and enhance moon-light garden-viewing. As well as the silhouette, there's the radiant glow of golden afternoon light bounced back from within foliage and flowers. Photographs taken at this time have an extra mellowness. As I finish off a gardening day, I often admire a late-afternoon-view of my plant-lined driveway looking out through the garage doorway, framed by virginia creeper (Parthenocissus inserta). Tall sword-leaves and butterfly flowers of blackberry lilies (Belamcanda chinensis), a tall standard rose, `Buff Beauty', and in the distance, palms and a mango tree are silhouetted against the sky. The leaf edges and the orange flowers have a translucent glow. Depending on the season, yellow nasturtiums and their circular leaves, coreopsis, pale pink storm lilies, daffodils shivery grass (Briza major) and maroon dahlias are tossed by gentle breezes and radiate the evening light. The virginia creeper clings and hangs around the garage entrance, along the verandah railing and the soffit above. Stray stems hang from ceiling to rail. Each five-bladed leaf is outlined against the sky. In autumn, if the larvae of hawkmoths don't devour them all, the leaves glow red, a token cool season gesture in this warm climate.

Immediately in front of the verandah, a Jacaranda provides summer sun shelter, spring mauve mist and a golden winter tribute. Blue skies and magic moonlight twinkle through the leafy veil. Night-time silhouette-magic is enhanced by the heady perfumes, Portwine magnolia (Michelia figo), mock orange (Murraya paniculata) and frangipanni and tinkling wind chimes.

My front footpath garden faces due west, so morning and late afternoon sunlit glow is an important feature of these favourable times for garden viewing or doing. If your garden can also exploit silhouettes and sun-glow, consider the colour and profile of the spring annuals and bulbs that are now being planted, and the perennials that will go in later. Whites, yellows, pinks and mauves are enhanced by the setting sun, a homecoming welcome glow in the fading light.

Last Spring, my sweetpeas were the best I have ever grown, the result of not-too-much mulch underneath, ample dolomite at planting, and a cool spring. Most of the flowers were pale mauve, a resonant colour in late-afternoon light. Plant some this month.

Horticulture in Hell - January in the Garden - 2009

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January and February can be the most testing time for the Canberra gardener. If they want to go away for a few days, it is imperative they think about watering arrangements. I was on holidays for 2 weeks over Christmas-New Year, and arranged for someone in my street to water my container-grown plants. I moved all of the plants to the front garden under a weeping liquidamber, so they could be watered with minimal effort. Often, I leave them all togetner in the shade until the weather starts to cool, as I am watering every second day myself.


Two weeks ago, I started to turn over the vegetable garden - I have neen collecting seed from an array of vegetables and ornamentals - oak-leaf lettuce, rocket, curly kale, Pak Choy, Green and Red Minuza, pink and red poppies, ready for autumn planting. The vegie garden is mostly sitting dormant - my perennial shallots have started to sprout so I need to replant them and start watering. I have been harvesting tomatoes since just after Christmas - red and yellow cherry types - and there are still lettuce coming on, mostly in shady spots - oakleaf and cos types. I also have a flourishing crop of red leaved basil growing in large pots in the front garden -along with some yellow capsicums easier to care for them this way.


I was lucky with the watering-minder over summer, as a few of my winter-planted seed came up and some young seedlings have become established. Primula bulleyana seedlings are doing well, with the pots standing in water. I also have one seedling of Aquilegia vulgaris 'Leprechaun Gold', and earlier in Spring, two seedlings of Fritllaria raddeana have emerged.

Fritillarias. Over the years, I've grown a few different Fritillaria spp., mostly in pots, but only managed to flower a few - Mostly they have died down early in Summer and reemerged in Spring. I lost F. mealeagris in 2007 after several years of repeat performance planted in the soil - the drought finally got to it - and F. biflora has performed consistently from a pot - if not very spectacularly. others have limped along - but mostly I have lost the name labels!

This year, I have been more attentive about watering Fritillarias and here in mid January, plants of one species are still growing - I am hoping this means bigger better plants next Spring!

Gardener’s Gumption # 1

(excerpts originally published in Your Garden Magazine from January 1994 with updating in 2009)

Turn over some new leaves...Hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla and other spp.) have a familiarity that can lead to neglect when it comes to choosing garden plants. It's the associations with neat, trim stucco houses of the 50's, one hydrangea either side of the entrance: the antithesis of modernity.

Not so! These old-timers have a place in the 21st century garden too, be it cottage or Glenn Murcott Australian. In semi-shade, they produce fine serrate glossy leaves and plate-sized posies of pink, blue or white flowers in late spring and summer. A no-nonsense, weed-smothering, easy-care neatness that lasts the weeks of heat and summer outings when gardening-time is scarce. The flowers fade and blotch in russet autumn tones, and the leaves drop off in winter, leaving a skeleton tipped with firm, fat buds and the promise of another spring.

Plant them in rows beside a wall, around deciduous trees or along a drive. They'll grow to 150 cm high and wide. Tubs in-flower on paved or gravelled areas, or at the entrance, also look great and, at the local drive-in nursery have that strong `buy-me' allure for customers after `instant-garden' effects.

In Canberra - I lost most of my hydrangeas in the drought - only one mop head survives in a shady spot beside the wall where it was watered more regularly. My thinking about Hydrangeas in Canberra is : Plant in pots or in garden soilwith added water -holding crystals and a watering system. Plant them in well drained soil. Good nourishment helps. Prune them lightly in winter, the flowers form on last year's dormant buds. A good idea is to cut one third of the canes back hard, one third to mid length, and the remaining third just lightly.

Propagation: At pruning time, plunge the cuttings into pots or in garden beds where new plants are required, and water regularly. You'll have a brace of new plants in Spring. Pink/blue colour forms are influenced by soil acidity, pink in acid, blue in alkaline soil. Addition of copper sulphate can intensify the blue colour. White forms are soil pH neutral. Variegated forms have extra charm, but are slower growing and should be in bright shade. Several other species of hydrangeas, including climbers, are available from specialist nurseries. They may be more sensitive to the summer heat, but are worth a try in cooler spots.