Vireya thought that the self sown tree that appeared in my garden might have been a Melia azedarach a rather pretty rainforest tree. It is a deciduous native tree also found in Asia. I have one of these and so when I found another little Desert Ash growing in the garden I was able to do a direct comparison.
Here are the leaves of the two plants close together, very similar indeed. But already it is obvious the Melia azedarach leaves on the lower right are slightly glossy and the serrations on the edges are rounder.
Desert Ash
Melia azedarach
Another difference is the way the leaves grow out from the leaf stem. Those of the Meliaazedarach branch out on opposite sides down the whole length. Then that stem has a quite long bare part before it joins to the branch. The leaf stems of the Desert Ash are opposite each other, but each pair is rotated a quarter turn on the stem from the previous pair, so it will not lie flat as you can see in the photo.
Melia comes from the Greek for Ash Tree because the leaves are so alike.
After a year or two I thought I should find out if this was a good thing or not as this spring it is growing vigorously.
Having determined that it is probably a Desert Ash, a plant formerly used for street trees but now regarded as a pest because it reproduces so readily, it has to go.
This little tree planted itself in a pot next to the front steps.
In the pot next to this one is a tree that self planted a few years ago and it is now time for it to move on. Both are from the Lemon Scented Gum, easy to identify by the shape and smell of the leaves.
The new location for this plant is obvious, down the drive in the recently vacated space.
While autumn is a better time to plant native trees, a week of forecast rain and daily monitoring as I collect the morning paper, it should be ok. Good luck little tree.
Here is one from the same source I planted ages ago, growing straight and true.
This story goes all the way back to January, when life was very different. Who knew then, that in the not very distant future, my world would be limited to the confines of my house and garden.
Even though I could go anywhere I wanted, in January I was thinking a lot about my garden. One corner in particular, and not in a good way.
It is right along the east boundary where a stand of Melaleuca have grown into really interesting shapes with fantastic papery bark. Underneath them, that horrible weed Tradescantia fluminensis has flourished, having crept in from next door and found conditions perfect for multiplying and taking over without being noticed for quite a long time. The weather in January and February was perfect for quelling this invasion. Enough rain to make the soil soft and frequent mild days, perfect for weeding.
After many weeks I had cleared all of the ground in front of the trees and released the scraggly Abutilons from the tangle of the wandering creeper. Every fortnight for months I made sure my green waste bin was full. By the time I had cleared right round the trunk of one of the largest trees I also had bags of the stuff carefully kept sealed as it will take root at the first opportunity.
Right at the end of March I was about to tackle the last clump of wandering trad. I was confident that the garden was free at last.
But then I turned around and looked across my neighbours grassy bank and fence. This would have to go too or I would be back where I started in no time at all.
Of course they were very happy for me to weed their garden. In doing so I also cleared out a lot of blackberry and at least 40 Hawthorn seedlings, another noxious weed that loves to establish itself around here.
Finally I have been able to plant an understory that should look after itself and hopefully fill the space enough to hold off any invasion. Dianella revoluta is indigenous to the area and growing very well in other parts of my garden and so it was easy to source some runners and new plants. Lomandra hystrix is also very tough, can grow in the shade and should do well in this slightly damp area.
Of course while I was doing the planting I was on the lookout for any tell tale bright green leaves that pointed to where a little bit of stem had survived my three month weeding onslaught.
I will be checking on this part of the garden regularly from now on.
Concealed gutters look quite good from the outside, but inside, when it rains, they can present a problem. If the gutter is blocked, then excess water flows back under the roofing and down the walls in through the window frames.
This happened in the last heavy downpour so I knew that gutter clearing was overdue. This morning was the perfect weather, not hot, not cold, not windy and not raining. So up I went.
After removing many buckets of leaf litter, sticks and branches, the gutter was ready to receive rainwater again.
While on the roof I took the time to look around.
About three quarters around the full circle. It is surprising how dense the tree canopy is from this angle. All the trees have a full leaf load and are looking very healthy. Charging and water heating systems are looking ok too. Once the sun is over the yard arm it will be all systems go.
The veggie garden is all cleared ready for winter crop planting.
A bit of pruning is needed in the back corner. Both the quince and apple tree need to have some damaged branches removed in a few months time.
In the meantime I have a lot of roof made mulch to spread around. A couple of little seedlings that popped up look interesting, they may be from the Manna Gum, so I will pot them up and wait.
It arrived yesterday, I knew it was coming thanks to AusPost tracking, still I but I had the willpower to wait until today.
The day. For present opening.
Hints of fabric, but first a leaf. From the African Violet I so admired.
Not fabric but a pouch, and inside really cool protective wrapping.
Ah ha! The larger version of the Spotted Pardalote whistle I admired when visiting the Begonia Festival.
It can share pride of place with the beautiful Iris card sent a tad early. The card is a reminder of the plants that came from here and are now growing in my garden.
Thank you my friends, V and J for making the day special in strange times.
Now off to celebrate.
Not like this, social distancing must be maintained.
Right in the middle of the escapist live dancing show last night there was a sudden cross to an announcement in Canberra. I think what made it more alarming was the show’s host’s mic was still live and you could here her gasps and exclamations. Even though I thought I had my head around the pandemic that is causing tragedy, alarm and panic across the world, this latest development got to me. Didn’t sleep well at all.
So I was late dropping my car off at the mechanic. I was all ready to walk around the light industrial area to find a park and wait out the few hours the repair was to take. But then I was told, “sorry the parts we thought we had to put in are unavailable. We will be rebuilding the drive shafts instead. It will take two days.”
Fortunately they had a loan car waiting, so I came home in a red Peugeot. I am really not good at driving an automatic.
Having missed my morning walk and having discovered it was National Eucalyptus Day I decided to take a walk with Eucalypts as a focus.
This Yellow Box, seen coming and going, is pretty rare in the area. When the road was made we got the design to go around it. Experts said it wouldn’t survive with the asphalt so close, but it is still going strong.
Further along another local action had a three block subdivision retain and look after existing trees. Just imagine how bad these gardens would look without the trees.
When taking those two photos I realised how much my Manna Gum dominated the area. You can see the top of it in the photo on the left. Down below is the view from a neighbours driveway. I really like how big trees get shared by everyone.
Round the corner another subdivision kept a big beautiful eucalyptus. It now makes quite a statement at the end of the long drive. Even the fence goes around it.
There is such variety in the Eucalyptus species, and even the rather bland indigenous trees make a pleasant avenue.
I love the way the branches can frame a view.
A focused walk turned what had been stressful into a very happy day.
It has been a week since I went to my last exhibition. That is not a long time, but it will be a very long time before I get to another one. Rather than fret about that, I went to one that was happening along the driveway, courtesy of this strange summer.
Ok, it is autumn now, and by Labour Day I have usually deadheaded all the agapanthus, carefully making sure no seeds will get into the reserve opposite. But this year the floral display continues. Not just the last dregs of summer, but new blooms. This one is pushing its way out from under a blanket of banksia rose canes.
At first I thought even stranger things were afoot. All my agapanthus are clones of one plant, the result of multiple divisions over a lot of years. So when I saw this new flower I was confused. I have no white ones.
Turns out it was not white, but blue, a paler blue as are all the new flowers, I think.
They bees don’t mind at all.
There are even more buds yet to open, maybe they will continue flowering right into April.
The display is enhanced by the blue potato bush tumbling over the fence from the neighbour’s garden.
Love the or loath them, you can’t deny the toughness of agapanthus.
In one day I have managed to visit a friend and together take in two exhibitions, browse through a book sale and a marvel at a flower festival. All in the lovely city of Ballarat and surrounds. First up the textiles.
Begonia Quilters have a small membership but they put on a big show. Photos of quilts were not permitted so here is a viewer.
Their challenges were interesting. Participants in the cushion challenge drew two paint chips from a bag and were allowed to add one other colour. The modern quilt challenge was to make a 30″ square quilt in solid fabrics.
After a late morning tea of scones with jam and cream (of course) it was off to the Ballarat Embroiders Guild exhibition at a familiar venue.
Their challenge was to interpret the plaster ceiling using any stitch technique.
There was an amazing amount of stunning embroidery beautifully displayed. One round table had framed examples of embroidery techniques with a brief history of each one. Very informative.
Loved the little mouse pouch and my vote went to the mystery sampler. I have been working on this same pattern in blues since 2017 and am now over half done.
Next the book fair, we both found something here then off to the gardens.
The sun came out just at the right time to illuminate the begonias in their purpose built house.
Flowers, foliage, learned horticulturists in every direction…
even overhead.
Begonias apparently come in the two types, tuberous and cane, plus others. However my classification is a little different.
ridiculously big,
too perfect to be real,
pretending to be a carnation,
daffodil impersonator and
total show off.
This more modest specimen was my favourite.
Outside in the dahlia beds I found this stunner. Made me wish I could grow these challenging plants.
I first noticed a problem with my succulent bath garden after the big rain downpour a fortnight or so ago. It happened again after nearly 50mm of rain yesterday.
The garden floats. See how the leaves of the lady’s mantle are well above the side of the bath. This is because the only drain is the plughole and it must be blocked. The lower part of the bath is filled with polystyrene with weedmat supporting the soil above. When it rains a lot, the bath fills and the planting area floats. Even the sump for the water bowl, causing it to tip and empty.
My solution is a tube poked down between the side of the bath and the weed mat into the lower area. I can then siphon out the excess water.
After a few hours, the planting bed has dropped several centimetres and the water bowl refilled from its pump. See how the lady’s mantle leaves are now resting on the edge.
before draining
after
Things have returned to normal making everyone happy.
In March last year I took a friend who is crazy about lotus flowers to the Blue Lotus gardens in Yarra Junction. This year I took another friend, and we went a bit earlier in the season so the display was amazing.
The main purpose of the visit was to see the Giant Amazonian Waterlilies. This time the flower was open, but it is the giant leaf pad that is impressive, at least I hope they were.
The crocodile plant Eurayle ferox is still fascinating. They were in one of the very hot and steamy glass houses so it was easy to get up close to those really impressive leaves. They start pleated and stretch into the very wide spine covered segmented surface.
Flowers were everywhere, water lilies of varies kinds and of course the lotus.
Fortunately there are lots of shade huts dotted around. Really appreciated on a hot and humid day.
I am not a big fan of canna lilies, probably because they usually look very messy. They need a lot of water to look there best. The colour of this one caught my eye.
After a long walk around most of the lakes and ponds, enjoying the birds and the absence of mosquitoes and March flies, I decided that this bloom was the best open lotus of the day.
skippingstitches 