Garden Snippets

Spring is when my garden is usually at it’s best, although perhaps less so this year. We have embarked on some redevelopment, some our choice and sadly, some due to a series of deaths amongst our fruit trees. There has also been a recognition that as we are aging that perhaps we should replant with trees that require less pruning and clambering up and down ladders. 

This assembly of three pieces is currently a favourite section of  my garden. The bottom part is a bird bath that was found on the street (free to a good home), the middle was given to me by a neighbour that no longer wanted it and the top statue a gift from my mother some thirty years ago. It is surrounded by Hellebores, some Clivea and Nasturtiums that self sow each year. There is a row of very small Crepe Myrtles , replacing the plum trees, planted along the fence line that overtime will grow up and around this. 

We have also had a very large roofed area installed over our paved area. This project took much longer than we anticipated with difficulty finding a builder, delays from council and  permit issues due to the need to comply with heritage overlay on our house. We were not sure how the building would impact on the garden so were reluctant to plant up areas that were likely to be trampled.

We had hoped that the verandah posts would be able to go back behind the wall hedge but alas this became an issue and we had to put them in front of the wall, unfortunately, not before much of the hedge had been dug out. We are hoping that it survive the replanting.

Despite the neglect there is a lot of growth 

Arum Lillie’s, Euphorbia, self sown parsley and a few orchids that were tucked into the garden for safety.

Tagetes and Euphorbia behind the box hedge.

The Boston Ivy is spreading along the fence that screens the water tank.

The quince is looking magnificent, hoping that the foliar spray of Charlie Carp will make it less attractive to the possums and we will get fruit this year.


The citrus are all heavily in flower, the perfume intoxicating. 

There are Salvias, Aquilegias and the Opium Poppies are starting to bloom.

The heavily pruned Weeping Cherry rewarded us with a lovely display of blossom

Which has given way to a lovely green canopy

The wisteria that we planted to replace the one that died has taken off, however, the Aeoniums in the terracotta wall planters have suffered from the patio construction and are going to need some work.

The succulents on the patio are being treated to some TLC.

This bowl is a favourite and has already started to respond, it will be thick and luxurious by Christmas.