Christmas 2015

Judy and I would like to thank you for your support in making this blog so successful, over 150,000 views from over 100 different countries is amazing.
So from both of us we wish you all the very best for Christmas and happy gardening for 2016.

Amorphophallus paeoniifolius

This is the story of the Amorphophallus paeoniifolius from it's beginning to it's end.
The first photo was taken on 23 November, the full flower on 2 December and the last photo on 12 December 2015.

November Garden News 2015

I have been a bit slack this month and I am a week late in getting this month’s blog published.

It has of course been a very busy month preparing for the ‘Open Garden’ then the opening itself and finally the big clean up, I feel tired just typing this.

I wonder if people realise just how much work, time and expense goes into an open garden, I know both Judy and I start preparing months in advance and work sometimes eight hours a day just getting plants and the garden ready.

As far as expense, I would say it costs a little over a $1000 just to put it on, that includes toilet hire, printing of flyers, postage, signs ect.

It is not a task for the faint hearted.

We missed out on most of the rain, just had a few showers which at least greened up the lawns and it’s not often that we have green lawns for an open garden.

We have had a fairly cool spring and that has made quite a few plants late in shooting especially the ‘Blood Lily’s’, there were none in flower for the opening.

AS usual Saturday was a mad house with the plant buyers coming first to snap up the best plants.

 Jade Vine

 Costus Phoenix

 Hedychium longicornutum

Brugmansia 'Wow' aptly named I think.

Overall we had over 600 visitors on the weekend all of whom enjoyed the garden, just a shame I could not talk to everyone as we were short staffed and I was stuck selling plants.
The Lions Club who we support made over $4000, so in the last three open gardens they have made a total of $12,523, all of which goes to help disabled children. 

 Old RAAF workmate.

 Spencer Howson from ABC radio

Karen Williams Mayor of Redland City

After the opening we headed up to Agnes Water for a short break and caught up with my son and his family who have settled up there.

When we arrived back we had a little rain but the place was very dry so it was back to watering and even worse was a day of gale force winds which covered our garden with the neighbours rotten Cadaghi leaves and bark, what an awful tree this is the leaves are covered in soot and don’t break down and the one close to us has to be about 50 feet high. It’s my nightmare.

My Amorphophallus paeoniifolius was close to flowering by the time we were ready to go on holiday, I suggested to Judy that we take it with us; she said “then there will be two corpses “so obviously I did not take it.

Just as well as it was at its majestic best a couple of days after getting home.

This is how it was prior to going on holiday.
I am planning on doing a workshop in the new year.

October 2015 Garden News

October is usually a very dry month and as usual it stayed very dry. Some places north and south of Brisbane received great downpours but we had about 15 mills which is far better than nothing. It’s such a shame as a good dose of rain would make the garden so much better.

We are very fortunate that the late summer rain filled up all our tanks, so we still have enough water to water all of our plants.

Of course October is the time all the Hippeastrums flower and this month has had a great shoing with some really beautiful 'doubles' in flower.

No presentations this month which is good as I am so busy getting ready for our ‘Open Garden’.

We had one bus trip here this month from ‘Springdale Garden Club’ it was only a small bus but those who came really enjoyed the morning.

I actually apologised about the state of the garden prior to them walking around, when they had finished most of the comments were that is was the best garden they had seen. Perhaps I am too critical of myself.

I have given 22 presentations to various Garden Clubs and organisations this year, not a bad effort considering you only get petrol money and sometimes sell hardly any plants, anyway I consider it to be more of a community service. We certainly will not get rich doing it.

The unusual plants Amorphophallus and related are starting to smell.

The Brisbane Garden Show was on this month and of course we went, I must admit to being disappointed as there were not many of the plants Judy and I like/collect for sale. It was nowhere as good as the Nambour show. We came home with a couple of climbers bought from Wes Vidler.

My Facebook page ‘The Giving Garden’ is creeping towards to 1000 followers which is pretty good.

https://www.facebook.com/birkdalegarden/?ref=hl

I have started a new Facebook page called ‘Open Gardens Queensland’ this will be available to anyone in Queensland to promote their ‘Open Garden’, of course the first garden is ours.

I have also started a web site called ‘Open Gardens Queensland’ and the same criteria apply with that.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/984326811681625/

http://opengardensqueensland.blogspot.com.au/

I have planted many new plants this month as there are always holes to be filled.

 Tecomanthe 'Shannon'

 Caladium

 Dendrobium Orchid

 Lorikeets waiting for a feed.

 Bromeliad.

 Double white Brugmansia

Waiting.

I think the garden is going to look great for our opening, we have green lawns and all the plants are looking healthy and we might just get some rain prior to opening ‘fingers crossed’.

My eldest son Scott returned from Sacramento in the United States where he had been competing in the World Disabled Water Ski Championships, he came home a ‘World Champion’ winning GOLD in the jump and a silver and bronze medal. We are so very proud of his achievements.