March 2017 Garden News

We started off the month with dry crispy brown lawns and empty tanks, it was quite depressing seeing everything so stressed.

The Brugmansia’s were especially hard hit with two large ‘Bruce’s Pink’ dying and others not far off.

Whoever said gardening was a relaxing hobby was quite wrong.

We had a presentation at the ‘Palm Lakes Retirement Village’ at Eagleby, I could not give a visual presentation as the meeting was held outside, it was a bit strange as there was an empty hall adjacent, anyway I spoke for half an hour about our garden and they enjoyed it.

We also had two bus tours through the garden on the Tuesday we hosted ‘The Gap Garden Club’ and on the Wednesday it was ‘Blue Pacific Retirement Village’ from The Gold Coast. It was a shame we were so dry but all visitors understood that and still enjoyed the garden.

We were asked to give a talk on the Sunshine Coast to support the Leukaemia Foundation I was speaking directly after this years ‘Australian of the Year’.

 It was a wet day and I spoke for around 15 minutes before I was cut off, it was a shame as I had not quite finished my talk.

It was a long two hour drive each way for a 15 minute talk.

Still some colour in the garden.

We had about 50 mills of wonderful rain mid-March, not enough to fill up the tanks but enough to start turning the lawns green and spark up the plants and yes I did a 'nudie' run around the garden.

Our final presentation for the month was to go to ‘Eagleby Garden Club’ and give my new ‘Clever Gardening’ presentation.

The rain from Cyclone Debbie has gone but left us with seven full rainwater tanks and wet gardens.
We had six inches of rain (150 mills) which was the best rain since 2012.
We can go into winter now knowing we have water, I must admit I was very worried a week ago.
It is an understatement to say I am happy.

February 2017 Garden News

Well, what can I write about?

We are just so dry here, not a blade of green grass in sight and all the trees shedding leaves like crazy in an attempt to stay alive.

We have not had any rain since mid-December and for most of the time the temperature has been in the mid to high 30c in the shade.

Even now as I type it’s 33c and 99% humidity under our insulated patio area.

I have been keeping most of our plants alive by watering them with water from our tanks, but that has now virtually dried up with only a couple of rings left in one of the seven tanks.

I and stressed, despairing and sad to see so much of my hard work is being destroyed by this shocking summer weather, it is hitting me hard.

Summer is supposed to be our wet season, hate to think of us going through winter with empty tanks.

Yes, I know other people are going through drought and farmers know it all too well.

There is really not a lot to write about this month other than most of my time has been spent with hose in hand trying to keep my plants alive.

I had one garden presentation and although it was enjoyed by the audience they hardly bought any plants and we received a coffee cup for our trouble.

We also had a small bus load of visitors from a Retirement Village who spent an enjoyable morning here.

In March we have two BIG bus trips here and I am very worried about the state of the garden, just hope for rain but do not hold out much hope.

There are a few bright spots where some plants have flowered but it could have been so much better.