It is now 10 days into winter and the weather has changed dramatically from the halcyon days of Autumn. The snow has arrived early down south and the ski season has started. But the southern winds are whistling up to us bringing cold (to us Queenslanders) 16deg temperatures, dropping to record lows of 5deg at night. Time to put extra blankets on the bed and rug up in winter clothes.
May has been a busy month of projects in the garden. The major one was deciding to put up a kit-set greenhouse. But first the site had to be cleared.
The ugly, old, Hill’s Hoist clothes line is banished. The small palm tree is dug out, with difficulty, and the area is levelled.
Following the minimal instructions and with a bit of head scratching and “discussion” the green house is finally ready for use.I buy the $2.99, 6 cell seedlings and plant them on into bigger punnets and now have a cosy, safe place to keep them till they are ready to plant out. I have primula, polyanthus, straw daisies, cineraria, phlox and also cucumber and a tomatoe.
The next project was to set up a veggie plot. These tubs are an ideal size, but when I put some seedlings in I found this area was not getting enough sun. So they were moved further down.In front of the fish ponds is perfect the sun is here from 8am till 3-30pm.
4 weeks later broad beans, spinach, radish and coriander are racing away.This dwarf tomatoe plant has been coddled along in the green house from a 15 centimetre seedling. Each morning I carry it out to the sunniest spot in the front garden (where the bird bath used to be). Now 4 weeks later it is ready to go into it’s permanent position.
In the front garden the snowflake bush (Euphorbia leucocephala) is in full flower. The closest we ever get to “snow”.
The other sign of winter is the frangipani tree has dropped all its leaves.May was also major pruning month and because it has been an excellent growing season that was a big job to prune, then mulch up all the cuttings, we now have a huge pile of mulched up cuttings hidden at the back of the border against the new fence, slowly decomposing to beautiful compost.Last month I cleared out the front borders of the summer annuals in preparation for planting the spring annuals.
I have planted pansies, but look at the great crop of white, plastic forks that have sprouted up! Actually they are a cat deterrent method I found on the internet, and it works. Stops them digging up the freshly prepared dirt for their toilet….The pansies are taking over the bed and soon I will remove the forks.
Only a few things flowering at this time of the year.
But the reliable Pentas flower all year and the Crucifixion Orchids have just burst into bloom.
Now to go out and finish preparing the beds for the spring annuals and get them into the ground and look forward to having a colourful display in the next few months.
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I am so late with my monthly “changing seasons” update this month. Gosh a third of June already gone. I’m so pleased Su of “Zimmerbitch” runs this challenge as it prompts me to try and keep a record of each month. I can go back to last year and see what was happening 12 months ago.
LOL for your forks Pauline, and bravo for your incredible garden. Love your little greenhouse 😊. Funny to think of you entering winter as we begin to swelter over here
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That cat was driving me crazy Tina. It comes round at night, the law says they are supposed to be kept inside at night. So far I haven’t seen it, only the calling cards it leaves behind.☹️
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Winter really did come in with a blast didn’t it! The nice thing though is, unlike the southern states, we might get a few cold days and then the sun shines again and the day time temperatures warm up nicely. Today is glorious up here on the range. Good luck with your vegetable garden. Harvesting your own crops is lovely.
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Yes we are so lucky to have these beautiful clear,sunny days and it really isn’t too cold, compared with down south.
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[…] Pauline at Living in Paradise […]
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I am glad you’re part of the Changing Seasons Pauiline. It is wonderful to see your garden each month. You and Jack have obviously been incredibly busy and it’s looking great.
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I really like having a record each month and going back to see how things have changed or in some cases, stayed the same..l thanks for taking on the challenge and keeping it going
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I love how different people respond to it in different ways 🙂
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Your climate is so interesting. I suspect that it is something like that of Los Angeles or San Diego. It is weird enough to try to imagine it being winter there, but it is even weirder to think that climates are colder farther south
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Yes we are all upside down compared to you northerners, or maybe it is you guys that are upside down…🤔
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Perhaps everyone is . . . or perhaps no one.
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That is a really decent size greenhouse, Pauline. You will be able to get an early start on your spring garden. I love that fork idea.
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Green house compliments of Bunnings, great for the seedlings, should have a good start on the spring display. Cat doesn’t think much of the forks, but it still keeps finding parts where there are no forks, grrrrrr 😖
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🙂
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Glad to see you back here Pauline – I was wondering how you both were. Now I know – busy as ever! You are such dedicated gardeners!
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G’day Sue so busy outside at the moment as this time of the year the weather is perfect. But come summer and the heat and humidity will chase me back into the comfort of the airconditioned room. Then I will blog again….
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Have fun in that garden, Pauline!
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Thanks Sue I certainly will
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Looking prepared for the season, Pauline, welcome back!
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Hi Leya it is only a brief visit as, at the moment, I have too much happening at this time of the year to find time to blog. But when the weather gets hot and humid again I shelter in my air conditioned art room and then I blog…
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Welcome back any time!
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You two have been busy! Love your greenhouse, and that you’ve begun veggies already, but ouch! That cat will be surprised… 🙀
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G’day Del, autumn and winter are the best time for veggie growing over here. I don’t grow any in the summer, far too hot and humid. Unfortunately I don’t know where the cat comes from or I would go and talk to it’s owner…
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G’day, Pauline! Interesting that your summers won’t grow veg. Guess you must be much hotter than we are—tomatoes are summer growers over here. We don’t get that hot. Yet. Have just started the last Jane Harper, “The Lost Man,” set in 45C cattle country (Brisbane is closest city) and love her books. D’you think that kitty could be feral? Enjoy your cooler weather and pile on the blankies at night! 😘😘
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It’s the humidity that brings out all the bugs and fungus problems in summer, plus too hot for me to do much outside. So make the most of this season outside and enjoy blogging and art in the inside aircon in summer. I’ve read the Jane Harper books and love them. Jack’s thinking of getting a cat trap and taking it to the RSPCA for relocation…. 🙀
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Lol! Do please keep us posted on the cat culprit! Know what you mean about summer humidity & bugs. That’s why there are so many chemicals used by agribusinesses in this country. Have finally switched meself to all organic fruit and veg, and my! What a difference in taste. And yes, I spend my summers inside, too, which doesn’t please me one bit as I love to be out and about on foot. Now your nursing your tomato plant makes sense. Thank you!
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Fresh grown does taste so much better.
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🍅🍅🍅 Yah, mate! 👍👍
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Garden preparations are looking good but you’re working hard. I’ve seen other gardeners writing plant names on used plastic forks too.
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Lovely to hear from you, thanks for popping by and leaving a comment. Good idea to use the forks for labels too. How is Romy? Are you still riding?
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So this is what you’ve been up to for the last little while, Pauline, when we haven’t been seeing you. Great idea with the plastic forks- I put a net over my new cutting garden, but forks would be less obtrusive. I’ve used sticks in the past and they have worked well too.
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G’day Jane, yes sticks would work too. I’ve used nets, but find the seedlings get caught in them as they grow. How cold is it in your part of Oz? Lovely clear, blue winter days here.
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It hasn’t been terribly cold, but the worst is ahead of us in July and August. We had rain today, but only about 2mm. Unfortunately.
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You have been busy and very productive! I think that greenhouse would blow away here, but it is obviously useful where you are. I am surprised that you can grow coriander as I would expect it to be too humid. I grew some but it bolted pretty much as soon as it grew due to the heat. I have just sown some lettuce though so we’ll see how that goes! I have missed seeing you on the blogs 🙂
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Lovely to hear from you Jude. I can only grow coriander in the winter over here, in fact I don’t bother with vegs in the summer now, just put flowering annuals in their place till this time of the year. Hope you are feeling much better by now. Any visits over here planned?
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May your tomatoes be abundant 🙂
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Thanks Gilly, they have lots of flowers at the moment👍
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It’s so nice to see the changing seasons in your part of the world, Pauline. I like your white snowy tree! 🙂
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That tree is a picture every year when not much else is in flower
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I’m sure it is! 🙂
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Talk about head scratching! I couldn’t figure out what the forks were for. Now, of course, they make sense!
The greenhouse looks neat, and the garden very healthy!
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Those forks really work too.
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It looks as if you are all set for the winter. I always enjoy seeing your gardens through the changing seasons–especially because the seasons are upside-down to ours. Isn’t it fun having a greenhouse? We didn’t get ours in early enough this year to take much advantage of it for our seedlings, but have big plans for next year. Stay warm and cosy.
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I really can’t call this winter. In fact I love these cooler months.. I’m enjoying seed saving and the greenhouse is perfect to keep them in and watch them grow
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[…] palm seat seen from the house Looking from the back showing the […]
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Beautiful garden! None of your posts are showing up in my reader which is disappointing.
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I’m not blogging very much at the moment Cindy. Engrossed in gardening and art. Lovely to see you popping in
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[…] back at May 2019 I was very surprised to see that it is only a year since we put up the greenhouse. It has been a […]
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