It is still a time of transition in the garden and it looks quite bare. Everything is waiting for spring. I do plan to have more winter flowering plants, but this year, because of all the projects and changing circumstances in the garden I have not had time to organise anything.
The last major project (for the time being) has been to take out more palms. I did like them but they created too much shade. Now I am changing to a native style cottage garden I definitely need all the sun I can get.
The palms where in the centre of the garden. You maybe remember them from previous posts. This was a post I did about the seat under these palms, https://retiredfromgypsylife.wordpress.com/2019/02/08/seat-series-2-palm-seat/
This is what this area looked like a month ago before we attacked the palms with the chainsaw…
Now this is what the space looks like…
The palm seat is still there, but we will have to give it a new name. The stumps of the palms have been covered with bromeliads and behind the seat are pots filled with pelargoniums.
The Frangipani is looking confused as it has suddenly produced a lonely flower bud. This is way out of season for it. But do you see the tomatoe in the pot under it? Last month I was carefully nurturing it in the greenhouse, but look at it now. It has an abundance of flowers and some tomatoes already set. It is a dwarf so is almost full height.
Talking about the green house, I am loving it. I have seed saved from the marigolds and Zinnias that did so well last season and they are happily and cosily residing in the green house till the weather warms up. I’ve gone a bit mad taking cuttings too that all seem to be surviving. Jack made a frame from bamboo stakes and the Lebanese cucumbers are thriving in here. The veggies are doing well and it is very satisfying to wander around picking herbs and whatever else is available. It gives me a great feeling of satisfaction.
The Paw Paws are looking well and today we had the first one of the season for breakfast. I meant to take a photo, but take my word for it, it was delicious…
So what else happened. We are in the process of making another bed. Remember the big pile of mulched up pruning from last month (see them here) Now the new fence is in place we placed a thick layer of cardboard along the area in front of the fence, spread most of the mulch over it, put over a layer of cow manure then sugar cane straw. Now it will be left to mature and break down till spring when I will plant more native shrubs.
The pansies are happily flowering and most of the spring annuals have been spread around, and I’ve been able to take up the plastic spoons as they did a splendid job of keeping the cats away till the plants had become established.
I’m so happy to see the new Grevillea,”Peaches and Cream”, starting to flower Such delicate colours.
This is a gallery of some of the other things flowering, or making a display this month.
It has been a busy month and the weather has been very variable. The first 3 weeks it was dry and cold, only 13mm of rain for the whole 3 weeks. Then 6 days ago it warmed up and started to rain. It was like heaven in the garden. the plants, especially the newly planted annuals, just soaked it up and thrived. I was especially pleased to see the rain as in 10 days we are going away on another art workshop retreat and I am so looking forward to it and now I can relax knowing the garden is well watered.
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I’m so pleased Su of “Zimmerbitch” runs this “Changing Seasons” 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.
Goodness, you and Jack have been so busy. Well done. I love your post-palm seat surrounded by bromeliads and pots. It looks a much more energetic space now. And as for your greenhouse, I’m green with envy, though as a structure it would not survive long here. I imagine it’s a lovely space to work in. That mulch along the fence sounds pretty fine too. I’d thrive in it if I were a plant 🙂
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Taking the palms down has certainly opened up the centre of the garden and I do love the greenhouse, so do the seedlings when we have the southerly winds blowing through
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You may think it’s looking bare, but your garden looks beautiful and flourishing to me. You and Jack have been busy!
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Perennials and native shrubs are quite slow growing to fill the spots that were previously a riot of tropical foliage, the look is quite different but it will eventually happen, and I can keep track of it each month in these posts
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Wow! Your garden looks lovely. Have a good time at the Art Retreat, Pauline!
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Thanks Sue I’m really looking forward to the retreat, 9 days and counting!!! 🎨
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Looking forward to seeing the results !
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So am I 🎨😊
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😊😊
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Love the Greenhouse and the Palm Seat really looks inviting. I recently planted a Peaches and Cream Grevillia after attending a Council sponsored Workshop about attracting Bees and Birds to the garden. Am currently building a Butterfly House. However, my garden is much scrappier as I have pumpkins growing over the lawn! Well done to both you and Jack. Enjoy your time away painting 🙂
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You are a gardener after jack’s heart, he would love to grow pumpkins over the lawn, next year he may get his wish as the next project is to remove the lawn and put down bark chip. We are also going to get a hive of native bees soon. Love the sound of your butterfly house, you will have to blog about it.
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Your garden is so exotic! I love all the plants, and it looks like you really opened the bench to the sun by attacking the palms with a chain saw. My son is a big fan of Paw Paws from his time in Hawaii. I don’t think I’ve ever tried one, but I will have to when I can. They’re not readily available here on the East coast. 🙂
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Taking the palms down has made the centre of the garden look bigger, but I’m wondering if I will miss the shade in mid summer. Paw paws bought from the shop can sometimes be a bit bitter. Home grown are delicious and quite a different flavour
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My son lived in Hawaii for a while and got them fresh there. Here, they’re not as fresh for sure. I hope you don’t miss the shade in summer. 🙂
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Can always put an umbrella up….
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Amazing results Pauline. I much prefer the de-palmed version. More appealing to the eye I think. Enjoy your getaway!
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Thanks Tina taking down the palms has really opened up the centre of the garden and let in more sunlight
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What a garden oasis, Pauline. 🙂 Enjoy your artist retreat!
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Thanks Patti I’m really looking forward to the art retreat
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Enjoy, Pauline. It sounds marvelous.
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[…] Pauline at Living in Paradise […]
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I would love a tropical garden, but have to content myself with what I can grow in this damp and mild climate that the S&S will leave alone. Like you I have been busy removing stuff so I can plant other things. I don’t think a gardener is ever content with their patch. Always tweaking, always changing 🙂 It has been nice to have a look around the garden again, I miss your posts. Have fun on the retreat and maybe you’ll show us what you get up to once you return home.
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Yes the garden is in constant change and will be a while before all the new plants take over, but it is endlessly satisfying. Your garden is a real picture, you would certainly have the rain for tropical but not the heat and humidity. At the moment the changing seasons post is the only one I do. I’ll probably report on the art retreat in next (oops! It’s July now so This) months post…
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Your grevillea is very pretty.
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I love grevillea and will be putting more in in spring
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That is what is a paw paw in Australia? I know them as papayas. Paw paws are compeletely different, more like small cherimoyas from North America. It is impressive whatever it is. They do not do so well here, but some people grow them anyway.
Cutting trees down can be so unpleasant, but opens up so much sunlight. I live among the tallest trees in the World, and we regularly cut down much smaller trees, which are still quite big. It can get quite dark is placed.
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G’day tony I think paw paw is the colloquial name. They pop up like weeds in my garden as they germinate from seeds in the compost I spread around. Only problem is I don’t know whether they are males or females till they are about a year old and quite tall by then. Only the females produce fruit, but they need one male to approx every 8 females in the vicinity to pollinate them
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Well, that makes sense. I sort of figures that was the case; although I sort of looked at it for a while to determine that was not what I though it should be.
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How wonderful it all looks and the flowers so beautiful! Your efforts have transformed your garden into more of a nature retreat, which I’m sure is what you were looking for. I am sure you are enjoying it all. Take care!
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Thanks Renee it is a little oasis, not many houses have gardens around here, so the birds love it here
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Lovely to see your changing garden.
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All of your plants look absolutely wonderful. You are fortunate to be able to grow such a wide variety of things. Love the greenhouse–I’m having so much fun with mine, I really understand what a treat it is. Happy gardening and have a wonderful art retreat.
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[…] was June last year when we cut down the palms from the centre bed (see here). Now the vision I had of a bed bathed in light and overflowing with annuals and perennials is […]
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