Changing Seasons : February 2020

What a month it has been, after the horrendous bushfires in large parts of Australia from September, finally, this month, the rains came and put out the fires. But then the rain just kept on keeping on, floods spread through many areas, but the good news it filled dams and ended the drought in many outback areas.

I looked up the average rainfall statistics for this area in February. Collected from 1981 to 2010. The average was 173mm fell over 10 days spread through the month.

My rain gauge recorded, for this month, 20 days of rain with a total of 564mm

This is the third year I have been recording monthly “changing seasons” so I checked back. Here is 2018, and 2019. I’d forgotten but both those years had significant “weather events”.

So what has been happening in the garden? Well not much actually, it has been either too wet or too hot and humid. So just very basic maintenance. A walk around each morning, maybe pull the occasional weed and just watch the garden grow. And grow it did, after the rain it became a jungle and this coming month it will be a major pruning time…

The tropical blue ginger is coming into flower. But can you see those vines wrapping around it?…They are Star Jasmine and the vine is running riot all through this border… A tricky job to get in and prune it back under control.The new rockery is taking shape. With a double red Desert Rose in the pot and succulents around the base of the pot I hope they can survive the full day sun in this area.I did make a start with pruning, trimming back this Murraya shrub so we could sit on the seat. I’d love you to join me…

This bed, on the left, was dominated by colourful annuals last year, but now the natives I planted as small seedlings last year, are starting to take over. In the right hand photo is a new area (it had veggies in it) but now has a new Grevillia called Billie Bonkers supported by that bamboo stake

Finally here are some of the tropical beauties flowering at the moment..

Now summer is over and we move into Autumn. This is my favourite time of the year and I hope it will live up to my expectations.

Next week we fly to Sydney for a birthday break and I’m planning a lunch cruise on the Sydney harbour. A long way to go for lunch…

*****************************

Sue Leslie hosts “the changing season” challenge each month. Pop over to see her she has some lovely sculptures to show you.