Tuesday, October 24, 2006

The Front Garden



I can take no credit for these gum (eucalyptus) trees that surround my house....they were already here. The front garden was a mess of holly, cherry laurel, radiata pine and monbretia when we bought the house. These are all classified as weeds in the Blue Mountains due to their invasive nature and ability to strangle the bush.

Our main task has been to remove the invaders ( has taken years) and re-generate with local native species. Some have been planted while some have come up on their own as the weeds were removed. I have no ability to simulate the wonder of nature so the front garden is a bushy, informal garden that attempts to sit within the landscape - but it's a garden!

We don't water the front garden at all which is why local indigenous species have been used. More planting needs to be done - it's on the list!



Okay - this is native mint but not the local kind. It's Prosanthera Rotundifolia not
P. lasianthos which has white flowers. I planted it when we first arrived and I still like it's showy purple flowers. When you crush the leaves, they smell minty.



The front path.

Thursday, October 12, 2006

Spring.....here we go!


Spring is here and I have resumed my gardening with vigour. Here is a picture of the lovely hellebores which have never failed to thrill me for most of winter and don't they look super with the tulip. Why do tulips never fail to seduce me? I always say that I'm not going to bother with them and then they look like this! I love this red - why can't I find a lipstick in this shade?

Will post more from the front garden (plants indigenous to the Upper Blue Mountains) and the back vegetable garden....gotta work out the digital camera. Nada