I see that Gardening Australia is kicking off for another year tonight, bringing to my attention the holiday break that my little scribblings have had as well. Rather like the ABC, my news wound down in November so it is timely that I should sit and write to you, dear reader, today.
Unlike the ABC, I have resisted trawling through old episodes of Midsummer Garden Murders, which I know you have all read before, and presenting them again under the guise of revisiting. Even as I write about it though, I am thinking what a clever idea. It will not be worth your eight cents a day, but it would fill in December and January quite nicely I should think, we shall trial it next summer. The Moble Garden Poirot Series; if she didn’t do it, she should have.
I am feeling motivated as we managed to find ourselves under some welcome rain; the next morning dawned overcast with the creek running, the birds singing, and the garden draped in that lovely soft green that only a clouded sky and its muted light can create. I am feeling very thankful and Mr. Moble has set-off on his four-wheeler to see what he can see; I hope it is mud, mud and more mud.
I see a butterfly through the office window, enjoying the Murraya flowers; the scent of orange blossom is filling the room thank goodness as the scent of dust was overwhelming when I walked in here. Thank goodness for windows and scented shrubs. The Murraya paniculata, Mock Orange, is always quick to respond to a wet change, indeed the last few days of humidity and cloud has been enough to encourage it to flower. As mentioned before, it is planted outside the bedroom windows here at Moble. So many of these scented plants are even better where they can be enjoyed in the evening air. Plant them where you eat, drink, and sleep I say and if that all happens in one spot, maybe plant two!
I wonder if the butterflies will be as abundant as they were last year. I remember them being the topic of discussion on the radio, so extraordinary was that season. I seem to recall some wasp’s demise due to the timing of the rainfall helped them to proliferate so I am hopeful the wasp is slow off the mark again, though I daresay it is frightfully important as well. It is just that the butterflies are so very beautiful, and the wasps do come with a sting.
Another fragrant joy here at present is the Impatient Gardener’s fig tree which impresses me daily as I cycle by on my way to water the Old Garden. It has trebled in size this summer, despite a dry run, and is laden with delicious fruit that you can smell as you ride across the bridge. I had not realised that figs were so fragrant, the air is simply thick with them, I feel the bees would be swooning in their wake. She has built an impenetrable fortress around it so the Bower birds et al are having to mind their own business, in fact the only infringement thus far has been an unsuspecting waterhen trying to escape Mr. Biggles’ unexpected turn of speed. Thankfully, the bird and the tree are still in- tact and Biggles has returned to his mousing duties.
In a nod to the GABSI scheme School of Architecture, she selected poly pipe for her main frame, tightly secured and covered with bird netting. Both light and flexible enough to move with the tree, it is a splendid edifice, though true success will be judged when we are eating those delicious figs.
I flung some fertiliser around the morning of the rain, such a perfect sentence. Whilst February still looms hot, I know the back is broken on the summer by now, so it was a great opportunity to kick things along here again. I have started on my lawn edges and will continue around the garden, section by section, and poison them as I go. I like to do the edges first and then poison, though we all have our own routines; I mow, edge, poison. I will have a good look at the shape of the garden beds as I go; they can lose their line over time and need re-shaping. Now is a good time for this sorting -out, as the lawns are still growing and will have time to fill in again before the winter.
The roses all had a trim back yesterday, they are still looking pretty grim and I am not sure what their next move will be; they are probably hoping Adelaide. I gave them a feed as well for good measure and a dose of sulphur out from their drip line, as I know the pH keeps creeping up here still, or maybe it just hasn’t crept down far enough yet. There are three different types of butterflies outside the window now, must be some sort of jamboree happening.
Once the edges are done, the hedges will have a clean up and I shall feed them as well and then I will see what is happening in the vegetable world, but that will be for next time.
I hope you are having some rain where you are and there is more to come soon, and Happy Birthday to my dear brother and Mrs. Boston, two peas in a pod.
The Moble Gardener
