MacPlanting

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day

Happy Garden Blogger's Bloom Day.

I hope things are improving for those of you struggling with the challenges of summer, heat and drought and threat of bushfires.

There's nothing much in my midwinter garden except the usual random hebe flower.

So here is what's blooming at our local botanic gardens.
To see more of what's blooming around the world please visit Seepferd's Garten.

Monday, July 9, 2012

More Winter

We have just had our coldest stretch of winter mornings in 47 years, eight consecutive mornings below -2.3℃ with an average of -4.9℃ (that's below 28℉ with an average of 23℉). Today's maximum was 14℃ but with the wind chill factor it felt like 10℃ (59℉ 50℉). The poor little ajugas are not enjoying their first winter.

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Winter

Last night's temp was -6℃ apparent temp -8℃ (21℉ apparent 17℉) and today it reached 11℃ apparent temp 7℃ (52℉ apparent 44℉).

Thinking of everyone affected by the heatwave in the US, especially those without power.

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Winter Chores

We've all had colds over the past week but Hubby is feeling better so he headed out to pick up those pesky seed pods from my previous post. When I realised he had decided to have a go at some major tree pruning as well I grabbed the camera and a warm jumper and went out quickly to do an update.

With the tree branches bare, it's easier to notice intriguing things like this cocoon.

I wonder what hatched out of it?

The diosma has a surprising number of flowers for an out of peak season flowering.

The first pruning task was a crepe myrtle.

Here's how it looked at the end of April.

Hubby took off the very low branch on the right.

Then he tackled the front branch of the Chinese pistachio. This is something I thought should have been done when the tree was much younger, but it wasn't until an arborist commented on the potential problems of the two branches forking in that way that he saw the need to do something about it. I think this is the largest branch we've ever removed from a tree.

Job done.

Then I went to see how my marigolds are doing and found my path blocked by this.

I couldn't get closer to have a good look at them but they are definitely showing signs of being affected by the sub-zero temperatures now.

Speaking of the weather, these are our recent temperatures.

Night before last

-3℃ apparent temp -6℃

26℉ apparent temp 21℉

Yesterday

14℃ apparent temp 10℃

57℉ apparent temp 50℉

Last night

-1℃ apparent temp -3℃

30℉ apparent temp 26℉

Today

9℃ apparent temp 8℃

48℉ apparent temp 46℉

Friday, June 15, 2012

Garden Bloggers (Not Really) Bloom(ing) Day in Winter

Not a whole lot of blooming but I thought I'd take the opportunity to do a garden update.

Providing the brightest colour in the garden now are the berberis which we planted last year. Catching sight of them through the window makes me wish I had room for more, the colour is just so warm and cheery.

In the background you might have noticed seed pods, many many seed pods. They're from the silk trees (albizia julibrissin, also know as mimosa). Hubby has been up a ladder cutting them off to prevent them sprouting all over the place and hasn't collected them all up yet.

And up in the back corner we have blooms! Much to my surprise the marigolds are still blooming.

I am linking this post here http://www.seepferds-garten.blogspot.de/2012/06/blogger-bluten-im-juni-20012.html

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

An Unusual Bird Sighting

In the last week of autumn the highlight of the garden was the Japanese Maple.

Then I noticed a very small bird flitting around in the birches.

This is the best photo I managed to get, cropped and enlarged.

I was amazed to see this bird fly down to a salvia and feed from it while hovering almost like a hummingbird. We don't have hummingbirds in Australia so that was not something I ever expected to see. I did some research and believe the bird is an Eastern Spinebill, a variety of honeyeater. Very exciting sighting!