At the moment things are looking great around town again with our recent rain, the kikuyu lawn getting a bit yellow and crispy before then. It was cut a few days ago and needs it again now!
Oh well, a job for me when the evening cools down.
The Crepe Myrtles are providing a lovely show in so many of our streets with the variety of mauves, pinks and whites that are available. I particularly like some of the new ones I see out there with the almost black leaves.
They contrast so well with the flowers especially white.
They are native to eastern Asia with the botanical name Lagestroemia indica.
They come in a huge range of varieties, flower and leaf colour and sizes from dwarf to tall 15mtrs plus trees.
They all prefer well drained soil and full sun and produce beautiful balls of colour at the end of the branches. As an inquisitive child I used to like to “pop” the flower buds just to see if they were really going to come out the same colour as all the rest!
Some varieties seem to be susceptible to mildew and this can be a problem but can usually be helped by removing the offending branches and as a last resort relocating them to a full sun position. There are also sprays that would help control the problem if you asked at your favourite nursery.
They are a vase shaped tree, they do sucker in some situations and they have a most stunning bark in winter, so still look decorative without their leaves and flowers. They can handle heavy pruning in winter but usually only require a light trim to keep to the vase shape that is their natural growth formation.
There is an Australian native crepe Myrtle lagestromeia archerianal that grows to about seven metres and has pinkish mauve flowers.
The flowers of all varieties are butterfly and bee attracting so another reason to plant one if you have the room and position.
They are deciduous so would not suit my brother with his hatred of all leaves dropped on his lawn.
I love autumn and any other sort of leaves.
I could probably do with some of his neatness to rub off on me but I really think its a bit late now.
After being away, even with it was so dry, I came home to heaps of tiny self-sown red tomatoes. This time I have given a lot away, frozen some and cooked and eaten a lot. I haven’t made any more relish at this point in time! I love fried up tomato and onion “tomato hash” as my father-in-law used to call it.
Served on toast, sometimes with the addition of an egg or cheese, is a favourite easy breakfast dish.
I was despairing that my black muscat grape vine had died while I was away, but with the recent rain, it is again putting on a lot of new greenery. As it is not in a suitable position really it is going to be pruned heavily this winter, dug up and given to a friend who has an ideal spot.
With the proliferation of new varieties available and the dislike of seeded grapes by the consuming public, the wonderful old black muscat is becoming very hard to find either to eat or to buy as a plant.
To my mind they are the only black grape that is really worth eating.. but then I grew up with the best that the Mudgee region could supply. I was thoroughly spoilt in that regard!
By some fluke I have a self-sown asparagus plant coming up and flourishing in the crack between my front step and veranda.
Another one is down along-side the driveway and the mail box.
I have never grown asparagus here or anywhere for that matter and have no idea how or from where these volunteers have appeared.
Neither one is in a good spot to be left and somehow I am going to have to remove them. Unfortunately, I think spray is going to be the only solution as they certainly can’t be dug out!
With all the neglect my garden has suffered over the last many months, I am amazed at what is still growing nicely and producing colour.
One of the best is the old faithful vincas that are putting some welcome colour in the scene. The gardenias are also flowering nicely and still producing their beautiful perfume.
I hope your gardens have survived the dry, the rain and the humidity of late and that the new Year is going well if rapidly.
I hope your gardens will be producing well and there will be plenty of entries for the Annual Autumn Flower Show that is rapidly approach us in March.
