h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I've been advised that flannel flowers should be kept dry, and also that they should be kept moist, and that they need some shade and that they need full sun. In short, whatever you do might turn out to be right. Good luck...

As for the weather - 35C yesterday, with an evening thunderstorm. 30C today. 23C tomorrow. There's no way of knowing what will happen on any give day, though I am inclined to rule out snow between November and March.

On the other hand, whatever i do could be wrong I'm getting the feeling that these Flannel flowers are fickle little things and basically do what they like!

I would like to rule out snow altogether here, but according to the forecast, we could get some tomorrow. Just what i need right now.....not!
I have an Eremurus, which has decided to poke it's head out of the ground, it's not at all keen on frost or snow. I've had to cover up the bud with soil in the hope that it will protect the delicate bud.

I've just been in the garden - things are either thriving or dead, there's no in-between. This really is dispiriting. But I suppose I should be glad that I've made so many successful plantings, rather than dwelling on the duds.

I've also registered, for the first time, just how much I'll have to do out there before winter comes along. I'm tired, just thinking about it.

Yes, it's best to look on the positive side. You've obviously had quite alot of success with some plants

Aawww c'mon, tidying up for the winter is fun and lets face it, you would'nt want to be doing it in Spring, when you could be enjoying Spring flowers eh!

Native plants don't really do Spring flowers. They flower whenever the urge strikes them. It's all very untidy, really - things could have been organised better.

The main thing I need to do is hack through the unidentfied sprawly shrub (possibly a sort of Pacific creeper) to get at the base of the crepe myrtle. I want to lop the lower branches of the crepe myrtle, turn it into a real tree, and clear space for things that are worth having. The garden will look a right mess while I'm dealing with that.

Thats a shame, i love Spring flowers; it's the promise of better things to come

Was the creeper there when you moved in? Sounds like a tough job, but it should look great once you've finished

I actually managed a bit of time in my garden today. It's still very soggy in places, but all in all not looking too bad for this time of year.

The creeper-thing was indeed here when I moved in. It's really a shrub, but it seems to put out tendrils too... or at least that's how it looks to me. I've left it alone while my own plantings have been settling in; now it's time to get it out of the way. It will be a big job. Strangely, the more I think about it the less interested I am in getting the job started. It's so exhausting, just thinking about it.

Grit your teeth and go out and do it, you know you want to really!

We've had some nice weather here So as i've booked the weekend off work, i'm going to be out in my garden tomorrow. I have some bulbs to plant and stuff to prune. I can't wait to get out there

I've managed to find myself other things to do this weekend.

I can spend all of Easter in the garden, if necessary. That's only 5 weeks away, isn't it? I'll have no excuses - most of my friends will be out of town and I'll be saving money for a trip to Adelaide at the end of April. I'll have to stay home and do actual physcal labour.

Lets face it, either way you will have to get out there sooner or later and do the job.
I get the feeling that you're not very motivated when it comes to gardening chores?

Easter is early this year That means buying more

I'm not especially motivated at the moment, no. I like planning and planting, loathe weeding, and really regret the necessity of pruning. One of these days, when I actually own a garden, it'll be planned to be a lot more wild than is possible with the existing layout here.

I'm staying away from this easter. It's this diet, you see - it's working so far, and I don't want to go off-track even for a moment.

I love weeding, theres a certain satisfaction when a flower bed is freshly weeded and looking good. The one thing i don't like doing is mowing and trimming the edges. It takes forever

I don't eat much but will allow myself a treat at easter

Mowing only takes a few minutes here, especially now that I've dug up half the grassed area and stuck other plants in it. I should mow sometime soon - the grass is finally growing again. I'll cut it fairly long so the soil doesn't get fried.

The grass that is there is patchy and straggly, but it's *green*. This has great novelty value.

It takes me an hour to mow my lawn I have a petrol mower, which is very good. I've even mastered the art of weaving in an out between the Cowslips and Orchids that grow in the grass. I still don't enjoy it though.

I can't imagine green being a novelty, we have so much of it here. I must admit i love to see the fresh green growth of Spring.

I don't get along with petrol mowers. I've used a number of the mongrels, and they are far too temperamental for my liking. At the moment I have one of those flymo things, and it's good enough. On a larger block it might not be so brilliant, but in this space here it's OK.

The default colour around here is a sort of sandy biscuit colour on top of red or red-brown earth. It's the colour of home for me, but it's nice to have green now and then.

I'd be happy with a flymo, but i have not electricity near my garden, so it has to be a petrol mower. I get on well with it considering.

I've seen the red earth on tv documentarys. It's a much better colour than the yellow clay stuff we get here My garden soil is a nice rich brown colour, mainly due to all the compost and stuff thats been added over the years.

I have a total of four extension cords for my flymo. This is probably horribly unsafe.

A reason for not having a petrol mower - the local petrol station has closed permanently and the nearest alternative is about 3km away. Add to that, I don't drive. Bus drivers don't much like transporting people who are carrying petrol.

Good grief!! That is really unsafe

I have the same problem with getting petrol for the mower. I have to ask someone to get it for me. Usually one of my colleagues at work is kind enough to get it and drop it of at my home

I worked at our local petrol station for 10 years, then it was sold to some people that i just could'nt get on with. It eventually closed about 3 years ago. It's a bus ride to my nearest station too

I've looked around for a single Really Big Extension Cord, but without luck so far. It would have to be at least 25 metres long. In the meantime, if I suspect there's any moisture about I won't mow the lawn. Maybe I should put insulating tape around the joins.

It's a good idea not to mow when theres moisture about
Are you syaing that you have the two extensions wired together? And without insulating tape around the join? Jeez Ivan, you could end up with an afro hairdo if your'e not carefull

I have some good news. Two of the Flannel flower seeds have germinated! I really pleased and hope that i can get them to a good size before planting them out. I don't know if any more will germinate, i'm hopeful though