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

I'm sure I will. I'll leave a window open, just to make sure.

It was perfect garden weather today - and I wasn't here. Isn't it irritating when that happens?

Did you hear me shout? With a little help from me and a pair of scissors, i managed to get the husks of 3 of the seedlings and they're doing fine at the moment.

Oh have we had some bad stormy weather today Gusts of wind up to 80mph and heavy driving rain. Some of the fileds i walk past to and from work, were under a couple of inches of water.

Oh, so that's what the noise was. Three seedlings, unencumbered - that is a tremendously good outcome for something so difficult.

We have a very strange storm going on at the moment. No moisture in it, though - just wind and dust...

The seedlings are still doing well, it looks like they are starting to grow second leaves

We've had some wild weather here, luckily there has'nt been any damage to the garden. There is a tree just the other side of my fence that is'nt looking too good though. I hoping it does'nt fall into my garden

Are the juvenile leaves at all furry or flannelly - or is it too soon to tell? I've never seen an absolute seedling.

If this bit of tree does land, is it likely to land on anything particularly important or fragile? I do hope not...

It's too ealry to tell yet, there are only just beginning to grow. I'll be sure and keep you updated on thier progress though

If that tree does fall, it will take out my Mytle, Viburnum Bodnatense, a Clematis, Erythronium and a Hebe I'm really hoping it does'nt come this way.

I'll do some hoping on your behalf.

Right now, though, I should go to bed... I'm absolutely shattered tonight.

The winds have eased now, so all is calm again
I went out and had a wander round the garden, everything is shooting quickly now, and plants are starting to flower again I love Spring!

I'm rather glad the tree didn't come down.

I quite like Autumn. Mind you, I don't know when it'll start - Summer's still got its grip on us. The temperature in Adelaide has been over 35C for 12 straight days now; this isn't especially autumnal. For a few of those days it's been over 40C. My sister reports that it was 31C at 7am this morning, and 41C still at 5pm. It's little things like this that make me glad I no longer live there. It was only 34C here today, which is still extreme for Canberra in March.

Are the flannel flowers still happy?

I'm very glad it did'nt come down too.

Jeez! You're still having some very hot weather there I could'nt cope with that much heat, though i suppose like anything; you get used to it.

The seedlings are fine. I'm waiting for the second leaves to get big enough, so i can see if they look like a flannel

They certainly feel like flannel. It's very strange.

I wonder shat I should do today. 34C again; not good gardening weather. Not especially good outdoors weather in general, really. H'mmm. Maybe I'll just sit here for a while and await inspiration.

Third word, second paragraph: 'what'. And I even previewed the blasted thing. Maybe I should go back to bed.

Did you get inspired? Or did you just sit and sit and.....

I had a fantastic day at the orchid show, it was out of this world
I came home with two British native orchids, to go with my Bee and Spotted orchids

I sat for a while, then got interrupted by a market researcher and the Red Cross and my mother and anyone else who felt like chewing up parts of my day - and before I knew it Saturday was gone. Not that it matters, as I had no use for it to start with.

Sunday mostly happened down the pub.

I didn't do anything remotely botanical all weekend. So much for good intentions. But in my defence, it was unpleasantly warm out there. I might get organised enough to do some planting over Easter instead.

We are back to arctic conditions here Just as we thought Spring was here too.
Not a good week for venturing in the garden, just as well i'm working this coming weekend.

The Flannel flower seedlings are still doing well. There too small to pot up yet though. That may be the time that they fail, we'll see eh!

I have now organised myself to do some planting over Easter. Only seven plants, though - that was all I could carry this afternoon, and I won't be back at the nursery for a while.

2 x creeping boobialla, fine-leafed form
banksia ericifolia
grevillea 'Lady O' - I have one of these already.
grevillea 'old gold' - yes, another repeat performance
grevillea 'bonnie prince charlie' - stupid name, nice flowers
callistemon 'little john'

Now I have to decide what goes where.

That sounds like a lovely collection of plants I like Banksia, though they don't grow here at all.

Some news, two more Flannel flowers have germinated

In other news, it's been snowing here today. I've never known snow at easter, though as easter is early i guess it's not too surprising

Two more Flannel flowers? Being perverse little things, they probably responded to the presence of snow.

I managed to pick up another crowea exalata and a couple more grevilleas; I've put them all in and I feel virtuous about it.

Today I'll be halfway up a hillside in native bushland with a certain individual, but I'm sure I'll be paying close attention to locally-endemic shrubs, honest I will.

Oh nice I'm sure the endemic shrubs won't miss you're Attention this time

Those Flannel flowers are fickle things eh! I am pleased that thye have survived this long.

I wonder what will happen if I get torn between two attractive objects - one trying to flirt, the other just clinging to the hillside and growing. 'Sorry, I didn't hear you - I was gazing intently at this kurrajong. Lovely foliage...' I might get left on the hillside; I'd better be careful.

I am delighted at the progress of your Flannel flowers. It's not given to just anyone to germinate these things, let alone keep them alive...