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

It's strange that your country should be suffering the heat and terrible fires, while we're copng with floods. It's a shame we can't share all this bloomin water.

How are the sedums doing now?

Alot of the orchids are so easy to grow. Moth orchids being the easiest, they don't require much attention at all. There are only a few basic rules to follow. Don't put them in direct sun, don't over-water them and don't let them get cold. Mine seem to thrive on neglect, erratic watering and feeding brings rewards of constant flowers.

"Yes, limestone is alkaline and not the ideal conditions for azaleas"

You could grow them in a pot of ericaceous compost? There are some beautiful small ones, rhododendrons too. Or, we have an Acid Spot, much dug, peated, tea-bagged and acidated, and we've been quite successful with pieris, rhodos, hammalelis, not to mention skimmia and gentian. Forgive me for butting in on this thread; I don't even know anything about the garden's aspect, but I'm always shoving my beak in. A born mother-in-law.

Moves out of the cupboard into the potting shed.
Dig

Good grief! You've just replied to a posting that was made 4 years ago! I think we've moved on more than a little since then.
Oh and Ivan is in Australia, no ericacious compost there, gardening is done on a whole different level to us in the UK.

Back into potting shed. Always been slow on the uptake and quick on the draw.
Dig

It comes with age, not something you can pick up overnight.

Age? I have plenty of that. D'you want some?

*giggles* Hi Dig.

Sorry I haven't been on this thread over the last couple of days; I've been somewhat preoccupied and easily distracted. Still am, if it comes to that.

Normal service will be resumed sometime over the weekend, in between therapeutic gardening.

You have a NORMAL service? she shrieked.
When you're as old as I am, it'll be but a distant memory. But this 'ere snow makes abnormality the norm.

Gardening? Therapeutic? I worry about giving the worms a headache if I hit them with the trowel.

Time for a lie down.

Dig? 'Fraid so.

And here I am again, a week later than I thought. Sorry... I've been spending so much time over on the impossibly grim Journal thread that I simply haven't managed to keep up with other things.

Anyway. Back to the garden. I've lost a banksia and a hebe in addition to that euphorbia. The banksia is a particular disappointment. The heat's dropped off now, but there's still no rain and I can only do so much hand-watering... It was a real problem when there was a temperature over 40C and my watering time was still 24 hours in the future.



On the other hand, my native hibiscus has flowered for the first time. Only one flower so far - white and really rather elegant. I almost gave up on that plant a couple of winters ago; I thought the frost had killed it. So there's a victory to set against the losses.

Aawww, that is a shame about the Banksia, i was under the impression that they thrived in hot dry conditions? I may have got that wrong of course.
How are the pomegranites doing?
White Hibiscus are the best colour in my opinion. The blue ones always look a bit whishy-washy and the pink ones just look like a Hollyhock flower to me.

Spring is Springing here, with simply loads of bulbs coming up all over the garden. I can't remember everything i planted last Autumn, or where i planted them so it's going to be interesting to say the least. It's been a hard winter this time and i'm surpised i havent lost any plants.

No losses? Glad to hear it.

I've never knowingly seen a hollyhock. Thanks for telling me what they look like. Now I realise they're those somewhat overblown things that appear in twee pictures on biscuit tins and so forth. Alright in their place, of course.

My particular native hibiscus has a very simple flower, like a full skirt or a dervish's robes. The leaves look like those of a lemon-scented geranium, grey-green and lobeish and not at all glossy. It's a strange thing.

The pomegranates are doing well, but I think a bit more water would improve the fruit. Naturally I can't provide any more water, so I'll settle for being happy that the plant itself is still alive and heathy.

As for the banksia - I have no idea what happened there. It snuffed it rather suddenly. Maybe the root system struck a patch of 'improved' soil and it died of nutrient overdose. *sigh* I'll try again one day.

I'm not a fan of Hollyhocks, they might look pretty on biscuit tins and the like, but they come with their own set of problems, namely rust! The things seem to be martyrs to it and will quite happily infect other plants with it My neighbour has some, fortunately they are at the front of the property so won't affect anything in my garden.

I hope you try a Banksia again, i've seen them in books they are so unusual and pretty.

I bought myself a new plant Tuesday, well a small tree actually. It has the best name ever, it's called a Moosewood! It's a snakebark acer, with green and white bark, though the bark is red and white while the tree is still a sapling.

I'm pleased to hear the pomegranites are doing well consdiering the conditions they are having to endure.

Moosewood. Does it have antlers? I do hope so...

Plant rust is a problem with some plants here, apparently, but I haven't seen a case in any garden I've known in depth. All things considered, though, 'rustflower' sounds like an Australian native of some sort. The plant disease I hear most about, especially on the radio gardening show, is black spot. To me, the answer's simple - don't plant roses.

I'm going to be out of town on three separate trips over the next fortnight. Two business trips, one mercifully for pleasure (or a near equivalent). When it's all over I'm planning one last planting blitz before autumn sets in. No idea what I'll get; I'll see what's there that looks tough yet appealing.

Apparently a Moosewood is so called because Moose like to eat it. I think mines safe though, i don't recall seeing any moose in the vicinity, mind you i did'nt have a moosewood to tempt them before.

Oh yes blackspot, the curse of roses and it appears many other shrubs Photinia red robin seems to get it more than roses. My roses do get it sometimes, but not too bad. I have more of a problem with rust on my fuschia's in hot dry summers.

Enjoy your pleasure trip.

The pleasure trip's this weekend - I have to get through three more manic days beforehand and I'm wondering what will be left of me by Friday. A few of us went to the steelworks today; fascinating stuff, but the 600km round trip has left me thoroughly tired. I wasn't even driving; I wonder how the driver feels now.

I was rather hoping Moosewood would be what mooses are made out of. I expect they're just boring old flesh and bone after all...

The big news of the day - it's raining!!! The radar shows it'll last for at least the next 10 minutes too.

How was you trip? Good i hope.

I'm kind of glad the moose are not made out of Moosewood, it would seem just a little wierd to suddenly find myself with a real live moose in the garden.

It's all go with Spring in the garden, i just love this time of year. The Hellebores are in full flower, as are crocus, scilla and the first daffodils. My Daphne smells wonderful, like perfumed lemons. There are so many thing flowering and budding that every day is a new treat in the garden.

Did you have a good few hours of rain afterall?

I've done a journal on the highlights of my various recent trips. I'm exhausted now, but I did have fun.

There were only five minutes of light rain the other day, but we had a good old deluge this afternoon. I was down the pub throughout - the place got struck by lightning - quite an atmospheric day all up... Tomorrow I'll inspect the garden and see what's dead and what's not. There was no rain while I was away, you see.

Here's a sad thing. One of the local garden centres has closed down. It's the water restrictions that finally did for them. Plenty of business, but no way of keeping the plants in good condition.

I did have a read of your journal. I can't quite see you and steel works going together, aside from the eye candy that is

How sad that a garden centre has had to close down for those reasons I know of two landscaping businesses that have had to fold, due to the state of the economy. My workplace seems to be doing ok, only time will tell.

I hope you don't find any casualties in your garden

There's another dead grevillea. A Deua Flame, which is endangered in the wild. It seems to be endangered in my garden too. I think, despite what it says on the label, it needs full shade rather than part shade. It also no doubt needs more water during the establishment phase, but that's more or less out of my hands when I'm out of town. It was a reasonably recent planting.

And no, the steelworks isn't exactly my natural habitat. I've rarely felt so out of place. *shudder*

I think I might see about a planting marathon next weekend. It might be my last chance before the weather gets inconvenient.

Aaww what a shame about the Grevillea, especially as it's endangered. Will you try another one?

I did the first cut of the season for the lawn today, it looks so much better now after winter. The same cannot be said for my back and shoulders

Have you a list in mind for the marathon planting?