SoS 21/3/20
Golly, I certainly didn’t think I’d have any plants to talk about but because of the C-Virus, and our island declaring a State of Emergency and shutting its borders, I’ve spent a lot of time in the garden, doing the autumn cutback.
It’s been wonderful, I’ve found:
Colchicum byzantinum (1) hidden under a big Nepeta.
Petite hoop petticoat leaves (2) sprouting through rampant violets which I’ve thinned out so that the bulbs can get air and light.
Cyclamen persicum (3) which was drowning in last year’s Hellebore leaves.
And in the cutting back of the Hellebores, I found a triple white (4) actually in flower (it’s warm autumn here in Tasmania)
I also checked the tubs of citrus and was blown away by the amount of fruit on my miniature lemon and Kaffir lime trees (5 &6) . Should I be thinning out the fruit? And can someone suggest what actual Kaffir limes can be used for? Pickles? Marmalade? Lime Butter?
If you want to check out gardens all over the globe, and how we gardeners are keeping busy in this time of distancing and lockdown, go to Mr.P’s blog and click on each link. Fab stuff that fills in those long hours behind the garden gates!
How lovely. I will miss Spring here as I was only able to catch sight of the beginning of Spring the last time I was able to get out. Enjoy the small gifts from natural as much as you are able.
Kathleen, have a look at the links on Mr.P’s blog. It will be a trip through the gardens of spring for you.
Your cyclamen are lovely. They are so joyful aren’t they, with their swept back petals? Stay safe on your island. J
Thank you, June. Yes, they are a sweet little plant. I would love great swathes of white ones. I’ve got no idea where the pink came from as I’ve got an essentially white garden. You stay safe as well. Cheers.
I’m growing a Kaffir lime from pips. You can use it to put in dishes by using zest (with fish) but also in jam: I made a kiwi + kaffir lime zest jam: yummy!
About lemons, yes you can thin the fruits by keeping only a few one or 2 per group, the smallest will fall by themselves otherwise. They look healthy, though!
Oh, Fred! I LOVE the sound of the lime and kiwifruit jam. If I can only find sugar in the supermarkets! The shelves are bare! And thank you so much for the advice on lemons. Something else to do inn the garden in this time of lockdown and isolation.