SoS 24/4/21
We’re back in our big garden on the coast after dallying in the city last week and I was happy to see the garden breathing again as temperatures drop and the nights have welcome dews. This garden suffers in summer, as I’ve mentioned before, and in order to try and create a more temperate micro-climate, we’ve slowly been filling the old orchard with trees of all sorts. Hopefully they’ll act as not just wind protection, but feedlots for birds and insects AND lower the overall summer temperature of the whole garden. Trouble is, it may not be in my life time. But that’s gardening, isn’t it? A measure of future-proofing?
Anyway, as I wandered around the garden, I found that the shy crocuses which I thought had rotted in the wet and humid summer, are still with us and all of them have put on a bit of a show (whilst we haven’t been here!). This is almost the last.
I also nearly fell over backwards when I looked at our miniature lemon tree. Abundance!!! I see much lemon cookery coming up.
On my return from the beach, I noticed the liquid amber at the front gate is positively bipolar. Half neatly still green and the other absolutely garnet. Gorgeous!
I had purchased two ferns for the expanding fernery: Haemionitis arifolia which has the sweetest little shepherd’s crook fiddleheads. The other is listed rather plainly as Doodia Species. That’s it, nothing else. But the new foliage has a really attractive pink tinge.
The red net-bag is from the veggie crisper and contains last year‘s black, orange and white tulips which are being potted today and tomorrow. Will they give me a show? Who knows? I lifted them Monty Don-style, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed. I’m also really breaking out of my comfort zone because I’m planting two pots with a mix of mauve and blue iris and crocus. They will go over where the grape hyacinths are. NOT near my essentially white and black borders.
Finally, the garlic. It’ll go in tomorrow. Along with broadbeans which we always traditionally plant on ANZAC Day (25th April) and which give us fine veg for Christmas.
And that’s my lot. Do wander through everyone’s gardens via Mr.P and SoS. And thanks for visiting mine.
Cheers all.
Autumn bulb planting here too…do you know if you can grow garlic in pots?
I’m not sure, Barbara, but I don’t see why not as long as you don’t over-water and rot the bulbs. I guess you’d have nothing to lose, I’d give it a go.
Do you know the variety of this lemon tree? It’s stunning and I’m sure the fruits must be delicious and juicy: they look like the Meyer lemons I grow up here.
It’s a Meyer, Fred. Well spotted. A dwarf version and great for a tub. The lemons smell delicious and are filled with juice. But they don’t zest very well.
It’s always strange but nice to see the opposite seasons to mine. Those lemons look good and so many of them. Our daughter in Dubai sent us a picture of her many limes and her red desert rose. Garlic is a good, reliable vegetable (herb?). I enjoy growing it too.
I’m so glad to be grubbing around in the dirt, Granny.
Cracking photos Prue .x
Ta, Libby.
Very exciting to get such a generous harvest from your lemon tree. I really like your new ferns – the Haemionitis arifolia is new to me and the foliage is very appealing. The idea of modifying the microclimate by planting more trees is a good one. As you said, so much of what we do in the garden is for an uncertain future that we may never see, but that’s part of the joy.
The little lemon tree is a wonder and I keep expecting it to break under the strain. I’m actually looking at placing supports in the tub today. If I had been a good gardener, when the fruit began to emerge I suppose I should have thinned it out but honestly, I didn’t have the heart to. It may be something I pay for in the future.