Bellis

We finally made it to Jerry Coleby-Williams' Open Garden in "boring old Wynnum" last weekend.  We've been meaning to go for years but never got around to it.  As it turns out we helped set a record for the biggest ever Open Garden for Queensland.  As you can imagine it was quite busy with so many people packed into 700m2 and we had to shuffle around the garden in a long line for the most part; however, it was still an enjoyable day.  We also got to listen to Jerry talking for a bit about how he manages the garden.  The lack of vacant space was impressive and it's obvious he gets everything he possibly can out of his space whether it be food for himself, pollen and nectar for the bees or biodiversity and habitat, and even a bit of ornamental gardening.  

Here are some photos from the day:

Chickpeas

The popular and lush cocoyam

The bees love this flowering turnip

First fleet lettuce - many salad days ahead

Give me a home among the...pandanus

Carpet of nasturtium

The gorgeously scented Rondeletia now Rogiera

Still room for some ornamentation using chives as a border

Sugar palm - no sumatran tiger or rhino habitat lost here

The Laurels

About a  month ago we decided to go for a country drive out to Warwick which is a few hours west of home.  We stopped in at Boonah on the way and discovered a Flying Fox colony right behind the tourist information centre where we had lunch.  As usual the noise was incredible but it was lovely to see a healthy colony in a position that for once doesn't seem to cause trouble with residents.

It was a perfect sunny day and not too hot for a gentle stroll around a garden.  This was one of the first Open Gardens I'd been to that was made by a professional gardener; who incidentally had featured in a book on Australian gardens that I'd read only a few weeks prior.  As to be expected, the garden was gorgeous and had a little of something for everyone and some thoughtful elements in terms of design, sustainability and practicality.

Old shed converted to a chook house

Herb forage for the chooks

A sheep that won't eat all your prized ornamentals

Fluffy bottomed trio of lawn manicurists

The woodland walk

Homemade garden ornaments

Stunning fountain at the formal front entrance

Ahhhh symmetry and stachys - what more could you want?

This hedge formation elongates a narrows space and directs the eye while also dividing the space into rooms in their own right

Giving sedum the boot

Walkway to the garage and backyard

Wall garden made from a pallet

Outdoor area - there are wisteria planted to grow over the pergola which is made from recycled timber as are most of the structures in the garden

Guarding the entrance to the backyard

Even the fountain is homemade

Treehouse and mini deck chairs in the front garden

Open Garden at Birdhaven

It had been a while since we'd gone to an Open Garden and this one came at an ideal time to explore what will grow in the local area and for a refreshing take on gardening.  Birdhaven is a vast collection of native flora that - as you probably guessed - provides a habitat and food source for many types of bird.  The garden lives up to its name with plenty of small birds and larger nectar feeders flitting through the garden the whole afternoon.

The block is about 2.5 acres in size and the owners have largely left the natural landscape untouched; including a huge natural rock formation that provides a fun place for kids to play or a lovely spot to sip a cup of tea in the afternoon.

Plantings consisted mostly of grevilleas and acacias with a huge number of different specimens of each.  Natives have also been allowed to remain or regenerate with dianellas dotted around the place and some large and medium trees acting as canopy.

As well as the extensive native garden there was a large vegetable garden and orchard complete with two beehives.  With the citrus and nasturtiums in full bloom, the bees didn't have far to go for a meal.

One of the few non-natives: Arbutus menziesii

Birds weren't the only wildlife around

The grevilleas captured the afternoon light and took on a real glow

Busy bees

A perfect winter reptilian hideaway

One of the many dianellas

Lechenaultia biloba - a real show stopper and native from WA

The scent from this was amazing but not overpowering

Doryanthes palmeri - a striking plant and flower that definitely needs a large garden with 2m long leaves

Congratulations to Denis Cox and Jan Glazebrook on a beautiful achievement both aesthetically and environmentally.

The Giving Garden

Today we visited Ian and Judy Wintle's garden as part of the Open Gardens Australia scheme.  The garden was very tidy and well laid out and there were plenty of plants for sale too.  I'm not sure I've ever seen so many gingers and bromeliads in one garden before.  We spotted a few out of the 70 odd tropical fruit trees but I'm sure there were plenty we missed.

Here are some photos I took of the garden.

This little friend wasn't shy and stayed around for the photo opportunity

Haemanthus multiflorus

Coffea arabica

Ceropegia woodii 'Chain of Hearts'

Good to see even an open garden isn't safe from  random tomato sproutings

Worm farm diorama

Aristolochia gigantea

Homalocladium platycladum 'Tapeworm plant'

Lychee - 'Tai-So'

This was my favourite - Aglaonema pictum 'Tricolor'

Bromeliad aclantarea 'Grace Goode'