– Page 16 – Paradisus Garden Lovers

Busy Bees & Warm Bulbs

Its always good to keep in touch with owners, because there’s always something to be learnt from a new garden and even more as it gains “weight” across successive seasons.

Hippeastrum striatum, easy spring flowering refined version of their larger more flamboyant "stripy" cousins — Hippeastrum striatum, easy spring flowering refined version of their larger more flamboyant “stripy” cousins

Calling in at Susan & John Trathen’s Balgowlah garden last week, I was reminded how easy the Sth American hippeastrum species are for us in coastal Sydney. Its possible, as in Su’s case, how just a bulb or two of say Hippeastrum striatum can quietly increase or a few years and look so good near a water source.

Hippeastrum calyptratum, the seductively appealing "green hippeastrum" — Hippeastrum calyptratum, the seductively appealing “green hippeastrum”

Probably because this tribe is often found in habitat near creeks or rivers, in shady micro climates, building slowly in rock crevices or even in trees as epiphytes if the conditions are right. Providing drainage is assured, most adapt very well to garden conditions grown as a terrestrial, like this interesting green, May flowering relative H. calyptratum here at my “Sea-Changer” Forresters Beach.

Veltheimia bracteata, a beautiful late winter Sth African even in dry shade pine needles

Another steady performer that Su & John have succeeded with, is Veltheimia that dies down in the heat to re-emerge around easter to flower late July and August. Especially commendable in Su’s case, this clump started as very small tube sized plants; such is the perseverance of so many women gardeners with the right nurturing approach to garden making …. so proud of you Su !!

I also noticed John & Su have added a Sugar Bag Native Bee Hive Box to encourage and house the much tinier, glossy black native bees into the garden. Even hoping this season to attract the native solitary bees who prefer singular accommodation in one of the tubular homes in a covered hive stack. Interesting huh …. Maybe you could think about encouraging some more nature to your garden this season too .. !

Simply the best species sun hardy neoregelias & their hybrids, vrieseas, tillandsia, guzmania and MANY more .. !!

Just click here Brom fair 0ct2015 for opening times, NOTE trading on Sunday ceases at midday :0

Gary Flemming at Collectors Plant Fair will be selling at Concord Bromeliad Fair

Mark Paul from the Greenwall Company, Peter Tristram, Gary & Angela Flemming from Melanquin Nursery and Michael Firenze are some of the best of the former NSW Bromeliad Society growers and suppliers I use for my own Paradisus designs… A rare opportunity to enrich your own home gardens from the one location over 1 & 1/2 days in Sydney.

Concord Senior Citizens

9 – 11 Wellbank Street, Concord

For more information contact Gary on 0265 5539868 or 0413 178884

and Peter Tristram Peter@bromeliads.com.au

Central Coast Plant Lovers Fair ’15 THIS weekend !!

CCPLF ’15 Growers

Click on the above link for good garden plants for your client designs, to expand your Growers List and diversify your own home garden towards the more interesting and resilient.

The Fair at Kariong Mountains High School, Kariong, Central Coast NSW, is open both days of THIS weekend, Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th 9am till 4pm and forecasts are both pleasantly overcast so bring plenty of boxes !

CCPLF '14 Fair action — CCPLF ’14 Fair action

All stall holders are worth considering and the following are particular faves of mine for garden making plants par excellence –

Stephen Bridge at Addictive Plants, Andrew Harvie, Keith Tollis and Colin Hunt at Andy’s Rare Plants, Ross & Chris Bolwell at Bloom’n Greenery, David Fripp at Screen Trees Australia, Klaus Eckardt at Green e Roses, Royal Botanic Gardens Growing Friends, Donnovan & Jessica Linney at Plant Life, Robyn Bible Geraniums & Pelagoniums, Wes and Lorraine Vidler at Weslor Nursery, Don Teese at Yamina Rare Plants, Michael Dent at Aloe Aloe, Elaine Slade at Kawana Nursery and Bob & Gleness and Jamie Lanarch at Bromeliads Australia .. !!

You can always expect a stand out selection of very kool plants also, at Ruth & Peter Donnally’s Coachwood stall. Among so many faves across their tables just bulging with horticultural treasure, you can expect a good supply Ipheon sellowianum the golden Star Flower. Excellent ground covering companion to autumn white flowering Zephyranthes candida the Autumn Crocus.

Sometimes best contrasts to ornamental grasses with good humidity tollerance like ultra fine sage green Poa ‘Eskdale’, are found in the rubbery pink and eau de Nil green scallops of Kalanchoe fedtschenkoi dwarf forms as a nice little texture rug.

Or you might have a decent sheet of glossy but over homogenous glossy green Billbergia pyramidalis that pokes out into the sun, for a nice contrasting splodge of cochineal Senecio amaniensis. Crassula ‘Springtime’

Or what could be nicer as a break from Mini Mondo Grass, to use the rich coffee shades of Crassula ‘Springtime’ between that brick or salt textured concrete paver slabs … heaven 🙂

“Sea-Changer” Shade & Dining Canopy

Summer shade & winter sun … get thee a shade hut.

There were many reasons I decided on this house at Forresters Beach on the Central Costa, chief among them was the rear garden aspect that is open to the north.

A basic request among gardening types I hear you say, maybe so but I think essential for anyone who values the benefits of a winter sun trap where sought after warmth can be got right to the back of any static shade device. Meaning no matter how brief, watery or weak the sun might be in the June – July period, any shade device facing most parts of north WILL allow precious rays at this brief but rather important time of year, to warm one’s back to toasty perfection out of the wind.

Combining the brotherly landscaping talents of Green Elements Simon & Hayden Jones, with Jennifer Snyder’s House of Bamboo (where options in new flooring & wall panelling have reached a recent apex of sophistication and always especially in creative ways to bring shade to the garden), so the “Sea-Changer” Shade/Sun Hut & Dining Canopy have emerged.

Of course, as the name suggests, its the Shade Hut function that’s supported over many more months than the brief cooler stint, when ferocious daily temp’s mean getting OUT of the sun is the difference between far less appealing air con. and a welcome breeze outside where our climate leads us so naturally. BBQ’d meals, drinks with friends & fam, its all outside for most living on East Coast Australia … good to know that even for the brief cooler period, Natureed Canopies ARE retractible on cable driven pulleys between the gal. steel frame posts just to let in a little extra sunny goodness.

Looking forward to showing you all this and more at the exciting “Sea-Changer” Saturday, 5th March ’16 Launch so mark your planners for a fun day on the Central Costa.