Ordering Plants Online

Monday morning, and I wanted to buy a small tree.  After recent gardening endeavours, I've been left with a much nicer and neater courtyard.  Much more sunlight is encouraging me to plant edibles.  No privacy, though, is rather disconcerting.  I can see right into my neighbour's rooms.  Obviously, they can see right into my living room, too.  Hence the desire for a small tree.

Instead of wandering into local nurseries and finding out what they have (or not), I went online to find nearby nurseries, intending to phone them and find out their small tree stocks.  I found, however, online nurseries that deliver.  Perfect!

I spent quite some time checking out different providers, and different plants.  There were quite a few from interstate - not so keen on that, despite their assurance of quality.  When I found nursery direct online (find them here), I was much happier.  They service South East Queensland only, and include free delivery.

Eventually, I decided on a Lilly Pilly - fast growing, screen plant, native, full or part shade, suitable for pots - yay!  They require a minimum order amount so they can keep the delivery free, so I kept looking.  One bit that is bare but gets lots of sun is against the fence which has the clothes line, and I picked some kangaroo paws for there (although they won't stay there, I didn't think that through); I also bought a 12-pack of herbs.

The Lilly Pilly

They arrived today.  So exciting!  I had a call earlier in the week to check something, and the driver this morning was lovely too.  And I had forgotten how beautiful kangaroo paws are.  My grandparents had some in their front garden so this made me all nostalgic.

Kangaroo Paws

I'm going with pots for a couple of reasons: I want to keep them when I move; and the soil in the borders is fairly poor.  These photos were taken immediately after they arrived, I've been stocking up on pots and soil over the last few days.  My local gardening supplies place is probably getting suspicious.

Herbs!

The herbs looked so bright and enthusiastic in the morning sun - they reminded me of kindergarten kids.  I'm not going to the extent of naming them though.

Today's photo:

From the garden, of course.  I removed some excess garden stuff, some weeds and some - I don't even know what it was.  It was covering a stump, and (I discovered) a big fat worm and some new aloe growth.  Which looked like some sort of alien growth.

Gardening, Part 3

Yes, I did more gardening today.  It made me feel better.

I planted mixed lettuce seeds (I don't really like lettuce, so I'm hoping the 'I grew this myself' factor improves my appreciation).  I also planted spinach seeds.  After buying the seeds a few weeks ago, I then read they need to have cool sowing conditions.  I thought I'd have to wait until next year.  However, it's not warm enough to plant the rosemary yet, and we're still having winter temperatures (mainly), so I took a gamble.  More seeds and plants to come!

I also staked my tomato plant.  This is the first time I've taken so much care about a tomato plant.  The plants themselves seem to just appear, produce flowers and occasionally green tomatoes...  I thought keeping them up, off the ground, in the sun more, might improve the chances of producing and maintaining growth.  I'd had some thoughts about what to use for a stake - I really didn't want to go to a store to buy one, that seems ridiculous.  After a few trials, I realised there was a perfect supply in the garage.  A previous gardening experience, still waiting to be removed... I'll leave it there, but  I took one of the branches, chopped off the little twigs and chopped it to about a metre (although I'm really bad at estimating distance and length, so it could be a whole lot more...).

I also took a photo of the back of the lettuce and spinach seed packets so I can remember instructions and keep track of how many days til germination and things.  I don't think I've ever been that organised.  And I watered everything with fertilizer.

Today's photo:

From the garden, of course.  I found a tomato today!  First for this actual plant, and on a bit of plant that looks rather dead.  Maybe it is...

Gardening

...or, Going Berserk.

...or, Dealing with Plants as if They are My Hair.

...or, Getting a Gym Workout in the Backyard.

...or, Turning Into My Mother (part 347).

For those of you who like me to cut to the chase, the end of this story is this:  I started to trim the hedge.  Realised my limitations.  Called a gardening service for help.

For the rest of you...
Part 1 of the story goes like this.  I like shade.  I like green.  Whenever someone would 'help out' with the garden and end up demolishing it, I'd get a bit upset.  Well, a lot upset, but I would console myself with the knowledge that it will grow back.  I do remember years ago thinking I should trim the top of these hedge plants, but they were too tall, and I never asked anyone for help.  Eventually, of course, they grew way too tall, and I gave up even thinking about it and just enjoyed the shade and the green.

Part 2.  I saw a blog post recently about a friend's kitchen garden.  It is stunning.  Gorgeous photos help, but the amount of produce growing on a balcony in Switzerland is inspiring.  I felt a little ashamed of my meagre selection of basil, mint and occasionally tomatoes (parsley is still going strong too!), especially as I live in subtropical Australia with a decent-sized courtyard.  Shade is a problem, as well as the fact that it is east-facing so only gets morning sun, sometimes only for 3 hours if that. 

Part 3.  I popped into a bookshop while I had 10 minutes to wait last week and checked out their gardening selection.  I didn't buy any (nor any of the cookbooks tempting me), but had a bit of a browse.  Some brought back memories of primary school science experiements - anyone else remember growing sprouts in a plastic cup?  And I thought, if I was nearly anywhere else in the world, what I have to work with is luxury.  Better find a way.  In one of my extended nap/doze sessions later last week, I had a brainwave.  That brainwave will be dealt with later.

Part 4.  On Wednesday, it was a public holiday in Brisbane and we had beautiful spring weather, so I pulled out some weeds.  I also noticed that an animal (or maybe more) has eaten the berries on the bushes and it hasn't been a good mix.  Evidence of this can be found all over the courtyard.  Then I had this urge, which reminded me of how I often feel on the way to the hairdresser (which is usually when I start thinking about what I want done to my hair):  I felt like trimming these hedge plants - but knew I didn't have the right tools. 

Part 5.  Today I went to Kmart and bought a lopper.  I came home, and I lopped.  This was harder work than I anticipated (hence the gym reference above).  I lopped anything I could reach that was about 2cm wide or less.  This turned it from overgrown and bushy to sparse and ugly.  With half a hedge in the middle of the courtyard.  Some of those bits were really heavy! 

Part 6.  I thought about it for a couple of hours - how should I deal with the hedge debris?  Should I leave the remainder looking horrible until bits grow back?  I needed help.  Hello Google.  After looking through a few options (how do you choose, really?!) I went to the company I see around here all the time.  Option for a free quote - yay!  He could swing by within half an hour, and he talked me through what he saw needed to be done.  By the time he arrived I was at the 'just rip them out' stage but he thought that was crazy.  A decent trim to a manageable height, and then dealing with the ornamental vine that didn't originate on this property, and removal of the randoms that have sprung up as well as all the stuff I lopped today.  Knowing what I'm like, I figured if the quote was reasonable (not that I had much idea, but within my immediate means) I would book the job - and it was.  So much cheaper!  He comes back early next week, so I have a courtyard looking like it's been hit by a cyclone for the weekend.  I think I can deal with it though.

Lopping time:  about 45 minutes.
Booking of quote until departure of gardener:  about 1 hour and 45 minutes. 
I'm pretty happy with both these times.

Today's photo:

In the shade of the overgrown hedge, the troublesome berries, still unripe here, looked so tropical and slightly tempting.

Planting Parsley

Parsley is not one of my favourite herbs.  Not as aromatic as some other herbs, and not as tasty as some other herbs, and tends to make me choke if I have bits too big.  I was diligent in buying some for a recipe recently, and I was even more diligent in watering it until I could plant it.  Before I planted it, I noticed the nutritional benefits printed on the side of the pot - I had no idea how wonderful it was!  So I'm making more of an effort to include it in my cooking and salads. 

Now, I used to be a fine gardener.  My plants grew, I weeded - that's pretty much it, right?  But then I stopped being so great about watering, and stuff started dying.  Last year, I bought parsley for something, and eventually I planted it in the bit of earth by the fence underneath the clothes line.  It died.  Earlier this year, I bought parsley for something, and I thought about planting it, but I didn't and it died.  No real surprise...  So I was hoping to get this lot into some earth and, fingers crossed, keep it growing.  Step one complete today. 

The basil has been looking a little straggly, but still producing some lovely leaves.  I thought it could do with a companion.  After various doggy visits, the soil in this pot has started to look a little ... ummm... you know.  Dogged.  But I discovered the bit of plastic was in fact not buried, and an actual plastic bag.  I also removed most of the weeds.  So now I have 2 herbs in the pot, with fingers crossed for keeping them alive.  This pot gets watered daily, and has the best position for catching sun, so the odds are good.

Today's photo:

Not much happened today.  But the lilies have opened recently and are so bright and cheerful I couldn't resist.

The Campaign

Last week, Queensland's premier, Campbell Newman, cut two state-funded school music programmes, Fanfare and MOST.  The reason given was financial.  I'm not disputing the need for a balanced budget, but taking away benefits from children, who are unable to vote, is not on my Good Things To Do list.  When I wrote about the movie Hugo earlier there was mention of the importance of these programmes:  without dreams, we have no vision; without vision, we have no future.

I know I am biased when it comes to music, but there is so much evidence supporting its benefits in brain development.  And we keep those benefits throughout life.  Without presenting a scientific paper on it (that's not what this post is about, after all), my top reason why music should be important in education is that the corpus callosum (the bit that connects the 2 hemispheres of the brain) is larger in musicians compared to non-musicians.  And all that left-brain/right-brain connectivity leads to better students overall. 

Every student I have had participate in Fanfare has really enjoyed it.  They have a common goal as an ensemble, their performance skills improve, their musical skills improve, and they really have fun.  MOST students get such a buzz out of being involved.  It doesn't matter where you are from in Queensland, if your school has music, you can be a part of it.  Inclusion is important.

I discovered during the week that not everyone knows about the Save Fanfare and MOST campaign.  Even my grade 12 students were keen to do something, even though they've had this benefit throughout their schooling.  Today, then, I sent an email to the parents of students (and to the adult students I teach) with information about what they can do:  a link to the e-petition; and the premier's email address for those who wanted to write to him.  Hopefully the upcoming Fanfare concert will not be the last.

Today's photo:

I am amazed by tomato plants.  I sowed some seeds ages ago, didn't see anything for a very long time, and then suddenly, that green thing turned out to smell like fresh tomatoes.  Unfortunately, that was eventually investigated a little too thoroughly by the dog, and was then part of an unexpected cull.  After I had to farewell my favourite gardenia plant, I then noticed familiar leaves growing... and I have another tomato plant.  Yippee!  During the week I spotted those sweet yellow flowers, and this morning I took advantage of what sunlight I could as it was glinting off those hairy stalks.

Daily Photos Catch Up

Since promising to take a photo a day, I have been very slack in posting a photo a day.  I've still been taking them, I just forget to upload...  So here are the last 8.  Yikes!

Monday, June 18.  This agave plant is one of many on a nearby street.  I have thought about photographing them on several occasions, so I'm glad I had an excuse.

Tuesday, June 19.  A street near the school at which I teach.  Seeing this tree change over the year is a great joy.

Wednesday, June 20.  These fluff-balls are right by the footpath at home.

Thursday, June 21.  Fete de la Musique, and I was the contact for St John's cathedral.  Most people don't see the wonderful light show that happens in the cathedral - between about 11 and 3 the stained glass produces these wonders.  I hadn't seen this kaleidoscope effect before.

Friday, June 22.  Sunlight in the courtyard catching this new aloe vera flower.

Saturday, June 23.  This is a great guard dog.  Seriously.  When I returned from my run on Saturday, Gracie was mostly inside but with her head outside, keeping tabs on the goings-on outside.

Sunday, June 24.  I had less than an hour at home during the day, in which I ate lunch.  After calling Gracie back from barking at a passing neighbourhood dog - and she came, too - I gave her a little treat.  She stayed for more.  I caved.

Monday, June 25.  After running a practice half marathon on Monday, the weather was quite cool and overcast.  Perfect practice weather.  Standing under the light, the light and shadow visible through the f-holes was striking.

Tuesday, June 26.  A sneak peek of tomorrow's post...  Growing up, my favourite food was green apples.  Apples, generally, but I remember a few bad experiences with red apples so I preferred green for a long time.  Whenever my mum was cooking with apples, I'd hang around for the peel.  An all-in-one peel was a bonus.  When visiting my grandparents, my grandfather (who was born in Scotland) told me that, if you peeled an apple or orange with an unbroken peel, you should throw it with your right hand over your left shoulder (preferably with your back to the fireplace), and the letter it most closely resembled would be the initial of the person you would marry.  (Not surprisingly, 'S' was a common result).  Similarly, twist an apple stalk going through the alphabet and the initial on which it breaks off is the initial of your future spouse.  This is a habit I still have.  Anyway, tonight I managed two unbroken apple peels.