Time to start summer pruning wisteria.

How do you deal with them and when is the best time to deal with this rampant growth?

Wisteria is possibly one of the fastest climbers and now, in summer, is the time to prune.

On each long trailing stem counting from where it joins on to main stems count three leaf joints and chop.

Do this all over the vine. You will also need to do this again in winter to a lesser degree. This will reward you with more stems and flowers next spring.

ASTERS, commonly known as Michaelmas daisies, are a long-lasting autumn perennial and it’s also time to do some cutting back. Cut only about one third off and, yes, you will be cutting off lots of flower buds.

But fear not, in autumn this will result in a stunning, long-lasting display. Plus, when they have finished flowering – like all perennials – in winter you can simply dig up the clump and divide it to give you dozens of extra plants.

WITH just a month to autumn, the bulb catalogues will be arriving from mail-order houses and there will be special offers in garden magazines. While I am sure mail-order plants and bulbs are of good quality, I still recommend buying from local garden centres.

Most local garden centres have been around for a long time, surviving economic recession to drought, answering gardeners’ problems, from pests to failed plants. Buying online means you have no idea of the quality of plants or even if they survive the mail etcetera.

Bulbs are graded according to size and quality; how do you know the quality compared with visiting your local garden centre to be able to pick out the biggest and healthiest bulbs for a floral show for many years to come? My message is, support your local business and they will support you.

THE biggest temptation in extreme heat is to over-water plants.

Often they can show signs of stress in the heat of the day and out comes the hose. This is the worst thing you can do. The best time to water is in the cool of the evening and water the plants, not the soil where there are no plants.

The best method is still drip irrigation of which I am only watering once a week in our garden using this method, usually for an hour.

If you can, turn the drippers on for about ¾ hour to one hour in the morning and repeat the process for a similar time in the evening. This is known as “pulse irrigation” and allows the water to penetrate to the root zone without run-off.

There is absolutely no need to water every day and, indeed, this can actually cause the death of plants. Naturally, plants in containers will need more frequent watering.

“Naked Ladies”… revel in the heat.

Its bold, bright, large, pink flowers gave it the common name of “Naked Ladies” and, while often referred to as lilies (due to the flower shape), it is in reality only a distant relative.

The rich colour of Agapanthus “Black Pantha”.

The problem is that its seeds are spread very easily and it is suggested they have spread into native bushland, although I have never seen it in plague proportions. However, it is not usually a problem in urban areas with the plant bringing a bold splash of cool blues and whites on hot days. If the seed heads are cut off immediately after flowering any seeding problem is overcome.

SOME folk positively dislike Anemone hupehensis or Japanese wind flowers, only because they multiply too fast. Once I was severely reprimanded by a reader, suggesting I had made an error in recommending this plant and expecting a correction the following week! Isn’t that what we expect of plants? If you have too many simply thin them out. For the back of the garden bed there is no flower more showy with both pink and white blooms.

The post Gardening / Time to prune those climbers appeared first on Canberra CityNews.

Purple Coneflower… “What a wonderful display in the garden,” says Cedric.

For example, I have struggled with growing Echinacea purpurea or Purple Coneflower, unsuccessfully for years. The regular rain has suited this plant along with so many plants this summer, despite echinacea being a native to dry prairies of North America where local Indians have used it as a medicinal herb for a thousand years in treating snake bites, coughs and colds. In more recent times it has shown to have an effect on the immune system and in research of AIDS.

The purple-pink flowers have raised conical centres made up of prickly scales reminiscent of hedgehogs (echinacea is from the Greek word for hedgehog). You will find products in any health food shop with echinacea. And what a wonderful display in the garden!

The regular summer rainfall has also been beneficial in washing dust from plant leaves. A heavy coating of dust can affect a plant’s ability to breathe.

HERE’S some surprising advice on rose pruning from Troy Scott, head gardener at the famous Sissinghurst Castle and Gardens in Kent in the UK: “Popular belief is that roses should be pruned in the English spring [as they are here]. However, at Sissinghurst we prune in March/August, from [northern] spring to summer.  

“First we remove dead, diseased, weak and crossing growth before shortening all remaining branches by one third. At the same time removing completely a proportion of the older wood to encourage new growth.

“Finally feeding after pruning with two parts magnesium-rich fertiliser and one third potash”.

The ladybird… appears just at the right time in spring to combat pests such as aphids.

There are many varieties of ladybird, of which the most familiar is the seven-spot ladybird. Ladybirds appear just at the right time in spring to combat many pests such as aphids.

According to the UK “Country Life” magazine, in August, 1976, hundreds of kilometres along the English coastline were clogged with a mass migration of ladybirds, estimated double the number of human beings who have ever lived on this earth. They are voracious feeders and each day can consume a dozen or so sap suckers such as aphids.

They have been introduced into Californian citrus orchards as biological pest controllers where they are harvested with vacuum cleaners and sold to farmers in bulk for pest control, with 1500 to the ounce (28 grams).

So why do so many gardeners persist in using chemical sprays to attack every insect in the garden, wiping out the good as well as the bad? This is why I consistently recommend certified organic products.

Jottings…

• An easy way to overcome the problem of thinning carrot seed is to sow carrot seed tape. The seed is evenly divided along biodegradable tape. Just lay it on the ground in the veggie bed and only cover very lightly with soil and water in.
• The best and cheapest hanging-basket liner is multi-coloured foam carpet underlay. Place the plastic side on the inside with a few drainage holes. It will last for years without birds pulling it apart.
• If water drains through your potting mixes too quickly, mix in a quarter of clay soil for better water retention.

The post Gardening / Rain brings out the best appeared first on Canberra CityNews.

Silver leafed shrubs provide a wonderful contrast in the garden.

By pruning, the convenyi  can be kept as a medium shrub of, say, 3m or allowed to grow as a small tree 5-6m tall.

Golden-yellow flowers are on axillary sprays in spring presenting an even more spectacular sight against the silver foliage. The foliage is in popular demand for floral arrangements. It is native to most of NSW and is frost and drought hardy.

Other silver or grey foliage plants include Cistus “Sunset” or the very hardy rock rose, with pink flowers, all of the lavender family, especially Lavendula “Hidcote” or the dwarf Lavendula “Munstead”, which flower in summer and have the most fragrance of any lavenders. They are perfect for making pot pourri.

ANY silver or grey-leafed plants, or those with very small leaves, are very drought and sun hardy, losing little evaporation through the leaves, such as rosemary and thyme.

In the grey-leafed theme Thymus lanigerum or grey woolly thyme combined with members of the dianthus family make ideal plants for the front of the garden bed.

Dianthus “Doris” comes to immediate mind with possibly Convolvulus cneorum with silver-grey foliage and white flowers planted behind. A popular silver-leaved, border plant is Santolina chamaecyparissus with its tiny, yellow-button flowers en masse. It grows to about 40cm-50cm tall. The only disadvantage is that once it comes into flower, all the stems go into a swirl.

Once the flowers finish it is necessary to cut it back hard leaving the plant slightly unsightly for a month or so until the new growth starts.

WHY is it recommended to trim flower heads off agapanthus immediately after flowering?

Agapanthus produces a huge number of seeds that are spread over wide areas by wind, birds and water. As a result, they can invade natural bushland to such an extent they are considered an environmental weed, for example, in the Blue Mountains National Park.

In the home garden they can smother more desirable plants.

Years ago country properties often planted garden boundaries of agapanthus to help prevent grass fires reaching the homestead.

GARDEN centres now stock sterile agapanthus, which still flower prolifically but don’t produce seed. This year, I’m going to replace all those seed producers in our garden with sterile agapanthus that include “Blue Storm” and “Snowstorm”, both prolific flowerers, or the deep purple “Black Pantha”. They all grow to about 60cm.

A red, red rose for your valentine.

Many garden centres as well as florists have red roses available for St Valentine’s Day.

THE Great Autumn Flower Show and Dahlia Championships of the Horticultural Society of Canberra will be held at the Lancaster Hall, Wesley Church Centre, National Circuit, Forrest on Saturday, March 7 (noon-5pm) and Sunday, March 8 (11.30am-3.45pm). Refreshments available plus the popular plant stall.

Jottings…

• While we have had good rain it’s easy to neglect plants under the eaves that may be missing out on regular watering.
• Remember water restrictions are still in place with no sprinklers allowed between 9am and 6pm.
• Mildew on veggies such as cucumber leaves? Spray with a mixture of one part full-cream milk mixed with eight parts water.
• Keep dead-heading roses for a last burst of flowers.

The post Gardening / Off with their heads appeared first on Canberra CityNews.

AUTUMN time is feeding time in the plant world.

With citrus trees starting to develop fruit, now is a good time to apply plant food.

I have just given my potted lemon tree a mixture of, yes, Epsom salts plus a dressing of garden lime and Neutrog’s Seamungus (a certified organic combination of seaweed and chook poo). Actually, I also gave my roses the same mixture.

Many plants show signs of magnesium deficiency with yellowing leaves and just the deep-green veins showing, especially acid-loving plants such as Daphne odora, gardenias and the like.

The problem is easily corrected by dissolving a heaped tablespoonful of Epsom salts in a watering can of water and thoroughly soak the ground around the drip line of the bush.

One of Canberra’s great gardeners, the late Jim Macfarlane, gave me this advice about 40 years ago, saying he applied Epsom salts to every plant in the garden from conifers to azaleas. His spectacular garden in Griffith was a show stopper.

Chutney bound?… Green tomatoes waiting for the right weather.

Bursts of hot daytime temperatures with cool nights, plus days on end of cool, rainy days have not helped. Perhaps it is going to be a great year for green-tomato chutney!

THE world-famous and historic Sydney Botanic Gardens comprise three gardens: the original Royal Botanic Gardens in the Domain, the Blue Mountains Botanic Gardens at Mt Tomah and The Australian Botanic Garden, at Mt Annan, which features only Australian plants, with 2000 varieties set in 416 hectares.

During the holidays we visited our favourite at Mt Tomah, a stunning cool-climate garden, the highlight of the Botanists Way, the historic crossing through the dramatic northern Blue Mountain World Heritage Park on the Bell’s Line of Road at Bilpin.

The plants are arranged geographically to showcase Australian and exotic cool-climate plants from around the world.

Formal gardens, including rose gardens, herb gardens, displays of perennial plants with the dahlia display (which will present a kaleidoscope of colour this autumn), separated by neat, trimmed hedges surround the visitors’ centre and restaurant.

The picnic area is hugely popular at weekends as is the café with its wide verandas and spectacular views across the mountains. The formal areas gradually change to informal plantings down the hillside.

A new feature at the gardens is The Bower. Taking the theme of the satin bower birds that collect everything “blue”, the gardens have interpreted the specialised stick structure the male bower bird constructs to entice the female. It is constructed of willow, an environmental weed the Lithgow Council allowed the gardens to collect along creek banks. Apple tree prunings from the famous Bilpin orchards have also been woven into the structure.

All three gardens are open every day except Christmas Day and Good Friday. Entry is free.

Spectacular view across Mt Tomah Botanic Gardens.

• Ensure you have stakes in place with dahlias, being careful not to put the stake through the tuber.
• Spring bulbs can be planted any time now in a sunny spot. With a few exceptions, they do not like shade at all. If you have bulbs in shady places due to trees or shrubs growing, now is the time to dig them up and replant in a sunnier place.
• Broad beans and radish seed can be sown now as well as transplanting seedlings of leek and English spinach.

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The spectacular autumn show of Sedum “Autumn Joy”.

I know that I rave on about them, but there’s a range of flowers for every season, with the added plus they can be divided at no cost every couple of years.

On our nature strip in Watson the Sedum “Autumn Joy” is about to flower with its heads at present a pale green, looking much like broccoli.

Over the coming weeks they will change to a pale pink and gradually turn to a deep red and finally bronze.

The first frosts are the time to cut the flowers to ground level, which is when the plant can be divided with at least 10-15 baby plants from each clump.

Right at the start of winter delicate new shoots will start to appear, unaffected by even the severest frost. By spring they will be about 20cm-30cm tall.

A wonderful herb for garden borders, Nepeta fassaani or Catmint.

The grey-green foliage provides interest when grown as a clump of three to five or as a garden border.

STARTING to appear, as if from nowhere, in our garden is the delicate-looking cyclamen, Cyclamen hederifolium (syn. C. Neapolitanum).

It’s the best-known and easiest to grow, and in autumn and winter has an abundance of pale pink flowers. They tend to spread by themselves with little or no attention.

As with all cyclamen, they originate in the Mediterranean region, especially in Northern Italy, and are very drought hardy. The marbled heart-shape leaves resemble variegated ivy leaves, hence the name hederifolium, hedera being the botanical name for ivy.

I HAVE mentioned the possible move of Floriade from its present site. A suggestion from readers Louise and Gary is Edison Park in Woden. It is a largely under-utilised area, close to the Woden Interchange and parking and is possibly close to the centre of Canberra. Plus it would not upset the nimbys in the suburbs. Worth thinking about, Mr Barr?

IT’S still not too late divide tall, bearded iris. The rhizomes (also called creeping root stalks and root stocks) should be checked to ensure they are solid and healthy with any bad bits cut off.

Trim the scraggly roots with sharp secateurs, although not too short. It has been said tall, bearded iris flowers best when planted facing north and south, with the leaves facing south. It is important the top of the rhizome is not covered with soil or even mulch. The top needs to be exposed to the full sun as in their native Spain and Portugal.

Jottings…

• A reminder the Great Autumn Dahlia Championships and Flower Show is at the Wesley Church Centre, National Circuit Forrest on the weekend of March 7-8. Full details at hsoc.org.au
• Autumn is the ideal time to move evergreen shrubs, if they are not too big. Trim off any damaged roots and water in with Maxicrop Seaweed Plant Nutrient to promote strong, new root growth.
• March is trimming time for conifers, but be careful not to cut into the old wood.
• It’s an ideal time to establish hedges and by planting in a trench rather than individual holes the roots will spread much faster. Camellia sasanqua “Hiryu” makes an attractive hedge, flowering all winter and attracting native birds.

The post Gardening / Perennials always hit the spot appeared first on Canberra CityNews.

A spring display of Prunus “Versicolour”.

The early parks and gardens directors, such as Weston, Hobday and Bruce, had such high aspirations. These leaders in horticulture planted a healthy blend of native and exotic street trees to give pleasure for all seasons.

This was combined with the promotion of residential gardens with free trees and shrubs.

But let’s look at the positive side and consider if there are small trees suitable for small blocks.

I consider a small tree being up to five to six metres with a spread of two to three metres. Admittedly, they’re not large enough to shade the house, but could provide shade for playing children.

Prunus “Versicolour” is an outstanding flowering peach with a mixture of pale and dark pink and white flowers appearing at the same time in spring. It grows to about three metres with a similar spread. A group of, say, three would look stunning on a larger block.

Crepe Myrtles can’t be beaten for autumn blossoms.

In winter, the bark sheds its outer skin, revealing beautiful shades of greys and cinnamon colours.

Many varieties are ideal for the very small garden, growing to just four metres tall. For example, the L.I. indica x fauriei “Lipan” is a stunning, vase-shaped Crepe Myrtle with an abundance of lavender colour flowers and rich autumn-leaf colour.

For bigger gardens, there are larger varieties that grow to eight or nine metres.

Dwarf Crepe Myrtles grow well in a large ornamental container, ideal for balconies in units. An example being Lagerstroemia indica “Bourbon Street”, which grows to 60 centimetres with a one-metre spread.

THE  Heritage Nursery in Yarralumla will be taking part in the national Garden RE LEAF Weekend (March 7-8) to highlight the health and wellbeing benefits of plants and gardens, and raise funds for beyondblue.

Between 2pm and 4pm, Heritage is hosting sessions in showing children how to pot violas and pansies to take home and grow. Other activities include a “Blue Plant Sale” with 20 per cent of the sales of blueberries, salvias, rosemary, convolvulus and brachyscome donated to beyondblue.

NEXT month’s Lanyon Plant Fair will feature about 30 exhibitors from all over southern NSW and Victoria with every plant imaginable – native plants to exotic, bulbs, sculptures, tools plus a host of activities for children. One of the last events under the Open Gardens Scheme, a series of garden experts will give free talks throughout the weekend.

Lanyon Homestead, 10am-4pm, the weekend of March 21-22. Entry is $10, under 18 free.

Jottings…

• Prepare the veggie bed for winter planting after removing the last of the summer crops. Adding well-mixed new compost from your compost heap, some garden lime and Neutrog Seamungus seaweed and chook poo fertiliser.
• It’s time to remove struggling roses because they are never going to get better. Thoroughly dig over the ground and prepare as above for the veggie garden. Then let it rest until the new rose-planting time in June/July.
• I advise against planting new citrus trees in the open garden as frosts can appear any time now. If in containers, think where they can be moved to undercover for winter.

The post Gardening / Thinking small for modern gardens appeared first on Canberra CityNews.

Malus “Gorgeous”… for great crabapple jelly.

Growing to 3m x 3m, it will tolerate most soils, although improving the soil at planting will result in the tree producing more fruit.

In spring the pink buds open to become white-tinged pink blossoms, which are followed by large, crimson-red fruit in summer, the largest fruit of any crabapple.

This is an ideal small tree for a small garden. Most of the larger crabapples are grown for their magnificent displays of spring blossoms rather than their fruit.

Chinese lanterns on the Golden Rain tree.

Growing to about 7m high x 7m wide, it provides a wonderful show of yellow flowers in summer followed by the bright-green, lantern-like fruit at this time of the year, which gradually change to yellow and finally rose-brown, giving the appearance of being covered in Chinese lanterns.

They can remain on the tree for several months providing interest throughout the autumn. It was one of the earliest trees grown in China, designated more than 3000 years ago as one of the five official memorial trees and was one to be planted on the graves of scholars.

Sent from one of the early plant hunters in China, it was introduced into Britain in 1763. The Royal Horticultural Society gave it the prestigious Award of Garden Merit in 1932.

I RECOMMEND space be found in every garden for a Aloysia triphylla or more aptly A. citriodora commonly called Lemon-Scented Verbena.

It’s preferable to plant it near a door or alongside a path where the delicious fragrance of its lemon-scented leaves can be brushed against.

Originally from Chile and Argentina, it was introduced into Europe in the 1790s. It was said to have been named after Maria Louisa, the wife of Carlos IV of Spain.

This time of the year it is covered with racemes of small mauve-white flowers.

Growing to 2m-3m, it loses its leaves in winter and in early spring will benefit from a fairly healthy pruning.

The leaves, fresh or dried, make a refreshing tea. Like lavender, its leaves retain their scent for a long time, making them suitable for sachets to deter insects and making potpourri.

When we owned our nursery and herb gardens in Yass, we supplied all the flowers from herbs for a wedding. Lemon Verbena was the principal flower in the bridal bouquet.

AUTUMN is the ideal time for planting evergreen shrubs and perennials. Unlike other cold countries, where the ground freezes solid for months, the frost here only affects a few top centimetres of soil.

This means the soil stays warm through winter enabling roots of evergreen plants to keep growing even though the plant shows no sign of top growth.

Autumn plantings are not subject to the desiccating hot winds and the soil, when watered, stays moist longer.

By springtime, the plants will have a stronger root system.

Jottings…

• For winter colour, plant violas, pansies, polyanthus and primulas. They will take about eight weeks from planting to full flower.
• Lift and divide rhubarb crowns. Dig in well-rotted manure or compost before replanting.
• Plant carpet thyme to cover bare spots in the garden as a living mulch.
• Plant broad bean seeds and broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower seedlings.
• Plant foxglove seedlings at the back of the border for a real spring show.

The post Gardening / Going to jelly for crabapples appeared first on Canberra CityNews.

Flower trials at the UK’s Royal Horticultural Society Gardens, Wisley… each plant submitted for appraisal is assessed before it can be named.

Often it’s not strictly a new plant, but a combination of crosses of existing plants that have been around for many years until a botanist or plant breeder sees the potential in developing something new.

An enormous amount of time and effort (and failures) go into the attempt to produce new plants.

To give a few examples, when Bob Cherry released his “Paradise” range of sasanqua camellias from his nursery near Gosford, he spent many weeks in China looking for rare specimens. Then began his lifetime work of crossing 25,000 plants to find the perfect specimens.

Likewise, David Austin with his English roses. He saw the potential in crossing modern roses (which flower for an extended period, but often with no fragrance) with centuries-old roses (which flower only for a short time, but with stunning fragrances).

After many years of breeding, his first rose released to the public was Rosa “Constance Spry” in 1963. With more than 800 varieties on offer and sold around the world, his passion never stops with his son, also David, continuing the tradition.

The breeding glasshouses are completely sealed so no bees can get in to upset the pollination process and house more than 50,000 roses being assessed.

IT is not only large shrubs that have huge breeding programs.

Herbs, perennials and annuals are all assessed for their potential by breeders who can register the name and marketing rights.

One of the largest centres for assessment of plants takes place in the Royal Horticultural Society Gardens at Wisley in England.

Each plant submitted for appraisal is assessed, often over several years, by a committee for each variety of plant before they can be named.

For example, this year’s trials include sweet peas, catmint, lavenders, poppies and potentilla along with several hundred other plants at any one time. This gives us the benefit that we can plant these with the full confidence that they will perform well.

Naturally, it is up to us to do the right thing in ground preparation, feeding and watering. You may say: “What have trials in Britain got to do with us here?” The answer is “everything” because many of our plants start off being developed and assessed in Britain.

One example of this is the work of Robin White with his breeding of daphnes. The Englishman’s work has resulted in dozens of new varieties of daphne, with many now available in Australia. They include the crossing of two hardy Mediterranean daphne resulting in Daphne x transatlantica “Eternal Fragrance”. Bred by White in 1993, it was first sold in 2005 in the UK and four years ago in Australia.

White says it is the best daphne he has grown in the last decade and is propagated under licence by Plant Growers Australia. White’s book “Daphnes: A Practical Guide for Gardeners” (Timber Press) lists more than 200 varieties of daphne and is recognised world-wide as the standard reference.

CONGRATULATIONS to all the winners at the recent Horticultural Society flower show and all the non-winners who contributed to the universal comment: “Wow what a stunning display”.

Meanwhile, the Australian Native Plant Society will be holding its annual plant sale at the Botanic Gardens, 8.30am-1.30pm, on Saturday, March 21. It’s an ideal opportunity to buy plants propagated by Canberra members at ridiculous prices. Be early and bring your own boxes or bags.

Jottings…

• Bulbs have arrived in the garden centres. Support your local garden centre rather than buying online.
• Do not over water your plants. I am seeing more and more plants dying from over watering just because the hot weather continues. If you are using a drip system, 60 to 90 minutes once a week is sufficient for most plants.
• Remove any fallen or mummified fruit still on the trees of stone fruit. Bag and bin them. Don’t put them on the compost heap.

The post Gardening / Passion to grow new plants appeared first on Canberra CityNews.

The rich apricot fragrance of Osmanthus aurantiacus.

I haven’t found a common name for it, but this small tree is coming into flower right now providing autumn colour to the garden.

Usually hard to find (I don’t know why), I did see some recently at Heritage Nursery, Yarralumla.

Another Osmanthus of special interest is Osmanthus “Heaven Sent”. Flowering from late winter into spring, this compact shrub grows to two metres, although can be clipped to keep it smaller.

An evergreen, it can either be used for a hedge or as a stand-alone shrub. Its white tubular flowers, set against the dark green leaves, have an amazing perfume.

The third variety Osmanthus fragrans can be grown as a tall shrub or small tree.

First introduced to the west in 1771, it is one of the most popular garden plants grown in China for the delicious perfume of its clusters of tiny white flowers. The Chinese use the flowers as pot pourri and for flavouring tea and wine. Grown in China for more than a thousand years, it is known as the “gui” flower, meaning noble.

Osmanthus fragrans is also a symbol of literary merit and an emblem of studious pursuits.

The equally rich fragrance of Osmanthus “Heaven Sent”.

With its dark green leaves and fragrant white flowers, it is an ideal companion to grow at the base of or in front of Osmanthus. “Sweet Box” is relatively slow growing to about half to one metre tall with a one metre spread.

THE regular advice for new gardens is to dig in gypsum to break up the clay. The problem with gypsum is that it is normally only possible to dig to about a spade’s depth and it won’t penetrate the soil either deeper or sideways.

A better solution is Multicrop’s “Clay Breaker”, a solution that’s mixed with water. It soaks deep into the soil and, if applying to a planting hole, will spread sideways through the clay soil.

Apply a bucketful to a planting hole and wait until it has drained completely which may take a few hours or a day to drain depending on the density of the clay.

An additional advantage is if existing shrubs are not doing well in clay soil, gypsum can’t be applied later. Whereas Clay Breaker can be applied by making a small bank around the drip line of the shrub.

It is available from most garden centres or DIY centres.

THE Eurobodalla Regional Botanic Gardens at Batemans Bay is holding an  Easter fair and giant plant sale, 10am-4pm, on Easter Saturday. More information at erbg.org.au

Jottings…

• In my continuous recommendations of organic fertilisers, there’s Healthy Earth with an NPK of 7:3:8.5. The low phosphorus is ideal for natives and especially for flowering and fruiting plants with its high potassium. 
• Plant seedlings of Asian greens, onions and chives.
• Plant bulbs and more bulbs… throw them up in the air and plant where they land!
• Plant garlic, but only Australian garlic. Chinese garlic is treated with chemicals and will not grow. The best selection of Australian-grown garlic is available at the Farmers Market at Epic.

The post Gardening / Gosh, wow, what a fragrance! appeared first on Canberra CityNews.

The historic cork oak at All Saints Church Ainslie… was it a commemorative tree?

The plantation of about 4500 trees was planted by Charles Weston and is the largest commercial plantation of cork oaks in the southern hemisphere.

Cork from the oaks is used in wine bottles, floor tiles, life vests and shoes.

Its bark has been used for thousands of years and, in fact, an article on cork oaks in “Smith Journal” notes that “in 77AD Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder referred to the cork oak in his writings”.

If one removed the bark of any other tree it would die. But the outer bark of a cork oak can be completely stripped once every 10 years once the tree is at least 25 years old. Cork oaks can live for more than 500 years and Portugal is considered its home.

THERE is a huge cork oak outside All Saints’ Church, on the corner of Cowper and Bonney Streets, Ainslie.

I have tried unsuccessfully to find out when and why this huge specimen was planted. Was it a commemorative tree?

It certainly predates the church and perhaps a reader may be able to shed some light on this tree? If you have any information please let me know (cedricbryant@grapevine.com.au) as a revised conservation plan is being prepared for the church and its grounds.

WITH continuous, fairly high temperatures and little rain for many weeks, deciduous trees are rapidly changing into their magnificent autumn mantle of colour.

This gives us the opportunity of gathering leaves for composting. In some of our surrounding streets we have a huge amount of leaves.

I continually hear that one should not put eucalypt leaves on the compost heap or that oak leaves do not break down. With both of these trees I use the mower to shred the leaves and put half on to the garden as mulch and half on to the compost heap. I get strange looks when it appears I am mowing the street gutters.

A couple of reminders: don’t sweep leaves into the gutters as these simply clog the stormwater drains and it is prohibited to burn leaves or any other materials.

For every few barrow loads of leaves on the compost heap add a few handfuls of garden lime. Multicrop’s EcoBoost is also excellent at speeding up the decomposing process.

If you don’t have a compost heap, simply make a circle of chicken wire about a metre and a half across held in place with tomato stakes.

NOXIOUS weeds cause millions of dollars of damage to our farming lands and nature parks.

In Canberra, our government actively encourages gardeners to remove weeds. Possibly the worst of these is privet, pyracantha and cotoneaster.

The ACT Weed Swap Group of volunteers from the Australian Native Plant Society will be in action on the weekend of April 11-12. Located at Corkhill’s site, near the Mugga Lane tip, and Canberra Sand and Gravel landscaping yard, Parkwood Road, Macgregor, 8.30am-4.30pm. Bring those nasties along and they will swap for non-invasive native plants.

Jottings…

• Shrubs can be given a last feed over the next few weeks before winter. Neutrog Seamungus, a combination of seaweed and chook poo, certified organic is good.
• Think about removing plastic water timers. Don’t be caught out with a sudden frost that can burst them apart. Likewise, don’t leave sprinklers on the end of hoses.
• Select trees for autumn colour before they lose their leaves in the garden centres.
• Sow sweet peas now in ground well prepared with compost.

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A floral display at Aileen’s eight-month-old garden.

Firstly, Aileen’s. She is retired and has established several gardens over the years. Aileen only moved into her latest home in June within a retirement village, having a small front and even smaller rear garden. With a non-existent front garden it gave her a clean canvas to start.

Aileen is a compulsive plant collector and within a few weeks was tackling the bare site. This is not just a jumble of plants. Much thought has gone into her garden with great colour combinations and plants for seasonal effect (all this in between redecorating her new home and establishing a productive, raised veggie garden).

When I saw Ernie’s front garden for the first time it needed a bit of sorting out. But with a bit of encouragement, he has fixed it.

Ernie is an enthusiastic gardener and researches his plants by visiting garden centres and spending time on the internet.

Ernie’s garden now has groups of plants gently spilling over the edge of a gravel path with a paver edge. The curves of the path invite the visitor to follow them, wondering what is around the corner. Once again, Ernie has groups of plants of the same variety with year-round interest.

I bring these two examples to demonstrate that even with a bare block it does not necessarily take years to add value to the home.

I don’t recommend buying a whole heap of plants at the one time, unless you have adequately prepared the soil.

So often, with my consultations, I see heaps of plants in their plastic pots sometimes waiting weeks to be planted and also often with many plants dead from not having been watered.

It’s best to buy only enough plants at any one time to easily get them into the ground in a couple of hours. Buying only, say, two shrubs a week and preparing the soil properly still equates to more than 100 in a year.

Ernie’s front garden with its enticing floral path.

• If you have not already done so, cut helleborus to ground level without delay to encourage winter flowers.
• Spray stone fruit trees for brown rot with either Bordeaux or Kocide including the ground under the tree.
• Leaves on Daphne turning yellow? This is due to magnesium deficiency. A heaped tablespoon of Epsom salts dissolved in a watering can of water will solve the problem.

The post Gardening / Growing gardens in no time at all appeared first on Canberra CityNews.

Honey bee… chemical sprays are having a dramatic effect on bees.

The value of insects pollinating crops and plants is estimated to run into the hundreds of millions of dollars, but the increased use of chemicals spray is having a dramatic effect on bees.

In particular, the inclusion of neonicotinoids in sprays is having a disastrous effect on beneficial insects in general. Home gardeners may wonder why some of their fruit trees now bear no fruit. Maybe it is due to chemical sprays. Even if you’re not using them, maybe your neighbours are, thus killing bees at blossom time.

With the ever-decreasing size of gardens, there are fewer flowering plants for bees to pollinate – not only fruit trees, but other plants and vegetables.

THE use of chemicals is also affecting farmers who have had their farms classified for producing organic foods. There was a case featured on the ABC’s “Australian Story” recently where an organic farmer in WA lost his organic status due to contamination from neighbouring properties.

It was thought that bees could travel only a few hundred metres, whereas research has shown that those tiny little wings can carry them several kilometres in search of flowers and pollen.

PEACH, nectarine, apricots, apples and pears, with the odd exception, all require two or more trees of different varieties to flower at the same time for the bees to pollinate.

To attract bees to your garden and assist in this pollination here are just a few of a possible 100 bee-loving plants: chives, lavender, lemon balm, thyme, oregano, rosemary, sage and salvias, and asters and sunflowers. Even the smallest garden can find room for some or all of these plants.

LIQUIDAMBARS immediately bring to mind a magnificent collage of autumn colours.

The brilliant autumn colour display of liquidambar.

European knowledge of the liquidambar began with the Spanish conquest of Central and South America.

Besides looking for gold, explorer Francisco Hernández (1514-1587) was also seeking medicinal plants in his travels to New Mexico. He named the sweet resin on a tree liquidambar due to its colour. The natives used the resin to bind together feathers for ceremonial head dresses. The resin was also used for medicinal purposes and incense.

Hernández’s manuscripts record the resin was used to relieve headaches and induce sleep. British explorer Mark Catesby found the natives used the gum as a teeth preservative.

Another group of smaller-growing liquidambars, known as the Monticolo group, are from China, Taiwan and Japan and are available at some garden centres.

Jottings…

• Don’t delay in buying autumn trees before leaf fall.
• Don’t turn the dripper systems off yet. Despite Canberra receiving more than 50mm of rain at Easter, depending on your soil it only penetrated to about 10cm.
• Wear gloves when handling Hyacinth bulbs as they can cause severe skin irritations.
• Place netting over fish ponds to stop the autumn leaves that, as they rot, can kill fish.
• Balconies on high-rise units are ideal for growing bulbs in pots for a colourful spring display.

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Rich colours… the magnolia “BlackTulip”.

Most gardening magazine articles feature magnolias when they are flowering in spring, but when planting now, even with no leaves, the shrub’s labels show exactly the flower colour and size.

Two varieties that have caught the imagination of gardeners are bred in the North Island of NZ – Magnolia felix, bred by Felix Jury and Magnolia Black Tulip, bred by his son Mark.

Autumn planting enables the roots to get well established through late autumn and winter before the hot desiccating winds of summer.

Deciduous shrubs can all be planted now and perennials can still be divided and used to fill gaps in the garden.

Camellia sasanqua… perfect for a colourful hedge in winter.

NOW is an ideal time to plant delicious, easy to grow blueberries, Vaccinium corymbosum. They like an acid soil and can be grown in with azaleas, camellias and daphne.

While they are self-fertile, it’s advisable to plant two different varieties to ensure cross-pollination and larger crops. They can be grown in containers on sunny balconies.

IT’S time to complete planting spring bulbs, but how much would you be prepared to pay for a single bulb, even if it is rare?

In Britain, gardeners go bonkers about Galanthus or Snowdrops and in the early spring “Galanthomania” breaks out as gardeners try to find the rarest Snowdrop. An unusual Snowdrop with yellow blotched white petals named Galanthus plicatus “Golden Fleece” recently sold on eBay for a staggering equivalent of $2668!

I OFTEN refer to articles in “The Garden”, the magazine of the world’s premier garden organisation, the 110-year-old UK Royal Horticultural Society. Almost all its advice is applicable here by simply adding six months to bring it in line with our seasons.

Anyone off to the UK should consider visiting the society’s gardens, of which they have no equal. Its stunning principal garden is at Wisley in Surrey (rhs.org.uk/wisley).

The society, with a membership of more than 430,000, welcomed a record 1.76 million visitors to its four gardens last year. More information at membership@rhs.org.au

PETER Bindon, the former head of Archaeology and Anthropology for more than 20 years at the WA Museum in Perth, has self-published a book titled “Backyard Bush Tucker”.

In his museum role he travelled extensively throughout the outback, studying Aboriginal culture and bush foods.

His book is profusely illustrated with lists of native plant nurseries in all states. Bindon has a garden in Yass plus his mother’s garden in Nowra, now an extensive bush garden.

Buy the book for $39.50, including postage. Email to pbio4985@ bigpond.net.au for details.

I HAVE a copy of this book to be won. To enter, write your name, suburb and a contact phone number on the back of an envelope and post to Bush Tucker, “CityNews”, GPO Box 2448, Civic 2601. Entries close Friday, May 22. The winner will be announced in my column of May 21.
Jottings…

• Trim evergreen shrubs before the frosts arrive in earnest. New growth will appear if the weather stays and will be quickly burnt by frost.
• If possible, always water container-grown plants with rain water.
• Raise containers on bricks or feet to prevent water logging.
• While the new stocks of roses don’t arrive until June/July most garden centres have excellent potted roses at bargain prices for planting now.
• Pot up cyclamen for winter colour, small cyclamen hybrids are ideal.

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Beautiful flowers of Pineapple guava, ideal as a hedge.

The run-of-the-mill hedges are Viburnum laurustinus (P. tinus). The most common variety, Photinia robusta, does have a mass of clusters of small white flowers that smell rather revolting. Then there is a variety of Pittosporums, originating in NZ and a range of conifers, most of which grow far too large for the average garden.

Hedges define boundaries, make great windbreaks, screen neighbours’ ugly sheds or hide ugly neighbouring houses and autumn is an ideal time to plant them.

When planting any type of hedge, whether a small Buxus or a tall hedge, always dig a trench, which will allow the roots to spread out sideways giving considerably faster growth rather than having to fight their way out of small, round holes.

For small box hedges plant about 30cm apart. For large hedges, plant 75-90cm apart. If the ground is very hard, particularly with clay, consider using the Multicrop liquid Ground Breaker, we have used this with amazing results.

Callistemon “Endeavour” makes a bold flowering hedge, as does C. “Western Glory”. Alternatively, a colour other than red, is C. “Burgundy Jack”.

• Feijoa sellowiana, or pineapple guava, not only does it have the most delightful flowers but delicious fruit, which can be eaten fresh or as a topping on ice cream and other desserts. Feijoa can grow to 2m-3m or clipped to just a metre tall.
• There is a great range of Callistemons or bottle brush that can easily be trained into a formal hedge. It is always recommended to dead-head Callistemon after flowering.
• You cannot go wrong with Camellia sasanqua, with possibly the best one for its density and flowers in C.s. “Hiryu”, although with its popularity it is often sold out in garden centres once it comes into flower. C.s. “Plantation Pink” can also be used as a hedge.
• For a really fragrant hedge consider Osmanthus “Heaven Sent”, which can be kept to one metre tall or allowed to grow two metres plus. Its tempting description is: “The deep green foliage sets off the white tubular flowers, which have an amazing perfume. The flowers are borne in clusters all along the many branches, making a dramatic display from mid-winter to late spring.”
• Another flowering shrub ideal for hedges is Abelia grandiflora. There is a good example of this growing in Novar Street, Yarralumla, where it is kept to a metre high. I have seen other examples growing as a dense hedge to two metres or more. With its pale pink blooms, it flowers most of the year.

There are examples of native plants that can be used, but many of them don’t take to continuous hard pruning into a hedge.

THE Horticultural Society of Canberra meets at the Wesley Church Centre, National Circuit, Forrest, 7.30pm, on Monday, May 18. Elizabeth and Bob Smith will speak on chrysanthemums. All welcome.

Jottings…

• As with all autumn planting, water the plants in with Multicrop Seaweed Plant Nutrient. This specifically encourages strong root growth and can reduce the effect of frost on plants.
• It is time to divide rhubarb, especially if it has been growing in the one spot for a long time.
• It is advisable to think of either a new sunny site for strawberries or completely replace the existing soil with fresh soil and compost and/or add cow manure. Strawberries should be replanted every three years for full cropping. Always buy virus-free runners and although well-meaning friends may offer you some runners, politely decline.
• I need to correct my article on magnolias in the last edition. I’m informed that Mark Jury followed in his father Felix’s footsteps with breeding magnolias. It was Mark who hybridized both Magnolia Felix and Magnolia “Black Tulip”.

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Pyracantha or Firethorn… a major environmental weedy shrub.

When the sap is rapidly rising (between September 1 and the end of October) no pruning of deciduous trees should be undertaken or the tree will “bleed” profusely.

Once a tree is bare, it is easier to attend to damaged branches by following the three “D’s” rule – Dead, Diseased and Damaged.

Some trees had considerable damage after the recent storms and high winds, but I don’t recommend householders carry out any serious tree surgery; better to use a qualified arborist who has the necessary safety equipment (ensure they are qualified and have full insurance).

I know of instances where owners have carried out tree surgery themselves with large branches falling into neighbours’ gardens. Or, more disastrously, damaging a neighbour’s shed or even their house.

Do not attempt to prune near power lines. ActewAGL can provide a list of accredited qualified arborists.

All tree branches must be kept 1.5 metres from power lines. In my view, this is totally inadequate as most trees easily grow back more than this in one growing season. I think it should be a minimum of two metres.

READING a recommended list of screen plants mentioned in the old ACT Parks and Gardens’ “One Sheet Answers” from the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, I discovered that some are today on the environmental weeds list.

For example, the spiky Pyracantha angustifolia is covered in the most colourful berries at this time of the year. But it’s these berries,  spread by birds, that are causing serious problems in nature parks.

While there’s no legislation to remove environmental weeds from private gardens, it is recommended they are removed.

However, there’s little or no attempt by the ACT government or the NCA to remove these menaces from public land.

One classic example is the large hedge of Pyracantha along Parkes Way bordering Commonwealth Park.

I think it’s time for these organisations to lead by example and I am sure Weed Busters, the splendid volunteer group who spend weekends in nature parks such as Aranda/Black Mountain trying to eradicate this pesky plant, would agree.

Cotoneaster with its profusion of berries is just as bad. The Forestry Commission of NSW was equally to blame recommending Pyracantha and Cotoneaster for windbreaks.

ANOTHER plant the old “One Sheet Answers” is recommending is Vinca Major or Periwinkle, with those lovely blue flowers, as an ideal ground cover!

Have you ever tried to get rid of it? Spraying glyphosate doesn’t work as the glossy leaves will not absorb the spray. One way I have found effective is a two-person job; one to use the whipper-snipper and the second person to immediately spray with a strong solution of glyphosate. Add a few squirts of household detergent to help the glyphosate to stick to the leaves.

THE “One Sheet Answers” also recommended a range of Eucalyptus for home gardens!

Examples include Eucalyptus cinerea or Argyle Apple, a tree that grows top up to 15 metres. Or E. mannifera ssp. maculosa to 15 metres or more. How many folk today regretted taking this advice?

Jottings…

• Do not over water spring bulbs. Water when planted and unless no rain is received for weeks, do not water until flowers start to appear.

• Move citrus in containers under cover, out of the frost.

  Move container-grown citrus out of frost under eaves or in gazebo or carport. In-ground citrus, if still small, cover with hessian or shade cloth supported by three to four tomato stakes.
• Rake leaves off lawns or use the mower to shred them. I put half directly on to garden beds as mulch and half on to the compost heap. Remove leaves off the top of hedges.
• Complete all spring bulb planting, at the latest, by the end of this month.

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Just how many persimmons will grow on a tree?

My own experience came late in life when a client gave me some persimmons, assuming that I knew all about them. Arriving home, I placed them in a bowl and for a couple of weeks tried to decide how they should be eaten.

Then I peeled off the tough skin like an apple and found the taste delicious and was hooked. As we have no space in our already crowded garden to plant one, I am always grateful to generous people who have shared their crop with me.

There are two varieties of persimmon, the astringent and the non-astringent. The astringent need to be left until soft and squishy, when one can scoop the soft fruit on to ice cream or mix with yogurt. Do not try eating them before they are really soft or you certainly won’t ever eat one again! The non-astringent can be peeled and eaten as soon as they are ripe with the flesh hard like an apple. I chop them up and put into plastic containers and freeze them. They keep very well, giving several months of fruit on top of my breakfast cereal.

Persimmons are one of the most important fruit trees in China and have been cultivated for several thousand years with more than 240 varieties.

Westerners have been slow to accept it as a true fruit tree even though, as seen in this photo, it grows well in this district.

JUNE 5 is World Environment Day when we all try and assess what we can do to improve the environment. This year’s theme is “Sustainable Consumption and Production”. The slogan: “Seven Billion Dreams. One Planet. Consume with Care”.

Now is an ideal time to recycle all those falling leaves. Don’t waste this valuable resource.

I was moved this week to see a man in a wheelchair, on the edge of the nature strip, picking up leaves with a lawn rake from the gutter and putting them on his garden. That was the other end of the spectrum of seeing householders raking leaves into gutters resulting in possible blocked storm water drains.

Or the lady I saw washing leaves off the lawn into the gutter with her garden hose. A terrible waste of water and a waste of a wonderful natural resource for the garden.

Veggies can be grown in even the smallest of spaces.

As we increasingly move into town-house living, with Flemington Road as a perfect example, many of the balconies are ideal for growing veggies in containers, providing they receive plenty of sun. They need not be fancy and polystyrene boxes are perfect. Polythene has great insulation qualities keeping the soil warm to encourage good root growth. Use only the best quality potting mix if you want good results, none of this $3-a-bag supermarket stuff.

Jottings…

• A reminder for the veggie growers, winter crops include broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts, snow peas, broad beans such as Yates Early Long Pod and cauliflower.
• Do not mulch your garden in winter; allow the watery winter sun to warm the ground. Start mulching from September.
• Encourage children to plant a tree or even a shrub to celebrate World Environment Day
• Look out for Teucrium fruticans “Silver Box”, perfect for small hedges as an alternative to box hedging. Grows to only one metre tall with a 60cm spread. Silver foliage all year with sky-blue flowers in winter.

The post Gardening / One bite and you’re hooked! appeared first on Canberra CityNews.

Rosa “Gertude Jekyll” has an astonishing fragrance.

It is preferable not to plant roses in the same spot when old or non-performing roses are taken out because the ground can carry an almost unidentifiable disease called rose sickness. Alternatively, dig out a full barrow load of the existing soil and replace with new soil.

I NOTICE some supermarkets have had packaged roses for sale for some weeks, but I reckon they should stick to the business they know and selling plants is not one of them.

Firstly, the roses are in unnatural, air-conditioned shops with artificial light and, in these conditions, roses can start to sprout new shoots that will be  quickly burnt off by the frost once planted in the open garden.

To try and be the first in the market, they order roses that have been dug too early and, to keep the cost down, these roses are often only a year old with a thin stem not much thicker than a pencil. The stems are very prone to frost damage.

I always recommend roses from a garden centre where roses are displayed in natural, outdoor conditions of light and temperature. Plus always buy two-year old roses with good thick stems.

I LIKE to recommend Canberra Organic Compost, which is chopped up, recycled, green waste that is allowed to compost for a few months and then put through the chopping machine again.

The result is a quite fine compost, almost black in colour and is easy to apply to even the smallest garden beds. Apply in spring to about 75mm thick. I have never had a client who has not liked it and, even more importantly, worms love it.

The only complaint is that, when it is first delivered, it has a very healthy smell. Most beneficial natural fertilisers have a smell as does cow and horse manure. However, once it is spread the smell quickly disappears.

Canberra Organic Compost is from Canberra Sand and Gravel.

GARDEN centres are stocking a wonderful range of hellebores with the colour range including deep pinks to mottles white or deep purple.

Unruly hellebores, with leaves flopping everywhere, should be cut to ground level in early autumn. However, they can be done now, but without delay, to allow the winter sun to reach the base of the plant for better flowering in winter and spring.

Erica darleyensis in flower at the National Film and Sound Archive.

They are acid-loving plants and ideal planted in front of azaleas and rhododendrons. Keep in mind the universal advice to plant in groups of the same colour, ideally with three, five or seven in each colour and variety, depending on the size of the garden. Ericas also make great pot specimens.

Jottings…

• Large flowered clematis can be cut down to 45mm from the ground to encourage new shoots that, in turn, encourage more flowers in spring and summer
• Prune grapevines and wisteria now to three nodes/leave joints to avoid sap bleeding
• Another reminder to urgently remove plastic tap timers, portable sprinklers and hoses out of frost.
• Keep indoor plants away from heater ducts and cold drafts near windows.

The post Gardening / Right time, right place for roses appeared first on Canberra CityNews.

Viburnum carlesii is perfect for fragrance

A good rule is to have at least one-third evergreens to hold the garden together. On the other hand, all evergreens can be boring.

Some of the most fragrant plants are deciduous, planted at this time of the year for flowering in spring.

A few examples will illustrate this, starting with the deciduous viburnums.

A medium-sized shrub with rounded clusters of pure white flowers that are pink on bud, the viburnum carlesii is one of the most fragrant and popular deciduous plants. Its flowers appear in spring with a daphne-like fragrance.

This shrub was introduced into western gardens from Korea in 1901. Viburnum burkwoodii is a cross between V. carlesii and Viburnum utile. This deciduous shrub is slightly larger than V. carlesii with the same fragrant white flowers.

Erica darleyensis in flower at the National Film and Sound Archive.

They are acid-loving plants and ideal planted in front of azaleas and rhododendrons. Keep in mind the universal advice to plant in groups of the same colour, ideally with three, five or seven in each colour and variety, depending on the size of the garden. Ericas also make great pot specimens.

The underrated oak leaf hydrangea for late autumn colour.

The best varieties were bred at the Kalmthout Arboretum, near Antwerp, in the ‘50s. Hamamelis are also used medicinally, especially in homeopathy. They can grow to more than three metres although, if allowed to grow too large, they can get very leggy.

It’s best to keep them to less than three metres by pruning after flowering in late winter or early spring.

The most popular variety is Hamamelis intermedia “Pallida” with a strong, sweet scent. Unfortunately, like many worthwhile shrubs in the garden, they are out of fashion and can be hard to find in garden centres.

The hydrangea quercifolia, or oak leaf hydrangea, has rich-coloured leaves that last longer than most trees and in spring and summer the large white flowers against the dark green leaves hold for a considerable time. This makes them great for floral arrangements.

IT is important to remember that frost dries the ground out and the only true way to test if the ground needs watering is to dig a hole to see how far down the moisture levels are. The best time to do this is in the afternoon.

Some flowering plants, particularly those with white flowers in winter, such as Camellia sasanqua, will turn brown with frost. Ideally, gently hose the shrubs with a light spray before the sun hits the flowers.

THE bulbs in Commonwealth Park are sprouting in what is possibly the last year of Floriade at that location. No news has appeared on a possible new location, which is a worry as it takes at least 12 months of planning to the next event.

Jottings…

• Hydrangeas can be pruned now, remove older branches and dead wood. Reduce healthy shoots to three nodes (leaf joints) from the base. It is an ideal time to take cuttings.
• Lift dahlia tubers and store them in a cool, dry place, for instnce a polythene box filled with sawdust. If named varieties, write the name on a dry tuber with a permanent marker pen.
• Material from the compost heap can be dug into the ground in readiness for spring planting. Remember compost is not mulch.

The post Gardening / Leaves give way to winter plans appeared first on Canberra CityNews.

AMONG the roses on sale this winter is the new Gallipoli Centenary Rose, bred to commemorate the Anzac Gallipoli Centenary.

This gold-medal winner is a strong-growing, deep-red rose with an amazingly long-flowering period and delicious fragrance. It grows to 1.2 metres with bushy growth and disease-resistant foliage.

The Horticultural Society of Canberra planted it in its trial gardens in Bruce last year and it was still flowering in late autumn.

I picked a bunch and, even with the ducted heating on at home, the blooms lasted for nearly two weeks.

FOR winter-flowering, climbing plants go no further than these two clematis.

Climbing Clematis nopaulensis for winter colour.

Second, the evergreen, winter-flowering Clematis Cirrhosa, which I planted just 12 months ago over an arch. It is now more than 2 metres high and a mass of yellowish-white flowers, 4-6 centimetres across. The flowers are followed by silky seed heads in late winter/spring.

DRIED seaweed has been used as a fertiliser for centuries. In the 1940s UK scientist Dr Reginald Milton started experimenting with the liquid extract from seaweed. In 1950 he joined forces with a Tony Stephenson and started manufacturing Maxicrop, initially sold in England and now worldwide.

Dr. Milton was one of the first scientists to prove that plants could accept foods through the leaves as well as promoting root growth. On our farm in England we used Maxicrop Seaweed Plant Nutrient and I have been using it in our gardens here for more than 50 years.

THE next free talk in the popular series at The Garden Nursery, Parkwood, is at 10.30am, Wednesday, June 24 when Don Franklin will discuss the care and pruning of fruit trees to maximise fruit production. All talks are held indoors. Book a place on 6254 6726.

Paul Tyerman, a member of the Orchid Society, will talk about the growing and maintenance of cymbidium orchids on July 1.

I HAVE had inquiries asking if there is a cactus society in Canberra and, indeed, there is. The very vibrant Cactus and Succulent Society of the ACT meets in Room 3 at the Hughes Community Centre on the third Sunday of the month at 10.30am. Its website is at cactusact.org.au

Jottings...

• Now’s the ideal opportunity to clean out the garden shed and get rid of out-of-date garden chemicals. Or even all chemical fertilisers and sprays, and take the pledge to only use organic products for the benefit of the environment.
• It’s also a good time to remove dead branches on the Japanese maples. Shape them now rather than in spring when the sap is flowing.
• Salvias can be cut to ground level and it is also a good time to divide to fill vacant, sunny spots in the garden.

The post Gardening / Gold medals for the Gallipoli rose appeared first on Canberra CityNews.

Daphne Perfume Princess… more flowers than any other daphne.

IT takes years of crossing and recrossing hundreds of plants before they are ready for commercial production and sale.

To illustrate, here are two examples – one is a daphne and the other a rose.

Firstly, Daphne “Perfume Princess”, which is claimed to have more flowers than any other daphne, of which there are more than 200 varieties. While the most popular variety is Daphne odora, from China (together with Daphne odora variegata), most varieties come from the hottest part of the world, namely around the Mediterranean.

So, how did this new daphne come about? New Zealander Mark Jury is the breeder. Ten years ago he tried crossing Daphne odora with Daphne bholua, the latter being blessed with the best of daphne scents. Mark then worked for years gathering seeds from both with little joy until, finally, out of a total of six seeds harvested, just one seed grew, but was so underwhelming he more or less forgot about it.

After lying around the nursery for more than six years, Mark took another look at the daphne seedling and was astounded with the resultant flowers, which were exactly what every grower of a new plant was looking for: a compact bush, lush green foliage, huge flowers, flowers at the branch tips and down the stems, and a perfume to die for.

Mark then spent a few more years testing his D. “Perfume Princess” to make sure it wasn’t a fluke. It performed beyond expectations with the claim that it had a perfume like no other.

It is for sale at the Heritage Garden Centre, Yarralumla, and other garden centres.

Secondly, “The Beauty of Being Single” is the title of an article in the Royal Horticultural Society’s journal “The Garden”, which says that the simple elegance of single roses wins them a place in many gardens.

After waning over recent years, the act of giving a single rose has returned to popularity.

Selected as the UK Rose of the Year 2015… the Rosa “For Your Eyes Only”.

A repeat-flowering floribunda rose that has blooms all summer (provided it is dead-headed regularly).

This is a distinct new rose bred by Charles Warner in the UK after more than 30 years of breeding and is ideal for our conditions. It is lightly scented with shades of pink, peach and apricot. Being extremely drought resistant, this is an important factor in growing roses in our climate.

Another single rose that has always remained popular is Rosa “Dainty Bess”, which has flowers of exquisite beauty with shell pink on the upper side of the petals and salmon pink underneath.

BOOK now for the next gardening talk at The Garden, Parkwood Nursery, on growing Cymbidium Orchid by well-known local expert Paul Tyerman. It’s on July 1 and bookings to 6254 6726.

Jottings…

• Plant Australian garlic now. It’s the one with a stalk one end and curly roots the other; not the imported garlic treated with methyl bromide. Leave the stalk slightly out of the ground.
• Break the ice on the bird bath before leaving for work
• A heaped tablespoon of Epsom salts dissolved in a watering can and applied to rhodos, azaleas and daphne is a great tonic.
• Cut old flowers off Callistemon (bottle brush) for more spring flowers.
• Feed pansies and polyanthus “weakly weekly” – a weak solution once a week with Maxicrop Seaweed Plant Nutrient.

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