Hydrangeas - The Old Fashioned Favourites

Spasmodically I decide to have a bakefest and produce a multiplicity of Christmas cookies and shortbreads to be given as gifts to my friends and family. Typically this occurs in about a five year cycle. I think this is because it takes me about five years to forget how much effort this endeavour entails and then, once my previous experiences have been forgotten, I become instilled with the enthusiasm to do it all again, five years down the track.

This year was a baking year. I was inspired by these cute little cookie jars I came across in a store, having little idea that those ten jars would require ten batches of cookies/shortbreads to fill them! Not to mention the effect on my waistline of sampling some from each of those ten batches. In ways so typical of my own nature, I badly underestimated the amount of time it would take to create my little calorie laden (but delightful) morsels. Next year will NOT be a baking year.

For many weeks I've observed the battalions of weeds growing in both size, strength and numbers and today was the first opportunity I have had to redress the balance of power in my garden. The recent regular rainfall has meant that my failing to provide regular watering has been compensated for by Mother Nature and although some things look a little seedy, very little has totally died, and the weeds have truly thrived.

Because the weed situation was relatively under control up to about 8 weeks ago, a couple of hours has produced almost miraculous results. But then again, if you are dealing with monster weeds spanning around 80cm, once removed a large area of weeded garden is instantly created.

But this blog is about my hydrangeas. I have traditional hydrangeas, some "dwarf" varieties that intriguingly grow up to 1.5m in height (the same as regular hydrangeas) and I have a few "Endless Summer" varieties. The "Endless Summer" varieties were quite revolutionary. They will flower on both new and old wood (the older varieties flower only on old wood so new plants or those that are heavily pruned will not produce flowers until the branches have had a chance to mature).

Even though I have religiously made tags for each variety as I planted it, the ink in the permanent markers I used appears to be much less than permanent and I cannot easily identify some of the varieties pictured below. Maybe I can work on this next year, when I may or may not have more time!

The hydrangea is an old favourite that has, like so many of the old fashioned plants and shrubs, made a come back.

This is one of my favourite pictures. I can only wonder what colour the hydrangeas were, whether they were the same pretty blue as the pretty young girl's eyes (and yes, her eyes, although not quite so young now, are still a pretty blue), with the colour of the florets muted by the late afternoon sun. Her parents had a great eye for colour and form and I think her mother would have made her dress and chosen a pale shade of blue for this. Perhaps I will later digitally colour this photo how I think it might have been. The girl, or her sisters, may have recollections that might guide me.

Endless Summer "Original"

Endless Summer (L Blushing Bride, R Original)

Endless Summer Blushing Bride

Endless Summer Blushing Bride

Endless Summer (L Blushing Bride, R Twist'n'Shout)

Endless Summer Twist'n'Shout

Endless Summer Twist'n'Shout

Mid Spring Mania

It's now more than a month since I began this blog entry. Mid spring has well and truly been and gone and my roses have mostly finished their first flush of flowers so it is nice to have the photos in this blog that were snapped on the run.

Driving around lately, the vivid purple-blue hues of the jacaranda flowers caught my eye, reminding me of the old adage that when the jacarandas were in bloom it was far too late to begin studying (for end of year exams), a constant reminder that I should not be wasting time and should be back at home finish my last essays! 

I submitted my last essay yesterday so now it is time to reclaim the garden from the opportunistic weeds that have taken up residence and the bronze orange stinky bugs gathering in their numbers in the citrus trees while my back was turned. I'm feeling a bit essayed-out and so I'll let the pictures tell their own story.

Lagerfeld

Rose du Roi a Fleur Pourpre

Mister Lincoln (bud)

Mister Lincoln (bloom)

Mister Lincoln

Duo - Neptune and My Hero

Neptune

My Hero

Brindabella Eyes for You

Iceberg/Bonica Twin

Smooth Destiny

Blueberry Hill

Blueberry Hill

L'amour

Ultimate Pink

Governor Macquarie

Heaven Scent

Perfume Perfection

Princess de Monaco

Gertrude Jekkyl

Pretty Jessica

Blushing Pink Iceberg

Walking Iris

Pelargonium

Pelargonium

Geranium Rozanne

What a Difference a Day Makes

After a couple of days of pretty warm weather (around 30C), having finished my "school week", I ventured out into the garden to find lots of beautiful surprises. That was a week or so ago and from then on new surprises have been waiting to greet me each day.

Before we look at the nice surprises, there are also the nasty surprises. Yes, my friends the bronze orange bug are back on the citrus trees either side of the entrance to my cubbyhouse garden. These nasty little insects move around so their rear-ends are pointed towards the entrance and squirt their malodorous and stenching perfume at me as I walk in or out! I can see I need to meet with these guys quite soon. I'll come armed with my safety glasses, gloves and tongs and arrange for them all to have a party (inside a ziploc plastic bag).

  

Atomic Blonde

Barron Edmond de Rothschild

Barron Edmond de Rothschild

Burgandy Iceberg

Portmeirion

Charmwell Fairyfloss

Rosette Delizy

Rosette Delizy

Love Potion

Love Potion

Nepitos as a bud

Nepitos fully blown

Nepitos starts as an exquisite, classically formed bud that opens to a slightly messy, loosely formed bloom

David Austin Leander

Leander

Long Tall Sally (ready to wow me)

Long Tall Sally's leaves

I was stunned at the humongous leaves Sally has produced.

Perennial Dianthus Candy Floss 

Lilac blooms

Governor Macquarie

Rock Rose Gum

Rock Rose Gum

After waiting three years, Rock Rose Gum has finally graced me with some stunning blooms. These fragile, paper-thin flowers are unexpected on such a tough and hardy bush. Water tolerant, almost neglect proof and only growing to about one metre high x one metre wide, this is a must for every garden. The vibrant pink accents look as though they have been daubed by a watercolour brushstroke. 

Pelargonium  Reticulatum

Pelargonium

Pelargonium

The last two pelargoniums haven't had it easy. Sheltered beneath the eves they get massive amounts of sunshine and no rain and so are fairly dependent on handwatering. I've not done a great job with them this year and from the foliage they look like they are halfway between life and death, but they've still produced some flowers. I am planning to either move them or plant them, hopefully they'll do better next year.

Vibrant pink pigrface, spills down the retaining wall in a mass of colour

Pigfaces are really tough, their succulent-like leaves are designed to retain moisture. The flowers close each evening once the warmth of the sun has passed and reopen again the next morning.

Freesias

Despite being planted almost as an afterthought, the freesias have produced some beautiful blooms. When you think about it, it is amazing that such a tiny little bulb can produce all this foliage and such beautiful, fragrant flowers.

Iceberg/Bonica twin grafted patio rose 

Once again, the Iceberg part of this patio rose has taken the dominant role. Even though I pruned the Iceberg section heavily, it has still taken over. Oh well......

Ivy Gernaium

Dendrobium kingianum

Dendrobium kingianum

White "Hardy" waterlily

For as long as I can remember, I have wanted a water feature in my garden, filled with delightful waterlilies, a few goldfish to keep the mosquito larvae at bey and a few other water plants. It seems that this is the year it will happen. I have three waterlily plants that are still managing to do their thing whilst immersed  only in a bucketful of water and a large, lightweight fibreglass pot that will form the pond once a technical problem has been resolved.

From my brief research, there are two main types of waterlilies, "tropical" and "hardy". Authorities on such matters suggest that it is best to have both kinds, not because one is easier to grow, only that they have slightly different flowering times.Tthe "hardy" flowers earlier than the "tropical" and by having both you can enjoy flowers for a longer period of time.

So far I am yet to find a negative to these delightful plants. They have the most amazing, if subtle, fragrance, and seem to keep on sending up new flowers every couple of days to replace the spent ones; I only need to pushed one small fertiliser tablet into each pot to keep them happy for the season; I don't have to water them, and haven't found one single weed!  Did I mention they don't need to be watered and don't have weeds???!!! Now, what's not to like about that?