Is it Gay[i]ety in the Winter garden?
How are we supposed to understand the weather in this new Century? How are we able to plan our sowing of seeds and the planting of new plants? What plants are going to flourish in our garden conditions with the new weather patterns of the 21st Century?
Tasmania has had record lack of rainfalls for ten seasons now. Our winters have been mild and our plants keep growing. No rest for the wicked? Humbug! How can you say that our beautiful plants and the harder working gardeners are wicked? But how much more global warming can our gardens take? Will I have to watch the demise of the cool temperate plants in my garden and replace them with tropicals?
Today, the 19th June sees us going towards the middle of Winter, and it is so wonderful, I just have to sit down at my computer and tell you. The sun is shining with a gentle warmth, the sky is pale blue and there is not a cloud in the sky. The wind blew hard and strong all night long and all the Autumn leaves have blown away so I can see the wonderful trunks and branches of my teenage trees that are so rapidly growing into adult hood. That is, all, except for the Liquid Amber that is certainly living up to its name this year. Like dark rubies, the leaves that are always the last to leave and the first to emerge, and are glowing with a deep and brilliant red, like a burning heart in the middle of the orchard garden.
The temperature is C15 degrees in the shade. In the sun it would be a lot higher and the air is with a coolness, a crispness but a balmy warmth that is welcomed by the creaky old bones of this happy gardener. Truly a day to relish hard labour time in the garden. In the city home, I have already picked the Chimonanthus praecox [Winter Sweet] and the little yellow-green stars were placed in a bowl to perfume the whole house. Hellebore orientalis and foetidus are in full bloom and several Camellia sasanqua white or pink flowers are gently whispering of the flower power to come. My daughter has picked some branches of the Luculia gratissima as she leaves by the side door. It has been in bloom for some weeks now so I hope they will last in her vase. Perhaps she will treat the water with bleach, after smashing the bottom of the stem and that will prolong the life and her room will smell of all the scents of the Orient for at least a few days. To add to this plethora of enchanting scents, the first Viburnums are opening their pale pink sweet smelling blooms.
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