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There is a Japanese Maple for your Garden - Page 2

© Gay Klok

One day, in October, we were gardening in the garden of the Town House. It was a very hot day and I was suffering the onset of a bad influenza. The temperature rose to 40C [104F] and suddenly a gale like wind began to blow. This is most unusual weather for a Spring day in Tasmania. We rushed out with hoses and watered all the wind sensitive plants. When we had finished all we thought we could do, we climbed into the car and one hour later we were walking through the embryo garden of ?Kibbenjelok?. Never have I felt so daunted, never again was I to think, so bitterly, ?It was stupid of us to think that at our age [52 and 62] we were able to have such an exciting garden adventure, it would be best to give up now and face reality.?

All our tiny new plants were burnt to a crisp. The delightful new leaves of the Acers were brittle, brown curls. We had planted the new purchases in the ?Home Orchard? with apple trees sheltering them but the hot searing wind even burnt the apple leaves. Morose and sick, I retired to my bed.

Next morning, with influenza set in, I woke up to voices in our kitchen. I lay in bed, curious as to who was talking to Kees but loth to face the rest of the world outside of my sick bed. The voices went on and my curiosity became stronger. Dragging a dressing-gown on, I wobbled out of bed.

Kees was chatting to one of our nursery acquaintances. She had come down to visit the ?huge ornamental garden that Gay was creating?!

I was silent as we walked through the garden. ?The hydrangeas will be fine, just cut them down? I was told. ?Pour water into everything Can you do that??

?Yes? I morosely answered, ?We have the very large rotary hoses that were used to water the orchards and plenty of water in the big dams?

But even my garden companion was silent when she contemplated the baby Acers. ?Pour the water in? she said but I knew she thought they were all heading for the compost heap.

We only lost one of those Acers. Yes, it was the rarest, of course, and I have never seen another for sale. But I learnt a lesson from my friend. A gardener must always be the optimist and never throw the towel in. Certainly, over time you will lose old favourite plants but there are always new, exciting ones to take their place!

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