Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Wandering Time ... A Tuesday Tropical Garden Tour.

Autumn through to early Spring is the best time of the gardening year for this north Aussie gardener.  That's the time when many of the garden areas are looking pretty darn good. This year, however, is slightly different.  The prolonged 'wet' season and the unwelcome arrival of a cyclone means things have not gone exactly to plan.

My favourite spot ... the Courtyard Garden ... is usually full of terrific potted annuals by now, providing splashes of colour in almost every corner.  Potting up my annuals seedlings has been delayed this year ... thanks to the prolonged 'wet'.  Many of the existing plants have been craving sunshine which was rather rare in the early part of the year.  As a result, many of the year-round flowering plants are not exactly looking their best right now.

Out in the Shadehouse Garden, despite the recent clean-up and trim back, the ferns have starting taking over once again with the relentless rain that continued last month.  Some of the hanging plants really need a trim back once again as well.  It's not exactly as neat and tidy as I'd like.

Regardless, I've taken a quick wander around these garden spots, avoiding all the other areas that were stripped and damaged by the destructive winds, to record just how things are this mid-Autumn.

This is amateur video making, warts and all stuff.  It's just me wandering around making observations about what's happening ... there's no script ... there are noisy birds in the background and you'll probably hear the corrugated iron roof popping as it expands and contracts as the sun becomes more intense.  The zoom on my camera is also rather noisy, but that's just how it is.  This is more for my own record keeping than anything else, as I use these recordings to really sit down and pay close attention to what needs to be done.

So, starting with a front garden bed and wandering through the shadehouse ...



... then moving out onto the courtyard.



I've already made a couple of decisions immediately following these wanders ...
... the beautiful perfume emanating from that white Ginger needs to be part of my shadehouse environment
... there needs to be a drift of that hardy purple Salvia farinacea in the tiered garden bed
... the hanging plants in wire baskets out in the shadehouse all need to have the coir lining replaced and potted up with new compost and water saving crystals
... it's definitely time to pot up the annuals for the courtyard
... the Blechnum gibbums need to be moved to a more shaded spot in the courtyard
... and I need to move more of my Cordylines out next to those Golden Cane Palms in the courtyard.


Are there any other gardeners out there who've got videos to share?  I'd love to take a guided tour of others' gardens ... listening to the gardener's observations and thoughts.

23 comments:

  1. What a lovely garden! Thank you for the tour...everything looks so lush and healthy despite some of the weather you have had of late. I especially liked your begonia collection...stunning!

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  2. Birnie: Enjoyed the tour very much, and wandering through your courtyard and Greenhouse gardens made my day! I love the birds chirping sounds in the background. Your garden looks so lush and green regardeless the wet season and cyclone. You reall "packed" so many plants into your space. I am wondering have you ever tried to count the number of plants you have? LOL I bet it is a lot. Since I have a very small garden, and I love plants, so you can imagine how I squeeze plants into every little space, and when they all mature, they tend to hide each other, and I have to go hunting the flowers hidden. So I can totally related to what you commented about trimming impatiens is difficult because it is hard to get in :)

    Thanks for a great tour of your garden, and someday I will make one myself. But my garden is still in development, want to wait for it getting a little "finished", if you know what I mean :)

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  3. Thank you for the amazing tour of your garden. I really enjoyed listening to your commentary. It’s hard to believe that just a few weeks ago your garden took such a battering from the cyclone. You flowers are wonderful. I was just amazed at speed of recovery. You have done a great job More video please !

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  4. Sage Butterfly, thank you for your kind words. The Rexs are a particular favourite of mine ... I'm slowly building up a collection.

    Ami, I thank you for coming on the tour with me and I'm glad you enjoyed it. I have absolutely no idea how many plants I have ... I have to admit I'm a bit of a plantaholic! I think it would be terrific to see your video clips as I know you have a lovely garden, despite the fact that it's a work in progress ... aren't they all? Mine seems to be in that state all the time.

    Sue, you're always such a terrific supporter of my posts and I thank you once again for your lovely words. I did avoid including the worst hit spots in these videos, so the ugly places are still in recovery mode.

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  5. Hi Bernie,
    I didn't get to watch both of your garden tours since it is very late and I must teach tomorrow. I certainly enjoyed the first one and I'll view the other tomorrow. I really like all the Australian wildlife sounds in the background. It makes you feel like you are there. You have a LOT of plants and I can tell they are happy growing in your garden.
    Maybe someday I'll make a video since my teenage son knows how to do this. Very fun idea!
    David/ Tropical Texana

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  6. The weather here is funny as well. It rained early morning, had a hot and sunny afternoon and by late afternoon, it is now raining with thunders. All just happened within a day (today!).

    But your garden still look awesome! Love the ferns and green foliage you have in your shade garden.

    Oh that kangaroo, your pet? ;-)

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  7. I enjoyed the tour Bernie, and you are so knowledgeable. Isn't it amazing how many plants do come back, and everything is looking quite lovely in your garden once again. Thanks for sharing the video - I think I might do one of my garden, now that you have spurred me on.

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  8. I'm new to your blog and I'm now a follower. You have a very beautiful garden, it's like a tropical jungle ... I love everything tropical! I'm looking forward to reading your posts. Have a great week!

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  9. David ... I for one would love to take a stroll around your garden listening to your thoughts on and descriptions of what goes on in your garden. Give a go ... it makes your blog a little more personal I think.

    Stephanie ... our 'dry' season has now started so we're not likely to see rain for quite some time now. This can sometimes be as hard for my garden as the 'wet' season, lol! That was a wallaby at the start of the video ... actually there were others a little further off. They're Agile Wallabies and they're wild, not my pets at all.

    Africanaussie ... I would very much enjoy seeing your video as I know you have so many terrific tropical plants ... like your Sexy Lady! It would be great to watch and listen to a tour of your northern garden. Give it a go!

    Priscilla, thank you so much for becoming my newest follower. I do so hope you keep on enjoying the posts about my tropical garden here in the north of Australia.

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  10. I am just amazed how lovely your garden looks. I would like to stroll around your yard myself and take it all in.

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  11. the words Big and Bountiful come to mind Bernie - no reference to you but loved the tour. The vids made me realise how much is lost without the sound effects - popping roof and all.
    Laura
    p.s. would definitely move the Ginger to where you can imbibe it close by. Heavenly

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  12. Very Lovely!! Thanks for sharing!!!
    Michelle

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  13. OOOHHHH I Love your header picture - so fun to read about all your unique plants in your various garden's thanks for sharing and Happy Easter! Paula from Idaho USA
    http://bucketideasforgardening.blogspot.com/

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  14. Great idea to bring us on a video tour. We get to hear how Bernie sounds, and she has such a sweet, gentle tone in her voice!Great to get to know your garden and you better, Bernie!
    Rosie

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  15. I've always wanted a garden for myself.

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  16. I appreciate the lovely comments Eileen, Laura, Michelle, Paula, Rosie and Raffy Jay.

    Big and bountiful certainly suits, Laura!
    Paula, the flower in my header is the bloom of a native tree that grows in the bushland surrounding my property here.

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  17. Dear Bernie, What a wonderful treat to tour your gardens, listening to your sweet voice commentating on your outstanding plants! It is hard to believe they were hit by a cyclone recently. I am overwhelmed by the enormous number of plants you grow. Their LUSHNESS is amazing. Makes my gardens look sparse and bare in comparison. I can't pick out a favorite, but the ginger sticks in my mind. Thank you so much for the tour. P x

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  18. Your garden couldn't be more different from my Welsh hillside where the problems are thin soil, wind and rain (usually, we are having a fabulous warm and sunny spring just now). Fascinating to see how it is done in such different conditions. I would love to see your garden and show you mine - fabulously different!

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  19. Bernie - it's always a treat to take a stroll with you around your gardens! :D

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  20. Thank you for inviting us into your garden and shade house/nursery. There is so much to see and enjoy. If I showed you my garden, it would probably just take long enough for me to do a 360 degree turn. :-P

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  21. Is that Senorita rosalita cleome I see in the first photo. That is just so amazing that you have it growing in your garden and I have it in mine. Not so far apart after all. Wasn't that wedding just wonderful. Even my husband was glued to the TV.

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  22. Googles AW. Thank goodness they are quite tame ;-)

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  23. What a beautiful garden! I hope mine will look half as good. We're just now starting to get some blooms, it's been a cold winter/spring!

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