Sunday, October 11, 2015

Respite from the Ravaging ... My Dry Tropics Garden Journal ... Week 42, 2015.

  Date:  October 11, 2015.

  Season:  mid-Spring and dry season.



It's the middle of our springtime now and the temps. have been quite reasonable.  Most days the mercury hovers around 29 deg C, whilst the night-time temps drop to a pleasant 19-20 deg C.  All very bearable.


Our dry season continues, although in the last few days we've had the occasional very, very light sprinkle of raindrops.  More like a passing mist really, but accompanied by my all-time favourite smell ... the smell of approaching rain.  That has been delightful.  The fine misty squalls of rain have barely registered though - weather reports state that we've received around 1mm of rain in the last week.  That's literally next to nothing!


The stuff that's fallen has barely hit the ground and certainly hasn't penetrated the cement-like ground here.  The only evidence that something resembling raindrops has fallen from the sky above, has been the sighting of a couple of tiny raindrops on petals and leaves around the place.  Of course, they disappear very quickly with the gusty wind and warm sunlight.

For those who read my last post, you will know why I'm a little over-the-moon about the following event.  It seems that the hordes of ravaging wallabies have finally moved on elsewhere.  Well, considering they've just about demolished everything edible that they could reach, I'm not surprised.  There's very little left that they find tasty.

There was one horrid felon left.  It was still munching on whatever I couldn't move from the courtyard garden and the new garden beds over the last two weeks.  It was even attempting to get in between all the chairs that I had set up as a barricade out in the courtyard garden!  Well, three mornings ago, this was the sight that greeted me at our back door when I got up to start the working day.


It would not move as I approached, so I had to use the other back door.  Even after an hour or so, it still hadn't moved, so my hubby shooed it off with a broom from a distance.  He tried to be gentle because we had started to think there might be something wrong with the poor thing.  Wallabies don't usually hang around on our verandah while we're at home and moving around inside.

Anyway, long story short ... I arrived home from work that afternoon and did my usual patrol checking for my wallaby feasting, and I found the poor thing dead in the front garden bed.  Me thinks it ate something that it really shouldn't have, or the accumulation of all the things it had eaten for weeks was just too much!

The upshot of this though is that I have finally been able to move the salvageable potted plants off the courtyard table this weekend and back onto the courtyard pavers.  It looks more like a garden space once again.  I can't tell you how great that makes me feel.  Of course, most of the potted plants need time to recover and bounce back to their former glory, but I'm so pleased to have the plants back where they belong.

Colour elsewhere in the garden is very light on the ground, apart from a couple of hardy plants that were obviously not good enough for the wallabies' nightly menu.

Kalanchoe (not sure of the variety).

Dwarf variegated Bougainvillea.

Hippeastrum.

Alpinia (not sure of the variety).   
[Note: thanks for the I.D.  Viscount Anthony Fuller.  Now I know it's Alpinia purpurata.]

Turnera ulmifolia

Duranta repens

Hippeastrum

Oleander

Elsewhere around the place, there are a couple of trees that are deciduous during our winter months, but with the arrival of Spring, the bare branches start sprouting lots of new leaf growth.


The beautiful new coppery-coloured foliage has appeared on one of my Lagerstroemia speciosa shrubs.  It's a lovely sight after the bare branches have been on show for the last couple of months.


My two deciduous Plumeria rubras are showing signs of new leaf growth as well.


I love watching the tiny little leaves emerge from the rounded ends of the branches.


Out in the courtyard, the new leaf growth on the native Sterclia quadrifida or Peanut Tree is very noticeable now.


The branches are leafless throughout the winter months, when the seedpods appear, but when spring arrives, so do the new leaves.


You might notice though that there are splashes of purple up in the canopy of the Sterculia that look decidedly out of place.

That's my Petrea volubilis, or Sandpaper Vine, climbing up through the Sterculia.  The Petrea is supposed to grow and cover the pergola, but it much prefers to climb the tree.  I've tried countless times to pull it down and try to train it to cover the pergola.  It refuses to play along with my plans and just keeps escaping up into the Sterculia.


It's so hard to see the gorgeous flowers of this vine though, as it's so very high up.  It's only when I point it out to people, that anyone notices the gorgeous purple sprays.

Out in my courtyard garden, one of my Cycas revolutas has a new 'break' emerging.  It's great fun watching these new leafy whirls emerge and get taller and taller.  Here's an idea of the progression and pace of new growth:

October 2nd

October 4th

October 5th

October 7th

October 8th

Today.


It's fascinating to see the curly ends slowly unfurl as the branches get longer and longer.


I've finally re-potted the two graceful Belchnum gibbum or Silver Lady Ferns that sit out under the sloping roof facing the courtyard garden.  They've been very patient!  I decided that whilst I was moving the rescued wallaby-eaten potted plants from the table to the pavers, I really should make the effort and re-pot a few of the other plants that live out around the courtyard too.  I think they already look happier.

Just to finish off my journal entry for this week, I'm adding a few of the bird shots I've captured during the last week.

Forest Kingfisher.

Female Fig Bird in the native Olive tree.

Not sure what this little bird is, but it was enjoying a feast of native olives.

Brown-backed Honeyeaters.

Sulphur-crested Cockatoo.

Same Sulphur-crested Cockatoo taking flight.

A pair of Pied Currawongs.


You can't miss those distinctive bright yellow eyes!

30 comments:

  1. Lovely blog as ever Bernie so enjoyed .

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    1. Thanks Kath. I'm glad you've enjoyed the read and the photos.

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  2. What a GREAT post! Glad the wallabies have moved on, sorry about the demise of the one though. I'm sure your plants are happy to be back in there normal surroundings.

    Have a great week ~ FlowerLady

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    1. Thank you Lorraine. It's been terrific putting things back out in the courtyard. It feels so nice now we can sit out there once again. Fingers crossed there will be no more wallaby feasts!

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  3. I hope you soon have "proper" rain for your garden. I'm glad the wallabies have moved on and your garden can catch up making new leaves and flowers, though sorry to hear of the demise of the wallaby by your house. You have so many lovely, beautiful flowers that we don't see over here, except as indoor plants, it's wonderful seeing them growing outdoors!

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    1. I am over the moon that the wallabies seem to have moved on now, Pauline. Things were really looking awful around here, so bare. I can't wait for new growth to appear and hopefully for most of the plants to bounce back beautifully. Proper rain won't arrive for another couple of months yet as our wet season occurs sometimes between December and March. We're getting closer though.

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  4. I did feel for you with the damage done by the wallabies and I'm glad they have moved away. Great to see the garden bouncing back too. Those cycads fill out so fast!

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    1. The Cycads new growth pops up quite suddenly and it's fascinating to watch. I'm happy to say goodbye to the marauding wallabies now. Fingers crossed I'll see lots of plant recovery soon.

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  5. I'm sorry to hear about the poor wallaby, but I'm sure you are relieved to have your garden unmolested now that the rest of them have moved on. That's certainly something we don't have to worry about here! I always enjoy seeing the diversity of your garden. So many plants we don't have here. Hope you get a proper rain soon, I hate it when Mother Nature teases with just a spritz like that. Perhaps a Rain Dance will help :-)

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    1. Jayne, rain dances are most welcome. Rain dance as hard as possible for us please!

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  6. even without rain - your garden is looking lively.

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    1. Thanks Diana, there are still pockets of lovely things here and there. My shadehouse garden is my haven at the moment whenever I need a gardening fix.

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  7. Thank you for the pictures of your garden. It is a whole new world for me...of course. I enjoy learning about the victories and defeats of gardens all over the world. It demonstrates that, though we may be far apart, we share the same hopes and dreams...and frustrations.

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    1. Thanks for dropping by to visit Johnsviccellio and for your comment. We gardeners do indeed have a lot in common no matter where we garden. That's why I so love visiting other gardeners' blogs.

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  8. Great photo capture of the Cockatoo taking flight!!
    So sorry about the wallaby....I find that animals come around close to my home and stay even closer when they're sick. I've ended up burying so many animals over the years because of this.
    Hope your plants will recover and be beautiful again.
    Seeing your cycad grow out its fronds reminds me that I saved a tiny piece of leather leaf fern which is now starting to break the soil surface and grow new fronds.

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    1. Virginia, that shot of the Cockatoo was a happy accident but it worked out quite well. This is the first time we've had a sick wallaby hanging around so close to the house and us! It was so interesting that it felt as though it needed to be around us at the end. Some of the plants have starting their recovery, but the others are still looking awful.

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  9. Just read your previous post about your wallaby woes...don't know how I didn't see it before.
    You've got wallabies and I've got monkeys....both very destructive creatures in the garden...sending you good wishes that they leave your garden alone.
    Can you sprinkle pepper around some of the plants and see if they leave those ones alone? Just wondering.

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    1. I can't imagine what it would be like having monkeys munching on your plants and wreaking havoc in the garden. It sounds as if they're very destructive as well. At the moment most of the wallabies have moved on elsewhere and the couple that are still here seem to have much better manners. They're just digging up grass roots! I've tried the pepper spray and the garlic/chilli spray as well. I've tried the commercial mixture too. Nothing seems to turn them away when they're really hungry. We've talked about getting another dog! That seemed to work previously.

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  10. Look at how much is going on in your garden....that Cycas is amazing and oh my we have ravenous deer and you have wallabies. And a Hippeastrum, which I plant for indoor winter flowers.

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    1. Yes there's still a bit going on at the moment. I'm loving the Hippies popping up in the new garden beds. I'm really appreciating their lovely colour right now. It's always such a delight watching the new growth on the Cycad pop up. It's gorgeous soft foliage too, so different from the older spiky stuff.

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  11. I hope your garden will recover. Poor wallaby. I love all the flowers and the birds.

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    1. Thanks Gunilla. It seems that most of the wallabies have now moved on. That's probably because they've eaten just about everything they can at my place and they're off in search of new pickings. Anyway, some plants have started their recovery, but they're finding it difficult given how dry the conditions are at the moment. It's going to take a while I think.

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  12. Hi Bernie, I am so loving reading all about your amazing garden. I'm attempting to start a tropical garden here in Brisbane and am also blogging about it, so your blog is a must read on so many counts. I take my hat off to you for all that you and your hubby have achieved in such an unforgiving climate. And the photos are stunning!

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    1. Thanks for visiting, Sylvia. You're going to enjoy creating your new garden. What an exciting journey you have in front of you. It will probably be filled with moments of triumph, moments of pain and disappointment, but in the end, you'll feel a great sense of achievement. Right now I'm still in the depths of disappointment and not really enjoying the garden as our dry season is really taking a toll this year. I just have to remember there will be better days ahead. Hopefully, not too far off!!

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  13. It’s always such a treat to visit your blog Bernie, no matter what time of year it is. I haven’t been here for a while, been too busy with creating a new garden after moving house, but your garden looks just as gorgeous as always. Sorry to hear about the wallabies and the damage they do, next time I am shooing away the squirrels from my pots and containers I am going to think of you and be happy I don’t have to shoo away wallabies!

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    1. Sorry it's taken a while for me to reply Helene, I've been having internet issues. Anyway, thanks for your comment. The dry continues, but thankfully there is only one or two wallabies that come into my garden to find food at present. That means there's not quite as much damage happening any more. The plants that were eaten to the ground are still recovering, but are finding it hard because of the very dry conditions right now.

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  14. I'm for the first time here and have been reading and reading and watching all these wonderful plants which don't grow here outside. Love that courtyard garden, the shade garden and greenhouse with so many plants. So sorry for the dead wallaby in the frontgarden, on the other side you must be glad they all have gone off, it's not fun when they are ravaging your garden.
    I will be your new follower!
    Regards, Janneke

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    1. Thanks for visiting and leaving a comment, Janneke. It's lovely to have another new follower. Right now the very dry conditions continue and the garden is still suffering. Most of the wallabies have now moved on, and there's not as much feasting happening any more. I do still find a plant nibbled here and there, but it's not as heartbreaking.

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  15. thank goodness the wallabies have moved on. Hopefully you'll get rain soon. Photos of the cycad wonderful as is the photo of the Forest Kingfisher.

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    1. Thanks for your comment Sue. Sorry for the delay in replying to it. I've been so super busy with the end of term at school and haven't had much of a chance to spend time looking at my blog. Anyway, I've caught up finally and wanted to thank you for your lovely comment as usual. I've got another Cycad throwing out a break at the moment. They're always great to see.

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