January marks the beginning of a new gardening year for me, though I know other Australian gardeners might differ in opinion. Many consider the arrival of spring as the true start of a gardening year. However, here in the tropical north of Australia, January - mid-summer and well into the wet and cyclone seasons - feels like a natural starting point.
January's typical unpredictable weather often brings challenges that define the gist of what needs to happen for the rest of the year. Preparing for the arrival of a lengthy dry season though, which typically runs from April to November, begins now.
The Unusual
Weather Patterns of January 2025
This January, the weather has already been
particularly peculiar. While November traditionally marks the beginning of the wet and the cyclone seasons, both of which typically last until mid-March or April,
this year’s wet season seems stuck in a holding pattern. The usual monsoon
trough—our “rainmaker”—has been notably absent, and the expected tropical
cyclones have yet to appear.
In the first week of the year, we’ve
experienced only isolated showers, amounting to a mere 1.6 mm (less than half
an inch) of rain. This follows a record-breaking December rainfall total, but
even then, the showers and storms last month were sporadic, hinting at the delayed onset
of the monsoon trough. The absence of monsoonal rains so far into this wet
season is highly unusual and has left us wondering how the rest of the 2025
monsoon and cyclone season will play out.
Garden Observations and Preparations
January’s
unpredictable weather so far has reminded me of the need to adapt and prepare. Strong
winds, sudden downpours, or extended dry spells can all disrupt the garden, so
I’m focusing on the following tasks:
- Pruning Shrubs: Cyclone season can bring fierce winds, so it’s essential to ensure the foliage of shrubs in exposed spaces is pruned back to reduce wind resistance.
- Soil Care: Adding organic matter to improve soil resilience in preparation for the long dry season ahead, but also to ensure the growth of strong root systems to anchor plants firmly in the ground and guard against them blowing over.
- Weed Management: The
sporadic rain received so far has encouraged weed growth, so staying on top of this now
will save effort later.
- Watering Regime: During the spring, a watering regime was adopted that entailed watering thoroughly, but infrequently, so the water soaked down deep into the soil to encourage the roots of plants to grow deep down into the soil.
Looking
Ahead
The absence of the monsoon and cyclones is
both a relief and a concern. Without these defining weather patterns, the wet
season feels incomplete, and it’s uncertain how this will impact the garden in the months ahead. For now, I’ll remain vigilant and adaptable,
taking each day as it comes while planning for the dry season.
It’s a strange and fascinating start to the
gardening year—one that promises to be full of challenges and lessons.
New Garden Projects
Courtyard
Garden
The area on one side of the steps under the pergola has undergone a significant transformation.
Previously dominated by Nephrolepis biserrata (Giant Sword Fern), Russelia and Neomarica longifolia (Yellow Walking Iris) for the past 20 years, it has been cleared entirely.
Over the last months of last year, I slowly worked to improve this space by adding enriched soil, small rocks, and stones to create tiers and edging. With these changes came the introduction of many new plants.
This garden now has two distinct sections:
- An Upper Section which has:
- Coleus
- Begonia semperflorens
- Impatiens
- Cyathea cooperi (Australian Tree Fern)
- Blechnum (Silver Lady Fern)
- Alyssum
- A Lower Section which has:
- Dwarf Tabernaemontana corymbosa (Dwarf Pinwheel)
- Viola hederacea (Native Violet)
- Torenia
The goal for the lower section is to encourage
a wildflower-meadow-like appearance. My hope is that the Violets will spread more, and the Torenias
will self-seed everywhere, eventually creating a dense, natural-looking, vibrant and colourful patch of flowers.
Shade House Garden
This garden space had also become overrun with Giant Sword Fern and Yellow Walking Iris.
Both were removed from the garden beds flanking the pathway and small patio. The Giant Sword Fern, however, has been left to thrive on the rock wall that borders one side of the shade house garden.
My vision for this space is a rainforest-like ambiance, achieved by incorporating plants at varying heights, including ground plants, potted plants, and hanging baskets.
So far,
- The In-Ground Plants include:
- Dracaena reflexa (Song of India)
- Begonia semperflorens
- Dracaena marginata 'Bicolour'
- Colocasia (Elephant Ear)
- Impatiens
- Schefflera (Dwarf Variegated Umbrella Tree)
- Evolvulus 'Blue Eyes'
- Microsorum scolopendria, synonym Phymatosorus scolopendria (Monarch Fern)
- Caladiums
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- The Potted Plants include:
- Coleus
- Costus productus (Orange Spiral Ginger)
- Syngoniums (Arrowheads)
- Rex Begonia
- Alocasia amazonica
- Strobilanthes
- Davallia (Rabbits Foot Fern)
- Phyllotaenium or Xanthosoma lindenii - Caladium lindenii
- Microsorum musifolium (Crocodile Fern)
- Crossandra infundibuliformis (Firecracker Plant)
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- The Hanging Baskets presently have:
- Calibrachoa
- Dianthus
The addition of colourful hanging baskets should enhance the space, introducing pops of colour to complement the lush greenery. Over time, I'll be changing the plants in these hanging baskets to things like: Acalypha herzogiana (Dwarf Cat's Tails), Fittonias, Streptocarpus and Dragonwing Begonias.
Hanging Baskets, set at differing heights, are part of the layered approach that I hope will gradually transform the Shade House Garden from the impenetrable jungle it had become into the
serene, multi-dimensional rainforest retreat I envision.
Until next time,
