Spring Awakens In The Dry Tropics ... My Dry Tropics Garden Journal ... Beginning of Spring, Week 38, September, 2025

Garden Journal Entry - Week 38

This week's weather:

Seasons:  Beginning of Spring / Dry Season / Bushfire Season
Daytime Temps:  28°C - 32°C            
Night Time Temps:  19°C - 22°C
Humidity Levels: 50 - 70%  in a day    
Hours of daylight:  12 hours
Rainfall:  0 mm (0 inches)

🌿 Subtle Signs of Seasonal Change

Early spring in the dry tropics:  twelve hours of daylight, dry landscape,
and the lingering haze of distant bushfires.

September marks the first month of Spring here in the southern hemisphere.  The term "spring" can be misleading when referring to the tropics, as it doesn't bring the usual connotations of a northern hemisphere spring, or even a temperate Australian spring.  Our "dry tropics Spring" is quite a contrast and is marked by:

• rapidly rising temperatures, both day and night 
• a dry, brown landscape
• increased fire risk from the dry grasses and ground cover 
• the emergence of reptiles
• and the anticipation of the coming "wet" season after months of the "dry" season. 

For now, the seasonal shift from winter has been gentle and subtle, more like a gradual unfolding rather than a sudden transformation. Days and nights are definitely hotter (as noted above), humidity is slowly rising, the UV index sits at 'extreme' for most of the day, and we're five months into the dry season.  

Rainfall since the start of our dry season:

May - 49.2 mm

June - 24.8 mm

July -  16.4 mm

August -  0 mm

September (so far) -  0 mm

🔥 Fire Season Continues

Spring here is not all about a lush green landscape.  It's the opposite - there's parched ground and vegetation, the fire risk is high and it's time to remain vigilant.  The combination of rising air and soil temperatures, general dryness, and strong winds create ideal conditions for bushfires. 

Rising smoke from the bushfire that began in the ranges more than a week ago - this photo
was taken on day two.

• Fires have already flared in bushland areas around our city, including a massive blaze in the ranges surrounding our rural suburb.  
• Thankfully, these fires are far from homes, posing no threat to life or property, but the lingering smoke hanging over our rural suburb for more than a week now reminds us of the season's hazards.

Wide areas of bush land growth have been whipper-snippered down to the ground
to create fire breaks along our property fence line.

Preparation Tip:

The creation of fire breaks along the fence lines of our property is an annual job, and essential at this time of the year.  This job was only just completed a few weeks ago.  It was a back-breaking work for my hubby, as the growth in the bush paddock had exploded after the wet season at the beginning of the year.  

This year's growth in the bush paddock, especially from noxious weeds and invasive species like Chromolaena odorata (Siam Weed), Lantana camara (Lantana), Sicklepods and Snakeweed, made the job particularly challenging.  These weeds increase fire risk, so need to be cleared from the edge of our property.

💮 Eucalyptus In Bloom

Amidst this dry, dusty backdrop, spring is quietly celebrated by nature. The Eucalyptus platyphyllas - one of the dominant eucalypts in our region - are a standout at this time of the year, cloaked in their clusters of fluffy white flowers.

Fluffy white Eucalyptus blooms dripping with nectar attract native bees and wasps,
filling the air with a honeyed perfume.

These nectar-laden blooms attract native bees and wasps, and when the gusts of wind pause, the soft droning of pollinators and the sweet, honey-like fragrance of the blossoms make it feel like spring has truly arrived. We are lucky to have a couple of these trees on our property, bringing the surrounding bushland into our garden.

💧 Garden Under The Dry

Yard areas around the house are now almost completely browned off
and will remain that way until the wet season arrives

The long dry season has left its mark:

• Yard areas and surrounding landscapes are crisp and brown.
• These areas aren't prioritized for watering to avoid exorbitant bills.

Both the established Murraya paniculatas (Mock Orange) and Crotons
have responded to the deep watering by flowering, outside their usual blooming period.  

• Older, established plants sometimes need a deep watering, which helps sustain them until the rains return. Some even reward this care with flowers - a quiet, "thank you!"

The grassed area near the entrance to our house remains a priority for watering
throughout the dry season.

Areas prioritized for watering, despite the cost involved:

• Grassed area near the entrance to our house
• Shade house and courtyard garden spaces
• The newly planted garden projects

With the rapid drying out of these spaces, what was a once a weekly watering routine has now turned into a daily necessity, especially for all the potted plants out on the courtyard and in the shade house.

The two new garden project spaces are both doing well.
The plants have all settled in and receive lots of attention and care in this establishment phase.

With the heat rising and days starting earlier, I'm out very early in the mornings to do basic gardening jobs:

• Tidying (mostly involves picking up dropped Golden Cane Palm fronds) and weeding
• Deadheading
• Turning on / moving the sprinklers and soaker hoses.

These early hours remain a peaceful time to enjoy the garden before the heat of the day sets in.

🍃 Creeping Fig Challenge

A major pruning task this week, in the space between the house and the pergola area of the courtyard garden, involved a rather thick Dypsis lutescens (Golden Cane Palm) stem that had been bent down by the weight of Ficus pumila (Creeping Fig / Fig Ivy).

For those who have admired photos of Ficus pumila (Creeping Fig) and its ability to create lush green walls or hide unsightly structures - take heed!

In its juvenile stage, this creeper is a gardener's delight: delicate, small leaves form an attractive, vibrant covering (as seen on our shade house garden entrance - seen on the left - and the rock wall beside the entrance - seen below).

However, it requires regular pruning to stay manageable and maintain its charm. Left unchecked - as happened in this corner of my garden - the creeping fig quickly enters its mature stage. The leaves grow up to five times larger, stems thicken into woody vines over an inch in diameter, and it begins to produce fruit, eventually becoming a serious landscaping challenge.

Before:

This video shows the bent palm stem completely and thickly covered with the creeping fig.  It had created a canopy that was never intended!

During & After:

The bottom photo shows the now cleared and open area between our house and the pergola area.

This experience has been a reminder that even the most beautiful climbers need careful attention, especially in areas where they can overwhelm other plants or structures.

🦋 Life Among The Dryness

Even in the midst of dryness though, there’s plenty of life. Birds flit among the trees. Agile Wallabies make short work of weed piles left in the parched yard.

Early morning strolls reveal birds, wallabies, butterflies,
and the busy life of the garden, even during the dry season.

Lots of butterflies, including the stunning Papilio demoleus (Chequered Swallowtails), move between nectar sources introduced in the courtyard garden.

🌸Spring Colour Pops

Spring colour brightens corners of the garden, offering a cheerful contrast to the surrounding brown bleakness.

The Tabebuia impetiginosa (Pink Trumpet Tree) down the driveway is putting on a final flourish of flower sprays,

while Adenium obesum (Desert Rose) plants scattered around the property are blooming once more.

In the shade house, the Neomarica longifolia (Yellow Walking Iris) have begun flowering again,

and the Evolvulus (Blue Eyes) and Begonia semperflorens (Wax Begonias) continue their show.

The pots of Oriental liliums fill the air with their magnificent perfume.

The courtyard garden is a riot of colour this month. Of course, this colour is deliberately introduced to lift the mood, offering a cheerful contrast to the surrounding brown.

Potted annuals - Pansies, Alyssum, Petunias, and Calibrachoas -

thrive alongside flowering Impatiens, Begonias, and Pentas. It’s a vibrant patchwork of blooms, a reminder that even in the dry tropics’ challenging conditions, spring arrives with its own quiet magic.

💟 Highlights From The Garden

The purple Spathoglottis (Ground Orchids) and the yellow Phalaenopsis are showing off their stunning blooms.

I've just added a few new Orchids to my small collection and they've been placed in the bright, dappled light of the shade house garden. I know very little about Orchids, so this is the start of a new learning curve.

The first is labelled: Dendrobium (Spider Magic x Dark Dame) x Dendrobium canaliculatum. Apparently this is not a single Orchid hybrid, but rather three distinct Orchids.

The second is labelled: Dendrobium Mao Gold x Dendrobium Discolor. This is a hybrid.

The third is labelled: Brassocattleya Yuan Nan Star War. A hybrid that is apparently a large-growing orchid that produces a lovely fragrance.

At the moment, I'm enjoying their flowering cycle but will need to spend time accessing information about their growth habits, needs and care requirements.

Until next time,
🌸 Happy gardening from the dry tropics!

Our Tropical Wintertime Draws To A Close ... My Dry Tropics Garden Journal ... End-of-Winter, Week 33, August 2025

Garden Journal Entry - Week 33

This week's weather:

Seasons:  end-of-Winter & Dry Season
Daytime Temps:  20°C - 29°C            
Night Time Temps:  8°C - 19°C
Humidity Levels: around 70%     
Hours of daylight:  11 1/2 hours
Rainfall:  0 mm (0 inches)

🌿 August in the Tropics

As we approach the close of winter, August has delivered the gentle rhythm of tropical late-winter weather that we've come to expect.  Nights have mostly hovered around the average for the month, with an occasional cooler evening reminding us that winter still lingers.  Daytime temperatures have been steady, mostly typical for August, though a refreshing cool day of 20°C and a few warmer touches of 28°C have provided some variety.

☀️ Weather Watch

The past weeks have been a dance between bright, sunny days and the occasional overcast spell.  Some days shift from cheerful sunshine to dreary clouds in a matter of hours.

Unfortunately, these grey spells have brought no rain, leaving the garden to contend with the drying effects of blustery winds and extended hours of sun.  Consistent deep watering has therefore become an essential part of weekly gardening routines. 

Even so, the occasional overcast day offers a quiet reprieve - a perfect opportunity to spend hours outdoors, tending to the garden and giving the new plantings a healthy start.

🌱 New Garden Projects Settling In

Both of the new garden spaces are now fully planted, mulched, and beginning to flourish.  (See the last post to discover why I began creating these new spaces: New Gardening Projects ) Adjustments to the dry season watering schedule have been necessary to ensure the newcomers thrive until the wet season arrives at the end of the year.

The new garden space at the end of the driveway

The new rock garden space near the old chook pen

🌱 Old Garden Project Progressing Nicely

Pergola Rock Garden - Phase Two

The back section of the rock garden space under the pergola has entered its second phase.  Some original Coleus, that were planted in the ground, struggled with frequent mealy bug infestations and were ultimately removed.  The area now features the addition of potted Coleus and potted Begonias adding renewed colour and vibrancy.  Having these plants potted, instead of planted in the ground, means possible future treatment and/or removal will be a whole lot easier for me.

I'm finding the transformation far more pleasing, with the pergola garden now looking lush and lively.

🌼 Shade House Blossoms

Recently I've been very busy revamping the hanging baskets in my shade house garden - adding fresh coir linings, replenishing the potting mix and planting new flowering plants - in preparation for a springtime show.

• Fifteen new hanging baskets have been planted up with new babies and will soon brighten the shade house garden space.
• Most baskets are filled with Impatiens hawkeri  (New Guinea Impatiens).  

Newly planted hanging baskets in the shade house garden

These vibrant plants are a perfect match for Townsville's warm, humid climate.  Thriving in partial shade, they bring a splash of colour among the greenery of the ferns, and their moderate water needs make them ideal for our dry tropics conditions.  I can't wait to see them mature and fill out the baskets.

🐝 Life in the Garden

Even in these drier winter days, the garden buzzes with life.  Native bees, butterflies and other insects flit from flower to flower, keeping the ecosystem balanced and healthy.  Their presence is a beautiful reminder of how interconnected garden life really is.

😟 Ecological Threat

Meanwhile, on-going efforts to manage Anoplolepis gracilipes (Yellow Crazy Ants) here in the southern suburbs continue to be a critical biosecurity priority for our Townsville City Council.  Treatment programs, running since October last year, use helicopters, drones and ground crews to distribute bait, designed to be taken back to the colony by worker ants in order to target the queen, and ultimately the entire colony.

According to the flyer distributed to all households last year:  "Yellow Crazy Ants form super-colonies consisting of multiple queens supporting multiple nests and millions of workers.  

They out-compete other ants and spray formic acid on other prey, decimating biodiversity."  

Our City Council considers that multiple treatments will be needed over several years to control each of the infestations, so we will be getting very used to the sound of helicopters and drones in our area every month for the foreseeable future.

Over the past two weeks, our area has witnessed yet more aerial and ground treatments, reminding us that vigilance is needed to preserve local biodiversity.

There was a helicopter buzzing around last week, dropping baits, 

and then this week a drone carried on with more targeted bait dropping.  Members of the Yellow Crazy Ant program ground crew also visited our place yesterday to further continue the treatment.  

🌸 Highlights Around The Garden:

• Agave Bloom:  I've been delighted to see one of the large Agaves blooming this year.  It was the first in the group to bloom and right now there are loads of little pups (bulbils) forming along the flower spike.  The mother plant is dying and throwing out lots of new little babies to take her place.  I'm just letting them fall to the ground to see if any of them will survive the dry season and grow roots before our harsh summer rolls around at the end of the year.  Given that this section of the garden only survives on rain from Mother Nature, it will be interesting to see if any of the pups will take off.

• Splashes of Colour:  There's a bit of pink splashed here and there in various garden spaces - Adenium obesum (Desert Rose), Calliandra surinamensis (Powderpuff), Ixora and Kalanchoe.

• Birdwatcing:  One of the things I love most about my place in the world is the variety of birdlife I'm privileged to see almost on a daily basis.  This past week I've noticed a few beautiful visitors during my wanderings around the place - 

Top row L - R:  A Coracina papuensis (White-bellied Cuckoo-Shrike), and a Lichenostomus flavus (Yellow Honeyeater)
Bottom row L - R:  a female Sphecotheres viridis (Australasian Figbird) and Dacelo novaeguineae (Laughing Kookaburra).

🌿 Looking Ahead

This end-of-winter period is a time of quiet growth and preparation.  The garden continues to show resilience, and the new plantings promise vibrant colour and life as we move closer to spring.  

Until next time,
🌸 Happy gardening from the dry tropics!

Last Autumn Month ... My Dry Tropics Garden Journal ... End-of-Autumn, Week 20, May 2025

Garden Journal Entry - Week 20

This week's weather:

Seasons:  end-of-Autumn & start of Dry Season
Daytime Temps:  28°C - 31°C            
Night Time Temps: 19°C - 22°C
Humidity Levels: around 70%     
Hours of daylight:  11 hours
Rainfall:  0 mm 

A Taste of Summer Before Winter's Arrival 

As the end of autumn draws near, we've had a brief taste of summer's warmth this past week. Daytime temperatures reached nearly 30°C, giving us one last glimpse of what summer feels like before winter begins to settle in. While it was nice to have a bit of heat, the dryness that followed came quickly, and I’ve started to notice a few plants looking wilted and thirsty.  

Top Part of the Hillside Driveway Garden Bed

With only 3.6 mm of rain this month, which fell across three days in the first week, the ground has dried out much faster than usual. It seems I’ll be kicking off the dry season watering schedule a little earlier this year!

After a record-breaking wet season earlier in the year, I’ve finally managed to catch up on the weeding and mulching that was much needed across the garden beds.

Looking down the Hillside Driveway Garden Bed towards the section that needed weeding

The last section to get attention was the area near the end of the cement driveway, which runs down beside the pergola and courtyard garden, ending just outside my husband’s workshop. Though not visible to visitors, it was far too overgrown to ignore. In some areas, the weeds had grown almost a metre high!

End of the Hillside Driveway Garden Bed

I forgot to snap a ‘before’ photo, but I managed to take one towards the end of the task, with the last patch of weeds highlighted in the shot. It took two wheelbarrow loads of pulled weeds from just that area alone.

Back of the Courtyard Garden, opposite the end section of the Hillside Driveway Garden Bed

Thankfully, the other side was much easier. Now, I just need to finish off the mulching in that section.

Seasonal Changes

As the season changes, one of my favourite sights in the garden is the burst of colour from my Calliandra haematocephala (red) and Calliandra surinamensis (pink), commonly known as Powderpuffs.

The flower buds look like little raspberries before they bloom – first green, then red. Once they open, the flowers are small but clustered together to form the signature spherical inflorescences. It's a delightful sight, signaling the shifting of seasons.

Another exciting development in the garden is the blooming of my Adenium obesums (Desert Roses). I planted these just three years ago in various corners of the garden, and they've settled in so well. They thrive in spots with poor soil and full sun all day, and it’s wonderful to see them bloom again, adding a bright splash of colour amidst all the green foliage.

Looking Ahead

As we move into the drier winter months, I’ll be keeping an eye on the garden and adjusting care routines accordingly. With so much blooming despite the challenges of the changing season, there’s always something new to appreciate as we transition through the year.

This Week's Garden Highlights:

A Laughing Kookaburra sitting in a native gum tree, looking out for a delicious snack, as the evening closes in.  

The very last of the Agave flowers are on show at the very top of the flowering spike which is over two metres tall.

The stunning blooms of this potted Spathoglottis, commonly known as Ground Orchid, always catch my eye when I venture out into the courtyard garden.

Butterflies are a common daily sight at the moment.  This Common Crow Butterfly (Euploea core) was sitting on top of a weed pulled out from the hillside driveway garden bed.

I simply adore the vibrant pink of this potted Pentas that sits out in the courtyard garden.

I'm looking forward to seeing more colour after I start potting up additional plants for the courtyard garden ahead of our coming winter.

Until next time,

🌸 Happy gardening from the northern dry tropics!

A Record-Breaking Wet Season ... My Dry Tropics Garden Journal ... Beginning of Autumn, Week 13, March 2025

Garden Journal Entry - Week 13

This week's weather:

Seasons:  early Autumn & end of Wet Season
Daytime Temps:  28°C - 32°C            
Night Time Temps: 24°C - 26°C
Humidity Levels: 80 to 100%     
Hours of daylight:  12 hours
Rainfall:  357 mm  (14 inches) 

As March comes to a close, so (supposedly) does our 2024-2025 wet season - but what a wet season it has been!   These were the figures from our Bureau of Meteorology at the start of this week:

Since 1 January 2025, Townsville Airport has received 2,042 mm (80 inches)!

This is almost double the annual median of 1,083 mm (using 84 years of records) and we are only in March.

Our annual rainfall record for Townsville is 2,399.8 mm (94 inches), set in 2000.

February 2025 was the wettest month on record (for any month) at Townsville Airport with 1,198
mm (47 inches) – over four-times the February median rainfall.

Our rainfall, so far, for March (1 – 24) has been 761.8 mm (30 inches) – our wettest March on
record, breaking the previous record set in 2011 of 696.2 mm.

Looking back over the entire wet season, 1 October 2024 – 9 a.m. 24 March 2025,
we’ve had 2,686.6 mm (105 inches) of rain!













In the five days since these figures were shared, the weather station at the airport has recorded another 244 mm making the total 2,927.2 mm (115 inches).

That means we've now exceeded our all-time annual record in just six months!

The sheer volume of rain has transformed the landscape. My rural suburb is completely saturated, with standing water everywhere. In fact, a neighbour recently shared a jaw-dropping photo of water gushing out of the top of a borehole—something that simply doesn’t happen under normal conditions! 

Usually, boreholes are drilled deep underground to access groundwater, but this season’s relentless rain has pushed aquifer levels so high that water is now bubbling up to the surface unassisted.

With nowhere left to go, the rainwater is pooling in enormous puddles (some are more like lakes at this point). The soil is beyond saturated, and my garden is feeling the effects. Everything is lush and green, but after months of overcast skies, my plants are desperate for sunlight. The sun has made a few brief appearances, but it never seems to stay for more than an hour or two before retreating behind thick clouds again.

When there's sunshine, no matter how briefly, there is a sudden influx of butterflies and other insects carrying out their pollination duties.

Gardening?  Not So Much!

Gardening tasks are almost impossible right now. The ground is so sodden and slippery that it's actually quite dangerous—especially for someone like me, who's been battling with knee and mobility issues. I’ve attempted a bit of weeding here and there, but it’s a losing battle. Within days, the weeds are back, growing even more vigorously than before.

One plant, in particular, is proving to be borderline invasive in the shadehouse garden — Strobilanthes alternata (syn. Hemigraphis alternata), also known as red ivy, red-flame ivy, or waffle plant. It has taken full advantage of the wet conditions, popping up everywhere, even in hanging baskets! 

While I’ve tried to remove it from the more accessible areas, it simply mocks my efforts, bouncing back stronger each time.

Fighting Pests And Plant Damage Amidst The Rain

If the weed growth wasn’t frustrating enough, the hordes of hungry pests certainly are! 

Hawkmoth caterpillars have completely devoured several of my Impatiens and Pentas, stripping them bare.

Grasshoppers have been having their own feast, tearing into the leaves of my Begonias, Coleus and Plectranthus.

Some of the Impatiens plants, which had grown nearly half a metre tall, simply rotted away at the base of the stems due to the constant moisture.

Thankfully, I'm now seeing signs of new growth emerging from underground, which gives me hope that they will return to their former glory.

I've been making the effort to get out daily and do damage control in the garden spaces I'm able to access — the shadehouse and courtyard garden spaces - and I've been relocating hawkmoth caterpillars, crushing grasshoppers, and wiping off aphids. Despite my efforts, many plants are still riddled with holes, but some resilient beauties continue to push through.

I can’t deny that the wet season has brought some spectacular growth to the garden, but now I’m hoping for a shift in the weather—some bright, warm days to dry out the soil and give my plants the energy they need to thrive. 

Moments Of Beauty In The Chaos

Despite the challenges, my garden still has its highlights. 

While wandering around in between rain showers, I startled a mother Agile Wallaby and her joey as they foraged for food. 

Most of the other Agile Wallabies have moved back into the surrounding bushland, but for some reason, this mother has chosen to stay near our property.

 I often see her lounging in our “yard,” which is really just an overgrown weed patch at this point!

This Week's Garden Highlights:

🌿 Murraya paniculata (Mock Orange) has been taking turns to flower, filling the air with its heavenly scent.  (Top left in the collage)

🌿 Pseudomussaenda flava (White Wings) is covered in bright yellow flowers and striking white bracts.  (Top right)

🌿 Tabebuia heterophylla (Pink Trumpet Tree) has started another bloom cycle, showing off its delicate soft pink flowers.  (Bottom left)

🌿 Allamanda cathartica continues to put on a cheerful display of bright yellow blooms.  (Bottom right in the collage above)

🌿 Impatiens, Coleus, Torenias, and Cordylines persist, despite all the efforts of pests to reduce them to nothing.

Even in the midst of this extreme wet season, there are moments of beauty and resilience to be found. I just hope for some strong, dry sunshine soon to help the garden (and myself!) recover from this relentless rain.

Until next time,

🌸 Happy gardening from the northern dry tropics!