hot windy site near Perth Australia
- Subject: hot windy site near Perth Australia
- From: D* W*
- Date: Sun, 22 Apr 2001 22:27:18 -0700
Posted for Christine infanti
=======================================================================
Hi,
I found this site online. I live in Australia (southern hemisphere)
therefore our seasons are opposite. Geraldton, Western Australia is 500
kilometers north of Perth. We have hot windy summers 30 - 47 Celsius. We
are on the West Coast and the in wind during the day is an easterly - hot &
strong from the inland desert areas. We occasionally get afternoon westerly
winds to cool down a little (if we are lucky) off the ocean. Salt can
sometimes be an issue but we are about 3 -4 kilometers inland. I want to
establish a "low maintenance but "pretty garden on the easterly road front.
Limestone is a big issue - some bits of the front yard are "cap-rock" -
therefore the soil is poor. I have discovered I can grow a Pointsiana and
Triangle Palm if I add Iron phosphate powder & granulated manure when the
leaves become yellow. We use a reticulated drip system to water at night.
That way the water does not blow away in the summer and burn the trees in
the heat of the day. Due to a local weed called "Walkaway" burs (local
name- doubt it is a true plant name) we gave up on having lawn in the front
yard after landscaping several times and put down bitumen covered with
"river sand" over most of the front yard. It is unsightly but covers most
of the front yard & keeps down the burrs. The "nature strip" or what you
could describe as the 2-3 meter area bordering the road is red gravel - as I
said lawn is not an option though many people put lots of hours & water into
doing it.. I would not mind some sort of ground cover that could survive the
gravel area (maybe with a flower). Even a drip system would be difficult
there because people often park there. My husband would like to keep it that
way but I want some green & color. Strangely enough a cypress tree has
grown in an island of sand in the bitumen ( surrounded by some rocks) &
survives with the run off from our water filter (operated by a salt
filtration method - the "run off" pipe goes under the bitumen to the
cypress!!)
There is a 2 meter strip of sandy areas down the side of the driveway (that
did not get bitumised) with pencil pines surviving (variegated) and 2-3
bushes called "New Zealand Christmas Tree" (variegated with a flower similar
to the Australian "Bottle Brush")!! Needless to say they do not grow
vigorously and the "Burr" is wild among them. The east wind blows down that
tunnel and sends sand straight into my bedroom window! We are considering
laying a reticulation pipe & covering the area with black plastic and adding
gravel to prevent the weeds & burrs because all the ground covers we have
tried have not survived the heat of summer or the competition of the burrs &
winter weeds. Summers can also be humid lately.
Our winter is mild & we can often get cool, crisp sunny days. I am not sure
of the rainfall but I am sure you would have access to that information. It
is not terribly high - we are on the northern edge of what is referred to as
the wheat belt area.
As you can see from above I am sick of the money & effort spent over the
years to try & grow a reasonable low water/maintenance garden. Using
bitumen, gravel and having lots of paving & roadway around means a lot of
reflected heat. When we have a "heat wave" over summer (several days over
40 degrees Celsius) even our "double brick" & tile home becomes so hot the
air conditioners are on 24 hours per day.
I know we are a long way from you but from the quality of your website & the
great variation of climate in the US, it might be just possible you may be
able to help me. I could take some digital photos if that would help.
Nowadays with the children at High School - money is a problem so I would
have to make the changes slowly. I did consider using some pots but worried
about the reflected heat. Another issue is that I have just had a spinal
fusion and no one else in the family is interested in the appearance of the
garden. I had managed to keep burrs out of the only lawn I have in the back
(westerly side) but the burrs have blown through to it and started to take
over. I just get someone to keep it cut so they don't get a chance to grow
enough to drop more burrs. Clover appears each year as well. I am not sure
what sort of lawn it is. My husband wants to put concrete on that too!!
More reflected heat which I object to.
Sorry if this has been long & boring. I hope you can advise me. Some
people have suggested using bulbs that do not need to be lifted & are
drought resistant but then there is the limestone problem. The soil is not
good & I cannot afford to ship in more. If you can help the I know a lot of
people in this place who would be interested in your website. I know there
may be issues of cost for your products & import laws to consider. If these
things were not too much of a problem - then you maybe could gain a market
in Geraldton, as most of the Nursery Supplies are shipped from 500 - 600 kms
south. This means they are often cultivated in climatic conditions & soils,
so when we purchase them (with the greatest intentions) they more than
likely do not survive. Perth is our Capital City and there is only bush
between there & here - so that is where the supplies come from & are
cultivated. The conditions are entirely different. (A lot of our residents
live right on the coast - so salt & westerly wind March to May are the
problems.) Our summer seems to go from Oct/ Nov to Feb (very hot) sometimes
March. Winters can be wet or dry depending on the effect of cyclones in the
north west of Western Australia.
Hoping you can help. I did sign up for your Ezine.
Regards,
Christine infanti.
