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Soundscape

Dear medit planters,

I have an idea for a magazine article which my husband thinks is stupid, but
I like.  It will be about noisy plants.  All I can think of at the moment
are bamboo and Casuarina (wind whistling through) and Albizzia lebbek, known
also in the Philippines as Woman's Tongue tree (!) because of the pods
chattering ceaselessly in the wind.  I guess I could include plants which
are homes to lots of noisy critters, or plants used to make musical
instruments.  What do you think?

By the way if you're wondering who the hell I am - I'm another lurker who
should have introduced myself ages ago.  I'm reinventing myself as a
horticulturalist - up until now my career has been in radio.  I live in
Sydney, Australia, which at the moment is literally on fire.  My house backs
on to bushland, and every year about this time I think I must be mad, and
consider moving somewhere safer.  Then I think about the magnificent
Hawkesbury Sandstone flora, unique in the world, at my back door.
Proteaceae, Epacridaceae, Myrtaceae, Rutaceae, etc. etc., all with wonderful
adaptations which enable them to survive in nutrient deficient soils, and to
survive fire. The trouble with us Sydneysiders is that we are not
particularly well adapted to living in a bushland environment - our houses
are often built on the ridgetops, but not designed to withstand fire, and
our gardens are full of exotic plants which need plenty of water and
fertilizer.

I think medit-plants is a marvellous group, with a wonderful philosophy.
Thanks for all the enjoyment and information you have given me, and I will
try to contribute more often, in shorter doses!

Cheers,

Mary
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