Summer
- Subject: Summer
- From: l*
- Date: Sun, 06 Jan 2002 23:32:40 +1030
Dear Medit gardeners
A happy new year to you all, and today being 'la Fete des Rois'
greetings to all the kings and queens!
This is a midsummer update from Adelaide, perhaps the most
typical 'Mediterranean' region in Australia. We are half a continent
away from the NSW bushfires, and are experiencing a strangely
wet and cool summer so far. My (irrigated) garden has hydrangeas,
agapanthus, helleborus (still!) roses galore, various campanulas,
abutilons, cannas, various cistus, dietes, shasta daisies,
alstroemeria, magnolia grandiflora, lagunaria patersonii,
clerodendrum ugandense, liliums, gazanias, and of course the
ubiquitous annuals of this region, lobelia and alyssum still flowering.
The californians (carpentaria, romneya) have all finished.
Because of the wet and humid conditions various fungal diseases
have attacked those roses most prone (Lorraine Lee) to summer
humidity. I don't know if it's my imagination but we seem to have
had an unusually large number of those little green worms which
enclose themselves in a leaf and drop to the ground when you
disturb them.
However I have been compiling a list of plants which do not require
any summer watering as I am planning a garden at the seaside.
We have acquired a piece of land on the coast about 30 km south
of Adelaide (34 degrees S) which faces north. This is a huge
advantage in our situation as the western sun is a killer on summer
evenings. I would like to establish the main shrubs and trees
in the autumn so they can take advantage of the winter rains to
become established.
This is all probably very premature as I have to build up the soil
(plenty of seaweed) and get engineers' reports on rocks and
substratum. However it is very EXCITING and I would LOVE to
have advice and input from all of you on establishing a garden
at 34 degrees south with no irrigation!
Liz
Liz Runciman
3a The Crescent
Marryatville SA 5068
tel 08 8332 9035 fax 08 83319041 mob 0408899416
