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Island Gardens
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By Peter Schinkel
Hello all and welcome to a special "island gardens" editorial. In May, I had the pleasure of meeting the lovely Dawn and Col Farrell at their home in Sandstone Point. The purpose - to see an amazing garden that I had heard about on the grapevine. Dawn and Col moved to the Bribie region in 2012 with their yard a blank canvas to work from. From there, they created a beautiful sanctuary which the photos here can not do justice. It is truly a wonderful garden with many delightfully lush areas to explore. It was a pretty warm day but the oasis they have created was a welcome, cool relief. We enjoyed a lovely cuppa and nibbles under the large, beautiful gabled patio surrounded by hundreds of interesting shade plants. A poincettia showed it's flaming red-coloured bracts at the far end, inviting me to enter the gardens to discover more colours out there. Dawn and Col built their patio in the early days and soon started on the gardens which continue to evolve as the years go by. Check out one of the before and after photos here. On top - from the front of the house, on the bottom - a home sanctuary. This could inspire anyone to create a cool space of their own before the warmer weather returns in a few months. The photos Dawn showed me of the summer colours were amazing. Even now, the quisqualis is still rich in flower and the desert roses showed dozens of flowers and even new buds - the red ones, and the variegated double-pink are pictured here. Portulacas danced in thebbreeze and I particularly love the "big red" anthurium (in a suitable shady spot), and the special crucifix orchids - the pink flowers bigger than the usual crucifix flowers I'm used to seeing around. They are really nice and the colours so deep. Back under the patio, what also catches the eye are the various crafted items. Tillandsias (old man's beard) are dangling on crafted hangers. Ornate turtles had also been created in various fun shapes - all created during various not-for-profit workshops which have been held here and there, including in this very space. The Bribie Island Garden Club have a "Come and Share My Garden" social event which does the rounds and has been held here too. On those occasions, everyone brings a plate or something to share. It's
After
no surprise that the Indooroopilly Garden Club are taking a 78km journey in a bus to visit Dawn and Col's garden at the end of this month. It really is an inspiration. Thank you again, Col and Dawn for sharing your garden with me and the people reading this editorial. If any readers would like more information about the social events or workshops mentioned here today, or would like some tips, please feel free to call Dawn on 54975620. If Col answers the phone and Dawn is somewhere in the garden maze, it's all good. Col will follow the hose and find Dawn at the end of it for you :-D SEE YOU ALL AGAIN IN ISSUE 143 ON 2ND JULY AND AS ALWAYS - HAPPY GARDENING.
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HAVE HOUSEPLANTS WITH DUSTY LEAVES?
Grab a banana and eat it and keep the skin. Use the skin to clean the leaves. The dust will stick right to it, and the juice is healthy for the plants.
WHITE VINEGAR CAN KILL WEEDS THAT ARE PUSHING UP BETWEEN THE CRACKS IN YOUR PATIO OR SIDEWALK.
FLIES HATE LAVENDER, SO IT’S A GREAT FLOWER TO PUT NEXT TO YOUR WINDOWS. AS A BONUS, IT SMELLS AMAZING. Make pots hold water longer If your potted houseplants dry out too quickly after watering, try this simple trick for keeping the soil moist longer. When repotting, tuck a damp sponge into the bottom of the pot before filling with soil. It will act as a water reservoir and may help prevent a gusher if you accidentally overwater. CLEANING PLANTS
Are the leaves of your plants looking dull? Wipe down each leaf with a soft cloth dipped in a half-and-half mixture of warm water and milk. You’ll get a nice shine, but there won’t be enough residue left behind to clog the leaf pores. Another trick: Rub a tiny amount of mayonnaise on the leaves with a paper towel. They will stay bright and shiny for weeks and even months at a time.
TIRED OF THE SOIL IN YOUR POTTED PLANTS DRAINING OUT OF THE HOLES ON THE BOTTOM?
In the future, when you pot your plants, put a coffee filter down in the bottom. This will cover the holes and keep soil from leaking out, but will still allow water to drip through.
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