DFB's Greenthumb Project

[DFB FGXR6]

Continuing the theme of unfortunate plant names, Carpobrotus glaucescens or Pig Face.



This is a native weed suppressing ground cover that flowers at this time of the year. I have found this plant to be amazingly resilient, tolerating neglect and dryness but with regular watering, Carpobrotus will thrive.

Etymology:
Carpobrotus, Greek words ‘karpos’ meaning fruit and ‘brota’ meaning edible thing.
Glaucescens, Latin for light sea green passing into grayish blue.

[FTE217]

very nice ground cover.

[FTE217]

Nice pics as always dfb.
The other week I was at one of my bro in-laws place and walking around their concrete back yard I was impressed by their orchards and other specimens that were blooming at the right time.....




Lol what we were cooking at the time ! Yum !






So that’s it above from their place, I can’t recall all their names but I’m sure you botanists do


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[FTE217]

Nice pics as always dfb.
The other week I was at one of my bro in-laws place and walking around their concrete back yard I was impressed by their orchards and other specimens that were blooming at the right time.....




Lol what we were cooking at the time ! Yum !






So that’s it above from their place, I can’t recall all their names but I’m sure you botanists do


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[DFB FGXR6]

Orchids are beautiful plants.

My Grandfather had two green houses full of Orchids as a retirement hobby. They were a thing to behold when in flower. As a budding gardener at the age of about 8 or 9, I took it upon myself to rearrange the name tags on a selection of potted specimens on display in front of their bird aviary. I remember at the time my Grandmother doing her best to calm him down, at that age I had no idea what I had just done.

I tell that story with an element of humor but I still feel bad about it after all these years.

One of my favorites that Pa grew were these Slipper Orchids.

[FTE217]

Nice storey dfb.
We were young I know what you mean feeling bad.
My mum was a avid gardener as well and our kids pace back then had amazing large azalea’s and other nice plants - I was a avid soccer player fanatic still am but those days I used to kick the ball into the paling fences and damage countless plants - broken azaleas etcetc....poor mum must have been crying inside :(

[DFB FGXR6]

I'm not a huge fan of Australian Native plants, but there is no denying their beauty at times.

This Bottle Brush (Callistemon) looks stunning hanging over the fence from a neighbors garden in full flower and attracting a plenty of bees.



This Bottle Brush is most likely King's Park Special, a relatively common variety that has the potential to reach 3 - 4 metres high. Callistemon's are adaptable to a wide range of soil types and are very tough plants. King's Park is an ideal choice for a large informal screen.

[Rallye Sport]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

I'm not a huge fan of Australian Native plants, but there is no denying their beauty at times.

This Bottle Brush (Callistemon) looks stunning hanging over the fence from a neighbors garden in full flower and attracting a plenty of bees.

image

This Bottle Brush is most likely King's Park Special, a relatively common variety that has the potential to reach 3 - 4 metres high. Callistemon's are adaptable to a wide range of soil types and are very tough plants. King's Park is an ideal choice for a large informal screen.

One of my favourites, we're having a really good season this year, the road verges are a mass of red and the birds and bees are having a good feed prior to summer.
I need to ID one at work, its white flowering but the white ones I know are usually small shrubs, this one is a trunked tree of about 4 metres.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by Rallye Sport

One of my favourites, we're having a really good season this year, the road verges are a mass of red and the birds and bees are having a good feed prior to summer.
I need to ID one at work, its white flowering but the white ones I know are usually small shrubs, this one is a trunked tree of about 4 metres.

Perhaps Callistemon Salignus?

https://www.gardeningwithangus.com.a...w-bottlebrush/

http://ellenbytreefarm.com/products/...ng-bottlebrush

[Rallye Sport]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

Perhaps Callistemon Salignus?

https://www.gardeningwithangus.com.a...w-bottlebrush/

http://ellenbytreefarm.com/products/...ng-bottlebrush

Cheers, I managed to get out for a look today and I reckon you've nailed it. I'll have to put that one to memory.

We've got some oddities growing around the course, a small grove of obscure goldfields mallee's and a rare sandpaper wattle. I find the rough areas far more interesting than the fairways and greens

[Work Horse]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

I'm not a huge fan of Australian Native plants, but there is no denying their beauty at times.

This Bottle Brush (Callistemon) looks stunning hanging over the fence from a neighbors garden in full flower and attracting a plenty of bees.

image

This Bottle Brush is most likely King's Park Special, a relatively common variety that has the potential to reach 3 - 4 metres high. Callistemon's are adaptable to a wide range of soil types and are very tough plants. King's Park is an ideal choice for a large informal screen.

King's Park Special or Harkness are my "go to" when asked for a Callistemon recommendation.

One of the advantages of these varieties is they are sterile hybrids and do not produce the woody seed capsules that can look a bit ugly on the tree and make a real mess, especially if hanging over a path or driveway.

[DFB FGXR6]

I quite like of a variety called 'Bronwen' that features pink blooms on a shrub to 1.5-2 mt.





Most associate Bottle Brush's with the colour red, so this pink variety is just a bit different.

[FTE217]

I have the red ones blooming naturally in our garden but I'd love having a few of those pink ones....

[FTE217]

I couldn’t help myself to post our front entrance up in full bloom ! Looks and smells so good.....great time of the year.




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[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by FTE217

I couldn’t help myself to post our front entrance up in full bloom ! Looks and smells so good.....great time of the year.
image
image


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Trachelospermum jasminoides or Chinese Star Jasmine, one of my favorite plants, nicely displayed on your front entrance.

[DFB FGXR6]

I have been putting this off for a while. Perhaps too much detailing and not enough gardening on my day off? I took advantage of today's public holiday in Victoria to do some garden renovation, make that demolition! My little Stihl battery chainsaw was the star of today, making light work of the removal of a unwanted trees and shrubs.





Our back garden had got to the point that clearing it and starting from (almost) scratch was the only way I was going to achieve what I wanted. When I established this garden about 13 years ago, I had planted out an eclectic cottage style garden. The plan is for a lower maintenance planting scheme that won't require as much input. I garden for others all week, it is often the last thing I want to do on my day off.

So while there is plenty of work ahead, I now have a blank slate to work with. The only thing I have decided on at the moment is the planting of least 3 new trees, with some favorite shrubs to fill in and around them.

[FTE217]

Thanks mate re the Jasmine, it sure has come up really good, that just 3yrs growth !
Planted them once we moved in.

Man, I hear you what your doing in your back yard.
Low maintenance is the goal always.
Trouble is even ground cover etc needs trimming back and weeds but sure is easier than having to trim back regularly etc...
Look forward seeing what you put down and then the wait.

[DFB FGXR6]

What I love about Star Jasmine is that it's versatile.

It's a great climber but also a nice thick ground cover.

A common request from customers is for a plant to cover up a fence without growing too wide. Often, people don't make garden beds wide enough before laying concrete driveways, meaning an extremely narrow garden bed that is almost useless.

Star Jasmine is a great solution for this as it will give the required height, without the undesired width. I have been selling plenty Starr Jasmines to create feature walls like the one below that I am maintaining.

[FTE217]

Here you go Rallye, 3 of 5 pots of bay leaves growing well.
I’ll put them in the ground before they get pot bound.



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[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

I'm not a huge fan of Australian Native plants, but there is no denying their beauty at times.

This Bottle Brush (Callistemon) looks stunning hanging over the fence from a neighbors garden in full flower and attracting a plenty of bees.
.

Love the bottle brush, atm all the native birds are fighting over it.

The White Plumed Honeyeaters love the lower branches of flowers, while the Blue faces Honeyeaters, Spinebills and now Friarbirds are taking in all the nectar.
Chiltern is on high alert to spot the rare endangered Regent Honeyeater that returns here this time of the year due to Ironbark forest surrounding the town. It will only travel between Ironbark tree forests to feed and breed.

Unfortunately the Ironbarks are a disappearing forest in Australia now.
The professional Beekeepers turn up here now and setup in special clearing sites made in the forest.

Its also Fringe Lily spotting season, I've only seen them growing wild near Jerrawa (Gunning) NSW, Chiltern or on the Wang railtrail at Taylors Gap near Myrtleford.

[Work Horse]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

I have been putting this off for a while. Perhaps too much detailing and not enough gardening on my day off? I took advantage of today's public holiday in Victoria to do some garden renovation, make that demolition! My little Stihl battery chainsaw was the star of today, making light work of the removal of a unwanted trees and shrubs.

image

image

Our back garden had got to the point that clearing it and starting from (almost) scratch was the only way I was going to achieve what I wanted. When I established this garden about 13 years ago, I had planted out an eclectic cottage style garden. The plan is for a lower maintenance planting scheme that won't require as much input. I garden for others all week, it is often the last thing I want to do on my day off.

So while there is plenty of work ahead, I now have a blank slate to work with. The only thing I have decided on at the moment is the planting of least 3 new trees, with some favorite shrubs to fill in and around them.

image

image

I can see where you've been!

My wife is often heard saying;" I married a landscape gardener and I can't get him to do anything at home"...

[Work Horse]

Originally Posted by FTE217

Here you go Rallye, 3 of 5 pots of bay leaves growing well.
I’ll put them in the ground before they get pot bound.
image


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I keep our bay tree in a pot.

In the ground they grow quickly into a large tree and can sucker like a "barstool"!

[DFB FGXR6]

It can be hard to verbalize how beautiful a garden can look in early Spring. I love the soft new growth that appears on many plants, not to mention the floral display that seems to explode into view.

This cottage style garden I maintain is at it's best at the moment. The roses are in just starting to bloom along with several other shrubs, the lawn has sprung back to life and the whole garden has a fresh look and smell to it.

This arbor is a delight to senses at the moment, English Honeysuckle in full flight.







This plant, Convolvulus sabatius, is a very common ground cover that is looking great at the moment. I planted these from tiny little tubes that were almost under cooked to be honest, and while they took some time to take off, these plants have really lifted this little spot of the garden.



And this very old 'Cécile Brünner' climbing rose is covered in distinctively fragrant flowers. This variety is extremely vigorous and mainly flowers in spring.



In fact once finished, the rose will be getting a very, very hard prune to reform it's shape. Having done it a couple of times now, I'm not particularly looking forward to it.

This was the last time it was heavily pruned, it was the final job my trusty PK Ranger did before it was traded, I didn't wan't to scratch my new ute!



And finally, my little helper today peeking out behind the vegetation.

[Rallye Sport]

Thought I'd share the first cactus flower of the season. Got up early to see this one, they usually start to wilting by 8am. Plenty more buds coming on the other plants too.

[Tonz]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

image

In fact once finished, the rose will be getting a very, very hard prune to reform it's shape. Having done it a couple of times now, I'm not particularly looking forward to it.

This was the last time it was heavily pruned, it was the final job my trusty PK Ranger did before it was traded, I didn't wan't to scratch my new ute!

my Dad pruned his roses with a chain saw, my uncle was president of a local NZ rose group and could never understand how Dad got such blooms.

I would have thought you would mulch & compost all your prunings.

[FTE217]

Beautiful mature garden DFB.....just too much work that I am trying to reduce at my place but you can't help but admire.
Rallye, cactus are amazing plant, really wish I had some at this place I bought but my previous one we had a few.
Marvel how they bloom through the evening and if your a sleeper you miss out lol.....
Ued to take pics of one of ours was a huge white flower for the wife sleeps in compared to me being an early bird, still best time of the day.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by Rallye Sport

Thought I'd share the first cactus flower of the season. Got up early to see this one, they usually start to wilting by 8am. Plenty more buds coming on the other plants too.
image
image

Beautiful! Well worth getting up early for.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by Tonz

my Dad pruned his roses with a chain saw, my uncle was president of a local NZ rose group and could never understand how Dad got such blooms.

I would have thought you would mulch & compost all your prunings.

The owner has since bought (me?) a powerful shredder to process pruned material with. Powered by Honda GX160, it's a noisy bugger.

http://www.yardeco.com/K2yardeco/products_detail/1



I'm not sure how keen I am trying to feed thorny rose canes through it though.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by FTE217

Beautiful mature garden DFB.....just too much work that I am trying to reduce at my place but you can't help but admire.

Thanks, it a lot of work but that garden is getting a lot comment at the moment. The cottage garden really compliments the house, a very old homestead style home.

[DFB FGXR6]

These Hydrangea's arrived at the Nursery this week.



Always popular, these deciduous shrubs needed to heavily irrigated over summer. In my area, Hydrangea's need no more than morning sun as they will otherwise burn.