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Shrubs/Trees Abelia Abutilon Acalypha Allamanda Ardisia Barleria Bauhinia galpinii Bougainvillea Brugsmansia Buddleja Buckinghamia celsissima b Caesalpinia Carphalea Kirondren Caryopteris x clandonensis Cassia fistula Clerodendron Costus Crotons Dichorisandra thrysiflora B Euphorbia millii Euryops Fiddlewood Tree B Frangipani Galphimia Gingers Gmelina hystrix Grevilleas Hamelia patens Hedychium Heliconia Hibiscus Holmskioldia B Ipomea carnea Ixora b Jasmine Jatropha podagrica Jatropha multifida Justicia Lagerstroemia indica BC Leucospermum Loropetalum Magnolia Megaskapasma erythrochlamys Mussaenda Odontonema Otacanthus Peltophorum africanum B Petrea Poinciana Pseuderanthemum Quisqualis Roses Sambucus nigra Stachytarpheta b Stenocarpus sinnuatus Thunbergia erecta Tibouchina Yucca recurvifolia Zingiber spectabile |
Perennials Agastache Angelonia Anthurium Artemisia Asters Barlaria Begonia Celosia Centrantherum Cleome Coleus Coreopsis Cosmos Curcuma Dianthus Echinacaea Euphorbia 'Diamond Frost' Fuschia Gaura Gerberas Globba Ginger Helichrysum Heliotrope Impatiens Indigofera Lavender Leonitis Mirabilis Jalapa Nasturtiums Nicotiana Oenothera Pachystachys Pdlargoniums Pennisetum Burgundy Pentas b Perilla Phlox Plectranthus Rudbeckia Russellia Salvias Scutellaria Solidago Turnera Verbena Whitfeldia B European Bees b Butterfiles C Carpenter Bees |
Orchids Cattleya Oncidium Miltoniopsis Vanda Bromeliads Achmea Guzmania Hohenbergia Neoregelia Carolinae Vriesa Climbers Clerodendron Cobaea scandens Dalechampia roezliana Hoya Ipomoea Horsfaillaea B Mandevilla Mansoa Alliacea Maurandya Phaseolus caracalla Stephonotis Thunbergia Mysorensis Water Garden Alocasia Arrowhead Water lilies Thalia Pots Alocasia Begonia Calathea Costus Gloxinia Kaempferia Maranta Snake Plant Streptocarpus Tacca integrifolia Bulbs Agapanthus Bb Alocasia Belamcanda chinensis Canna lilies Dahlias Eucomis palliflora Gladioli Habranthus (Rain lily) Lycoris Tulbaghia |
EPIPHYTES GROWING IN TREES
HELICONIA
HYDRANGEAS
WHAT IS FEATURING IN THE GARDEN IN FEBRUARY:
February 2025
January has left us wondering where the rain went. With high temperatures we have suddenly gone back to watering after some plants are looking a little wilted, so it is lovely to have full rainwater tanks.
Sri Lanka
I have just come back from a wonderful tour of Sri Lanka and what a tropical jungle it is, plants just thrive on all that warmth, rain and humidity. It was great to recognise so many plants, discover new ones and re-discover some old favourites. The pictures this month are of Sri Lanka.
The highlight was visiting a tea plantation which was in the highlands at 2200 metres. Coffee is grown there also and hydrangeas were looking fantastic as were many sub-tropical plants that we grow here.
The variety of tropical fruits were amazing and they were much enjoyed at breakfast, lunch and dinner. I came back determined to put in some Custard apples, Red papaya and lychees. Bananas were in abundance as were coconuts, and the red papayas were delicious.
We learnt a lot about spices, particularly cinnamon and after a walk through a spice garden we were amazed to see how many grew as garden plants like cardamon, galangal, turmeric and of course ginger. These spices are used for teas as well as in cooking.
In the Buddhist temples we were awed at the huge Bhodi trees which are Ficus religiosa, a relative to our Moreton Bay Fig. Some were seedlings of seedlings of the original tree that Buddha gained his enlightenment under.
Palm trees were everywhere in the lowlands, particularly the coconut palm and they even have palm squirrels which were very cute and loved the fruit when small. The coconut palms grew in the sand near the seaside and really set the scene for a tropical paradise. We saw some big beautiful and different palms also in some of the botanical gardens we visited.
PRUNING
With so much growth, cut backs are very necessary during this warm season. I find a small battery powered hedge trimmer and chain saw invaluable when pruning, along with the secateurs. Small branches, hedges and shrubs all need to be trimmed if they are encroaching into another territory. Perennials need to be cut back after flowering.
We put all our trimmings either on the garden if it is fine mulch or on our paths if it is wood chippings. We fine that the wood chippings on the paths are much better than crusher dust as it doesn’t move as easily as crusher dust.
Mulching benefits greatly not only by supplying nutrients as it breaks down but also by keeping the soil cooler and it conditions the soil to make it more water retentive. Mulching also protects the soil from the heavy downpours of rain. Palm fronds, can be mulched by putting them through the shredder, and then put back onto the garden beds.
WEEDS
Unfortunately, with the growth of plants also come weeds in great abundance. These can easily be pulled out and left in the sun to burn. They can also be covered with mulch as long as you can cover them completely. Sheets of cardboard or newspaper will help to smother them and then place the mulch on top
VEGETABLES
Are loving all this extra moisture. Put in more beans so that you get a staggered crop. Chillis and capsicum can also be planted. Gingers and Turmeric are going gangbusters and loving the full sun and moisture. Herbs can be spread around the garden as well as near the kitchen so that they can be easily gathered when needed for cooking.
ORCHIDS
During summer orchids should be misted or watered every day on the days that it doesn’t rain. On very hot days, they can be misted twice in one day.
Make sure that there is good air movement around your orchids. They are best hung in hanging baskets if large or terracotta pots if smaller so that they dry out between watering.
Good Gardening
Jan
January has left us wondering where the rain went. With high temperatures we have suddenly gone back to watering after some plants are looking a little wilted, so it is lovely to have full rainwater tanks.
Sri Lanka
I have just come back from a wonderful tour of Sri Lanka and what a tropical jungle it is, plants just thrive on all that warmth, rain and humidity. It was great to recognise so many plants, discover new ones and re-discover some old favourites. The pictures this month are of Sri Lanka.
The highlight was visiting a tea plantation which was in the highlands at 2200 metres. Coffee is grown there also and hydrangeas were looking fantastic as were many sub-tropical plants that we grow here.
The variety of tropical fruits were amazing and they were much enjoyed at breakfast, lunch and dinner. I came back determined to put in some Custard apples, Red papaya and lychees. Bananas were in abundance as were coconuts, and the red papayas were delicious.
We learnt a lot about spices, particularly cinnamon and after a walk through a spice garden we were amazed to see how many grew as garden plants like cardamon, galangal, turmeric and of course ginger. These spices are used for teas as well as in cooking.
In the Buddhist temples we were awed at the huge Bhodi trees which are Ficus religiosa, a relative to our Moreton Bay Fig. Some were seedlings of seedlings of the original tree that Buddha gained his enlightenment under.
Palm trees were everywhere in the lowlands, particularly the coconut palm and they even have palm squirrels which were very cute and loved the fruit when small. The coconut palms grew in the sand near the seaside and really set the scene for a tropical paradise. We saw some big beautiful and different palms also in some of the botanical gardens we visited.
PRUNING
With so much growth, cut backs are very necessary during this warm season. I find a small battery powered hedge trimmer and chain saw invaluable when pruning, along with the secateurs. Small branches, hedges and shrubs all need to be trimmed if they are encroaching into another territory. Perennials need to be cut back after flowering.
We put all our trimmings either on the garden if it is fine mulch or on our paths if it is wood chippings. We fine that the wood chippings on the paths are much better than crusher dust as it doesn’t move as easily as crusher dust.
Mulching benefits greatly not only by supplying nutrients as it breaks down but also by keeping the soil cooler and it conditions the soil to make it more water retentive. Mulching also protects the soil from the heavy downpours of rain. Palm fronds, can be mulched by putting them through the shredder, and then put back onto the garden beds.
WEEDS
Unfortunately, with the growth of plants also come weeds in great abundance. These can easily be pulled out and left in the sun to burn. They can also be covered with mulch as long as you can cover them completely. Sheets of cardboard or newspaper will help to smother them and then place the mulch on top
VEGETABLES
Are loving all this extra moisture. Put in more beans so that you get a staggered crop. Chillis and capsicum can also be planted. Gingers and Turmeric are going gangbusters and loving the full sun and moisture. Herbs can be spread around the garden as well as near the kitchen so that they can be easily gathered when needed for cooking.
ORCHIDS
During summer orchids should be misted or watered every day on the days that it doesn’t rain. On very hot days, they can be misted twice in one day.
Make sure that there is good air movement around your orchids. They are best hung in hanging baskets if large or terracotta pots if smaller so that they dry out between watering.
Good Gardening
Jan
THIS MONTH
IN THE GARDEN
with Jan
FEBRUARY
IN THE GARDEN
with Jan
FEBRUARY
SARACA INDICA or ASHOKA TREE
TEA PLANTATION
CAMELLIA SINENSIS
CAMELLIA SINENSIS
ANTHURIUM
Let nature be your guide
EPISCIA and FERNS growing on a wall
