Now lets just get one thing straight: I do not have a green thumb. In the past I haven’t had much luck – or desire – when it comes to gardening. But, one thing I have managed to do is keep children alive for 12 years, so I thought it was time I gave this gardening caper another shot. So let the journey begin. We will be following my gardening adventures, bit by bit as I make this station beautiful. Ok ok, I won’t get ahead of myself. Let’s just keep the Vinca’s alive for a start…. then we will make the station beautiful, what do you think?
My friend, Anna, once told me that anyone can grow a Vinca. I mean, for goodness sake they are growing in the cement in Mt Isa, so surely I could do this. Surely! So, years ago I bought a Vinca – I know, don’t laugh, yes I really did pay money for this weed like plant. Anna told me if I couldn’t keep it alive I should give up the game. Lets just say – well – I gave up the game. I was busy trying to keep young children alive back then, that was enough for me.
Well here I am, ready to start over. I am just going to start small. One thing at a time. So far I have managed to keep some pot plants alive on my verandah so I figure I am off to a good start. There is even a Vinca amongst them and it is alive and well. It does droop a little every now and then but after a good drink she comes back to life.
Oh and I have even worked out how to drive the Manitou – remember! I thought it was time I finished sorting out this garden bed, inject a bit of life back into the old girl…
So on Friday I jumped in the manitou and headed out and about to get some old soil that had been cleared out of the cattle yards a few years ago – perfect. Look, I actually managed to get some…
Took a bit of manouvering to get the dirt on the other side of that steam engine from outside the yard, but slow and steady did it and I actually managed it somehow.
We will keep an eye on this and see how I go growing this garden. Surely I can do it. I am going to have to head over to Mrs Savvy B’s and take some cuttings from her garden I think.
When I was in town last week I bought a few plants. I have also managed to keep quite a few cuttings alive that I got from Mrs Savvy B’s place last year. I also bought a heap of pots, I am in the process of moving them around the verandah to figure out just where I want them and where the plants will thrive before I transplant them.
Amongst the purchases from last week were these Ixora’s which I plan on planting out and about in an attempt to pretty up some ugly buildings with a spot of hedging, I do love a good hedge.
On Friday I think I also realised why I don’t really like gardening. After moving a heap of heavy rocks I was feeling very sore and sorry for myself. Could be the fact that I broke my neck many years ago but that is a whole other story. I think I should lay off the heavy lifting of rocks and stick to the Vinca’s, what do you think?
We had quite the storm here on Saturday afternoon. Clancy was running around the house like a crazy person screaming “AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH, WE’RE GOING TO DIE” over and over and over. I must say I handled the situation very poorly, there wasn’t a whole lot of empathy and I may have lost my cool and then perhaps thought he was right when I saw the pool falling apart.
Once things had settled down, this is what we found…
I mean, it is no wonder Clancy was in quite a state.
My goodness. Someone has got some serious chainsaw work ahead of them. And after the heavy lifting of rocks I bags not doing it.
Now it is over to all the hard core gardeners out there who actually manage to keep things alive. Hit us with your advice… all of it. Surely I am not the only person who needs help in this department. What can I grow in a sunny position, which plants thrive in a very shady spot? I need your help!
How is your green thumb? Want to start your gardening career with me?
How was your weekend?
What did you get up to?
Hello, I am involved in a Facebook group called Australian Garden Enthusiasts. Most of the participants have gardens in less hostile environments than yours. But it is great for problem-solving and Identification of insect pests, plant diseases etc.
The Gardening Australia website also has useful resources.
I will be interested in your progress and hope you get to enjoy this gardening caper!
Hi Jocelyn, thanks for those tips and groups. We will see how I go!!
Good for you Miss Chardy gardening is good for the soul. Surely there are plenty of men there to do the heavy lifting for you. I know the neighbours are a distance away, but the best way to see what will grow is to look at other gardens in your area. Maybe next trip to Mt.Isa check what is growing in the gardens there and take cuttings where possible. Most people are happy to share. Have fun and enjoy watching it grow. P.S……I’m glad Clancy was wrong and the storm didn’t kill you all.
Ha ha ha, oh I know, thank goodness Clancy was wrong. You are right about checking out what is growing in my neighbours gardens. Thanks!!!
Congrats on your gardening Dan, do you have a licence to drive the Manitou?? I guess you will now progress to the front end loader!!
No, Mr Chardy doesn’t let anyone drive the loader, so I don’t think that will be happening. 🙂 x
Well Done Chards! You are not the only person who has decided that they will give this gardening caper a go in their more mature years … I’m the mature one here :p
My partner isn’t a gardener either but I’ve been stalking, I mean following a bunch of lifestyle people on Instagram and I see their beautiful and healthy indoor plants and it makes me want some of my own!
So a year ago I bought one indoor plant and it’s still alive, so over the past 6 months I have slowly added several more to our collection – we now have 5 plants and they’re all alive with my latest acquisition happening yesterday 🙂
Admittedly I nearly lost one a few months ago but I moved it to the shelf next to the kitchen sink, gave it some extra attention and now it sits happily on the dining table and is thriving.
I think I will take up Jocelyn suggestion and go find that Facebook group because I need all the help that I can get!
Yay, good on you for keeping your plant alive. I wouldn’t mind some indoor plants. Especially now that my house doesn’t have toddlers smashing things. We can do this!
Well a garden is very exciting and something that will bring you endless pleasure once it is established. I love gardening, and have a flourishing garden where there was only bare earth three years ago. Im in Melbourne, so my actual plant advice is not helpful for you, I don’t think! But I will you give a couple of “big picture” tips: If you have a large area you are hoping to transform, it does really help to sketch out what the overall vision is going to be, whether you do that yourself, or get a landscaper to whip up a concept plan for you. Thats the time to figure out how you are going to get water to the plants – even those that cope with the dry need regular watering until they get their roots established (a good year or two at least). If you have not loved gardening in the past, you need to make it as easy and rewarding for yourself as possible or you will get sick of it!! Pot plants are actually quite high maintenance because they dry out and die so fast – I avoid them! Unless you went for a large potted cycad or some other succulent scenario. I also needed to get over the idea of buying one of this and one of that etc. Mass plantings are much more appealing and easier to look after. I now don’t buy less than five of a particular plant and sometimes buy up to 30 or 40 at time, depending on what the plan is. You also need to decide what style of garden you want – you could get an amazing low maintenance, low water garden planned – but if you envision the flowing country style garden, that is certainly possible – just more work to establish. If you check out the Garden of St Erth here in Victoria you will get some great ideas as it is a beautiful garden in a very dry area which they almost never water – its amazing. They have a website. And finally: lots of blood and bone, and mulch! Looking forward to your updates on this 🙂
Hi Lisa, thank you so much for all of that advice, it is really great!!! You are right… I need a plan and that is really great advice about buying bulk not just this and that. Plants that work – and mass plantings! So true!!! Thanks!!
Great tips Lisa! You are now making me question whether indoor plants is the right way to go but I think I am going to cap the number of plants to 7 – which is my favourite number 🙂
I am a TERRIBLE gardener!!! My husband has tried to improve though. I try a bit here and there because my son likes it, but I just don’t have the drive for it haha.
Good on you for giving gardening a go. Yep agree that you need to see what works in Mrs Savvy B’s garden. Saying that, you have picked a couple of hardy plants that will grow well in your climate and are great mass planted. Ixora’s are great. We have an Ixora hedge at the front of our house and it is a mass with red flowers at the moment and very hardy in our CQ 38c temp today. I see in your photos there is a Cordyline. These are great mass planted to give height and colour in a garden and you can take cuttings and pot up. Bromeliads – the variety with prickles on the leaves are very sun hardy and looks good when mass planted. Also it looks like a Rhoeo stripe me pink (moses in the cradle) in one of photos.Theses are hardy too and are great border plants mass planted. Mondo grass in different heights and liriope are strappy and are great border plants or fillers. Liriope produces light mauve flower spikes. Any type of yuccas/ agaves are very drought tolerant and look great. A lot of people have agaves. Maybe some of your Mt Isa friends might have a couple to give away. Also have a look at crotons. They come in a range of wonderful colours and leaf shapes. Grab some cuttings of these. These are able to be hedged and are quite drought tolerant. Be careful with the soil from the yards. Very high in nitrogen from all that wee and poo and might burn some of the plants. Its a shame I live so far away as I would be able to give you heaps of cuttings. Happy gardening and remember to water!
Hi Mel, I love those Cordylines. If they go ok I will definitely get some more. Can you take cuttings from those and replant? I love the moses in a basket and love that you can spread them around using cuttings. The soil from the yards was cleaned out of there a couple of years ago so has been sitting out in the paddock, fingers crossed it will be ok. Thanks for your great advice, I am off to google Agaves. 🙂
Another lesson hard-learned is be prepared to lose some. I put in natives that are found in this area, & not everything will strike. Think & research on “water-wise” gardening & accept that 50% survival rate is OK.
Oh that might help me feel better… won’t beat myself up too much then if I lose one here and there. 🙂
Sunny spots: Erymophilas (a type of native) grow very well down here (northern Victoria) – drought tolerant and lots of different species with varying heights, types of foliage and flowers. Not sure whether they are suited to your area though. I agree, be prepared to lose a few plants – the tough ones will survive! Roses are quite easy if you don’t mind some pruning now and then and they do need a bit of water (but one established are tough and can survive a bit of neglect). What about the good old geraniums/pelargoniums? You can get some really nifty colours and they seem to grow anywhere.
For shade I recommend hydrangeas. Camellias are lovely and can also do well in shade but are a bit less hardy in my experience.
The other plants I like are herbs – usually tough as well as useful!! Do you already have a herb garden? Rosemary, thyme, lemon thyme, chives and oregano are all easy and are perennial (unlike parsley which will go to seed after a while and you have to replant). And they can look pretty too!
Thanks Suzy. I would love to give Geraniums a go. Can you grow these from cuttings? Ok, so I have just been checking out some great You Tube videos on propagating … bring it on.