Keeping cool

For us to keep cool is one thing, but keeping the garden from getting fried to a crisp in the relentless heat is another and it seems to be starting to take its toll. 

There will be some serious consideration given to rating our plants here for summer toughness and discarding those that require too much water or care ( chances are, they've already turned their toes up anyway). It's time to get tough. 

On a quick walk around the house, the Chinese pistachio trees, oak trees ( still tiny but ever so healthy ), leucadendrons, sedums and ornamental grapevines are the standout performers after our recent 45 degree furnace blasting. They are all thriving with not one drop of extra watering. 

The zinnias have been beautiful but get watered every other day.

Don't think I'll plant them next time, in spite of their loveliness.

Around the garden path a few weeks ago, prior to the onslaught of hot weather....












The apricot tree flourished this year, with enough for Bill to make some jam.









Sam and his darling little ones.....

The girls.....


Sam sharing his drone manoeuvres before Ben heads back to WA.



It was such a thrill to see the tiny shoots of the eucalypt rhodantha poking through.....only two so far, but I'm more than happy with that.

This is how they look when in flower. Exquisite. I hope we can get these tiny trees to that stage eventually.

Some new perennials planted a few weeks ago. 

All new to me.

Hope they're tough.

A finished table top made from two charm packs.....Flower Mill and Flax and Pepper. First bit of sewing for ages.

Time to do some more of these Modern Quilt blocks....there are 17 blocks to go.

A lovely note from a flower shop customer.....

Farmer Bill has been busy deadheading in the Rose Garden. In this weather it's an early morning task ( taken a few weeks ago).

Trying to keep these acacia melanoxolyn seedlings alive in the heat. It seems as though this is all we're getting. Not a good strike rate but very happy to have these babies.

When they become stronger we will plant them around the horse paddocks.

I have missed these tall, strong, cottage-y blooms. Not sure how this one managed to escape but it looks very healthy and surprisingly unchomped!

I noticed in my garden journal that I had planted hollyhock seeds here in 1995. One survived! So even back then I must have had a fondness for them.

I chose to keep them out of the Rose Garden this year to see if it would somehow reduce the onslaught of earwigs that cause the destruction of the foliage on the hollyhocks. There were noticeably fewer earwigs but perhaps that was because there were no hollyhocks!

Anyway, I'm not doing that again. There are already hundreds of hollyhock seedlings scattered all over the place out there......and I'm leaving them right where they are. I'll think about how to deal with the earwigs when the time comes around again.....and it will!

These made me smile....

Sam and Bill have been helping me inside. All of a sudden after living here for over 25 years I'm thinking of updating the light fixtures. They have never been changed and the house is over 33 years old. That's not all that hasn't been changed but you stop noticing after a while or decide it's all too hard or not that important.

And in the scheme of things it's not.

This, however, most certainly was.

The Australian of the Year Awards to Dr Richard Harris and Dr Craig Challen for their heroic efforts in saving twelve boys from a flooded cave in Thailand in July last year. In their acceptance speeches they spoke about risk taking, building courage and developing resilience for the challenges that life presents us with. 

Image from the Australian newspaper. Photo credit unknown.

Such wonderful role models and mentors for our young people.

Talk about a blog all over the place......a bit here and a bit there. 

But if I try to reorganise it, it may never get published so I'll just leave it as is.

Have a wonderful week everyone.