Closing the gate after a busy weekend

On Sunday afternoon when we shut our gate we finally had our garden back to ourselves.Even after around 1000 visitors had been in the garden there was very little wear to show for it.The paths had held up well and even our thinning grass seemed to be ok. Having worked hard before the event it is nice to wander around and enjoy the garden ourselves without too many pressing jobs to be done.
We had a very enjoyable and busy time over the weekend as part of the Gardens on the Edge event that is organised by the Maleny Garden Club. Congratulations to Peter Dalimore for his work that made the event run so smoothly. Thankyou also to the Rural Fire Brigade members who looked after the gate.Hope you wern't frozen solid!Picture: Mark and Christine from Montville Rural Fire Brigade manning the gate.
We met so many people and had such lovely comments made about our garden.
It is evident that people have connected with the garden and it reinforces the fact that gardens have a real part to play in peoples lives.
We really envisage our garden out living us and many of the plants we are growing have life spans of hundreds of years. I think it is the sense of permanance that we strive for in gardens and this is very different to having a "bunnings garden" that is only a pastiche constructed in a hurry, to be "low maintenance".
We look forward to opening the gate for visitors in October when we are signed on with the Australian Open Gardens Scheme. October will be warmer for a start and the garden will have a lot of spring colour. Depending on the rainfall over the next few months the garden can be either very dry or lush so we will just have to wait and see.
The Open garden in October includes the Cooksley's Garden in Maleny which is another larger garden with lots of interesting features.

garden tractors

Not every car is suitable for transporting ambitious gardening purchases home to the desired position. Not every car owner is entirely focussed on the tasks of cramming in large ambitiously purchased plants, fertilizer acquisition and transport with callous regard for the upholstery and fellow passengers.
When bying a large specimen of Cupressus glabra, longer than most cars, or perhaps a couple of luxuriant Cyathea brownii (mature tree ferns), you need the right sized car when you wheel these on their trolley into the car park. The same can be said for a few 40kg. bags of dynamic lifter and several trays of sad looking perennials bought 'on special'.
It is at that point when we are pleased to have bought the old Jaguar which is both ample in length and bredth and of an age (58 years old) when it doesn't care about appearance any more.
A quick broom out of potting mix and dead leaves and we are ready for the next Nursery visit

Open garden Approaches

Lady luck had brought rain at the right time and held off winter until the last furlong. 'The Shambles' is hardly an exhibition garden but we may just have a colourful show for visitors on the Queen's birthday weekend (next weekend). So fingers and toes are crossed, horseshoes turned up etc.
There has been a lot of planning put in by the organizers, especially our friend and neighbour Peter Dallimore on behalf of the Maleny garden Club. We have had a lot of help from Margaret and Laurie Jeays (mum and Dad), Martin Leonard, Isobel and Gary Tynan.
The gate will be manned by the Montville Rural Fire Brigade and garden club volunteers. The Funds will be dispersed to the Rural Fire Brigade and the Blackall Range Care Group.
A plant stall will be run by "Ja's Herb Farm" selling perennial plants and rare herbs.

And so to the garden itself. Well Megakepasma (Brazilian Red Coat) still refuses to flower which reflects a streak of obstinancy and unpredictable latin temperament. Thankfully the roses (Queen of Flowers) have quite a few buds opening, especially Safrano, Marie Van Houtte, Comptesse de Labarthe, Comptesse du Cayla and Rozette Delizy.
My favourite camellia Edna Butler is still flowering and there will a spectacular show from other Camellias. Perennial Salvias, scutellarias, Pentas lanceolata, and many different Abutilon are still in flowers.
Leaves are finally turning. The Virginia Creeper is golden and our burgundy Euphorbia cotinifolia is losing leaf as are Lagerstroemia indica and Lagerstroemia speciosum.
Our remaining Grevillias are coming into flower to the delight of the lorikeets and honey eaters.
The westerly winds may blow some gardeners away but here our tall hedges protect us , and the vulnerable Dahlia imperialis (both double and single white) and brittle shrubs such as Salvia involucrata bethalii. It can feel degrees warmer in the calm ,and the sun ,in the lee of our hedges while outside on the road your hat can be blown off. Good old privet, and Duranta.


Pray for a fine day next weekend. Does it matter ? Well it does for the Maleny Garden Club and so we hope that every one will have an enjoyable day.
Michael Simpson