Coming up, Christmas, Preparations for 'Easter in the Garden' Book Launches

There has been a lot of work done around the old place since a pattern of showers and the odd storm have restored some moisture. "The Shambles" will be the venue for an Open garden and Giant plant stall on Easter Saturday and Easter Sunday 19th and 20th APRIL 2014.
In preparation there has been a lot of plant propagation done with many tempting unusual perennials on offer, with best prepared by Kate Stock at Hunchy. As in the past ther will also be an excellent range of cuttings grown Heritage Roses, Teas, Chinas and Climbers for sale.
The principle purpose of the Open garden and plant sale is to raise funds for the Hunchy Community Association , for their Hall insurance (the Old Hunchy School and grounds) and maintenance. These plant sales are a principal form of fundraising for the group and a great source of rarer, hard to find and unusual plants.

About Hunchy

The very small locality of "Hunchy" is situated just below Montville on the Eastern side of the Blackall Range. The small community of less than 40 families support the upkeep of the Hunchy School as their community hub. The insurance and running costs are very hard for such a small group to raise so this fund raiser is a good way  for them to make a big dent in their costs for the year.

In our own garden we have been so happy to see some newly acquired species get a great start. We are always nervous about planting juvenile specimens when rain is unreliable. We have no irrigation system.
Cracking on are 
Plants collected Garden History trip October 2013-10-23

From Casino            Salix matsudana (Twisted Willow) named for Japanese Botanist Sadahisa Matsuda. A realatively short lived tree which is invasive near water courses, Northern China and Korea            Blue Trellis Garden

From Glen Innes     Centranthus ruber (Red Valerian) Perennial from Mediterranean Central Shrub Garden

Euonymous japonicus aureo-marginatus (Golden Variegated Japanese Laurel) Central Shrub garden

Escallonia rubra "Crimson Spires) evergreen shrubs with glossy, leathery, toothed leaves, sometimes sticky, and 5-petalled white, pink or red flowers in terminal racemes or panicles in summer and early autumn South America Eastern Border garden

Physocarpus opulifolius purpurea (Atlantic Ninebark) eastern North America on rocky hillsides and banks of streams^[3] as well as in moist thickets, especially in counties south of the Missouri River .It is fast-growing, insect- and disease-resistant, and drought-tolerant. Central Shrub garden rel, to Spiraea cantoniensis.

Osmanthus heterophyllus purpureus (False Holly) 'Purpureus' is a compact evergreen shrub to 4m, with leathery, spined, holly-like leaves, dark coppery-bronze when young, and small, fragrant white flowers in late summer and autumn China Eastern Border gardens

Abelia schumannii syn. A. longituba  native to central China. It is a semi-evergreen shrub growing to 2 m (7 ft) tall by 3 m (10 ft) broad. Pink flowers with red calyces are produced in late summer and autumn. The species is named after the German botanist Karl Moritz Schumann. In cultivation it requires a sheltered, south-facing aspect. Central Shrub garden

Aristea ensifolia (Blue Stars) Acquired from Hunchy gardeners and only identified after visiting Coffs Harbour botanic gardens. An elegant clump forming plant with sword shaped, Iris like foliage aroubnd long stems that bear masses of lovely small six petalled blue flowers in spring and summer. They are only marginally frost hardy and the flowers close up at night. South Africa South of fenced rose garden, Wishing well.

Juveniles which had been potted up and waiting for rain

Buddleja lindleyana                          Front Path and Criss Cross Gardens

Spiraea japonica 'Goldflame'            Central Shrub  Garden, stone circle

Spiraea cantoniensis 'Reeves' single                    Central shrub garden

Garrya elliptica 'James Roof'                  East border garde, stone circle

Abelia grandiflora variegata                                central shrub garden

Abelia grandiflora "Kaleidoscope"                      central shrub garden

Hippeastrum papilio                                             Blue trellis garden

Kolkwitzia amabilis                                              Hydrangea walk

Lamium maculatum "Marshmallow"                    Hydrangea walk

Pittosporum tenuifolium. Small tree to 10m.  The flowers generally go unnoticed because of their colour, a very dark reddish-purple, and are scented only at night. It is found growing wild in coastal and lower mountain forest areas up to an altitude of 900m New Zealand             Stone circle

Pittosporum tenuifolium "Irene Patterson"           stone circle

Retama monosperma   syn. (Genista monosperma, Spartium monosperma, Lygos monosperma)  Mediterranean                                Front Path garden

Viburnum opulus                                                   Hydrangea walk

Weigela florida variegata                                      stone circle

Weigela foliis purpureus                                       stone circle

Rose "Monica of Omeo"  ROR, a gift from Darling Downs HRIA and Bonita Cattell.

This rose was found at Omeo, an old rose in a house lived in by longstanding resident Monica.  Red double, upright shrub.       Central Lawn and border

Scutellaria costaricana (scarlet skullcap) Royal Horticultural Society (Great Britain) 1864 "It is a native of Costa Rica and was introduced into Europe, we believe, by Mr. Wendland, to whom we are indebted for our living plants which flowered in a warm stove in 1863". Panama Costa Rica    East Garden

Ruellia elegans (Brazilian petunia) This species has open-faced coral-red blossoms from late spring until fall. a large native range from Chile to Brazil.  East garden

Brugmansia variegated. Apparently with pink flowers.      Blue trellis garden

Centratherum punctatum (Porcupine Flower) - A tender perennial to 1-2 feet tall by 2 feet wide with coarsely-toothed heavily-veined dark green leaves that smell of pineapple when crushed. The lavender button-like 1 1/2 inch wide flowers bloom from spring into summer.                                               Fenced Rose garden

Euphorbia cotinifolia is a broadleaf evergreen shrub native to Mexico and South America. Treated as a shrub it reaches 10 to 15 ft (3.0 to 4.6 m) but can be grown as a tree reaching 30 ft (9.1 m). Small white flowers with creamy bracts bloom at the ends of the branches in summer. The purplish stems, when broken, exude a sap that is a skin irritant                      South Rose Garden, Central Shrub garden

Gynura aurantiaca, Velvet Plant, Purple Velvet Plant. so called because of the color of its orange inflorescences. This plant is also commonly known as "Purple Passion" because of the velvety purple leaves Native to Java, velvet plant (also purple velvet plant) is a woody-based evergreen perennial that is noted for its velvety, purple-haired foliage. Indonesia       Orchid Walk