The Shambles, Always planting

Leo and Austin, Easter Eggs and Great Grand dads wagon

As a follow up our Open garden at Easter. It was gratifying to note 700 visitors and a very successful result for the "Hunchy Community Association"  and the "Blackall Range Horseless Carriage Club."
Of course we couldn't resist adding some new plants , or adding to our current stock

Asystasia gangetica ( Blue form of Chinese Violet) Ground-covering herbaceous plant Malaysia

Asystasia gangetica micrantha (White form of Chinese Violet) Groundcovering herb South Africa

Cuphea salvadorensis (Christmas Cigar Flower) Mexico, El Salvador

Callicarpa dichotoma ? C cana (White Beauty Berry) China

Dombeya calanthe syn. Dombeya burgessiae Tall shrub pink flowering , maple shaped leaves, flowers in clusters South East Africa

Drimiopsis maculata (Leopard lily)                South Africa

Felicia amelloides (Kingfisher daisy) Half hardy perennial , light blue flowers. South Africa

Hibiscus acetosella Short lived perennial with bronze foliage and pink flowers. First recognized by French botonists in 1896. Congo Angola

Hibiscus schizopetalus (Japanese Lantern Hibiscus) Finely divided petals and long stamen. Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique

Knifophia (seedlings from yellow)

Lonicera sempervirens (Dropmores Scarlet Honeysuckle) Semi-evergreen climber with scarlet flowers Eastern United States

Nepeta faasenii

Salvia involucrata x karwinskii  "Follets Folly" Red flpowering tall perennial shrub.

Salvia involucrata "Joan" Tall shrub bright pink flowers.

Salvia involucrata " Mulberry Jam" Tall shrub Mauve flowers

Salvia pallida Pale Sage. Tall, Oval leaves scalloped edges, pale blue flowers Argentina

Salvia macrophylla "Purple leaf" Like green leaved S. macrophylla Cobalt blue flowers Peru

Verbena canadensis "Homestead Purple" Named in 1990s by Dr. Alan Armitage, of the University of Georgia. Vigorously spreading, deep purple clusters from June to November. garden cultivar

Also couldn't help taking photos of grandchildren in our garden trolley. Body rescued/remanufactured by Laurie Jeays, Wheels by Fred Vowden (Michaels Grandfather) sometime in the 1920s. Never hrow stuff away

Michael Simpson

Easter in the Garden, Another highly successful event.

Heritage Rose stall "Easter in the garden"

The best weather possible and a garden bursting with colour assured a very successful Open garden Event over the Easter weekend. Garden enthusiasts, as would expected  were at the gate well before opening time to comb through the fantastic and very large Plant fair and Heritage Roses stall at "The Shambles". About 700 visitors over the Easter Saturday and Sunday left with arms full of colourful plants. 

As enormous effort by Kate Stock and the "Hunchy Community Association" meant that the plant fair and Heritage Rose stall were not only filled with lovely plants but were attractive and very professionally run as well. Thanks to all the Hunchy volunteers in set up, gate minding and help in general.

Gates about to Open , Easter Open garden "The Shambles"

Refreshments this time were provided by "Blackall Range Horseless Carriage Club", and the entertainment by "Smokin' Melaleucas" (Martin, Chris, Kev, Jim and yours trully) on Sunday afternoon.
Many thanks to our helpers who did not come from the organizations mentioned above. Eleanor, Denise, John, Leigh-Anne, Chris, Ed, Tracey and Chris Collie as well as  Martin Leonard. Some of us got to share pizza, wine, music and even a camp fire when the gates closed.

A small part of the enormous plant selection at "Easter in the garden"

Easter in the Garden, Rare and unusual plants for sale

Lush Garden Paths to explore at "The Shambles"

"Easter in the Garden" will not only be a chance for visitors to see many interesting and unusual plants in the garden at "The Shambles" but will also be a chance for some to buy new varieties. 

Come along to 85 Western Avenue, Montville, between 9 30am and 4 pm on Easter saturday and Easter Sunday 2014 (19th and 20th April). Garden tour admission $5 for adults, under 18 free.

The Hunchy Community Association has put together a large collection of perennials, shrubs, vines for the Giant Plant Stall. Many favourites such as the Salvias of all sorts will be available as well as Heritage Roses , grown from cutting, including of course the popular 'Montville Rose" a tea rose known as Duchesse de Brabant but probably more accurately is Comtesse de Labarthe.

Refreshments will be provided by the Blackall Range Horseless Carriage Club

In the Mean time we continue to collect and record in our plant inventory new genus, species and varieties, even when space is now at a premium. There are literally thousands of plants collected at "The Shambles" from hundreds of different genus. The following is our latest list of those arrived and planted, or those ordered, or perhaps waiting for planting. It's a busy garden out there.

Amorphopallus bulbifer  This pops up in summer but we haven't taken much time to study it.

Amorphophallus (from Ancient Greek amorphos, "without form, misshapen" + phallos, "penis", referring to the shape of the prominent spadix) is a large genus of some 170 tropical and subtropical tuberous herbaceous plants from the Arum family (Araceae).

These are typical lowland plants, growing in the tropical and subtropical zones of the paleotropics, from West Africa to the Pacific Islands. None of them are found in the Americas although a remarkably similar but not closely related genus, Dracontium, has evolved there. Most species are endemic. They grow preferentially on disturbed grounds, such as secondary forests.

These small to massive plants grow from a subterranean tuber. From the top of this tuber a single leaf, is produced atop a trunk like petiole followed, on maturity, by a single inflorescence. This leaf consists of a vertical leaf stalk and a horizontal blade, which may consist of a number of small leaflets. The leaf lasts one growing season. The peduncle (the primary flower stalk) can be long or short. Orchid Walk, Blue trellis garden

Abelia floribunda - Mexican Abelia

This evergreen shrub flowers from Spring to Autumn. Beautiful clumps of long tubular flowers. Full sun to part shade. Height 1m. Width 1- 1.5m. Frost tolerant. Drought hardy. Being reordered from 'The White House' Nursery Victoria. What had been sold to us as A.floribunda in the past turned out to be a Deutzia

Buddleia colvilei

A large evergreen shrub or small tree. Beautiful large flowers from Summer through to Autumn. Full sun to part shade. Frost tolerant and drought hardy. Height 4m. Width 3m.   The flowers are huge and will weigh down the branches, and an attractive feature is the combination of single as well as double flowers on the same panicle. Some years it can be one or the other, but mostly is a combination of both.  Buddleja colvilei is endemic to the eastern Himalaya; discovered by Hooker in 1849, he declared it 'the handsomest of all Himalayan shrubs' 

Buddleia colvilei pendula

This is a lovely, evergreen shrub. Beautiful dark pink tubular flowers from Summer to Autumn. Full sun to part shade. Height 2m. Width 1m. Frost tolerant.

Deutzia gracilis - Slender Deutzia

Deutzia gracilis variegata

This erect and bushy deutzia has masses of fragrant white flowers in upright clusters for weeks in spring and early summer. Height to 1.5m. Width 1m. Full sun to part shade. Beautiful fragrance, deciduous, frost tolerant and drought resistant. Deutzia is named after the 18th century Dutch patron of botany, Johann van der Deutz. Central Shrub Garden

Deutzia kalmiiaflora

This lovely shrub flowers in Spring. Pink flowering Full sun to Part shade. Deciduous Height 1.5m. Width 1m. Frost tolerant The deutzias are fairly new to gardens: the exception, D. scabra, was noticed in Japanese gardens by Engelbert Kaempfer (1712) and Carl Peter Thunberg (1784) but not actually seen in Europe till the 1830s; two-thirds of the species noted in the R.H.S. Dictionary were gathered in from the wild during the 20th century. Central Shrub Garden

Dierama pulcherrium - Fairy Fishing Rods

This beautiful evergreen, clump forming, Summer flowering perennial, is from South Africa. Flower colours vary from burgundy to pink to white. Prefers Full Sun. Height 75cm. Width 75cm. Frost tolerant.

Elaecarpus bancroftii Ebony Heart. Small tree from Johnston River, with elegant pendulous white flowers. The fruit is eaten by Cassowarys in the trees normal range. We may use this to replace the Tabebuia chrysotricha given the latters bad habits. Australia

Escallonia Macrantha

A tall evergreen shrub that is good as a hedging plant. Flowers in Spring with clusters of red flowers on arching stems. Ideal for screening, hedging, coastal gardens or exposed windy sites. Full sun to Part shade. Height 3m. Width 1-2m. Frost tolerant. East Border Garden

Hydrangea scandens subspecies chinensis f.formosanum.

Cuttings hardening off ready to go in in next few weeks. A white lacecap Hydrangea with very narrow leaves. Southern Taiwan

Iochroma "Wine Red"

This is a lovely evergreen shrub. It flowers in Spring through to the end of Autumn. It requires shelter from frost. Sun or Shade. Height 2m. Width 1m.

Iochroma fushiodes

ochroma fushiodes is a medium, evergreen shrub that flowers in Spring, Summer and Autumn. It has salmon orange tubular flowers in pendular clusters. Can also be pruned to shape as a specimen shrub at the back of a perennial border, or container grown Height 3 - 3.5m Width 3m. Frost tolerant to -2. Then it needs protection. Drought hardy.

Iochroma warscewiczii

Iochroma warscewiczii is a medium, evergreen shrub that flowers in Spring, Summer and Autumn. It has light purple funnel shaped flowers, 8 - 10cm long in pendular clusters. Can also be pruned to shape as a specimen shrub at the back of a perennial border, or container grown Height 3 - 3.5m Width 3m. Frost tolerant to -2. Then it needs protection. Drought hardy.

Luculia Grandaflora

Luculia is a small genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. It presents as a shrub or small tree. The plant has large leaves from 20-35cm with prominent veins carried in opposite pairs and with a terminal of an umbel or corymb of tubular/open ended white, pink or creamy flowers with 5 spreading petals. The floral terminal may be from 10-20cm, depending on the species.

Commonly known as white luculia, this shrub grows to a height of 2m with a spread of 1.5m. This summer flowering variety has the most gorgeous perfume. Plants require full sun to part shade. During the winter, frost turns the leaves of this plant to a red copper colour. Frost tolerant.

Luculia gratissima 'Fragrant Cloud'

This is another evergreen old fashioned favorite. Large heads of pink perfumed flowers in autumn and winter. Large leathery type leaves. Height to 3m. Width to 2 - 3m. Full sun to part shade. Protect from severe frost (-4C and cooler). Drought tolerant.

Pavonia coccinea syn, Lebretonia coccinea . The genus named for Manuel le Breton a French Botonist.  'Shooting Star' Erect shrub with red flowers not unlike the rosella Brazil Central Shrub Garden

Philadelphus "Belle Etoile"

This wonderful small shrub has lime green oval shaped leaves. In Spring, it grows upright sprays of single white, outward bell sprays of flowers with a pink eye in the centre. Each flower is about 3cm in diameter. The flowering shrub has a lovely orange blossom fragrance; hence the common name 'mock orange'. The foliage then turns yellow in Autumn and then falls off. Winter dormant.Height 1.5 - 2m. Width 1 - 1.5m. Full sun/ part shade.

Physocarpus opulifolius  referred to as Ninebark or Atlantic ninebark, is a species of flowering plant in the rose family Rosaceae, native to eastern North America. Don't get it confused with Hydrangea radiata, which is also sometimes called ninebark for the ragged peeling of its bark.

Sambucca nigra purpurea Elderberry

Non fruiting variety. Large umbels of white flowers tinged with pink in spring. Ideal for a pot, shrubbery or specimen tree. Height to 3m. Width to 3m. Full sun to part shade. Frost and drought tolerant.

 Spirea Japonica Goldflame

A deciduous shrub. Beautiful lime green foliage with clusters of tiny pink flowers in spring. A wonderful small shrub for those areas that are to tough to grow anything. Height to 1.5m. Width to 1m. Full sun to part shade. Frost and drought tolerant Japan Central Shrub garden

Easter in the Garden Preparations, Fern Study Group Visit

Double Abutilon . Many Abutilon flowering in "The Shambles" at the moment

Any garden is a place of constant renewal, replacement and rebuilding. To prepare our relatively small 3/4 acre garden for Easter the last opportunity for large scale works is past.
Sean from "Abel tree Works" has just finished a fairly big and difficult job which is our annual wrestle with the large southern hedges. The old hedge of mixed Duranta repens, Ligustrum ovale and Ligustrum japonicum (small and large leaf Privet) also contains Cinnamomum camphor (Camphor Laurel) and god knows what else and can reach the telephone wires in height. A days heavy work has brought it down to a neat 2 to 3 meters in height. Dead branched from high in a particular Brachychiton acerfolium (Flame tree) and removal of a young but large Araucaria heterophylla (Norfolk Pine) completed that little job.
In general the garden has maintained itself extremely well, largely unscathed by a very dry, hot summer and the silly unpredictable weather of the last couple of years.
New plants added
variegated Agapanthus into edge of Clivea garden ( South Rose garden)
A replacement variegated Ablia grandiflora "Shorty" in Central Shrub Garden
Two replacement Rosa " The Fairy" along edge of front path gardens where their short stature will be easier to manage.
A beautiful , possibly seedling Abutilon magapotamicum x pictum discovered in a crowded Front path garden yesterday. Both calyx and petals are quite pale soft yellows. Hippiatrum papilio bulbs generously given by Rowene Cavanagh are shooting new leaves. There are flowers to discover  everywhere.

Easter in the Garden preparations for 19th and 20th April are steaming ahead. The refreshments catering will now be handled by members of Blackall Range Horseless carriage Club.
Literally thousands of plants have been prepared for the giant plant stall by Kate Stock and Hunchy Community Association.
Kyleigh and I will now be able to devote ourselves to meeting garden visitors until Smokin' Melaleucas kick off the musical entertainment on the Sunday afternoon.
Roll on Easter in the Garden
Michael Simpson

Sunflowers and King Parrots, Toowoomba feb 2014

On to Easter in the Garden after successful Book Launch

Welcome to our Gulag  , we mean Book Launch

Rain and heat held off, to give a beautiful day for the Launch of "A Year in my Gulag Garden" by Kyleigh Simpson and Christina Donlen. Over a hundred visitors enjoyed the afternoon tea, the wine and champagne before hearing Kyleigh and Christina launch their book. After the book launch the authors cut the celebratory 'Choko' cake for their surprised audience.

While the band 'Smokin' Melaleucas' entertained, Kyleigh and Chris signed their books. Sadly for those not there on the day, only a handful of these limited edition books remain.

Visitors discussing deeper issues raised by "A Year in my Gulag Garden"

The garden was a picture for visitors with lots of unseasonal flowers, decorations and preparations by Kyleigh and Chris. It was another successful afternoon at "The Shambles". A very great thankyou to all who attended and to everyone who helped make this day a happy one.

Book launch Entertainers; the very well read "Smokin' Melaleucas"

Michael Simpson

Gulag/Garden Entertainment

As the preparations come together for the launch of the new book "A year in my gulag/garden" thoughts have turned to entertainment. Luckily the "Smokin' Melaleucas" have agreed to play and add a certain ambiance to the occasion. Anthony, Kev, Chris, Martin and Michael are happy to give it a go and are even learning some new tunes.

Book Launch, "A Year in my Gulag"

Invitation

To afternoon tea in the garden

To celebrate the launching of a new book

(limited edition)

"A year in my gulag /garden."

by  Kyleigh Simpson and Christina Donlen

This is not a serious gardening book because gardening is not a serious business. A fun, colourful and slightly rude look at your backyard & how to make it a hip, hop and happening place to be.

Date :  Saturday 8th February 2014

Time : 2.00pm

Place: "The Shambles"

85 Western Avenue Montville

Ph K:  54429542  0429429524  C: 54469205      RSVP (or else) 6th Feb

email shambles@southernphone.com.au

         obied@activ8.net.au

It is difficult to decide who won't want to read this book. If you have ever have gardening questions, a tricky little problem with what to serve for dinner or need to find out how to keep your body in shape after the Christmas glut. This may be the book for you. It will answer the questions you didn't want to ask and possibly say some stuff that just didn't need to be said.

Chris Donlen lives on a farm in the Obi Obi Valley a quaint little back water where farmy stuff happens . Kyleigh lives at "The Shambles" at Montville where there always seems to be gardening going on except when there is nothing happening. At afternoon tea we will help you to debrief over a glass of bubbly, herb tea or a mug of pretty ordinary coffee. Feel free to bring a support person or guardian just in case.

Reviews: " My favourite gardening book"  Rodney Rude

 " Well I never..!!"  H.R.H. Camilla, The Duchess of Cornwall.

 " An eclectic collection of narratives, bespoke design but free of artifice. We loved the evokative images and our journey on a stylish culinary adventure" Monty Don and Kevin McLeod

    Love to see you at the launch

                 Chris and Kyleigh