The Shambles Garden Artillary

Figures of our Bassets, sadly no longer with us and our garden artillary.

Grandson Leo with Dahlias. Dahlias have struggled not to collapse in wet weather.

A wettish autumn so far has meant luxuriant growth and lots of flower bud development. Easter has come and gone with the family and I can still swim comfortably in the pool each morning so cold is not upon us.
Dombeya tilaceus, Holmskioldia chinensis including the 'Blue Mandarin' variety and Hypoestes aristata are flowering beautifully this year. The sasanqua camellias especially 'Beatrice Emily', 'Edna Butt" and 'Mignonne' are covered in flower. The equally lovely but slightly too pink 'Hiryu', 'Red Willow' and 'Dazzler' are also in flower as had been our very large specimen of  Camellia crapnelliana with its single white flowers.
Display is everywhere and Gordonia axillaris is carpeting the ground with white flowers with yellow stamens from a canopy full of blossom and bees. Next to it Camellia sasanqua 'Setsugekka' has very similar flowers which is a bit of a ? mistake given the overwhelming impact of its enormous neighbour.
The garden is full of flowers from various Plectranthus and on practically all the Salvias including the autumn/winter flowering Salvia involucrata. Salvia leucantha varieties of all sorts including both pink and white 'velour' are in display as is Salvia curviflora. Lepechinia salviae and Hemizygia transvaalensis are both in flower, the latter being a struggle to achieve.
We have had very few losses but I must record loss in the wet weather of a Osmanthus heterophylla variegata and of an Escallonia. Poppy seed hasn't germinated yet and containers of sweet peas have failed.. However the pea relative vine Clitoria ternata has returned and a great crop of Browallia are reseeded and emerging.
Our fernery wall and propagation house construction is settled in and all that was needed was to add a cannon to the garden, which I have always wanted to do. We found it in a nursery at Mount Tamborine.
Michael Simpson

Sub Tropical Gardens

As Open garden selectors we are fortunate to be able to visit gardens and meet the owners . Last week we visited Enid and Len and their beautiful garden 'Royal Palms" at Buderim. Their garden will be open with the Open Gardens Australia scheme on the 26th-27th October 2013 and is definitely one to attend if you love sub tropical foliage plants and want to see them in all their glory.
Enid and Len have combined their two passions for ceramics and gardening at their home and Len's large pots are placed around the garden. The scale of his pots fits perfectly with the large garden with numerous wide vistas around the site as well as out to a spectacular view to the north.
The fantastic thing about Queensland gardens is that there is interest all year round and Len and Enid have chosen to open when a very large Jacaranda will be in full bloom. This tree then becomes a  spectacular focal point that can be viewed from terraces above as well as from the wide lawn below.
I often marvel at the beautiful flowering trees we have on the Sunshine Coast . Driving down the range and into Nambour in Spring there is such a display of colour and on our route to Sunray Nursery there is a lovely planting of street trees, Colvillea racemosa which has feathery deciduous foliage and spectacular raemes of orange flowers in Spring and Summer. It comes from Madagascar and was known in Australia in 1875.
Last  year we planted one at our daughters home in Brisbane and it is doing well.

Happy gardening 
Kyleigh

Probus Garden visit

I really enjoyed the morning with the latest group visiting the garden despite the rain. Luckily there were many gardeners among the group who came prepared to walk around  and get a bit wet.Having a group of about 20 allows me to talk to people more and many people went away with cuttings to try at home.
I also learn a lot about the people who visit and hear plenty of stories about old cars when people come across the little Fords in the garage. One lady was so delighted to see the Abutilons or Chinese lanterns because they reminded her of her mother which just shows how evocative a single plant can be.
Thanks to Jan and Chris my friends from the Obi Valley who came up and prepared the delicious morning tea.My Mum's home cooking also was a hit with her monte carlos , honey jumbles and date loaf on offer along with the freshly baked scones.
When people come to visit The Shambles , I hope that they can feel relaxed and unhurried as they explore the pathways and look at the plants.I always say that when you come to our garden it is not a "show " place,it has weeds and it is often changing .I do my best to make the garden look good if visitors are on the way and often it looks it's best when only the family are here to see it.
Lately we have been improving the nursery area and have had a wall and windows constructed on the car garage that greatly improves the view from the garden.
 I have been sowing lots of seeds in among my plants where there are potentially sunny spots. A variety of vegetables are in pots , the sweet peas are in and all that is needed is some lovely Autumn weather to get them growing.

The best thing about our garden is that there is always something new to see. If not in the planting there will often be some new art work or construction. I have just been given several boxes of tiles and plan to create some mosaics for the garden over winter.
Here is Cooper waiting to welcome the visitors or maybe just thinking about the scones.
Happy gardening
Kyleigh

Persian Pickles and Welsh Pears

My usual work wear and everyday clothing consists mainly of jeans,shorts  and Indian shirts. I love those comfortable  cotton shirts and the way they soften and age. The ones I wear out in public get old and become my gardening shirts until they wear out completely.My yard clothes can be a bit of a disgrace with shirts with two buttons, torn seams and paint splatters. I get a lot of wear out of them before they finally end up as rags or straight to the bin. Sometimes I catch at look at what I have on and then I think,who cares?
I was ironing one of the 'going out' ones( I never iron yard clothes and am not a good ironer at the best of times)and I was looking closely at the paisley print. I love that stuff . It is so detailed and organic. Apparently these droplet shaped patterns were of Persian and Indian origin. The shapes  also known as Persian pickles and Welsh Pears and have been uses since 1888.(My source is wikipedia so it may be complete rubbish)

Speaking of not dressing up to work. I sometimes go on one of the great walks from Baroon Pocket Dam to Kondallila Falls or one of the others and I tend to just wear the gardening clothes . The walks are not so far that I need to take water and as I walk quickly I don't intend to stop along the way.
What amazes me is just how over prepared some people are to go for a walk. They carry water which is ok but the outdoor outfits and equipment is sometimes quite staggering. One particular young man had a full piece coloured suit laden with zips and pockets , nifty backpack ,water  sipper pack  and solid  lace up hiking boots and while I was standing at the side of the track catching my breath in thin shirt and shorts ,worn out runners and mouldy hat ,he could have been in the catalogue for aKathmandu sale. I can only hope that he was trying his stuff out for a big trek in the Andes and not just making his way to Mapleton Falls.
Here's to fast walking
Kyleigh

Michael's Plough Inn / Kevin's Shed

The Plough Inn, Michaels Man Shed

As those of you who attended the grand opening of the Plough Inn at the Shambles you will recall that I lamented that Kevin from Grand Designs could not be there but he would have been impressed if he had!
The whole project came in on budget, we had no difficulty with the contractors, we used heaps of recycled materials and we even had a baby due in the family which seems to happpen when ever Kevin visits a Grand Design build.
Now we have been watching Kevin's Man Shed on television and all I can say is  "Been there done that".
I know it is all about TV but really Llamas! About the only thing comparable between Michael's Shed and Kevin's is the sodden ground at the moment. We didn't make our own glass and were not drawn to the idea of  using methane gas.  We also do not happen to have any Aircraft demo yards nearby for the ultimate spa but in the end the shed experience amounts to the same thing.
I actually think lots of men have a need to find their inner cave and that it is done by constructing a cubby and hiding away .
It is that amazing place of rest and relaxation according to  Michael  who sits down there with a bottle of wine in candle light.  I actually believe that he is just coming up with more ideas or jobs  for me to work on. Sometimes he even lets visitors down there for evenings of refreshments and conversation especially the people who helped to create the Plough Inn's unique style.
We like the old Kevin have had our ups and downs along the way but it was about finding the joy in small achievements.The making  process of the shed remains as important as having a finished building .
So far Michael has not had any ideas about getting a dressing gown to wear down there but if he does I'll  pick one up at the op shop.
I also like the way people have taken the whole concept of the Plough Inn on and that we get gifted pictures (The Mona Lisa) and adornments to hang up down there. We even have the gift of a wood stove from Warren and Lisa  that will be the next thing to install. 
That will  just give us another excuse to have a Shed warming celebration.

Cheers Kyleigh

Bee Basics Montville -inspired by the garden

We knew it was coming and today the house is enveloped in white misty cloud and the rain is pelting steadily on the roof. The garden takes on an errie atmosphere with the grey greens of foliage emerging from the gloom. I can still enjoy the garden  as  picturesque and perhaps a visit to a garden in rain or fog may be more pleasant than a scorching hot day when the sun burns out the colours. I actually go a bit crazy and hang dog if the  wet weather persists and I can't get outside.
 Lately I have been working in the garden and creating water diversions so that our newly refurbished "Plough Inn"doesn't get flooded again. The recent by product of the cyclone was an incredible amount of rain that fell on the Blackall Range and caused fast run off down the yard and into the back shed taking with it a layer of red dirt.
I think I have successfully created at least two barriers that will  divert the run off and keep the shed safe for now.
Things to do inside
When I'm not in the garden I have been working with  my business partner Lisa on " Bee Basics Montville " products and marketing. Lisa is a beautician and I'm a gardener and together we have created a range of natural products that are based on high quality natural ingredients and essential oils. It all started with the creation of Big Stuff a natural insect repellent inspired by the garden. A walk around 'The Shambles" during summmer when the mozzies were around led us to the Citronella Geranium that I had planted to repell insects. At times after rain and in the humidity I use insect repellent almost every day and I have never really liked the sticky feeling of the repellents on the market so we made our own. It is effective, smells good and feels refreshing.
This was the beginning and we moved on to using Beeswax creating solid lotion bars . The range of bars includes Bare Hands, Bare Autumn, Bare Chest , Bare Bottom and more.
We believe that most people want to make natural choices and that it doesn't have to be a more expensive option. Gradually  I am replacing  personal and domestic products with things we have made. Our product 'Kleen' is a good example of an all round cleanser,deoderiser and sanitiser . It is long lasting and effective and can be used through out the house. Simplicity is the key.
We even have a web site www.beebasics.com.au and we are always keen to hear feedback about our products and new ideas of the types of products people need.
Here is a photograph of our grandbaby Austin doing his bit for Bee Basics Montville. He can vouch for "Bare Bottom" a soothing balm for sensitive areas that brings relief to rash prone areas. 
Michael is playing the piano , the rain is pouring down and the gardening will wait for another day.

Cheers Kyleigh

The Shambles, Who'll stop the Rain?

 Ipomoea carnea, a tall and imposing shrub

Well. Just when we thought the continual rain, dense fog and perpetual damp through the house would have a little break, another 'low' pressure system hangs over us in the last week of February.
All of our water runoff protection for "The Plough Inn" is successful and the newly planted material of lst week has the best start ever.
However, it's pretty miserable weather for visitors, the dog and just about about anyone else. It's so dark here in Narnia under the clouds.
Out there in the propagation house we hope that all sorts of things are not going to suffer rot. A shaded and therefore not flowering couple of different Iochromas including Iochroma warwscewiczii and Iochroma coccinea have had cuttings taken. Also from Kate Stock we have had cuttings of a pink Dombeya ? Dombeya burgessiae or Dombeya wallichii as well as a potted plant which may be threatened by drowning. From Nicky Booth at Woodford there are a couple of cuttings of a Wormwood, Gardenia radicans and a protrate Grevillea which can't afford to stay wet.
The propagation area is almost full of pots of cuttings roses, Salvias, Abutilons, Abelia, Carissa, Hibiscus, Weigela 'Eva Rathke', Argyranthemum, my one surviving cutting of Rothmannia and many others. The forecast is for rain for another week so some plants are going to be safer in the ground it would seem.
The garden at the Montville Uniting Church has been cleaned of weeds and fed pelletized fertilizer with dramatic results in only a week. We have potted Evolvulus pilosus and Cuphea for gaps in path way gardens.
From drought to flood our own garden has gone from "on hold" to bursting , especially with flower bud. Lets hope the rain stops in time for us to enjoy the flowers and not see them blown out with the weather, while we are stuck inside.
Michael Simpson