Over the fence at the Shambles

A lovely welcome at our front gate is the Delbard rose ,Maurice Utrillo. Some love these painterly roses and some people just hate them. I don't hate any plant and these just amaze me for the  mish mash colour and consistent flowering throughout the year.They are super thorny but that's life with roses. I like these roses with the feathery maiden hair fern in a vase and even when they start dropping petals they still look lovely .
Have you ever wondered if you can have too many agapanthus in a garden. At this time of the year they are just everywhere and usually make their way into tall jugs as decoration for the Christmas table. The thing about agapanthus is that they are really hardy plants barely touched by drought and can be dug up and replanted without missing a beat. I have been known to do this while they are in full flower so talk about instant gardening! Around Montville you can see white and blue/mauve agapanthus up and down the main street as well as along the streets in domestic gardens. Once you have them they will multiply which is never a bad thing.
Another favourite flower is the Shasta Daisy which with a bit of dead heading of spent flowers is putting on a great show. The white flowers with yellow centres remind me of the drawings that I would do as a child. Bold shaped flowers crisp and clean.
Our garden is rangy and colourful today and a short shower of rain has given everything a welcome wash even if it wasn't enough to drain into the soil. A cool breeze has come up and it's time to head out and enjoy it. Kyleigh

Snakes on the move

This week we had a visit from the Ferny Hills Garden Club and it was lovely to share the garden with other keen gardeners.Michael and I gave a short talk about the progress of the garden and no one seemed to drop off to sleep.
It is almost rose cutting time and I have lots of pots ready to go. I find November is the best time to take rose cuttings. Some of the cuttings roses from last year are already in the garden and putting on new growth. It is also the time for snakes and I have my trusty snake bandage  at hand mind you I do wonder what the reality of getting a snake bite would be and hope not to find out.Here is our gorgeous carpet python  a delightful creature who gets around popping up in the shed on the roof or out in the sun on the path.

NEW PLANTINGS 'The Shambles' SPRING 2015

Neomarica caerulia is a tall spring flowering jem 

In the East Border garden a reasonably large area of overgrown Jasmine (Jasminium officinale) was cleared with quite an effort adjacent to a drift of Azaleas, Vireyas and Fuchsia.
New plantings in the East Border gardens are
Azalea (Rhododendron indica) 'Alphonse Anderson'
                                                  'Exquisite'
                                                  Magnifica
                                                  Alba Magnifica
                                                  Ann Kehr
                                                  Conlec
Rhododendron vireya                Toff
                                                  Archangel (white)
                                                  Coral Seas
Buddleja davidii                       'Velvet'
Camellia vernalis                     'Star above Star'

New plantings, in an area cleared of weed, Poinsettia in the north end of the central shrub garden. Hibiscus mutabilis and Hibiscus syriacus were liberated
Cuttings grown Roses  'Comtesse de Labarthe'
                                     'Beauty of Glenhurst'
                                    'Ally's Rose'  multiflora hybrid
and cuttings grown  Fuchsia and Rosemary were added.
Also  Dipladenia sanderi  x 2 cultivars (white and pink)

Rosa 'Kardinal"  kordes 1989 added to North rose garden      



                                      Shadow the puppy helping with garden clear up

Justifying your garden.

Is there anyone out there who just likes to garden without the over lay of justification?
It just isn't enough that you have a garden these days and like the rough and tumble of gardening you must  have a manifesto  to support your style, plant selection , eco credentials and sociological perspectives.
I am sure that I don't do anything "right" in my garden and yet it rewards me daily . I don't use my garden to make a living and I don't want to study for a cert 3 in horticulture. I remember my great Aunt having a real love of plants and loving to visit her garden  and sit in those damp shady areas lush with ferns. It was the days of honest gardening- a simple past time that could rejuvenate you. It was a time of cuttings over the fence  and sharing produce with neighbours long before the term community garden was talked of. It was just the way it was.

I must say I would hate to bore people with some deeply thought over diatribe on my garden when it is far more fun to tell it like it is. We obviously do have a garden philosophy and some special interests and that is what all that writing of books is for. As for the day to day reality it is more about the flat tyre on the wheelbarrow  and another right hand glove wearing out . It is about near misses with the chain saw and trying to get the mower to actually stop when you want it to and remembering which tree you last saw the loppers.

 ps several near new left hand gloves available. Kyleigh

Another park bites the dust.

I know only too well about the need for access for all people to public spaces but sometimes it just goes too far.
I came across yet another once beautiful park that has had the landscaper make over . You know the stuff -concrete paths, removal of nasty old trees, built in gardens, ramps and stairs , new fangled toilet blocks. I just miss the soft edges of actual grass and untidy trees and plants. Once the natural landscape is tampered with it never really goes back. The natural landscape has that lovely untouched feeling and a wildness that makes it explorable. The park I am referring to is in the Mapleton Forest. It was beautiful and we had many lovely picnics down there around a real fire . The damper in the coals and our kids racing about collecting sticks and generally playing in the dirt,finding seed pods or precious stones.  Contrary to what the councils impose on our public landscapes I think people who live on the Range and the tourists as well want to have some things  un -landscaped.Surely the city folk have enough of curbing and footpaths and can cope with a little uneven surface or  a scatter of leaves on a path way. Rather than seeing the risks everywhere we look lets just have some common sense and enjoy a natural setting for what it is.

Bunya Mountains Weekend

 Honeysuckle outside our cottage at Taabinga

After a lovely couple of days resting at Taabinga Homestead , via Kingaroy we wnt on to the Bunya Mountains nd stayed at Dandabah

 Taabinga , established 1846.

Taabinga is a fascinating place to visit with a very interesting garden history , wonderful outbuildings and the original Homestead.

Blackall range Horseless Carriage Club members at the Bunya Mountains. Great weekend and dinner at Lyrics Restaurant , Saturday Night. Home via Ringfield House Nanango

Old School House in the grounds of Ringfield House, Nanango

Wild Dogs , Bastards!

Last night I was awoken to the sound of howling , no not from Michael but the dreaded wild dogs. I quickly sprang out of bed to check on pampered pet 'Bear' to find him safe and sound in his locked up verandah room ,just listening.Thankfully we don't have chooks to worry about right now but it seemed timely to read this story by Chris Donlen.

 

"Chooks of the Obi Obi" - A cautionary tale by Chris

I live on a "farm". Fortunately for me living ON something is very fashionable these days. Like ON Buderim. I use quotation marks because that is also very in, whether written or denoted with fingers and also because I am beginning to question what exactly I am farming since everything seems to be deceasing from dry, wet, predators or pests and the fact that my mother has more stuff productively growing in her tiny retirement village garden than I do on my farm.

Anyway, because I live on a farm it is anticipated, indeed expected that I should therefore have poultry, particularly chooks. This applies to anyone on a 1/4 acre block or more. If you do not then you have somewhat failed in many people's eyes.

Farms must have an abundant supply of fresh eggs. Home grown eggs are obviously cheaply produced, almost free in fact. They are healthier because the grass is greenier & the air is cleanier. (Who owns that jingle? Is it copyrighted?)

The following is a personal record of chook keeping basics.

Week 1-Build a chook pen. Hunt around for any cast off timbers, wire, roofing iron etc. Build rudimentary pen and house. Buy 4-6 point of lay chooks. Excellent the whole show for under $80.Let the kiddies name the chooks.Oh ,the excitement. What to name them? Welcome Penny, Henny, Fluffy and Speckles.

Week2-F#*@%ing crows have discovered your chooks and are now taking all the fresh eggs. Crows are legally protected .You may not harm them.

Week3-Battle with but do no harm ,mongrel bastard ,legally protected hawks, falcons, eagles that have discovered your chookies thanks to crows. Bury any remnant chook pieces left lying about so as not to upset the children. Note: You can identify a predatory bird kill by the generally headless carcasses.

Week 4-Chin up. Buy a roll of good quality small gauge chicken wire and over head bearer timbers and completely cover chook pen. Bye Bye aerial attacks. Howzat eagles? Buy new chooks and let kiddles name them. Welcome, Sparkles, Cuddles & Dotty.

Roosters: Should we /shouldn't we? Are you freaking insane? Oh yeah, but think of the cute little chickies. And we could sell them to cover costs. Sure idiot go for it! Welcome, Ronaldo, big mongrel crowing, attacking, nasty bastard. Note: All your hens will be regularly decimated ,nothing will touch Ronaldo. You can chain Ronaldo out in the middle of the paddock and NOTHING will touch him. You can hide your chickens under your pillow and they WILL be decimated.

Roosters alone means that you need a certificate 3 in Zen Buddhism. These bastards crow on  moonlit nights(all night).They crow when they are happy, sad, randy, bragging, bored or just trying to piss you off.

Week 5 -Small wild birds will always seem to access the pen and they bring with them bird lice. By now you will probably also have mites creeping around the hen house.These critters are particularly attracted to warm fuzzy areas. When you realise that the whole family is in fact scratching and covered in small bites you feel a temporary sense of relief. You must now look very closely at your skin ( a magnifying glass may be necessary) where upon you will notice an entire frantic little world has taken up residence upon you. Don't Panic!

Lice Infestation Procedure 101

Firstly put all bedding, towels, clothes, hats etc in a hot wash. Spray mattresses, chairs, carpet. Soak &scrub all hair items in hot soapy water. Vacuum and mop floor. Spray all shoes/boots that have been near chook pen. All family members must shower and shampoo diligently and finish with a dousing of preferably toxic insect.

repellent. Purchase large bottle of Pestene powder and a respirator for the pen. Week7-Awake to find foxes have dug into your pen. Note: You can identify fox kill by the lack of chooks in your pen and the neat bundles of feathers nearby outside the pen. There may be a remnant beak or two.

Buy more small gauge chicken wire .Attach to sides of pen. base of pen walls so this Buy more chooks. Pestene and name them yourself. Itchy, Scratchy, Shitty & Poo.

Week 9 -You have now discovered that roaming dogs can tear through chicken wire. Note: You can identify a dog kill by the fact that when you put all the strewn pieces back together there is nothing actually missing. It was just for sport.

Buy large roll of dog proof wire and erect securely on top of all other wire. Buy more chicks and name them if you must.

Week 12-Fereal cats eat chooks while they are free ranging. Note: You can identify a feral cat kill by the fact they eat into the body cavity but generally leave the exterior intact. Buy new chooks, name them Uh huh.

Never ever add up the cost of building materials, new chooks, pest treatments, food, grit, fencing, rodenticides and housing. Calculating costs will only ruin the romance of the hen house.

It is imperative that you let your chookies cluster woefully on your steps, verandah, roof shitting, stinking, preening and clucking for miserable hours in wet weather.

Week 16- Carpet snake has broached the pen and snacked. You may feel that this is karma for chookies. Have Chai tea and meditate on this. Remember that just up the road people  are relocating their carpet snakes down near you at dusk too. Fairs Fair.

Week 18  -Rodents. Tidal waves of rodents will have discovered your chooks. They are attracted to the eggs, the feed& young chicks . Rodent proof the hen house and rat proof the feeders.

Week 20- Now is the time to truly embrace the road to self sufficiency and all that earthy stuff. Killing your own poultry.

All our forefathers and foremothers and even your frail old Aunty Enid used to lop chooks heads off for a Sunday lunch. Everyone did. Too easy!

Grab Wormy and ignore her pleading screams and panic stricken eyes. Holding her feet, let her little head dangle down to the solid chopping block. Firmly wield the cane knife and behead her in one fell blow. Wham! Wait until headless body stops running and spurting blood and your head stops spinning and you can stand up again. Next, hot water, plucking, removing of gizzards etc. By now you will be coated in feathers, blood and the stench is palpable. The kids have all run crying inside to be vegetarian.

Mean Mummy, Chook Killer! Enjoy Roast Chicken and bottle of wine.