Sunday, June 12, 2016

A Garden Visit



Lindmar Garden
We took advantage of the beautiful weather on Saturday and visited a local open garden. This garden had planned to open the weekend before but postponed due to wet and windy conditions and there was more of the same on Sunday, but the weather behaved itself for our visit. 

The garden is set on 3 acres and has been cared for by the same people for 25 years. The most striking feature of the garden is the sheer number of bromeliads.





Pathways wound through garden beds








overflowing with bromeliads 

....literally overflowing




Of course, there were also annuals and perennials and succulents and begonias



 but the stars of the show were certainly the broms


Rows and rows of bromeliads most planted in garden beds beneath the trees - not a weed or a dead leaf in sight - many showing off blooms

They had topped up the wood-chip mulch throughout the garden. Everything were as neat as a pin. Having had a large garden I couldn't help thinking of the amount of work it takes to maintain a garden so large. Ours was never this neat and tidy.




Even the little touches of whimsy through  garden featured bromeliads - shakin' them tail feathers

An assortment of red baskets replaced the foliage in the frangipani tree, with red impatiens and begonias as well as broms.


Not one of our native birds, but the flamingo must feel at home to have so many eggs.

The "sculptures" throughout the garden made we wonder whether grandchildren were regular visitors here.
Plant stalls were set up on the lawn - orchids, perennials and (of course) bromeliads for sale.
There were also talks on various subjects throughout the day and a morning tea area near the house.
The Australian Open Garden Scheme folded a while ago -- don't understand why. I'm grateful though that gardeners like these carry on regardless to open their gardens for us to enjoy.
Thank you, Marie and Lindsay. You have a beautiful garden.
 


Monday, June 6, 2016

Free seed - Come and get it!

The land across the road from us has been released for sale.




To make it look it's best, the developer has been busy levelling topsoil then covering it with a mix of grass seed, fertiliser and mulch.




It didn't take long for the locals to realise there was a free feast on offer.




By nightfall we were wondering whether there would be any seed left to grow.


The birds had a party!