By Beatrice Hawkins
What a year it has been! So many happenings, such anticipation of bountiful crops, hopes dashed by too much rain but spectacular paddocks of golden sunflowers reviving hopes again.
Such a year, but we still have so much to be thankful for as it draws to a close.
The dam is full and overflowing with the promise of continued rain in the coming weeks from the meteorological department.
Gardens blooming beautifully for many weeks longer than in the past few years. I still have Jacobean lilies flowering at the moment.
I had the earliest ripe tomatoes I have ever grown this year and the biggest cucumbers.
I have successfully grown the roses my neighbours gave me and they have bloomed beautifully.
The gardenias have been really lovely and have thrived thank you Sam and Martin. The perfume from 3 pots and 1 in the garden is a delight on my front patio in the evening.
The snail plant on the back fence is just coming into flower and that will waft a beautiful scent through my bedroom window. The honeysuckle I planted near it has also done really well and flowered profusely. Next year, as it spreads along the mesh, should really be a sight to see.
If you are going away be sure to give everything a good soaking and then mulch well to conserve moisture in case the forecast rain doesn’t eventuate.
Hopefully you will be able to cut the grass before you leave and it won’t have grown too much over the holiday season. Mine is in desperate need of cutting as I write this… maybe tomorrow!!
As I have been driving around beautiful trees have caught my attention everywhere. Frangipani, both native and exotic are flowering, silk trees are coming into flower, grevilleas are putting on a great show and have been for weeks. A neighbour has a lovely mallee in full flower covered with the most amazing, bright lime green blossoms. Although they are considered an environmental weed and are the bain of hay fever and asthma sufferers, privets are in full flower and look beautiful in gardens all over town with their profusion of creamy white blossoms.
Agapanthus, star of Bethlehem lilies, in many gardens have been a delight with the tall stems and huge heads of blue or white for a few weeks now. Whether in massed plantings or as individual specimens, they provide wonderful height and colour in a garden.
Day lilies of all colours are another easy care show stopper in gardens. Some of the more exotic hybrids are really spectacular and certainly make up for the fact that each individual flower only lasts for the day.
Through Spring the plethora of flowering natives on roadsides was a delight, wattles in many varieties, “bacon and eggs” and “hens and chickens” are just some of the common names of species I enjoyed.
Now I am intrigued by the beautiful copper coloured trunks of some trees along the Killarney road. I’ve seen them in other areas and would love to know what their common and/or botanical name is. The colour of the trunks that have shed bark at the moment is a really bright, wonderful copper.
A new year is fast approaching with all the joy it may bring. Some of my resolutions include spending more time in my garden, more time quilting, more swimming and walking, and funnily enough, more time on housework! Unfortunately housework has been neglected! Doing things for myself has not been a priority and I have decided it is OK to be a little selfish.
Covid restrictions have curtailed many travel plans this year but I have been more fortunate than many. My son is an interstate truck driver and I get to see him and share a home cooked meal for a short time every few days as he passes through. With the restrictions on travel I don’t know when I will be able to see the WA family and again enjoy the beauties of that wonderful state.
Christmas is upon us and is a time for sharing and enjoying family togetherness. I hope many may be able to enjoy the time with their families.
While I can’t offer a meal for everyone on Christmas day, I can say that the usual Sunday night meal and fellowship in Leslie Park, courtesy of the Warwick Community Van, will be available between 5 and 7pm on Boxing Day.
The motto of the van is “Serving the Community with Love.. No Strings Attached”.
Thank you and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all that read my ramblings.
I look forward to finding more things to interest both of us in 2022!
