 Growing Gardens
with Anita Morton
Hold that rose
Roses are so tempting. What other plant could match their peerless colour,
form and perfume? None, probably, but at the same time, roses are temperamental
plants to grow in the subtropics. They hate our hot, wet summers, and will succumb
to fungal diseases at the drop of a hat. If you're not prepared to spend every
weekend spraying, pruning and fussing, then choose modern bougainvilleas instead.
Like roses, bougainvilleas come in a huge range of colours, and in both double
and single forms. Breeders have even created dwarf varieties that are very well
suited to pot culture - try 'Temple Fire', 'Evita' or 'Solar Flare', all about
one metre tall. These plants don't need a big pot and actually prefer being a
bit root-bound. They cope with drought, heat and neglect without batting a petal,
and bloom their hearts out from spring right through to autumn.
Sharing all these good points are the compact varieties like the 'Bambino'
range, which grow from 1.5 to 2 metres high. Like all bougainvilleas, they can
be pruned (carefully!) at any time of year. Double flowered types need to be dead-headed
after flowering, but the single forms will drop their dried bracts naturally.
Both the dwarf and compact bougainvilleas are ideal for smaller gardens, but if
you need to cover a high fence or pergola, or hide an old shed, you can't go past
the old-fashioned varieties. These can scramble to heights of up to 40 metres
if well supported.
Bougainvilleas come in variegated as well as plain-leaf types - personally,
I dislike the combination of cream-variegated leaves and bright cerise or purple
flowers. But that's just me, so don't let me stop you if you have your heart set
on one! I think I could even forgive the cream and cerise combination if only
someone could breed rose perfume into them...
Lismore Garden Club News
The Lismore Garden Club July meeting will be on Thursday, July 7, at the Lismore
Workers Club from 1.30pm. There will be an interesting speaker. Visitors most
welcome. For further information phone Ron on 6624 7422 or 0421 021 451.
By now your sasanqua camellias have been flowering for up to around six weeks
and are winding down. Sasanquas are always the first to start flowering. They
are usually fast growing and therefore make excellent hedges. There is not much
in gardens that can surpass the sheer beauty of a substantial sasanqua camellia
hedge. Japonica camellias are beginning to flower about now. They are the ones
that have dense, shiny foliage and are slower growing, but have really beautiful
flowers. Reticulata camellias have a more open growing habit with very large striking
flowers. Camellias can also be purchased as standards and prostrate growing plants
in a limited range of varieties and colours. While the ideal location for camellias
is part shade, quite a few will do very well in full sun (be guided by your nursery).
One thing that is fairly critical is acid soil. However, they are generally quite
easy to grow, and once established require very little attention. Your local nurseries
have quite a good range in stock right now.
Tip: When planting camellias be sure not to disturb or tease out the roots.
Take care to plant them with the pot soil level - the same as the garden soil
level. And keep soil moist but not soggy for the first few weeks after planting
and during dry spells.
Finally: Character is like a tree and reputation like it's shadow. The shadow
is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.' - Abraham Lincoln.
Happy gardening
Ron Burns
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