a week?

I can hardly believe it's been a week since I last posted here. I have been feeling blah with horrible sinuses and we did have a lovely busy weekend with friends, but a week? Oh well there's no time like the present.

acers with their brilliant red branches

Last Friday Greg had to return some plants to the wholesale nursery and I tagged along, with poor Woo, who missed her whole morning nap and didn't grumble at all. She's so stoic and forgiving of her impulsive parents. I grabbed the camera as we ran out of the door and took some pics from our happy little outing. I'm so glad I did.

We now have a lovely collection of plants sitting waiting to be planted. A Bay Tree, a Rosemary bush, some succulents to take the place of the violas as they come to the end of their season on the outdoor table and some great drought tolerant ones with purple spikes - the name escapes me!

With Melbourne only having received half of its normal rain intake for September, and sadly this is a recurring monthly pattern, we have to consider the sorts of plants that a) need little water and b) can cope with, potentially, another 46C day. Last year during our terrible heat apart from the tragedy of human loss the non-native and more delicate trees and plants suffered and whole sides of trees in suburban gardens burned, not from fire, but from being cooked by the sun! Extraordinary.

We've bought some fabulous Swamp Fox-tails to go along the driveway. They look ghastly at the moment and in fact part of me thinks the nursery are laughing at us for buying a dozen dead tufts of grass!! The owner initially said that they didn't have any as they are in such rough shape. They've just had a very serious haircut and are not looking their best. Anyway time and a little TLC will sort them out. By Christmas (there I said it!) they should be flowering and looking pretty.
These are not they, but they are beauties!

This is the Swamp Foxtail Grass- Pennisetum Alopecuriodes

here

what a sea of colour
These little ones reminded me of thorny Fly Agaric. You?

here

Now don't let this sweet smile fool you. She's been quite cheeky lately not to mention very 'slugs, snails and puppy-dog tail-ish'. It warrants its own post!

Back soon with more on this subject ...