Eryldene House

I know it has been far too long but the rain has stopped and the gardens are quite out of control out there.  And when it comes to my place I hope to leave and return in the dark so I just don't get the chance to see how awful it looks...

Well I shouldn't complain too much as I did pop out on a date with Mr R recently to Eryldene House in Gordon.  It was built back in 1914 for  the late Professor Waterhouse and his wife.  Prof. Waterhouse is responsible for bringing camellias into Australia so as you can imagine there are quite a no of them around the garden.  The house is Georgian in Style and very modest by today's standards but I expect back in the day it was great luxury.  At later stages the Prof. had a garden study added to work from which is an enchanting place to sit and work.

Eryldene House

Waiting for the Camellias to flower

I have to confess I wasn't overly impressed by the Camellias as I think it was too early even for the sasanquas but oh my word look at the Spotted Gums.  Swoon they are so beautiful, I wish we had one.

Look how massive the Eucalyptus is!  Yes it is just one tree

The tennis court has a Chinese tea House built to the side I assume for tea or to watch a game or to chill out and read a good book I expect.  Today they hold Christmas markets, weddings, events and jazz concerts  on what once was the court.

Chinese Tea House beyond the tennis court

I will have to go back again in June when the garden I expect will be in full bloom adding to the verdant garden structure we saw on our visit.  But I did love the ease at which you can travel though the garden with places that allow you to pause and reflex.  The historic buildings are wonderful and there are just a few unique plants that make the journey worthwhile.  There is a small cover charge ($6 per adult) which goes into maintaining the garden and house.

oh just between you and I there is a small cutting of this Bergonia that simply wanted to come home with me

Mr R could hear the doves and just wanted to see they could get out (they could)

The sound of the mowers humming

Every second Tuesday our green waste bins go out so when we are walking Diba it is usually to the hum of mowers.  People being as productive as possible to get those bins full in time.  I hate it when we don't get the bins full I just don't feel like we get full value for our rates. At least the sun came out and Diba got to soak up some rays

He is not dead just getting in some of the 20hrs of sleep he needs for the day

I would also love to say that we had a sterling crack at the garden and it is looking fabulous but alas we had visitors (which were wonderful).  So while Mr R raced around whipping, mowing and blowing I ran around the kitchen.  Both grass clippings and food waste going to the compost so still nothing in either of the two big green bins. But here is a picture of the cake made by the guests, delish.

I also really wanted to show you just how fantastic the seeds have been doing (which they have) but we had quite some rain this week and it seems the weeds have grown almost as high as the seedlings.  So it would not make for a great photo.  Instead I have a couple of the rain instead :o)

So this was just before it hit our place (between Hornsby and Pymble)

Almost couldn't see across the road

Well there is on;y a 40% chance of rain tomorrow so looks like I might just be able to get out there and fill some of those bins before Tuesday.  Have a lovely week.

Bloom day late...

I have just taken a really long walk through gardens all around the world to see what is blooming.  And quite frankly there are some simply stunning things in flower and lots of them are late or early.  It's a funny year for sure.

Here are some things that are flowering in my garden in Sydney in the middle of autumn.

Think it is Plectranthus oertendahii

Plectranthus 'Mona Lavender'

I have a few varieties of Plectranthus growing in the front under a massive liquidambar. They do very well in a garden that receives very little love same with the Salvia's that follow.

Following is a plant I thought was called a Brazillan red cloak bush or Megaskepasma but I can only find the genius M. erythrochlamys which is different from the plant I have.  It's pretty even though i don't know what it is really called.

Last of the day-lily I think?

I threw the alyssum into the veg patch to encourage the bees.  Don't think it is working but it looks pretty.

Osmanthus fragrans is a favourite for me smells heavenly even though the flower is teeny tiny

This camellia came with the garden I don't really like the colour but it serves a purpose 

Thanks to maydreamsgardens for your marvellous bloom day the 15th of each month will never be dull again.

Hoppy easter

Well of course I meant to write sooner but you all just put out such lovely blogs I had to sit back to read them and didn't get around to writing one of my own.  I trust you had a lovely Easter with fun, chocolate and a bit of rest?  We were kept quite busy and I took lots of lovely pictures to share with you all. I took a photo of the bunny family who really started as one and then when we were out they do what bunnies do best...

I convinced Mr R (who grew up in Zimbabwe and South Africa) to go to the Easter show with me so we could see all the great veggie displays, wood chopping action and cakes. Here's a few shots that made the cut.

The biggest Pumpkin was about 450kgs! My butternuts would have been laughed out of the show

Cake judging

How pretty is she?

Just like the 3 flying ducks my Nana used to have on her wall  :o)

I should have gone for a ride

Nearly full moon

We went to Coolah for the weekend. Where? It is a 5 hr drive for Sydney and in between Dubbo and Tamworth, Or just out west over the ranges and a long way from anywhere  My friend's brother has a pub there so we went out to visit.  Here is the main street.

Coolah a 2 pub town.  And that's just about it.

Oh my goodness we visited Coolah Tops National Park near the Warrumbungles and walked in a grass tree forest it was out of this world!  Do yourself a favour if you are ever in this part of the world, go visit.

Does anyone else think it looks like Gandalf from Lord of the Rings??

The Liverpool plains towards Tamworth I believe

What fun things did you get up to this Easter?

Finally the veggie patch gets overhauled

I just LOVE autumn as the weather is cool and crisp, the colours start to turn and the rain seems to be staying away for us to enjoy the sunshine again.  However there is so much to be doing in the gardens my place has sadly had to wait until last weekend that is. Firstly out came the weeds which were almost taller than me.  And next the raspberries.  I bought 3 small plants about 2 years ago and popped them in a lovely green pot in front of the carport (anything to hide that mess).  They have been growing at a very happy pace until someone (Mr R) backed into the pot and chipped it. So it was dumped at the very top of the vegetable patch which is shaded by the south side of the house until I finally got on with it.  I also admit I left it on it's side, abandoned and without food, love or attention

The raspberry of course had better ideas and had suckered through the bottom and had plans to dominate the entire patch.  And look it even produced some fruit!

It has now been divided into 4 pots on the deck with new and delicious soil.  A number of the canes have decided they aren't up for it and have died back but I think i will be able to coax them to grow with gusto.  I just have to think about a way of stopping the birds from eating them before me.  Has anyone grown raspberries in pots?  Have you got a good method of staking them up that looks cool?

The shoots from the sweet potato although it  looks a bit like a roasted chicken

So back to the patch.  I had a sweet potato that decided to throw some shoots.  Now I am not sure if I will be sorry about planting it as I have heard they can be quite a nuisance in the garden and take over.  But then I do have Jerusalem Artichokes that might just do the same thing.  Watch this space and see how much space I really end up with.



I also planted carrots (both purple and orange seeds, mixed lettuce, golden beetroot, brussel sprouts seeds, peas, sugar snaps, broad beans and sweet peas seed.  I nearly didn't get anything to plant as we had a council collection day (which included 2 sofas from V's 21st) and Mr R decided we didn't need all the plastic pots and clutter in the carport so thought he would put them out in the clear-out.  I found my seed tin sitting on the top of the pile with all my new seeds!  I nearly had nothing to plant.

All the peas soaking and the saved seed tin

Anyway i have yet to see any of my seeds come up.  But I must confess I have been flat out working those other gardens that help pay for mine that they have not been watered as well as they should.  Fingers crossed I will see signs of life this week so I can show you some updates.  Till then cheerio

time to reveal the true mess

So as a horticulturalist who does this stuff each day i am sure you wondering where I really do hide all the stuff I have to have for all my clients?  Well down the side of the house (under a hopeless but efficient carport) is not only the washing line but aerobin, and general stuff storage.  I know why would anyone have a washing line on the side of the house for everyone to see?? Exactly the same question I ask almost daily.  Opps sorry I digress again

Here it is the carport and place to stash everything.  I know made even worse when Mr R adds his building stuff!  The aerobin (big green thingy) does an amazing job at breaking down the leftover kitchen straps (that the worms don't get) and grass clippings.  It is a great way of reducing the waste that goes out in the bin and solid enough that the rats don't get in. there are also a couple of wheel barrows and a clients mulcher which is fantastic in autumn.  Just beyond the gate is my main vegetable patch which I should have taken a photo of (next time). But my aim within the next 2 months is to get this to a state that you might actually be able to walk through.  

So what part of your garden do you call the shame corner?

everything gold glows

I am so impressed with things that are flowering happily in the garden at the moment without a care of what is going on around them.  Take for example my Cymbidum orchid.  Yes I know it is early but you try telling it that.  For the past 5 years it thinks flowering time is actually in autumn not winter.  Who am I to judge?  

Nine stems is absolutely amazing as I think 2 has been the best i have had in the past

Mostly yellow but I think it is quite delicate

So I had a client who had some palms that were doing quiet badly in these old fashioned pots so I took them.  Mr R kindly painted them white so they looked clean then i filled it with orchid mix, 3 years later....

I do have another pot which has a couple of different colours, so wait and see hopefully they will be as impressive in winter (cross fingers and toes).

Do you want to see what is going on in the vegie patch??  It made me very happy (or at least will when I get to harvesting them.  Helianthus tuberosus also known as Jerusalem Artichoke.  It grew (again without me really paying any attention to them) up to about 2.5m, really take a look for yourself it came right up to my neighbours window (which is above the garage).

I did have to cut it down on the weekend as it and a lot of weeds decided they would take over the vegetable patch.  I didn't think it was on so it got a severe chop and I returned the passionfruit back to the fence line.  So I expect there will be quite a selection of things I will use the tubers for:  soup and roasted veg.  Have you got any favourite recipes that you use Jerusalem artichoke for?