Native orchids

Gastrodia sesamoides  with Geranium homeanum

We have increasing numbers of the Potato Orchid (or Cinnamon Bells) Gastrodia sesamoides . This orchid is a saprophyte, it breaks down organic matter and is present in our heavily mulched areas. The flowers have a cinnamon like scent. The geranium in the background of this shot is a native too – Geranium homeanum.

Microtis unifolia

We have recently found another native orchid on an easement we maintain.The easement has long been overgrown but is now reclaimed and either mowed or line trimmed. Luckily I saw this orchid before I trimmed it. The leaves in the background of this shot are Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora (Montbretia) now a weed in the Blue Mountains.

A little bit Monet

The Rock Pool garden is at the moment being complimented by visitors as having a feel to it like Monet’s Japanese garden.  The Japanese influence dates from Margaret Steven’s time  when she established her 1966 garden  where the Gazebo now stands.

The lantern in winter 2011

The lantern at the rock pool was added early in the life of the Resort so we presume by Margaret Stevens.

The rock pool at Resort take over (late 1960s), low stream crossing visible behind rocks on the right, lantern top visible on left

The wooden Japanese bridge replaced what looks in the old photos from early Resort days like a stone crossing similar to the one remaining. The wooden bridge was originally painted Brunswick green.  We painted it red and lowered the handrails to try and integrate it a little with the pool and brighten the area in winter when the plantings at the bridge end have all died back.

Rock pool waterlilies and iris with astilbe still to flower. The red bridge is just visible in the background behind the ferns.

Japanese iris

  The Monet feel comes mostly from the water lilies planted by Hector Hood  for Lady Fairfax, the Japanese iris that have been planted more recently and the whole linked by the lantern and bridge.

We are trying to establish some evergreen perennials at the bridge end – white Daphne and Buxus sempervirens to be trained into balls. Lady Fairfax had a buxus ball in her flower border, it is now a small tree! If these plantings are successful we may be able to repaint the bridge, maybe even Monet’s turquoise. There is some repair work required to the pool edge at this end which is not visible when the plants have grown. It is the spot where the wood ducks slide into the pool.

Gazebo Gardens

The Gazebo is our indoor/outdoor  venue and is currently being used for spring wedding receptions. There are garden outlooks on all four sides.

View out of venue into front Gazebo garden

Old red floribunda in Gazebo screen bed, transplanted from the front Gazebo bed

Salvia “Caradonna” in Gazebo entrance pathway bed

Joycea pallida in native area adjoining Gazebo

Newly constructed wisteria trellis in rear Gazebo garden, looking down onto Gazebo

Good weather for ducks

We have had a damp few days. The ducklings returned after making a first appearance 2 weeks ago. They caught a bit of sunshine early in the week.

Ducklings in the Rockpool

David Austin blooming

The David Austin rose is now out with no sign of aphids.

Merrygarth geraniums

 

 

 

The geraniums purchased at Merrygarth, Mt Wilson are spreading well and not too far from the base of a huge radiata, they are backed by thriving plectranthus given to us by our neighbour Don.

 

Austrostipa sp. and Olearia elliptica

The grasses and daisies are part of a  native area where the plantings are still being worked with. This section is quite successful and contains Austrostipa sp., and  Olearia elliptica. There are other endemic grasses plus Allocasuarina nana and Grevillea gaudichaudii but they are not obvious in this shot.

Ringtail possum at home

This ringtail possum has built his drey in one of the car park Pyrus. He has used leaves from the Dawn Redwood (4 trees away) and a cypress (over a roof). The drey is viewed easily from the second floor balcony.

Green Lacewing Release

Every spring I aim to release beneficial insects into the garden. These insects are bred in insectaries throughout Australia and can be found on the Good Bugs website http://www.goodbugs.org.au . This year I have decided to target the thrips and whitefly population in our under cover garden.

part of the under cover garden and adjoining viburnum

The thrips are attracted to our under cover blechnum ferns  and to the Viburnum odoratissimum hedge adjoining the garden.  The covered garden is a haven for insect pests, no rain to wash them off, no wind to blow them away and possibly a warmer site through winter. As well as thrips and whitefly we have been managing scale on the hen and chickens fern.  We had been trying to work out what cultural practices might be benefiting the pest species and when Lexie brought in a water meter we found one. We found that although the surface of the garden was very dry it was saturated lower down and must have a water proof base.  The plants were being over watered which may have stressed them sufficiently to encourage the pests. We now don’t water at all through the winter. We check the moisture levels twice a week but are still watering less than once a week. Unfortunately the insect pests have not entirely departed. There are two beneficial insects that target both white fly and thrips. These are the minute pirate bug Orius armatus and the green lacewing Mallada signata. These insects are general predators with thrips and whitefly larvae on their list. These insects prefer warm weather and may not overwinter in the mountains so may need to be introduced each year. We chose the green lacewing because it is available in smaller packs of 300 eggs (2000 insects from the Orius breeders) and we can do sequential releases a few weeks apart.

Bugs for bugs lacewing release box and yellow sticky trap

It is recommended that the insects be introduced before there is a major infestation and so we ordered our first release for the beginning of November.  These insects require 15C to hatch and eat. Unfortunately the weather cooled down to 12C and rained just as we received the hatching eggs. We distributed them in the under cover section and out in the garden but are not sure how the weather effected their release.We put a sticky trap over the abutilon to monitor insect numbers and a week after release we had 131 thrips and 112 whitefly on our sticky card. These are not encouraging numbers! We will continue to monitor and will release another 300 green lacewings at the end of next week, possibly all under cover if the weather is still wet. The green lacewings come from Bugs for Bugs www.bugsforbugs.com.au .

Colour combinations in the garden this week

Red Valerian (Centranthus ruber) and self sown Aquilegias

Lobelia laxiflora and Red Diascia

Clematis “Henryii” and Rosa “Pinkie”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Russell Lupins

Nepeta and Phlomis fruticosa