By Beatrice Hawkins
The dedicated gardeners of Warwick – please take a bow!
Last Wednesday and Thursday the Horticultural Society staged the annual autumn flower show in St Mary’s Hall. Given the awful conditions we have been experiencing, extremely hot and dry, we really did not know what to expect in the way of entries.
Entries started arriving as soon as we got to the hall and continued steadily for the allocated two hours resulting in a very creditable display of roses, cut flowers, floral art, orchids, natives, vegetables and a really great display of pot plants.
While it may not have been the biggest show it was certainly lovely to see and a delight for the senses. Thank you to all who entered and all who came to see the display – your participation makes our efforts worthwhile.
The participation of young people is particularly appreciated and congratulations to Felicity and Ryan King. Young people being involved augers well for the continuation of the society, shows and gardening.
The continued dry weather is not making things easy in the garden and until we get drought breaking falls of rain we can only try and be water-wise and keep favourite things alive. My own garden is being kept alive with the water from my washing machine and there has been many casualties. One that I have grieved over is the passion fruit vine but it can be replaced and the grape vines and Aunty Bette’s snail plant are still going. Hippeastrums, agapanthus, daylilies and jacobeans are still surviving, as is my much loved gardenia and lavender. Once again I sing the praises of beautiful, hardy vincas and I have found that they also make a good, long lasting, cut flower.
This Saturday 16 March the bus will be leaving Crisps terminal at 8am for a day out at Doomben for the Brisbane Garden Expo. If you haven’t got your tickets yet they are still available from Danny Lyons or, if it is really a last minute decision, ring me on 0488 470706 Friday night as you may be lucky enough to still score a seat for Saturday morning. Come join us for a great day and some new ideas to bring home and talk about to our local nurseries.
Gardeners are supreme optimists and the seasons will change and each day is one closer to rain!
The dry is affecting all sort of things and if you have water in your garden be aware of what might be looking for it and keep an eagle eye out for snakes.
Some areas of town received a good fall on Friday last but it was very localised and I stood and watched it fall on the other side of town with not a drop where I live. I was writing this late on Sunday night and feeling fairly depressed about the drought after another storm had passed over with very little rain falling.
Monday morning, cuppa in hand, I looked out at the front garden over my crinchy crunchy brown paper lawn and was surprised to see something red dancing in the breeze in the garden where I hadn’t noticed anything yesterday. To be very honest I’d forgotten I had ever planted them in the garden – beautiful spidery pink/red nerrines! Oh how I love self-care, hardy bulbs suited to our area and nerrines are certainly that. They really lifted my spirits and maybe I need to look at some more catalogues and buy and plant some more.
Maybe we don’t have winters cold enough to successfully grow tulips, daffodils and such without lifting them each year but the nerrines, and jacobeans certainly fill that gap for me seeming to thrive on neglect and still surprising and delighting me when they appear.
*This is an old article that has been digitised so our readers have access to our full catalogue.
