By Beatrice Hawkins
I’ve been out into some beautiful country travelling again lately but I am very sad at the current state of the drought and the desperate situation of our wonderful country. Where I am now my friends are cutting scrub and feeding cotton seed to keep stock alive. It is distressing to see the domestic and native animals in such an awful state with no feed. Farmers are very definitely a special type of person to be able to cope with these extended drought times.
I saw some ideas for the use of succulents the other day and it reminded me of some I saw at a garden expo in Perth some years ago. I may try at least one of these in the next month. I have a cone shape and will line it with weed matting or sphagnum moss and pack it with potting mix. The idea then is to put a piece of board or heavy plastic across it, turn it upside down and plant it up with assorted succulents.
Rosette succulents such as Echeveria and Sempervivum look especially good. If you are a bit particular about your colour choices, by Christmas time you will have a living tree that needs no decorating.
Among the many things I like to grow are a variety of herbs as they are generally hardy and useful in the kitchen but also decorative in the garden. Some, like golden oregano and many varieties of thyme, make great ground covers.
Mints are wonderful, requiring little attention other than water and coming in a variety of flavours, even chocolate and eau de cologne, but be careful where you plant any of the mint varieties as they can take over to the exclusion of all else and be very hard to eradicate.
I have thyme, chives, sage, perennial basil, mint and lemon balm (in containers!), oregano, marjoram and, of course, the indispensable parsley, both curly and flat leaved varieties.
One of the best garden displays I have seen was during the Toowoomba flower carnival and it was a bed planted in a chevron pattern with curly leafed parsley and yellow and orange African marigolds – absolutely stunning.
Sage comes in a variety of types, some with variegated leaves and some with different tastes – one of my favourites is pineapple sage with a distinctive, very pineapple smell to the leaves when they are crushed or brushed against – a wonderful addition to a sensory garden.
It is a hardy Mediterranean herb suited to most climates but preferring full sun and well drained, not-too-fertile soil, as it grows readily in the rocky soil of Mediterranean areas. They are relatively pest and disease free and do really well in pots, so you can move them around and enjoy the smell of the leaves.
They are a perennial but can become a bit woody and straggly so it’s good to replace them every four or five years. When you’ve picked the leaves they can be left to dry in a warm, shady, moisture-free place. If you have a suitable place in your kitchen they can be hung in bunches and you will enjoy the aroma.
Oregano is another favourite because it is easy to grow and is a ‘living weed mat’, spreading over an area quickly and suppressing everything else.
In another garden I had the golden form and it looked really good tumbling down a rocky bank. It does require more water than some of the other herbs and must have good drainage.
The flavour of oregano is more concentrated when dried but adds great flavour when used fresh. It is another terrific addition to a garden or in a pot so it can be moved around. Remembering to dead-head your plant after flowering – this will keep it growing well and increase the harvest. I never bother to dry it only picking it fresh as required.
Remember the Garden Extravaganza in St Mary’s Hall in Wood Street on Tuesday 24 and Wednesday 25 July.
There will be a great range of stalls to tempt you and to learn about all things gardening.
Hearty home-made soups and crusty bread will be available for lunch and Devonshire teas and tasty treats for morning and afternoon teas. Speciality barista coffees will also be available this time.
Come along and enjoy a break in the hall out of the weather – and we are sure there will be something there to tempt you even if you are not a gardener!
*This is an old article that has been digitised so our readers have access to our full catalogue.
