Pittwater Life October 2018 Issue

Garden Life
Garden Life
Delight Moss pots in the make amazing perfect
colours fern and of orchid hydrangeas planters with Gabrielle Bryant
AJapanese lways a favourite
moss pots
for
were first used in Japan
several Christmas hundred colour, years hydrangeas
ago. They have now
evolved
are
into
flowering
the wonderful
their
sphagnum balls
heads
that are
off!
used
They
today.
look
They
wonderful
make the perfect
planters
in the
for
garden,
ferns and
brightening
orchids. They are easy
the
to water
semi-shaded
and stay
areas
damp
and
for many days. You can
glowing
hang them
in the
or keep
full,
them
protected
on the window sill.
sunlight.
They are very
Once
simple
the older
to make, or you can buy
varieties
them on the
were
internet
either pink
ready-made.
or
blue
To
depending
make one you
on the
need
soil,
a small bowl, some
additional
peat moss
lime
and potting
will deepen
mix, some string and
the
sphagnum
pinks and
moss.
blueing
First select
tonic
your plant; any
(sulphate
small indoor
of aluminium)
trailing plant,
will
fern or orchid will
heighten
love this new
the blues,
planter.
but
Gently
the
remove most of
new
the soil
named
from
varieties
the roots.
will
maintain
Mix some
their
peat
colour.
moss
White
in a bucket with seedraising
never changes.
mix 50:50
There
and water
are
it just enough to
hydrangeas
be able to squeeze
of every
it into
size
a
from
ball. Take a small
the
150mm
tiny
bowl
dwarf
and
Piamina
cut four
to
lengths
the
of string
tall
across
traditional
the diameter,
Mop Heads.
allowing the ends to fall
With
over the
so many
sides.
to
Line
choose
the bowl
from
with a thick layer
it
of
is
pre-soaked
almost too
sphagnum
difficult to
moss.
of the traditional mop heads,
decide.
Next,
There
add your
are
potting
the delicate
mix half way
the
up
cone-shaped
the
flowers of
lace
bowl
caps,
and then
the
place
huge
the
blooms
plant in the
hydrangea
centre.
paniculata bushes
Cover the roots well with soil and pack them
firmly into the bowl.
Now you can cover the surface with additional
moss. Take the ball from the bowl, tying the
strings over the top with a double knot. Mould
the shape in your hands and with a long piece
of string, wind around and around the ball until
it is a solid shape. You might like to choose a
coloured string or fishing line to wrap the ball,
but whatever you use make sure that it is very
firmly tied off when you finish, making sure that
it doesn’t come undone. You can leave a long
length of string to hang your moss ball or fasten
it off if you want to sit it on a table.
To water, soak the ball in water until
thoroughly wet. It will last for about a week
before water is needed again.
Several different balls of different sizes
Grow Red
Sorrell
Cherry Guava a
sweet surprise
In full flower in my veggie
garden is my Cherry Guava,
for colour
sometimes known a Strawberry
Guava. This delightful
evergreen
and
shrub
taste
never fails to
H
produce erb a gardens heavy crop should of be cherry
that can be two metres tall. guavas attractive in early as autumn. well as
The recently introduced
useful It is a small, in the pretty kitchen. tree Red with
smaller growing Picotee rounded, Sorrell (rumex glossy green sanguineus) leaves
varieties with two-tone flower that is recognised only grows as to the about pretty
heads are hard to leave behind
and if you have a semi-
trimmed summer into salad shape leaves; after it fruit-
three leaf metres in a bowl in height. of mixed Keep it
shaded wall, the climbing ing. is a The perennial delicate plant fluffy that flowers
hydrangea petiolaris is just are adds creamy colour white, to the growing veggie close
beautiful.
to garden. the branches. Easy to They grow, are it followed
loves by semi-shade the tangy flavoured, or full
Hydrangeas are forgiving
look fantastic hanging
plants
together
that are
on
easy
a shaded
to grow. sweet, sun. The berry-sized, red veins cherry on the red
balcony, in a window
They
or
like
even
regular
in the
water
bathroom.
and fruit leaves that have are high given in it vitamin the C.
Just make sure that
any
the
good
plants
garden
you choose
soil. Mulch
are Unlike uncomplimentary the taller-growing name deciduous
‘Bloody yellow Sorrell’. guava that needs
of
put to grow in the
the
conditions
roots with
that
compost
they require.
to
My favourite choice
keep
is
them
for tiny
cool
moth
and feed
orchids. cooking, Once the hard fruit to can find, be red eaten
They are grown in
them
tiny
in
polythene
early spring
pots
to
that
get raw sorrel straight is readily from the available tree or
are easily removed.
them
Once
going.
in the
Grow
moss
them
balls,
in used in garden in cooking, centres jellies, now. drinks, The
they soon grow new
pots,
roots
or in
that
the
will
garden;
creep
bring
over sauces plant or will jams. grow into a clump
the outside of the
them
balls.
inside
Small-growing
when in flower
native of You tall, should spear-shaped protect the leaves fruit
orchids also transplant
or cut
easily
the blooms
from the
– they
bark
last from about fruit 300mm fly with high. a fruit It fly will bait.
boards that they
well
usually
in water.
grown on.
develop tiny green flowers
and brown seeds.
Get
Red
into
Sorrel loves
the
soil rich
with compost and regular
‘swing’ water. It is sometimes of Xmas
It grown is time as to a relax feature and bog enjoy
your plant garden. beside ponds. Look at Also, your
outdoor Red Sorrell seating will requirements
in the – garden. the shops If you are don’t full of
self-seed
amazing want additional chairs and plants tables.
Hanging remove cane the flower egg chairs heads have
been before trendy they for set the seed. past few
years Use and it in now the the kitchen. ‘Swing The
Seat’ lemony is back. flavour Nothing is delicious is more
peaceful in sauces, than added swinging to green in a
seat salads for two, or soups. sheltered Use it from
the sparingly, weather as with the a flavour roof to is
shade strong. from the sun – makes a
great Christmas present too!
72 70 DECEMBER OCTOBER 2018 2017
The Local Voice Since 1991