Pittwater Life September 2019 Issue

Garden Life
Garden Life
Delight ‘Turn on’ in lilium the amazing bulbs for
colours gorgeous of Xmas hydrangeas colour
Always a favourite for
Christmas colour, hydrangeas
are flowering their
heads off! They look wonderful
in the garden, brightening
the semi-shaded areas and
glowing in the full, protected
sunlight. Once the older
varieties were either pink or
blue depending on the soil,
additional lime will deepen
the pinks and blueing tonic
(sulphate of aluminium) will
heighten the blues, but the
new named varieties will
maintain their colour. White
never changes. There are
hydrangeas of every size from
the tiny dwarf Piamina to the
tall traditional Mop Heads.
With so many to choose from
it is almost too difficult to
decide. There are the delicate
lace caps, the huge blooms
Although lilium bulbs have been in
garden centres for several weeks it is
not too late to plant them now, and
they will be flowering for you by Christmas.
Although liliums look exotically delicate,
surprisingly they are hardy and easy to grow.
They will grow in the garden – but I think
they are easier grown in pots. Pots will have
the advantage that you can bring them
inside when they flower. If you want to grow
them in the garden, find a position that
gets morning sun, but is protected from the
afternoon heat and wind.
Liliums like acid soil that has no trace of
of the traditional mop heads,
the cone-shaped flowers of
hydrangea paniculata bushes
that can be two metres tall.
The recently introduced
smaller growing Picotee
varieties with two-tone flower
heads are hard to leave behind
and if you have a semishaded
wall, the climbing
lime. They are perfect partners with camellias
hydrangea petiolaris is just
and azaleas. They love soil that is rich in
beautiful.
organic compost that will drain well but never
Hydrangeas are forgiving
dries out. (If you grow your bulbs in pots, buy
plants that are easy to grow.
the best potting mix that you can find, with
They like regular water and
both water crystals and slow-release fertiliser.)
any good garden soil. Mulch
When you buy your bulbs, make sure that
the roots with compost to
they are firm and not rotten or dried. Look
keep them cool and feed
online for some great bargains at this time
them in early spring to get
of year.
them going. Grow them in
Plant the bulbs as soon as you can – once
pots, or in the garden; bring
the shoots appear, feed them with a liquid
them inside when in flower
fertiliser every two weeks for a wonderful
or cut the blooms – they last
display by Christmas.
well in water.
with Gabrielle Bryant
Cheap and
easy Cherry seeds Guava for a
planting sweet surprise
GI rowing n full flower vegetables in my from veggie
commercially garden is my packed Cherry seeds Guava,
can sometimes be expensive. known When as you a Strawberry
of Guava. chillies This or tomatoes, delightful
want
a couple
packets evergreen of seed shrub contain never enough fails to
seeds produce for dozens a heavy of plants. crop of cherry
Ready-grown guavas in early seedlings autumn. are
expensive It is a and small, can pretty be frustrating tree with
as the rounded, labels glossy show photos green leaves that
often that mislead. only grows If you to buy about tomatoes
or chillies three metres that you in like, height. it is Keep easy it to
harvest trimmed the seeds into shape and grow after them. fruiting.
The cut open delicate the fluffy fruit and flowers
First,
remove are creamy the seeds. white, Spread growing the seed close
onto a the piece branches. of paper They towel are or followed
tissue by and the tangy allow it flavoured, to dry for
a
paper
several sweet, days. berry-sized, If needed, cherry the seeds red
will fruit stay that viable are for high several in vitamin months, C.
once Unlike they the are taller-growing dry, until the season deciduous
yellow arrives guava (keep that them needs in a zip-
to plant
lock cooking, plastic bag). the fruit can be eaten
Fill raw a small straight pot from with the seed-raising tree or
mix used and in cut cooking, the paper jellies, to fit drinks, with
several sauces seeds or jams. attached. Cover with
a fine You layer should of seed-raising protect the mix fruit and
water from with fruit a fine fly with spray. a fruit fly bait.
Get into the
‘swing’ of Xmas
It is time to relax and enjoy
your garden. Look at your
outdoor seating requirements
– the shops are full of
amazing chairs and tables.
Hanging cane egg chairs have
been trendy for the past few
years and now the ‘Swing
Seat’ is back. Nothing is more
peaceful than swinging in a
seat for two, sheltered from
the weather with a roof to
shade from the sun – makes a
great Christmas present too!
72 70 SEPTEMBER DECEMBER 2017 2019
The Local Voice Since 1991