Purple wisteria

Spring memories

ByGreta

Spring might be a bit of a fizzer up here in sub-tropical Queensland but that’s not true all over the country. After all, Australia is a continent as well as a country, and it covers quite a few degrees of latitude. As a bit of relief from that pandemic, here’s a few photos of our garden in Victoria. We lived in the hills west of Bacchus Marsh, a town west of Melbourne, where we’d get frost and even occasional snow in the winter months. So, we were able to grow an English cottage garden, supplemented with Mediterranean species.

We left for warmer climes in 2007, leaving no regrets behind us. But it’s nice to look back at something we built together.

Ah, the memories…

White wisteria
Clematis and banksia rose climb up the wall, white wisteria cascades from the pergola
wisteria and lavender
Taken from below, with new growth on the silver birch and lavender doing its thing
Purple wisteria
had a purple wisteria, too. Here it’s above plantings of roses, snow in summer, Californian poppies, erigeron and lavender.
terrace
We built a terrace with rustic steps leading from the house level up a steep slope. The bank is planted with tough Mediterranean and Australian varieties – proteas, erigeron, grevilleas and the like. On the bottom level there are lavenders and ranunculus
tulips
We had a Celtic cascade (deciduous cultivar from the fig family) in a brick planter on the terrace. Tulips and Dutch iris flowered first, then the leaves would start to form on the tree. I never lifted the bulbs.
front border
We had ajuga, azaleas, granny’s bonnets, and lambs ears at the front of the house, along with some additional tulips. Hydrangeas, oriental lilies and roses performed in summer.
Rhododendron
The rhododendrons took centre stage in spring at the front of the house
back border 3
The back border was packed with carnations, lavender, poppies, Californian poppies, roses, and irises.
Rosellas
Needless to say, the local crimson rosellas loved the purple wisteria – not so much the white one. This picture was taken from the house through the window (by Peter). The birds demolished the flowers, leaving a purple carpet on the patio.

I can’t resist one small pandemic commentary. I’ve said before I think it’s time to (carefully) re-open Australia. This farmer gives a GREAT example of why it needs to happen. This man has property on both sides of the Vic/NSW border. He wanted to take hay from his property on one side of the border to his property on the other, where he had a mob of hungry sheep. It seems even hay has to be quarantined for two weeks after being flown from Melbourne to Sydney. If it wasn’t so sadly idiotic it might be funny.

We all need to remember that it’s not only the big cities that are affected.

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2 Comments

  1. Beautiful beautiful gardens. Reflecting a LOT of hard work. Thank you for brightening a breezy Autumn morning here in the land of the Poms!

    Reply

    1. Thanks. It was beautiful and yes, a LOT of hard work. But, as I said, no regrets. Still, autumn is a lovely season, too. I love the colours at that time of year – something we don’t get much here in Qld.

      Reply

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