Australian and New Zealand Gardening: TEA ROOM # 28, 1 by 77sunset

77sunset wrote:
Hello everyone. Another day of sadness for many as the fires keep going.. It is very hard for the many survivors to sit by now as the investigation goes on. They are wanting to return to see what if anything can be salvaged, and to check on missing loved ones and pets. It is a sad thing in society that we have evil people to cause such grief for so many.
I cannot watch all the news as it keeps bringing the tears. Like Steve, I have had to leave the room at times.
I too, would like to thank all our overseas friends for their sympathy and best wishes. It means a lot to know people think of us from far away. I had a mail from a person in England , who I had had a limited contact with, but they were expressing concern because of the news stories.
I was watching the floods up north again and looking at all that water . It is a bitter quirk of nature to see the two contrasts in weather. We are due for more heat but today is quite cool here at the moment.
The trees are starting to lose a lot of leaves. I know some of this is caused by heat stress but it happened last year early too. I think Autumn is just around the corner. We have had hardly any Summer in this area and to have the days of excess heat was like getting Summer thrown at us contaiined in a few days. I have been looking around my garden and planning what will go and what can stay.
I think there is going to have to be a large scale rethink of what we grow.
Colleen and Brian are on the right track with the cacti part anyway.
Maybe each of us could put up a small list of what has done well and what has not in our areas as a help to others.
I will start a thread and everyone that wants to can add their bit.
I will repot a few plants today that have outgrown their pots. I have some bromeliad pups to get settled too.
I know we are all interested in the news but please if you can, pop in and let us see that each of you are well and safe.
Our parrot lady is okay. She has been away and will call in when she settles back home.
I am going to put out something nice as there is always someone popping in. Cranberry Swirl Cheesecake.
Keep safe and dry everyone. Jean.