TEA ROOM # 41

Time to move us. That walk gets longer each day, but it is so nice to know everyone is coming in for a chat so often that I need to move us.
I am looking for spring so my garden will again look like the photo I have used today.
From the look of a lot of the plants now, its not too far away.
I did not get a plant yesterday. We only went for a short drive and I think hubby avoided anywhere a nursery may be . I did manage to get some seeds planted in the afternoon. 4 different grasses that I hope will grow so I can have them mixed in with the roses. I like the look of the ornamental grasses and the fact that they need ltitle water. I think I may need to prune the roses early again this year as theya re already putting up lots of new growth. I have one jonquil flowering and a lot of buds just coming through on the daffodils.
Another of the agapanthus has started to flower. I think the plants know more than we do. The birds are starting to build nests too.
Aside from the cold. it is looking very springlike. We do tend to get a very cold late winter / early spring with quite a bit of rain. I am looking for that rain. Better go and put up the new signpost so everyone can find us . Enjoy the rest of your weekend.
Jean.

Good Morning all!

Happy Winter Solstice..yippee! from here on, the days get longer again ,even if it gets colder. I can cope when I see that we are getting closer to the light!..and. no, it's not a train!

We are having overcast, drizzly weather with some really heavy showers, This is expected to last all week. The turkeys have made the yard look disgusting as they have shredded newspaper I put down thickly over soil they had dug up. The soil would have just washed away once loosened as I keep losing topsoil this way. Now we have shredded paper. The grass disappeared yonks ago. I keep finding plants dug out and it is hard to remember the halcyon days of gardening when I could plant things and actually expect them to be there growing happily when I next checked. These days it is a matter of fortifying with whatever I can find. I use bamboo stakes a lot as they prevent the birds crash landing on things. "The" neighbour obviously objected to the look of them as I had them around the replacement plants near the fenceline..all were taken out and stacked under our house on top of the small water tank!!! I will just keep fencing areas off with that finer weldmesh when finances permit (eg, after daughter's wedding!)

G'Morning Kat!
Hey, we are first - lets check out the tea room goodies before they vanish! Don't your hyperactive turkeys EVER nap? I am currently fuming a bit - the back neighbour's looney cats had a big fight in my garden last Friday while I was out shopping and they have left a few scars (and a LOT of fur) on my plants - GRRR! Sometimes I wish I could just put a roof over my entire garden! Sigh! I am STILL trying to get all my bulbs planted - this year has not gone remotely to plan. We had three days of perfect planting weather this week and I was stuck in the house the whole time because the Land Agent stuffed up her visit time. As soon as she finally turned up the weather went back to cold, very windy and on and off rain squalls - completely unsuitable for mixing potting soil and working outside. ARGHHH! At least so far today looks a bit more promising - hopefully I'll be able to get SOMETHING done.

Ciao, KK.

Kat and KK...You two need a hug so heres one from me,along with a nice cappucino.
(((((( ************* ))))))

Yum..thank you, Jean. Just what I needed..it looks like a nice hot cup of mocha. It's raining here again. The plants will be loving it.

Yes here is one from me too hugs
...it is soooo frustrating!
My grandaughter's cats knock over my cuttings and poo in my mulch ...frighten my feathered friends away and attack me for food every time I try to garden.Just twixt you and me grrrrrrrrr, the things you tolerate for those you love. Maybe Kat you need some huge feral cats to frighten off the turkeys, but then you would have the feral cats.
It is very foggy here at 10 am ...it hangs around quite late in the day here during the cooler months ...it is still drizzling ...big announcement here on the radio ...water restrictions are about to ease (can you see me laughing hysterically) ...but seriously that is great news for the coming Summer, we will be able to use a sprinkler before 10 and after 4 (not that I ever did much anyway) every day instead of just 2 days ...that will save all the hand watering with the watering cans.It's hard for me to imagine dry days ...but I know they will eventually come.
There must be some other states that are easing the watering restrictions ...any one else?
The shortest day whooppee!!!!
OK now jean I have some beautiful ornamental grass seeds but googled and it says you can't grow the seeds easily if at all ...has anyone had experience with these seeds? if so could you please tell us if you were successful in sowing them and if they came true to the parent (I have an awful feeling they may revert to triffid grass if they do germinate ...) good luck with yours jean.
Better go do some washing and other boring chores ...but later I get to dream over my Summer veggie garden as I browse through my Eden seeds catalogue.
Enjoy your day everyone.

Ok I found a differing opinion ...yes I read that you can't grow the ornamental grass from seed ...obviously on a site trying to sell the plugs of sprouted grass ...I must stop being sucked in so easily ^_^
here is another one and it says YES you can ...hmmm now for the river sand
http://www.gardeningtipsnideas.com/plants/grasses/
So there you go.

Very rainy Sunday afternoon here at Buderim.

KK ...sorry I knocked you over running for the food in the tea room. It was Kat's fault because I saw her take a large slice of that pie Jean made and I thought there wouldn't be any left for me.

Chrissy ...your not going to believe this but I think that Duranta (purple) plant I grew from some of the seed I sent you... has a flower on it. Well I think it is a flower about to bloom.
I will keep you updated and take a picture and post it.
It is still only a small plant???????

Must go check all my emails. Sunday is emailing day for the family.

Hi Chrissy & Jean,
Thanks for the Hugs all, they are much appreciated.

Chrissy, ornamental grasses are a very big subject, some are fertile and can be grown from seeds, some are not and have to be propagated by division. For just one example, consider the genus Pennisetum - P. setaceum is a declared weed in many jurisdictions around the world, including parts of Australia. Pennisetum x advena (a natural hybrid between P. setaceum and P. macrostachys) is completely sterile and produces no seed, thus it is safe to grow anywhere. Pennisetum alopecuroides is believed to be native to Queensland and northern New South Wales, but it self seeds heavily and should probably not be considered for growing outside of those states as it has a definite potential for weediness. Yet, if you go to a general plant nursery where they sell grasses, as opposed to a specialist nursery, how do you know which Pennisetum you are getting? And that is just 3 species out of many in one genus!

http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/156536/fountain-grass-alert.pdf
http://www.smgrowers.com/products/plants/plantdisplay.asp?plant_id=734
http://www.anbg.gov.au/gnp/interns-2003/pennisetum-alopecuroides.html

I happened to have this info to hand because I have just recently acquired a beautiful Pennisetum x advena 'Rubrum'
- now all I have to do is get the cat to stop snacking on it! This is what it looked like when I purchased it

...and this is what it looked like 3 weeks later!

Ciao, KK.

Good morning all/ A nice morning here after a lovely mild day yesterday.
Kk, thank you for that info on the grasses. I will definitely look more into the type of grass seeds i have before I plant any in the garden . If I find they are not good because of invasiveness, I will put them in the fire.
One is Blue eyed grass which is a pretty and benign one from the iridacea family.
Another one is a poa, Blue tussock grass, which seems okay too.
We have a lot of Phalaris growing around this area. It is all along the roadsides and is a real menace in fire season. It was originally grown for cattle feed I understand.. I still see Pampas grass in some areas growing wild. It was declared a noxious weed years ago but noone seems to worry about getting rid of it.
About the only thing I have growing that can escape into the paddocks are nasturtuims and californian poppies which the cows would eat anyway. I am careful with seeds from plants and usually cut things back after flowering that are likely to spread I have never seen a self sown agapanthus anywhere here although they are supposed to spread easily. I suppose it all depends on climate and natural pests.
I hope your weather improves for you KK and you can get out and about again.
Kat, I think you need to look at council regulations and put up a tall cyclone fence . You should be able to have it just inside your boundary. Noxious neighbor could not then get at your garden. It may also help with the trukey invasion.
Hello Marleneann, fancy you all rushing in for cakes. I will put extra out as I can't have hungry ladies ruuning about.
Hello Chrissy, thanks for your info too. I bought the seeds on eBay as I could not find any nice potted grasses around here. I will have to do my homework now before I plant. The few grasses in pots that I have seen in the nurseries are all so expensive for something that will grow so easily. The sun is coming over the trees and I will be out later doing a bit of potting.
Better go and put out some goodies before I have a mob of starving ladies running about.
Enjoy the day and all those who are back at work, just pretend its not Monday. Ha ha.
Try this Marzipan Covered Cake and only small pieces too.
Jean.

Good morning to all, Just a quick visit just popped in to say Hi, well Monday has come around yet again, the year is going by so fast, its nearly tax time already.
It is a bleak overcast day here today but it is not cold so that is good. It has just started to rain, well sort of very very light.
I am feeling heaps better today, thanks to everyone for the flu cures, sorry Brian I was not game to try yours, but I did find Helens very good, and Jean it was not cold enough to rug up, but when winter gets here I will have to do just that.
Marleneann I went to your website to get the recipe for the banana cake (by the way very nice site) and I found one on there for sponge cake, I hope I have read it right as I am going to try it on the weekend, it does not have very much flour in it only has 3/4 cup of corn flour, so that sound good to me.
While I am on food I need help does anyone have a recipe for lamb shanks done in a crock pot, if anyone can please help I will be forever grateful lol.
I have to go lots to do this week as I have friday of and monday is our last pub hol for the year (our show day) so 2 short weeks in a row Yahooooooooo.
Everyone have a wonderful day
Smile and stay safe
Shell

Yes Shelly...it's the best sponge ever. No ordinary flour only cornflour and custard powder.

My computer had a fit today and wouldn't work. I telephoned the fix-it man and he talked me through to getting it going. Said it may be on it's way out so if I am not around you will know what has happened.

Still raining here...getting heavy showers today.

Hi ...better late than ever ...here is the osso bucco (lamb shanks) in the crockpot ^_^
http://www.recipezaar.com/Osso-Bucco-2575
Golly I recall mum used to have the lamb shanks thrown in free with her meat order ...ha ha ha not any more! osso bucco is fit for a King.
Corn flour sponge is the best (passionfruit sponge ...food fit for the Queen).
Still raining ...fog until about 10 this morning ...quite mild temps though, altogether quite a nice day but I had to help hubby again so no gardening.
Marleneanne the datura seeds from you have given me two teensy plants but no blooms, the singles from Jean bloomed at quite a small size and have continued to do so ...dropping many seeds from the split seed cases. They may live through the winter. Good luck with yours ...hopefully they will set many fresh seeds for you.
KK very interesting about the grass ...I don't know what kind it is but the garden it came from had it all along the front fence ...like a pretty hedge, the shape was fountain shape and the seed heads were on 3ft stems with the heads themselves looking like purple smoke, it was all waving gently in the breeze and the growth beneath was very attractive and uniform, nice and thick with the tips all the same thick and uniform height ...it looked very beautiful and was a really tranquil scene.There are long thin black seeds within the plumes ...I guess I will just germinate them in a polystyrene box to see if I can get "plugs" to transfer into the garden.
Well off to prepare dinner, I am starving ...had no time to eat since 8 this morning.Enjoy your evening everyone.
PS I am managing to keep my broms alive ...Sue and Leisa will be proud.

Thanks Chrissy, great site. Nice to see the broms are still kicking lol.
Shell

Good morning all.

Jean and anyone else who is interested in grasses, we have Kangaroo Grass, Themeda australis, growing wild here and I'm happy to collect seed any time you would like some.

I'd gone and spent too much on a pot of it a couple of months beforehand and then realised that it was the same plant we already have growing here. lol This was largely because the resident roo population until that point had kept it 'pruned' to the extent that it hadn't flowered.

I have other various grasses too, that I'm happy to share when they are well enough established. Jean, maybe you can help me re blue tussock grass, please? I collected some seeds and popped them into a pot and they're subsequently germinating slowly. Once they're germinating, do I give them a feed then? They seem to germinate then just sit.

Pam

Good morning everyone. Windy here again this morning. Same as yesterday afternoon. It ruins what would be a nice day. I planted my grass seeds in one of the small propagating boxes from Reject shop. They have seed trays with them. I have the boxes stacked in the lounge for warmth.
Pam, I have not growm the grasses from seed before so it will be a first for me. I will just let them grow at their own pace ( hopefully, they will grow ) and plant out. I don't think grasses would need much in the way of fertisers. Someone else may know more. i now have 8 different types planted so will wait and see what comes up. Because your seeds were actually from a wild plant, they should just grow as they would in the ground. One of the lots I bought was the kangaroo grass , silly me, ha ha.. I should have asked on here first.
Chrissy, your grass sounds like the Fountain grass I also got. It can be a weed but the purple version apparently is not.
i think Steve is still over at the other place. When there are no cakes , he will find us. Steve, your shadehouse project sounds good. Radio ?? Hmmm, I should let your better half know what she is in for. Hubby is an avid radio ham and has been for a long time. He talks around the world every day. He loves his radio and it does keep him out from underfoot. Ha ha.
Shelly, I hope you are well and enjoy your extra days off. Lots of gardening getting donethen, I bet.
Marleneann, are you still with us there. Computers can be a real pain. I know we had problems until we bought the new one. They definitely have a mind of their own. Should come with a resident young person attached to keep them going.
I must get out and take a few pics of my zygos as they are flowering. I like to keep a file of the different flower colors for when i sell any.
I think the zygo house needs a bit of extending. The older plants are quite large and I have lots of smaller ones that are going to want more room.
My Angels are still coming on. A few leaves battered by the wind but lots of top growth still. . GHA is adding even more flowers. I think she is going to bloom year round.
Hello to all out there, Mya , Helen, Kat, Brian , more wine please. Sammut, Lesley, Sue, my broms are going well , growing even in the cold.
I'll leave you all something nice.
Chequerboard Cake.
Enjoy your day. Jean.

Those reject shop boxes are great Jean. I bought 4 a few months ago with the idea of filling the heated propagation tray with seedlings, but haven't gotten around to it. *shame*

Our ground here is slushy again after rain yesterday, though it's sunny today. We have rain in dribs and drabs predicted every second day for most of the coming week, just enough to put paid to plans of doing any house painting. At least I'll be able to dry washing every second day. oh joy!

Good morning all, after the last couple of days of being overcast and miserable, today is just beautiful, the sun is shining the birds are singing and there is not a breath of breeze, much to nice to be stuck at work. I will not be nasty and mention the temp lol.
I have been madly repotting and planting hoya cuttings, I can not wait for my days off so I can get stuck into my gardening a couple of them are starting to look a little neglected, with all my new garden making, I have been a little lax with some of my others.
Jean that cake looks great, but I think it would be a pain to make, and in saying that it would be very nice to eat, do not fear I have left plenty for others lol.
My son and daughter in law come to visit on the weekend and they bought thier babies for a visit, after all there running around they were exhausted and had to have a nap I have posted a photo of them having a rest.
I have to go and do some work, have a wonderful day all
Smile and stay safe
Shell

Shelly,
That photo is an absolute HOOT. Please DMail it to Dea http://davesgarden.com/members/dea/ so she can consider it for the funny photo captions articles she does each week:

Ciao, KK.

no problem kk, will do
shell

I gave in to temptation today & bought 3 hellebores.
I wanted to get some last winter but held out hoping for a bargain - they sold out.
And the few bargains that turned up in summer looked a bit too sick.
I decided $4.99 per plant wasn't so bad.
They have joined the three my boss gave me, I put them under the trees in the 'woodland' corner.
I also had a massage at a Gong Li place in the mall.
The specialist suggested a weekly massage to help with my shoulder & today's booking I had with a massage therapist was canceled - she got sick!
So I decided that I wasn't going to miss out all together.
Chinese massage is a bit different but my neck does feel better than it did.

For me it is good morning, for you all it is good evening?

Just thought I would pop in for a moment, drop a photo or two, see how things are going on the other side of the planet.

Some parts of the North America are having the coolest summer they can remember.

Up in Alaska Mt Reboubt blew it's top earlier this year, lots of gas and ash up into the atmosphere and it seems to have an affect on the weather. Phoneix is having it's coolest summer since 1913. Sadly, we are just as hot and humid as any summer I can remember.

Hope you and your gardens are enjoying the cooler/wetter weather.

Time to go, off to work>

nice pics Dale, I love that outdoor seating area.
Is that a penstemon in the foreground?
I am slowly adding a few to my garden, only 3 at the moment but hoping to get a cutting from work to strike.
It has been colder than usual here - and wetter...
cheers - Dalfyre

Dalfyre,

There is a red Salvia on the left and a blue salvia center, bottom of the cluster of plants.

Penstemon don't grow here, well, maybe in winter for a few months and then heat stroke.

It is hotter than +ell here and wetter than usual. It was 38C when I got home at 2pm and I am not going out again until the sun goes down.

Portulaca like the heat>

I love your outdoor area too Dale. It didn't occur to me originally, but would I be correct in thinking that all those plants are potted? You've done it very effectively if that's the case.

Pam

Good morning everyone. The sun is up in a clear sky and there is no wind as yet. Looks like a lovely autumn type day.. I am running a bit late in getting things out in the Tea Room. Never mind you won't all starve. I see there are still some crumbs from yesterdays cake. Marleneann and Kat must have missed them.
Hello Dalethegardener. It's nice to see a new face pop in to have a chat. I love your colorful garden. Salvias grow well here too. I could do with a little of your warm weather. We only get a few really hot days here in summer. I am right down in the south of the country where we tend to have long periods of cool weather.
Hello Shelly. Love those dogs. They look so comfortable .
Dalfyre, I do like hellebores. I bought a few new ones last year. They are all starting to flower now. So pretty and so hardy
Hello KK, enjoy your day.
Gardengal, I will end up with a tower of those propagating boxes. I find them so easy as you can just remove the lid and put them outside for easy acclimatising .
Hello Helen, Steve, Colleen, Brian, Lesley, Sue and anyone I missed.
I won't be doing much today as I have to go out for a while.
I had better leave plenty of cakes for the hungry ladies ( and men)
Have a piece of this Peaches and Cream Cake.
Enjoy your day.
Jean.

Good Morning to all on this chilly morning need a extra big cuppa this morning to warm me up
with a slice of cake .
I remade a new stand for some plants .--- I love the little nursey containers been using them for seeds and cuttings a year now made extra from big containers I had Also bring them inside over night lined up on my desk have a heater on low over night in here .
Shell thate is one good looking family resting after enjoying playing in your garden must have been hard saying bye to them when they went home .
Better get my self moving I am doing more cuttings repotting this morning every one have a great day and take care -------------Sammut.

G'Day All
You will remember a short time ago I suggested you try a wine called Albarino then reported that there were claims of mis naming or misidentification.
See this. "Until very recently this variety was not known to be used commercially in Australia. It is now suspected that some vineyards in Australia which thought they were planting Albarino may have in fact been planting Savignin."
I still urge you to try it and if an Australian or Spanish wine it will still be labelled as Albarino but Australia will use the proper name as soon as the labels can be changed.
All that leads to the fact that another bottle of "Banrock Albarino" was opened last night and it is a darn good wine, so several more bottles into the Tea Room to keep you going until you can get some for home consumption.
Brian

Good morning all and welcome Dale, you photos are wonderful, and don't work to hard lol.
Elaine you are as clever as always the stand is great and looks very effective, the broms are lovely. I always love it when the kids bring Ben and Chloe over to play, as they do not have a garden at home and they go rank in mine, but as you can see it tuckers them out lol.
Jean that cake looks devine, I will be hard pressed to leave any for anyone else lol.
Brian I am going to see if I can locate the wine and give it a go, I will let you know if I can find it, I am going over to the Island (magnetic) to visit a friend and she has request a half dozen bottles to accompany me lol.
Sorry everyone down south but the weather is perfect yet again, no need for long sleeves, this time of the year always justifies my move to North Qld, and then in summer sometimes I wonder why I moved lol.
Oh and by the way 'GO THE BLUES' I really want them to win at least one game and tonight would be a good time to do it lol.
Oh well back to work, everyone have a great day, stay safe.
Shell

Sammut that stand is just so cute.
Hello Brian, Shelly, Jean, Pam, Dale, and everyone who is around at the moment.

Hi Marleneann,
Thanks I have just put my angel babies in the bottom of the stand thate side is a lot more tidy now I dont think I can fit any more in the BBQ area .
----------------Sammut

There's no doubt about it Sammut, you're a clever little chicken! That plant stand is not going to fall down any time soon. Well done!

Shelly61, I'll put another half dozen in the Tea Room for you to pick up and take to your friend. They can be all Albarino or a mix of your choice which ever suits you.
Brian

Tonights sunset,my new converted austar succulent dish,see the back of the fake possum,it's at least kept all the real possums off the dish.....

It must have been a wonderful sitting watching the sun set it looks like it was a out standing one. Good use making the succulent dish like the idea of your little fake freind .------------Sammut

Good morning all. A very quick dash in and out this morning. Shopping day today and also the car has to be in early for a service. I can't go without putting out something nice. I hope I come home with something nice too. A plant , of course. It;s very foggy here today after a mild day yesterday.
Enjoy your day and hello to everyone. Go easy on that wine ladies, it sounds nice.
One of my favorites, Apple Crumble Cake.
Jean.