Hello,
I am a newbie to Australia, just moved here last week from NC, in the US and wanted to introduce myself. I am not new to gardening but I sure am new to AU gardening and I am interested in learning all that I can about gardening in AU. I am living in Kilsyth, a suburb of Victoria. I do not know anything at all about gardening in AU but from what I have seen I'm really going to like it. I have been looking around and I see all of the cactus and succulents and I love all the palm trees. Where I am from I could not grow anything like these plants outside and I always wanted to live in this type of area, and so here I am. I never thought I would move to a place like this but my DH got stuck here when he came back here to visit his dying mother and then attend her funeral. Then when he went to enter the US, the INS would not allow him to return, since they lost all of the paperwork that we had filed almost 6 years ago, along with all of the money that we paid them in fees. So there I was, stuck in NC and he was here. I tried to make it on my own for a while but I just could not make it without him. He is the love of my life, and wherever he is, that is where home is. So we packed the things that we could bring with us, put them on a boat, and we flew over on July 4th.
I am interested in learning anything that I can about gardening in AU. I have been doing a lot of reading and have seen so many beautiful plants blooming right here in the Winter. I could never have anything like this where I was living in NC. Any information that you could offer would be greatly appreciated. I am not going to be doing any gardening until we move into our own place. Right now we are staying with DH's dad and will be here probably until the end of August. But I want to start learning now so I will be prepared for when Spring arrives.
Thanks for taking the time to read all of this and maybe give me some good ideas of what I can plant in my area come Spring time.
Jesse
Newbie to Australia
G'day and welcome Jesse....perhaps you could tell us a little about the plants that you loved back home....that way we could figure out what you might like here.Meanwhile one of the best things you can do is walk around the area you will settle in and see what is doing well there.If unsure of the name...don't be shy...most gardeners are very friendly...they will happily tell you the names of things and you might even come away with seeds or cuttings.Next ...go look in the nurserys and see what things you like there....you can learn the names if you take a notepad. Good luck with it and pop back in with any questions....:) chrissy
HI! I'm an ex-pat from the states too and have lived in AU for a couple of years now. I was lucky enough to be able to study horticulture and get a job at a local garden centre so I've been able to learn lots.
First thing you need to realise is that Australia is under very tight water restrictions. You can check with your local council to see exactly what you can and can't do. You will be fined if you are caught doing the wrong thing so it's worth the inquiries. Also, worth spending the money on rainwater tanks if the place you buy doesn't already have them.
Secondly, take the time to watch ABC Gardening and pick up the magazine as well. Burkes Backyard is a decent second choice too. Have fun going through the gardening magazine racks at the newsagents. For seeds the popular one seems to be Diggers (check them online). I'm sure other Daves Gardeners will chime in with their favs as well!
Thirdly, go online and find the schedule for Victorias Open Garden Scheme and look for ones near you so you can see what does well. They can be very educational and sometimes you can even buy plants/seeds from them.
If you're into succulents, then you'll be really happy. Loads to choose from and they do very well on little water!!!
Anyway, welcome to OZ and feel free to email me if you have "ex-pat" type questions. Changing countries can be very daunting!
Hope this helps and all the best to you!
Thanks for the information. I think that I will be more into the cactus and succulents than anything else which, like you said, needs little water to survive. When I was in the states, I had a huge collection of them, and I really do miss them. I had some really rare ones too, which I sure did hate to give up, but my husband was here, which is where I want to be.
Can plants be ordered from outside of the country? I know they are really strict here with all of the things that they import. If not, where is the best place to order them from?
Thanks,
Jesse
Hello there,
Dear Jesse,
It is always great to see another new gardener on the Oz Forum. We have a lot of fun on here. Once you have your housing sorted out you can check out my trade list - it is mostly succulent plants. I commiserate with you in the sadness of having to leave your former collection behind, but I'm sure we will be able to help you on your way to a new one!
As far as ordering from overseas goes, seeds are easier than plants, but you still need to go through a few hoops with Customs & Quarantine. In addition there are some kinds of plants which are completely prohibited from importation - Opuntias are one example. There are quite a few good specialist succulent plant nurseries, and a lot of small hobby growers about. If you have the time, I would also suggest joining a local gardening or specialist plant society if you can find one in your area.
I wish you all the best for your new life, TTFN, Kaelkitty.
Hi there Jesse, and welcome to OZ.
we are the same state as you , only a couple of hours away . there are some good cactus and succulent growers locally. we are pretty new to collecting but have found a few great places to visit. there is also a good one in Bendigo that is privately owned.
also check out Collectors Corner at Gardenworld in Springvale Rd. its marked on the Melways map. make sure you go with plenty of time to browse. We purchased a trailer load of fabulous cactus and succulents when a very well know grower was closing down so have a good start to a decent collection. anything that I cant find a id for I send a pic and he comes back with the details. Cheers, Lois
Hi Jesse,
just seeing on ebay there are some good size plants for pick up only at other side of Cranbourne, if you do a search with pick up in the search and in cactus section then you might get to see the listings. if I knew your email I'd send you the link.
the fact that they are pick up only, they are in the ground, will limit the amount of bidders. good luck.
failing that I got onto a good selection today up our way but they will mostly be cuttings that will be available. Lois
Thanks for the information Grace. I will have to look them up and see what I can find. What I do not understand is why the prices are so high here. Today I bought a couple things and will put photos on here when I get a chance. We are going to look at a house tomorrow in Melton if anyone knows where that is. It is just a listing that we found that is for rent. We will know tomorrow if we can get it or not. Has anyone ever lived in Melton or do you know anything about it?
Thanks,
Jesse