Garden Friend, courtesy of another forum's gardener

Meet my new friend in the garden. Also his pot tree. These are in a small space that is hard to plant so I have a few common succulents under a red bottlebrush. I saw this chap on another forum and I'm sure the person will not mind an Australian version.
I have heaps of terra cotta pots laying around as I find they are not as good for my plants as the plastic. I may spray paint him later but I think I prefer the natural color. The little succulent bits and the grass will soon grow. I'll have to add more creations later. I have a dog in the making, and maybe something else for company.
I couldn't resist putting him on even though i didn't invent him. Some of those American ladies have great imaginations, so I'll go back and see what else is on there.
Happy gardening , Jean.

that is too cute.. would love to see your dog too when you are done. i have a heap of links for stuff like that in my favourites. yell out if you want me to send you an email of what i have saved. i do have the tipsy pots one i remember.

i love stuff like that - and intend to incorporate lots of quirky things into my garden.

jean - i thought your penstemons that you sent me were dead but i notice the tiniest green shoot today.... so i am hoping that they are recovering from the shock of being sent all the way here.

shelly

Hi 77 that is so cute!
Shelley i did not send you angels trumpet cuttings because you have little folk ...however if you want some let me know and I will pop some off to you ...I think perhaps you are still feeling your way in the new garden so if I can help in any way please sing out ...I hope some of the stuff I sent you survived.
chrissy

Very creative Jean! I love things like that in the garden. Thanks for sharing.

hi chrissy,

yes, there are some of your stuff still alive .. although a lot has died i am afraid. it hasn't been very good conditions though - between 40 plus degree days, flooding with the 4 inches we had and then having 5 days away at xmas.

from memory - i still have about 10-15 that are still alive and going well.

i am really worrying about next week though - we go on another trip for 5 days and i am just praying its not 40 degrees. i can't get anyone to water all the garden as i already have people looking after our 32 animals. i think i might try and get some little bottles and put near the cuttings upside down to drip for the 5 days. if someone came to water the garden they would have to bucket for me... as we cannot water outside the home at all at the moment on stage 4 restrictions.

i have learnt a valuable lesson with your box of cuttings though - i think from now on i will definately put any cutting in a pot on my front porch. that way it will only get morning sun and will be watched more closely. where i have yours is well out of the way in an unused bit of the garden and although i water each day i cannot watch if my little shadecloth etc falls off during the day. this has happened twice.

sorry for not letting you know about the cuttings - because i don't know the names i haven't been able to say 'such and such is still alive' but that is no excuse really - my apologies and i hope i haven't offended you.

shelly

chrissy,

forgot to say about the angel trumpet. thanks so much for your kind offer. i think i will pass though as i don't think its the right conditions to be trying to bring anymore plants on - especially since they can't be watered for 5 days next week.

i have decided i am not buying anymore plants now until after this stinking heat passes. i have only lost one plant this summer so far - but i am concerned about how many i will lose especially since they are all so very young plants as they were only put in from september onwards. especially since i can only bucket water onto them... that is such hard work!

i am still learning chrissie... so many things i am probably doing wrong or the hard way - but i guess the more i do this and the more i learn the easier. i can't believe how much these plants have grown since sept so i guess i must be doing something right. i am proud of my accomplishments so far...and only wish i had of caught this gardening bug years ago :)

take care chrissy,

shelly

Shelley yes morning sun and arvo shade is the secret to most things if look at my pics you will notice that most of my cuttings and new things grow on my garden verandah railing which gets early gentle sun and keeps it through to about 11 ish then shade. I should have sent you geraniums etc. I think you have done well to keep what you have going alive under those conditions ...sorry for the lack of ID my fault. Sing out when the weather is a bit kinder and I will send ID ed stuff for you.Good luck with everything :)
By the way another hint quite often when we buy plants they come from air conditioned supermarkets and shade cloth etc ...these things will quickly burn off when put into anything but the gentle shade and gradually moved into the less shady parts until their leaves have hardened off. Buy stuff you see sitting in the open ...it may not be perfect and as lush as the others but it will live :)
chrissy

Shelly,Gardening is an ongoing learning process for us all no matter how long we've been doing it and how much we think we know.. there is always so much more to learn .When your weather is kinder I will send you some cuttings too...

thanks for the tip chrissy.. makes sense!

i buy most of my plants from the market actually. its way way cheaper than nurseries around here - nearly everything i have brought so far has been under $5.00 - but most have been between $1.00 and $2.50.

shelly

Hey that is exactly right! experience is the best teacher.
Buy a good book (or borrow from the library) such as "What Flower is That?) and everytime you get a new plant study what conditions it needs and habits.This is not always 100% correct either as sometimes something says "full sun " always a worry in our climate.
But you get to know ...just by doing :) Ha ha ha no book tells you about triffids!
Have a lovely day everyone
chrissy

Hello all. I am wandering around the forums and am glad you like my pot man. I saw him on one of the American threads. I hope the person does not mind that I used the idea. I too love quirky things in the garden. It's a cheaper way to add touches rather than buy some expensive thing with no personality. I will have the dog out there soon when the glue dries.
Hubby is kind enough to drill holes when I need them in pots. He also lets me use his glue etc when I need to.
Well that's only fair after all, because I let him walk in the garden as long as he stays on the paths.
I have a couple of sunflowers out there made from old car radiator fans tied to steel posts and sprayed . There is a car muffler and exhaust pipe planted out there too. Hubby laughed when I grabbed it at the tip , but I notice he has been eying it off because our car exhaust pipe will need replacing soon
Must go or the washing will never get done. Happy day all.
From one of my fairies and me. The fairies keep an eye on everything for me. Jean.

Oh I love your fairy! when the grandchildren were small I had a fairy garden for them to play in ...we had such fun!
My home is filled with angels and fairies and I am sure the little people may still inhabit the odd mushroom and I watch for little passengers on the dragon flies.
Don't you just love the "magic places" where they hide ...I had the children run out to check the pools of dew in the nasturstiums (sic)
for the tiny footprints the fairies may have left behind after their bath. Guess that is why I love to call the brugs Angels.
I love the idea of Angels in my garden.
chrissy

Well,I have landed in the right place !
I have a fairy garden too-it is for my grandchildren.
I made a stepping stone for each child with mosaics,with their initial in the centre.
Emelle

A little hedgehog made from concrete

And a signpost for the paths around the tree

And a chooky made from concrete which I painted

Oh E how wonderful!
So glad someone does not think I am nuts!
Shhhh don't tell anyone but I have been known to use sparkly eyeshadow to make little fairy footprints ....shhhhh our secret right?
enjoy while they are still little ones ...they grow up in a blink! so make lots more of those fun memories.:) I certainly do miss those days.
chrissy

And some proper seats for a fairy garden,before they were put in place

Loving that! ...any inhabitants? ha ha ha

Chrissy-do you have little weeny doors in your tree too?
And every fairy garden must have a wishing well-made from plans from Buildeazy site.

Of COURSE there are inhabitants-they are a bit hard to see unless you are very very quiet and have a gentleheart

A walk along a path,then it is time to leave the magic for now

Hello Emelle. What a beautiful place your garden is to walk around. There is the child still in most of us. Isn't it really the wee folk who mind the gardens ?
Shades of my Irish gt grandfather there. I believe there are leprechauns, so there must be fairies and other wee folk.
Have you ever read the Magic Faraway Tree series and the Australian story of Marmaduke the Possum
I would read them all again if I could.
I think my little gnome may live at the base of such a tree.. His little pot and the small duck that lives there too , keep moving. I'm afraid his house is a bit open now because the heat has killed off the nasturtium that hides him. I must plant a little bush there so noone can see his house.
I just love the little hedgehog Emelle. I have frogs in one shade house and fairies in the other.
Too hot to sit in here I'm off outside to the cooler breeze.
Happy wishing, you magic people.
Jean

For chrissy , another of my friends.

Love all the bits sunset and ML. I really like the hedgepig too! I miss them. In NZ, they come out at night, and if you leave a saucer of bread soaked in milk, they will come back every now and then for dinner. I love them! Unfortunately they carry some diseases and fleas, as it's not very easy for them to groom themselves! But still adorable i reckon. Where can i get one of those............?
Most of you have seen these before, my fairies. This one was called "Funky Freya" She found a home very easily!
Sue

Lovely! what a way to say goodnight ...brother is waiting for a cuppa so sweet happy fairy/angel dreams everyone!
aren't you all just children at heart ...isn't it wonderful:)
chrissy

The magic faraway tree,and the enchanted forest are my favourite story books of all time-I read them over and over and over,and so many years later they are tattered treasures in my bookcase.They are alive to me.There are little treasures for children to find everywhere in my garden too ,and it is a special treat,everyone here to see your special little creatures -brought to life by our imagination.
Emelle.

Freya is a cool lady,Sue.Do you have some more on another forum?I would love to see your creations.
A couple of weeks ago I was clearing some straw from the barn,and found these little ones...A mother hedgehog and four babies..The mother did not like being disturbed and the next morning they were gone.
These are the babies-they are each about the size of a small hen egg.One rolled on to his/her back with all the excitement.

oooooh couldn't you just tickle it's tummy ...dear little thing :)
Sue I had one of those years ago but grand daughter taxed it :)
happy gardening everyone ...temps getting a bit too hot for my liking ...stay cool everyone.
chrissy

77 ha ha ha
my dear almost blind brother is staying with me and I opened your parcel in front of him ...he heard me say huh ...lollies? and he knew it was supposed to be something botanical ...I said "my friend sent me a packet of lifesavers" ...I wonder why? (I don't like lollies)
and then I read the note and explained that the lifesavers were for the flooding ha ha ha we both laughed and laughed ...he said what a great sense of humour she must have and I said yes she sure has and she sends such wonderful "bits" of succulents too!
Well I want to thank you very much not only for the lifesavers and the fantastic bits but for brightening the day of someone who loves the garden ...but can no longer see it, my brother sat there for 1/2 an hour feeling the soft succulent bits (I did not give him the cactus of cause) and described each shape and texture ...it really bought a lump to my throat watching and imagining how we would feel if we couldn't see the garden any more. I have decided to make a succulent bed just for him either here or at his home so he can at least feel his plants and they won't die on him. Thankyou so much 77 ...I hope you get the same joy from your Angel cuttings as this dear parcel from you bought to this home today (don't worry because they look like bare sticks ...this is how I got cuttings from Alistair and the teensy leaves sitting upright from each "bump" will take off very quickly ...kind of like the gum trees after a fire)
A big hug from chrissy (((hug)))

Hello chrissy. I didn't look in here first. I just posted elsewhere to thank you for the lovely surprise. It was nice to come home to it after being out in the heat all day shopping.
Chissy , your brother must give you much joy as he gets on with life despite not seeing. The touchy feely garden would be great and don;t forget the smells. Herbs are great because they give off such delicious smells when touched. If you would like some green lavender , I have some growing. It has a lovely perfume. Some of the mints would be nice too. In pots for control but they feel nice too. what about a hanging basket of the string type succulents. I have about 5 different ones in a basket.
They are common but imagine the feel of them . The round beads, the longer banana ones and string of hearts. I have a few others that hang around over the edge of baskets. Let me know if you have these if not I'll send you some for your brother. I have a miniature geranium that hangs around beautifully in a basket. Only a tiny flower but plants always looks nice.
Going for that cuppa now. I deserve it now that the shopping is put away.
Happy day. Jean

Oh my gosh ML. Sooooooooo cute! I want one! I can't rmember what the name of this one was, but she's gone too. I did have a thread in the Aussie garden forum called art or craft or show us your bits or something. I can't remember.

I do enjoy the funky/zany...you can't help smiling...I wish I had seen the thread-must have a look around to see one day.
It has been willting hot here the last few days-we are fortunate to be able to water the plants with hand-held hoses,so the garden is looking fine.
Emelle

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/778220/
Here ML, this may take you there if I've done it right.
I'm going to start looking around for garden art to sell along with my plants. I can only make so much, but if I can find someone local to make some nice things, I will sell it on their behalf with a little commission for myself.
I got rained off the job again today, so came home and revamped the shadehouse/nursery. I cleaned leaves out of the pots, trimmed the plants up where needed, eco-oiled them, and placed them in styrofoam boxes, then I laid some newspaper over the grass and laid weed matting down which I secured with special staples. Then I put everything back in some semblance of order. Anything requiring attention is now down in the garage for tomorrow. I'm almost ready for another sale!
I made Balinese style flags to put either side of the gate and will post a pic of them when I get them secured.
Back tomorrow.
Sue

Thank you so much for the link-I have just been reading it and enjoyed all the imaginative things.I like to make things out of nothing much too.I am counting on there being a heaven,as I will never finish all I want to do here.
Here are some pics of the local market.
This retired gentleman makes wooden things.Note the left-hand corner-letterboxes covered with wire and moss and succulents planted on the roof.
Emelle

I bought a bird-feeder for $15 and painted it lemon and blue,and it is outside my kitchen window so I can watch the little birds come and go-they have no respect for the nice paintwork though and poop on it.
Emelle

Love that bird feeder I need to get me one of those my granddaughter has two cats which "visit"my garden and they have frightened my birds away ...that feeder gives me an idea!
beautiful pics .
Sue ...bottle up some of that energy and send it down this way please, this heat just drains the life out of me.I hope you have great success at your sale, there is someone up the road here who sells mosaic mirrors (for the garden) at his tomato and honey stall, sells heaps! ...objects to hang from branches in stained glass ...and beaut windchimes would go well too.
77 yes I am thinking of all those things and have many "smelly leaved plants" :) ...hopefully the final surgery will allow him enough sight to have his independance to a certain extent. Thankyou for your kind offer ...I will sing out if it becomes an issue, meanwhile stay cool, we are at last feeling the heat whew! I hate the heat ...but at least it is almost half way through Jan ...not too long before we get relief (at least in the evenings).
Happy gardening everyone ... stay out of the sun :)
chrissy

Good morning all. Today is cooler. yesterday was bearable but I had to drive back over to Hamilton to get a new Fax machine. We need it for thr CFA stuff, so instead of them supplying another used one we decided to get our own.
The car certainly gets hot sitting in the parking area.
The forecast for down here is cooler. there will be another very hot day next week in between the milder 27s and 28s.
I can live with that. Sue , you sound like you are really going to enjoy yourself.
I wish I could visit and see your garden. 'Emelle, those birhouses are great. Much nicer than my ones. I'm glad the birds aren't picky though as they are always in and out of mine. You may start an upmarket bird city with your pretty painted one.
I am going to throw a bit of water around again this morning and pot some epi cuttings. The weather will get a bit warmer later and I like doing things in the mornings. I will plant the snail creeper seeds too and keep them up away from creatures.Have a great day everyone
See my new baby I bought. Clematis Montana.
Jean.

Oooooh see some things are worth the colder temps Clematis is one of those things ...won't grow here :( ...nor Lily of the Valley! or Peonies (sic) ...35C in my town today ...not happy with that.Already watered etc ...now have to drive hubby to work.
Enjoy the day everyone!
chrissy

Emelle Hi,

I was wondering if you might be able to take a little time to explain to me "how" to make your stepping Stone as I think it is the most beautiful addition to your Garden and your G/Children will never forget visiting you when they were young.

I have "NO" idea where to even start..............................................
This Pic #1, Is haveing trouble. It looks like they are all going soft and the flower's are shooting from everywhere??

You are very creative and I would love to make one for my grand daughter Lily.

Thanks so much,
Debi
A mate from DownUnder