TEA ROOM #14

Well here we are moved again . Now everyone can see the Christmas lights and decorations along the street..
I will be out in the garden today tidying up. Things are starting to look drier as the perennials die off. The Alstomeria grew so tall it is falling over on everything else but it is very colorful. Now that my shrubs are also taller and doing well, it will be a bit greener during summer as the flowers give up in the sun.
I have a Christmas lily coming out soon but sadly, the larger ones in the shadehouse after going so well, have died of at the very tips. , so no lovely perfumed flowers.
I have a lot of different colored Zantedaschias coming up so they will color the place nicely.
yes Chrissy, your pink ones are coming up too. About 6 shoots in their pot.
I have lots of nastutiums everywhere. They self sow every year and fill those awful spots where nothing wants to grow. They are colorful and a job to clear up as they are so long. I now just clear the main bits from around any plants and paths then leave the dead plants for mulch. I noticed this year that in among the usual yellow and orange , there were a few burgundy flowers.
I di have a couple of the smaller non running ones up near the house last year , so it looks like the bees have been doing a bit of Chrissys crossing of colors.
Better put out something nice. As we are creeping up to Christmas, here is a lovely Christmas cake to enjoy.
Hope everyone had a great weekend
Jean

Hi all
I'll take a slice of that Xmas cake,it looks so perfect...thanks Jean,

Marleneann here's a pic of my beehive.The label states it is a yellow beehive but I think it will probably turn redder not yellow,if you look closely you'll see red leaves coming out of the folds of the beehive,a stunning flower.

Chrissy I would love a cutting of the oleander, absolutely no rush ,I'm told they are easy to strike and I'd love a rooted cutting of Bengal as I had no luck with doing it myself.I've got a moisture reader now as from yesterday and it's amazing how I had over watered some of my seedlings and cuttings, thought I was misting just a little but I must have misted a lot,no wonder Bengal keeled over.

We are having lots of overnight rain (thankgoodness) so things will really start to shoot up.....

Morning every one Wow Christmas cake and look at the iceing I'll have a piece gee I made a mess extra piece to tidy it up its looking good in here .
Marleneann thates a intresting plant do they grow in the sun or shade and do they grow very big { I dont know much about gardening still learning ] .---Sammut

after all the cold & wet weather we have had today is a real Show week special, sunny & warm.
And I had to water my garden because the rain missed us & it was bone dry in places!
Took the dogs walkies & admired all the lovely gardens along the way, Chita went for a wander at the park & fell in the creek!
So she had to be hosed off - stood her on the bark garden so those plants got a watering too.
Does anyone know how hardy Honey Myrtles are?
Chita's pedigree name is Honey Myrtle & I would love to grow one for her to rest under when the the time comes, have looked for info but the whole zone thing is beyond me.
Both my dogs are named for trees - Copper is Copper Beech - and in hind sight I should have picked something smaller!
They grow well in ChCh but too big for this garden.
Now if I could win lotto I would buy a life style block & have lovely big trees...
cheers - Dalfyre

Love yellow roses my all time favourite is Golden Celebration.
I don't have much to show so I will just pop in this picture for mya here is the double white (throws the odd single just like the angels do) ...I lolly pop mine so it won't get out of control and she is well behaved.I Italy they keep theirs in big pots as lollypops and they look wonderful in the summer ...she has a soft sweet fragrance too.In about another month she will be one big white ball of blossoms.

I found that a couple of the Angels were much harder to "take" than others ... a couple of the meroo ones just rubbered off almost straight away ...I think in those ones a more mature piece is required ...you know the pieces where you can see the white dots that throw out the roots ...some little green pices don't have them and therefore find it difficult to root ...I will try the water and seasol treatment for them in the future.
Those gingers are lovely things aren't they so unusual ...in the Islands they have a similar one they call shampoo ginger ...it is reddish and it "soaps up". Nice pictures!
Golly flashing Christmas Cake before christmas is cruel because I won't touch any until christmas day (to keep it special) and it is causing some tummy rumbles here. Jean I love the gap fillers ...saves so much work ...here they turn into paddock fillers ...
nicer than the weeds!

Hello everyone. Chrissy and Mya, I do envy you with the oleanders. I have given up on trying to get them to grow. I have seen them growing wild in old gardens with no care whatsoever and as I relly like them , I planted 5 here . All different colors . After over 6 years, I have 3 still here. You would laugh. One is in the original position and is 3' tall. It does have a few flowers but has never grown bigger. I got sick of the other 2 just sitting there so moved them to a more open place . They are about 18" tall and don't even look like growing any further. Ggrrrrrr. They hate me.
I refuse to give in and throw them out. They can sit there by themselves.
Mya your ginger flowers are unusual . I have seen them on TV before. I have a pink flowering one but don;t know what sort of flower it has as I only bought it as an orphan a while ago. It may get too cold here for it .
Dalfyre, can I have some of your rain ?
I will have to decide what I am going to water and what will have to do without as it is really dry here.
Chrissy, I just potted up some Angels this morning. The seeds are slow but it has been cold. So far , I have 2 from Genevieve x Rothkirch, 1 from DJ's Can Can x Adeline, 1 from Genevieve x Equador Pink, 1 from Joli x Angels Flight.
I also have potted out 5 Iochromas and have 5 more coming up.
I find the Iochromas are so much easier to grow as they grow quickly and flower without having to Y
I will remember you when they are big enough to chop bits off.
The colors will be interesting as I planted them all together because the seeds are very small.
Better go and get the hungry man some lunch.
Also Chrissy you would not reccognise the seedling you sent , he has grown well.
I do have another cake for Christmas so you can all enjoy this one
Here's one of my roses that survived the wind. . Bantry Bay on the achway

Beautiful roses! love the climbers ...I think the Oleander like it hot ...sulk in the cold. You could try planting them in terracotta or cement pots like they do in Italy because they hold the warmth ...put that pot in the warmest place you can find (hopefully frost free and it should work ...I will pop some (rooted) in for you next time I send you some sticks (pick some off yours too and place them in pre boiled but lukewarm water on a sunny window sill.).I read that the ichromas don't mind cooler conditions so that is why they are doing so well for you ...I sure hope they won't mind heat.
Stay warm in NZ everyone ...
Stay cool everyone who has the heat,
enjoy your day everyone ...

Hello all. I'll try that with the oleanders Chrissy, but I don't think they like it here. I have seen them around in Hamilton and Portland. both towns not that far. I remember huge ones growing when I lived in Bright so cold doesn't worry them.
Quite a few easy to grow plants won't grow here so it may be the type of soil or the water which is terrible.
The weather is warming up slowly . I went out this morning to photograph my new iris and it wasn't there. looking around , I found bits of the flower and another that was just coming out, in bits on the ground.
I know the culprits. The ducks from the neighbours place. I am so mad. I have been waiting for that particular flower.
I did ask her once to keep them home but they still roam. I will ask again very nicely.
Ggggrrrrrrr.
Today looks like being warm so I will throw a bit of water at the pot plants. I have to have them looking nice for the market on Sunday.
I hope to sell all the small plants so I can make room for more.
Chrissy, the Angels that are now outside all the time , seem to be doing well. The cold nights don't bother them. It will be interesting to see how they handle the real cold next winter.
Had a quick look this morning and there are 2 Al. Mucha seeds up. Have to get more styrene cups for the babies.
Have to get out and fill the swimming pools for the birds. I call the bird baths swimming pools because that's what all the birds like doing in them.
The maggie babies are calling for breakfast so had better throw out some bread. The adults like the dry cat food. odd birds.
have a great day everyone. Jean.
Oatmeal Cookies

Are you on bore water there?...have you tested the PH? ...just wondering. I would put them into pots of half washed river sand and half potting mix ...then they should do ok with the odd drink of pre boiled and then cooled water. Aphonse Mucha is throwing lots of 3 ...4 and even a 5 cot leaf ? ...so look out for that, they should grow into good plants ...fingers crossed ^_^
Well it's the 11th of the 11th sad to say I don't have a Flanders Poppy ...but I always observe that silence ...and remember.
http://www.cultureandrecreation.gov.au/articles/remembrance/
I hope you all enjoy your day everyone.
Thanks for the oatmeal cookies ...I don't mind them at all.

This message was edited Nov 11, 2008 10:46 AM

morning everyone.

its a warm one here too today. have just hung out the washing and don't expect it to take too long to dry today.

i have heaps of red poppies everywhere - aren't they just gorgoues. have never had them before in the garden so am really loving them. do i take seeds when the flowers die off - or do they self seed or something? also have stocks and foxgloves for the first time as well. what do i do with them? they are so bright and cheery.

my california poppies are all out and are such a bright orange. i know exactly how to get those seeds so will be planting them throughout the garden when they seed. will have to look out for the other colours now that i know they will grow well here.

my lavender is just gorgous - i have to go and pick another vase full for the house - love that smell.

jean - what creepers go well at your house? you seem to be able to grow the same sort of stuff that i do. need to get some going over the chook pen and wood shed. have one going up the large shed that is native and has big yellow and black flowers. name escapes me right now. want some prettier flowery ones though now.

must go take youngest to swimming lessons....

have a lovely day everyone.

shelly xx

Hello Shelly. Creepers here. Hmmmmm
I mainly have climbing geranium everywhere, but I do have Jasmine and did have white potato creeper. be careful of those two as they will sneak around and pop up in odd places. They also sucker from the roots. I had a large potato creeper along a fence and it became a pest so I removed it. I was still getting suckers for about 12 months after. I have found long and I do mean long , sneaky arms running along the bottom of a fence. I eventually found them and trained them up to the top where they happily keep wandering. You should be able to have bougainvillea and there are lovely climbing roses.
I have Bantry Bay (see it above) on an archway but it will go up a trellis too. It is not a giant wanderer and blooms beautifully from spring into autumn. You could also try the native bluebell creeper which is very hardy. I don't like the hardenbergia much as it is beautiful when out but very ugly if let grow wild .
I am so pleased today as my Dragon Lily is out ( dracunculus vulgaris) It is only it's first year since I was given it and don't the flies love it. The smell !!! Phewwwwww
The flower is lovely though. i will move it when it is time as it is a bit close to the front door.
Better go and have a cuppa after being out in the sun. It has turned hot and I hate to think what summer will be like, but we were complaining of the cold so have to bear with what we are given.
Have a great day all.
Jean.

hi jean,

thankyou for all that advice. that bantry bay is absolutely gorgeous - will be on the top of my list to find that next. i adore jasmine so will try that around the chookpen (which is out of the way of the main garden so shouldn't cause too much problem). i will also look out for climbing geraniums. i had a heap of cuttings of geraniums but i think i put them out in the garden too soon as they have all died due to the frost. i will take some more cuttings when i see them and try them again though. they have such lovely colours.

shelly

Jean...bad Jean!
I had a piece of that Christmas cake and now I am back to the starting point with my weight loss . * Well I have to blame someone G*

Mya ...my beehive ginger label says yellow but it also is darker then I expected. Anyway they are both beautiful.

Chrissy have you ever sent overseas for Angel seeds? I see they have some nice ones on Ebay.

Must go and get dinner started. Not much to prepare as we have our main meal at midday.

Hi folks, Shelley , the flame vine is quite good for climbing over and covering things. Oleanders are tough mine was about 15ft high and withstood the hardest frosts and the coldest winters and flowered most of the year. It has been a truly beautiful day here and is supposed to do a repeat tomorrow, so here's hoping. Mya that ginger is very different would it be possible for you to get a photo showing the whole plant. Jean the dranunculus is quite an amasing lily, pity about the smell eh. Could be worse though, lol, just don't do any deep breathing near it. Shelley geraniums really don't like frosts I learnt that from experience and not from the first few dead ones. Climbing ones the new hybrids, old fashion hardy ones they all succumed to frosts so in the end I gave up. Finally 1 very nice red one survived. Every year it gets hit by the frost it's branches turn to mush and I prepare to say good by to it and come spring it sends up 1-2 little shoots and so survives another winter. I have tried growing cuttings from it but they all come to a sticky end. Have a nice day tomorrow you all
Lesley

Hi all

I have rediscovered Daves garden after being away for a while.
My garden is mainly roses and companion plants with a few new plants for me.
They are a peony,a couple of brugmansias ,a few new lilies ( turks cap).
Also I am trying a Hippeastrum.

I am excited by all the progress of my new plants.
I will give them a go and if they are successful I get some more to accompany the roses.

I love the garden and achieve a lot of satisfaction from working in it and seeing the results.

Here is a pic of the back garden looking up to the house:

that looks lovely, pretty colours on those roses & I like the under planting.
All my roses are bush rose or minis - most from cuttings so no names...
I have been adding to my wish list as different folk here post pics of their lovely roses... I really need a bigger garden!
cheers - Dalfyre

awchid - thanks for the climbing names - have added them to the list to look for. i am so glad that you told your geranium story - i hadn't heard of anyone killing geraniums and i killed heaps. will keep trying and see how i go. costing me nothing if i keep grabbing cuttings. one of them will eventually survive.
shelly

Well my goodness look at all those beautiful roses and the beautiful but stinky bloom.Hi rosesform01 I know you from the ex ausgarden don't I ...so happy to have you in Jean's Tea Room ...I know you will enjoy her fine fare ...your roses are beautiful.
Honey Myrtle? cute name, I am unfamiliar with the plant I hope it does well for you dalfyre
Marleanne yes I have purchased quite a large quantity of Angel Seeds from America ...only from registered sources though .
The name of the place is seedsprout. I will post a link later unfortunatley they have downsized for the moment, but will hopefully be back in their next Spring season (our autumn) ...these have all gone through customs with no problems.Brenda Delph the owner is selling through Ebay at the moment although with limited stock. I think Mya has bought seed in from Germany (the main hybridisers in the World).
Shelly I will look for a list of cool winter climbers for you ...back later .
Off to water the plants now ...back later , enjoy the morning everyone.

Good morning all. It's nice to meet you Rosesforme. Aren't roses just so lovely ? When the sun doesn't burn them up, that is. I am having a great year foe blooms but the sun is burning them as fast as they come out.. I think the ones least affected would be the climber Bantry Bay, the gorgeous one I just posted on the flowering on nov thread and the Iceberg.
No good blaming me Marleneann. Where is your will power ? Ha ha I am like you, I don't eat much cake but a nice fruit cake, yummmm. Wait til the pudding comes out. I will eat ti all I think . save all you ladies from the job of eating it.
Shelly, as Lesley said , geraniums don't like frosts, but that said, mine have survived a very cold winter and are looking their best ever. I don't get frost right in the garden so this would help, but I have seen them in parts of Melbourne where frost can be bad.
If you would like to Dmail me your details, I can send you any amount of cuttings to try. I have about 8 or so different colors in the climbing or ivy ones and lots of the bush ones.
Chrissy, did you see that word in the post from Rosesforme ? 'Brugmansia.' Have we another victim for the Angel disease ? I had better finish here and go out to water my Angels. It's supposed to be hotter than yesterday. I have some more seeds poking their little heads up.
Have a nibble everyone , except Marleneann. She ate too much cake so can't have any today. Just to be a tease, I have put out Chocolate Truffles. Lesley , I counted them and there is one missing.
Have a great day all. Jean.

Re:Truffles

JEAN!...who told on me?

I have elves watching. Beware... Ha ha.

There you go Jean, it isint always me :-)) Only cos Marleneann got there first and if another one went missing it would have been too obvious.....
Hullo Me, of the roses, I noticed you mentioned the brug word!! I will say no more, but how big is your section,, not mentioning any names.. we have a couple of persons,, rather partial to brugs so be very wary, lol.
Another lovely day today, hope it's nice down your way as well Dalfyre.. I have been repotting cymbids for most of the day, they are the ones I got with the little shade house.. What a mess that they have been potted in. They are full of mud and giant bits of bark and I actually have had to use an axe to get them apart. They should thrive now so good flowering next year. I have about another 10 buckets to deal to. YUK..
Chrissy, Candida flora plena?? Is it a good choice, please.. That German crowd have some beautiful plants.. How on earth do you make a choice,, draw the names out of a hat, lol.
Something is chewing the leaves of my baby brugs and they are starting to get a definite lacy look about them The other 4 are fine so far
so I don't know what the culprit is,, I need some new batteries for the torch, that would help..
Well I think I shall have acuppa and a truffle and call it quits for the day.. I seem to be finding my days rather exhausting lately so will pop back tomorrow.. Night all..
Lesley

Hey Lesley, are you able to import Angel seeds from germany or the USA ?,they have some great sellers that supply great seeds. I think I am over doing Angel seeds,I have them overflowing everywhere,can't wait to see what they produce.Your lacy look on the leaves could be the bad ladybugs.

Here's my ginger with looks very similar to yours Marleneann.

Same beehive as mine for sure Mya!

Rosesforme you have a pretty backyard.

Lesley a long yellow/brown grub chewed my Elephant Ear leaves back to the main stem.
After this rain I will spray with an insecticide.

Been out buying Christmas gifts for the grandchildren. Got these nice velour beach towels for four of them. The other twelve are too old for the design.

Here are two of the designs

Hello all. it is shopping day again and you know I will find a plant somewhere. The wind came up during the night so will be dusty . It was so hot yesterday about 32C. Today will be the same and thunderstorms are forecast for later.
I posted a pic of my latest flower over in the Nov flowering thread. The cactus has never flowered in over 12 years. Hubby had it here for yars before I came. It only grows to about 1 metre and doesn't spread fast. There are buds on the top of the stems. They start as little blck hairy lumps and flower just like an epi. There is another type growing in with it but no flowers there yet.
Lesley , stop teasing me with your lovely orchids, you know orchids hate me. I like your epi flower.
something ate a lot of the leaves on my Angels too. I put them out side on the ground. The leaves were all lacy looking too. Mainly the Suavolens. It was the one ,ost affected by the sun too. The others went limp but recovered well . I moved the sookie thing back into the greenhouse. It can sulk in there. The babies are all going well.
I like the colors of those towels Marleneann. Just right for the summer.
Mya, your ginger is lovely. I have always admired the ginger flowers. So unusual.
Shelly, Dalfyre and Rosesforme, what are your gardens doing at the moment ?
Better put out something before I leave. Can't have Marleneann and Lesley fighting over that last nibble.
Have a happy day Jean.
Raspberry Truffle Tart

Good morning everyone!
Just checked my email and this recipe was sent to me.
I think Jean and the Devil are tempting me. *G*

It's a MUG cake

5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE
4 tablespoons flour (self raising)
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
a small splash of vanilla extract
1 large coffee mug
Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly.
Pour in the milk and oil and mix well. Add the chocolate chips (if using) and
vanilla extract, and mix again.
Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts (high).
The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed! Allow to
cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.

EAT! (this can serve 2 if you want to feel slightly more virtuous). And why is this the most dangerous cake recipe in the world? Because now we are all only 5 minutes away from chocolate cake at any time of the day or night!

Oh my goodness Marleneanne ...how bad are you! Lol!
I still haven't worked out how to do things on my microwave, the fancy stuff I mean ...stop and start and the time ...defrost and power. So I am safe ...I have one that is supposed to bake stuff but I have never tried ...too terrified!
I am late due to about 150 more babies all popping up at once ...like Mya I am worn out with seeds ...still love them but, they have been almost too successful, you see I was sure that some of my experiments would not work ...they all did! even the ones I thought were too old and chucked out in the winter (I threw the stuff that I was growing them in into a polystyrene box ...today they are popping up all over the place in that box, don't give up on those seeds!) trouble is those ones are now nameless ...Jean sent me some mixed orphans from a friend and they are all up too ... means a few hundred pot luck seedlings. Don't get me wrong I adore every little seed but ...heck I can't give them all the attention I would like.
Mya I have my first seedpods forming for this season already,
Sugar Pink x Alphonse Mucha (2 pods)
Sugar Pink x Zabaglione (1pod)
Zabaglione x Sugar Pink (3 pods)
Zabaglione x Old Sydney Apricot (2 pods)
Alphonse Mucha x Zabaglione (1 pod)
Zabaglione x Alphonse Mucha (2 pods)
The addiction continues! since most will be white it will be these whites that will build the foundation for the colours and doubles of the generation after that.
So Mya get going with the paintbrush so we can start on the journey ...anyone out there who can cross your angels ...go on have a go and then we can have seed swaps as well as coloured cutting swaps. Sorry didn't mean to get carried away ...just call it Angel love. That reminds me, ease those babies out into the sun gradually ...don't just plonk them out into the straight sunshine if they are coming out of a shadehouse or shade. Move a little every couple of days ...until they are hardened off. then it is morning sun and arvo shade although some will take more sun than that. These plants practically tell you what they want ...so just observe.
Twelve years for a flower? how long did it last? ...gee you are a patient lady.
It's stinking hot now ...whew!
I hope everyone has a beaut day!

Hello all. i came home from shopping with NO PLANTS. Not one. I was disappointed, but with the heat there was nothing worth looking at. Chrissy , my teenage Angels are looking good , heat , wind and all. They are sheltered and the sookie Suavolens has decided to behave. He is looking better today and is outside again. I was careful with moving them slowly out. I had been leaving the greenhouse open during the day and then moving them outside for the day and in at night. i think they are right now. I have more babies coming on. I can't wait to start crossing some.
That cactus was something hubby had bought and forgotten. It sat down in the corner for 12 years before I came and then a further 8 years. The flower was out fully last night and will be faded by tonight with the hot wind. At on time I sprayed the patch with Roundup as I was sick of seeing it there. Not one bit died. It is certainly what you would call hardy.
We had a very short shower of rain with 2 claps of thunder and that was our forecast thunderstorms. It is very steamy now. I could grow bananas if it stays like this for a while.
Marleneann, don't you go making that recipe. You will never fit in the Tea Room, eating that. I hope Lesley doesn't see it.
Chrissy , get out your magic Angel wand and wave it over the computer. There are some possible Angel recruits lurking about. rosesforme mentioned the word brugmansia.
Better move and see whats for tea. probably salad in this sticky heat.
See you all later. enjoy the rest of the day.
Jean.

Jean... exactly where is Merino?

Pouring rain here at the moment. I just finished a repot of the oncidium orchids and down it came. Looks like we are in for good falls.

Will talk to you all later.

Hello all..

The food on your tea table is too divine to resist..I had a plate of goodies and was about to knock on the door last night and some nasty little cyber goblin came along and wolfed down every last crumb and I was too embarrassed to arrive with an empty plate.

We have had some good falls of soaking rain and it has made the rain lilies flower, the epies sprout (more for the turkeys to knock off)and this is the third time this week that our neighbour has mowed, trimmed the hedges and neatened the edges!!! I guess someone has to buy all those gizmos but as we don't have formal hedges or lawns, we don't have use for any of them. There are bulbs naturalised under trees and just tracks through the growth. My paint brush lily has sent up a flower stalk..the turkeys pecked it as soon as it appeared so it won't be as spectacular as it could be..another year to wait for that!! I'm glad it's warming up for you down south.

Cheers and ciao, Kat

Hello all. It has cooled down here a tad. Still a bit steamy. Marleneann, Merino is named for the sheep as this was one of the earliest areas to be running sheep. The area is in the southwest corner of Vic. It is mainly open but there are some very nice stands of red gums. A lot were cleared by the early pioneers. It is more into cereal growing now with cattle also as well as sheep. It was a very productive area but now, as with a lot of the country, has become much drier .
we are about 1 hours drive from the SA border and Mt Gambier. and about 50 miles up from the coast and the town of Portland.
hello PussyKat. What are you doing with my rain ? Give it back.
My poor iris flowers are so small and barely stick their nose out before the sun burns them up. I counted the spots of rain we had today. there was not enough for each flower to drink.
I am watching my epi flower buds. There aren't many this year but they are large. The epi plants are getting huge. I see another shadehouse in the future. Hubby said I could have another so now I have to think where to put it.
I may have to move a few plants and 'horror of horrors' even get rid of one or two. i think the geraniums will be the ones. I can't part with any others.
Oh well back outside to enjoy the cooler evening.
Jean.

Jean they reckon you are in for quite a storm ...don't tell me it's already been. It has been quite a stinker today ...over 30C and my garden has stood up to it ok too, but there is lots of moisture in my clay soil from lots of rain in the past few weeks (and year), I feel awful for all of you who are not getting enough.Paper wasps are building their nests everywhere, so there is a downside to everything ...I have been tackling some parts of the garden that were unreachable until now ...5ft thistles everywhere! hate those things ...ouch! ...that reminds me Jean I don't think roundup works on cactus ...I could be wrong though, I have "donated mulberry trees that I chop and dab the round up on and they keep coming back ...I think if a plant drops it's leaves in winter Roundup just sends them to sleep or something, cactus don't have leaves so it might not work on them. I hope you get some rain very soon ...mulch those Angels and it helps a lot with the heat (like everything of course).Those big lush leaves may droop a little in the heat but will bounce back just like those big pumpkin leaves.
Marleneanne good to hear you have rain.Yes Jean lives in a very famous place, Sue does too ...the big banana and all, hel too.
We live in the Strawberry district and we too have a big strawberry of sorts.Market gardens and horse studs ...wineries too here.
Kat lives in The Big Turkey ...sorry kat couldn't help myself ...how awful that they cause so much damage.My grounds are very informal (giggling) ummm sort of wild jungle full of triffids and stunners ...love it that way.
Rosesforme ...what brugmansias do you have? want to swap any? if you would like some nice ones to add to your collection just sing out ...we swap and trade them (cuttings) here. Happy to send you some.
Oh Mya I know how you feel re seeds but it is getting exciting now ...mind you the real strong heat is not so good for them but given some water ...shelter and food they will all grow now like Jack's beanstalk ...I hope you have a big area as that is the main thing now, whoopee and yahoo ...a choir of Angels heading our way.
Don't forget everyone the potted Angels will make great and exotic Christmas gifts ...dress them up with a little name tag ...and instructions, if you take your cuttings now and push them along once they leaf out you will have a nice sized plant by Christmas, cuttings from above the Y will bloom more quickly for the lucky recipients ...spread that angel love around.
Of course any plant makes a nice gift at christmas. Sue gave me the cutest little brug pups (love the striped one best Sue ...but they are all adorable ) Young ones love cactus ...etc etc.
Jean as you said the place gets drier but there is hope because we had seven straight years of hardly a drop of rain and now more than a year of rain and drizzle almost every day, I still cannot believe it really ...of course it's wonderful, but I feel guilty when I think of everyone else.
They are shivering in New Zealand, hard to believe girls isn't it ...has it warmed up yet ?
Hi to leeflea!
Thinking of you Sue
Phone is ringing

Hello again...

Thank goodness..that rose is eye candy and not fattening!!! I do have a question though! Why do you have to keep packing up the tea house, taking in the signs and moving..sometimes just next door but mostly just up the road a bit???

It has started raining again...just patches. Sorry, Jean..but I think we do need it, especially as our Premier is hellbent on giving us recycled drinking water..by sending treated effluent with hormones and hospital waste and viruses possibly still lurking, back into our dams and thence through the cycle again. Could this be her watergate??(pardon the pun!) Funny thing is that it is illegal to drink tank water (with flying foxes around, I wouldn't anyway). Surely the recycled stuff could be used for non potable purposes? Anyway, all YOU need to do is haul up an iceberg from below and let it melt on your garden!! Watch out for penguins!


My Cecile Brunner roses are enjoying the bath. They are my favourite rose..hard to get the real thing though! "They" interfere with things. We had Cecile Brunners and Moon Cactus and marigolds that were big bushes with red and orange flowers like some of the present day hybrid dwarfs. Do the real old fashioned marigolds still exist or am I reminiscing about an extinction? I seem to remember they grew anywhere like the real nastursiums and those yellow cemetery flowers (starts with c..).

Have a good night all. Cheers and ciao, Kat

The tea room moves along because we all yak too much and we make allowances for the dial up watchers ...so they don't have to download for ages ...once the thread gets too long we move again.

Thank you, Chrissy. That makes sense...I thought you were all trying to run away from me...and all my other selves..muhahaha..not that I'm paranoid! I think the turkeys have got to me!!! Cheers, Kat

ha ha ha that's funny! of coarse not we love company ^_^

Hullo to all the happy peoples, sorry Kat I'm one of those dial-up folks as well, broadband is far too expensive for me. I'd rather spend the money on some new plants, at least I will have more than a months pleasure from them.:-) Mind you it's not as slow as it used to be..
I told you Roses to be wary and I can see a couple of bruggies closing in fast. I hope your reflexes are good, lol
Gee your water sounds disgusting and I thought our water was Yuk.. I wont drink it unless it is boiled first. It's only since moving here I have had to use town water. prior to this it was clean rain water or spring water piped to the house from our spring across the the road so always had plenty of water for the garden as well.. We had a rather hot day today 23deg and DD and G son came over and helped by moving my big heap of tree mulch, I was ever so pleased as the thought of doing it myself was rather daunting.. I did help as much as I could but now I have both hands in splints as Iv'e over worked my wrists. Never mind it was all for a good reason, tomorrow it will be compost bin spread on the vege garden but I'll have to do that myself. Then with luck I can put in my vege plants which are patiently waiting. My Angels have been out on the lawn for 3weeks now and seem to be doing okay, we don't have your canibal lady bird yet so will keep looking for the culprit..
Love your Iris Jean, neat colour.. I noticed that I have a dark blue one out, it's hiding behind a rose. I think that is the last one to flower, this year anyway. Marleneann that Mug cake would make a nice dessert for the family over the hols with a big dollop of whipped cream on top and choc buttons instead of chips, I might even give it a go myself, well a small piece anyway, lol. Yeah right...
have a good day tomorrow
Lesley

OK Marleneann,that recipe has been printed,great stand by if you get visitors and need to give them some cake hahaha..........
Chrissy that's great about all your seedpods but that paintbrush is staying at the hardware store,I'm now in my "other " Angel world ,which has finally started . All my Angels from Ann have taken off but Zabaglione has albino leaves coming out....what's with that? I'll take a picture for you to look at tomorrow,it can't be the potting mix ,cause all the others are doing fine and sprouting green leaves. So pleased Jean that your Angels are doing OK,they are certainly worth it.

Off to bed now.......

good morning everyone,

we have had 6mm since yesterday so its a nice start. hopefully it will rain all day today and we can get a good drink for the garden.

shelly