Saturday 22 September 2012

Gardens update

This morning several members of the Botanic Gardens committee did a walk around the Summerlands sector of the Gardens so we could update that section of the Friends handbook.  I took lots of photos, but I need some time to find the comparison photos from a couple of years ago to show you how much everything has grown.
I have some photos to show you which I took while I was waiting for the other members to arrive.

 All these photos should enlarge with clicking.  This is a tree waratah, native to North Queensland, absolutely gorgeous.
 I know I have shown you the swamp orchid in previous years, they are looking even better this year.  I have planted out some small ones, hopefully next year I can show you some from my own garden.
 This tecomanthe goes by the nickname of Roaring Meg, I have no idea why, but it is beautiful.
 This wall is representing the layers of coal and the other types of soil in which it is found.  The Bowen coal basin is situated west of Mackay with dozens of coal mines, providing much of Mackay's employment and wealth.  This section is planted with plants which grow in that area.
I love this Melaleuca linariifolia or snow in the summer, which so far is resisting the myrtle rust which is infecting many other melaleucas in the Gardens. 
Now I need to do some watering.  We have suddenly got quite hot days with drying northerly winds blowing and we have had no rain for nearly two months.  Everything is holding up well so far, but the tank is nearly empty so a good storm would be lovely.

5 comments:

  1. I love the tree Waratah Robin. I do hope you have rain soon.

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  2. It is so lovely to see all these things in bloom, Robin, just as all our flowers and shrubs are beginning to die back ready for Winter.

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  3. Hope you get your much needed rain although everything looks so lush and beautiful. All the flowers are gorgeous but I love those orchids, and the 'coal seams' in the wall make it so much more interesting that just any old wall.

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  4. Beautiful photos again and everything is looking so lush. I hope that you get the rain that you need.

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  5. Lovely, lovely blooms Robin, thank you. The orchid is spectacular. My Melaleuca is flowering at the moment, and attracting so many bees and bugs. Things are still very dry here, some storms around, but not over us. Still watering of course. Talk soon, cheers.

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