Sunday 29 March 2009

Autumn; a new season to grow and to bloom;

The Red Fountain Grass ( Pennisetum setaceum cupreum)is in full swing in autumn.
(Please do click the pictures to see details.)


Signs of autumn are in the air. The sunlight is getting mellow, the temperatures are more agreeable and it is time for the vegetable gardener to get active. The wisteria leaves are golden yellow and start to fall a sure sign the garden goes through a subtle metamorphosis, also not as distinct as in a cold climate garden.



Over summer I grew these tiny capsicums. This is the last crop. I preserve them whole in a sweet vinegary syrup.

Autumn is also a revival for the herb garden.


The native Bangalow- or Piccabean Palms (Archontophoenix cunninghamiana) put on their wonderful "skirts".



My little Angelinas are looking forward to a rest; laying so many eggs over summer.


Camellias can't wait to put on their show and....

...my youngest grand daughter Fabrizia has started school. She goes to Somerset an International
School. She is already learning Italian and she has a real good accent; I am such a proud and lucky grand ma!


Night falls earlier with gentle sunsets.

Mandarins are filling out, growing big and juicy.



In the wild garden "Hollywood" provides fruits for the birds, bats and other creatures who are attracted to this red golden harvest.



We grow wonderful Pecan nuts. The ones growing in the orchard are all destroyed by the yellow crested Cockatoos. We have planted two more trees in the house garden to better control the crop. So far we had a few nuts which were harvested by US!



We also grow Sweet potatoes in the orchard as they are so vigorous they would take over the vegetable garden. In the orchard they are controlled by cutting around their boundary with the lawnmower.


Tomatoes do well in early spring and autumn. summer is to hot and humid. The one that does really grow well and also produces a very good crop is the ROMA tomato.
This is a little of our autumn time in the garden. I wish you all a happy time in your garden.














31 comments:

Gail - Fort Rock Glimpses said...

Titania, thanks for sharing the many faces of autumn. I love your chickens! There is so much greenery around their pen. It looks so tropical where you live.

Lavender and Vanilla Friends of the Gardens said...

Thank you Gail for your comment. It is a sub-tropical climate, but many tropical plants flourish and grow also. I love my chickens, they are such good girls. I never have to throw out food or fruit we don't eat or peelings. They even like to eat the inside of Oranges and Lemons once they are squeezed. Nothing goes to waste when you have chooks. As return you receive the best eggs ever! I do feel sorry for the humble chook who has to spend her life as a laying machine in a cage. Please if you buy eggs, buy them only free range and organic.

diane b said...

What a fabulous garden. I envy you but it must take a lot of work to keep it nice and free from weeds and pests. I love my garden too and now that it is getting cooler I hope to spend more time in it.

Lavender and Vanilla Friends of the Gardens said...

Thank you Diane. It takes some work to keep it tidy. sometimes i let it go and it quickly grows out of bounds, especially in a wet summer like this one. Autumn is a nice time to to potter around and perhaps make some changes around the garden.

Unknown said...

Seems strange you posting Autumn when we are so excited about Spring! Great post.

easygardener said...

Everything is looking very lush. I particularly like the grass. Interesting that your Camellia is about to flower in your Autumn while mine has just begun flowering in our Spring.

Lavender and Vanilla Friends of the Gardens said...

Darla, yes it must sound strange for you.

Denise;Camellias flower here, the C.Sasanquas already do, from early autumn through winter into late spring. It depends on the variety, early or late blooming.

Barbee' said...

Everything is so beautiful, and interesting, and different from my garden. I love visiting yours.

Pia K said...

Imagine to have som many treats coming from the garden still in autumn and winter! In this Scandinavian climate everything go pretty much into hibernation from October til March... Mandarins, pecans and sweet potatoes, mmm:)

And how great to be able to go to an international school! And to be able to speak Italian quite good already, of course you should be proud:)

Reader Wil said...

Thank you so much for sharing your surroundings in Australia. My daughter lives in Queensland and has many of the same kind of fruit and veggies you show. Do you live in Queensland as well? It's very beautiful.

DeniseinVA said...

Thank you for sharing these wonderful photographs. All were delightful and your granddaughter is precious. Thanks also for stopping by my blog. I didn't know that the wax flower was a native of Australia, a bit of information I am glad to find out. Have a great week.

Lavender and Vanilla Friends of the Gardens said...

Barbee thank you for your visit. It is great to visit "virtually" different gardens. I love cold climate gardens but also love to go the the Caribbean or to Hawaii or the mediterranean gardens or or or...

Pia thank you for your visit. I love sophisticated Sweden, with its clever designs, lots of history declared in beautiful buildings and gardens. I wish I could have a holiday house in Sweden...dreams aah dreams!

Thank you Wil for your comment. Yes, I live in Southern Queensland.
Near the border of NSW and QLD.

Ingrid said...

Guten Morgen, Titania,
ganz besonders gefällt mir dein Tomatenmix - der macht richtig Appetit auf Sommer!
Liebe Grüße
Ingrid

Rowena said...

Even though I look forward to getting on with spring (the temps dropped again!), I do enjoy your signs of autumn. The colors are fabulous, and the chickens! How I wish we could have some in our yard too (the dogs would not agree).

About the flirt pole...I don't believe that I've ever seen a pic of Billy, so if you do make a flirt pole, please post it here!

a d´almeida nunes said...

Spectacular!
Excellente photos showing a beautifull season!
Delicious!
Good luck, Titania!
António

ps: meanwhile we are with a beautufull spring.

Sue Catmint said...

Hi Titania, such wonderfully cool lush autumnal photos. Such a relief after summer. Your garden is looking fantastic. I love the variety in it: the veg, the hens, the wild. And the pickling is awe-inspiring! I think of your description of first coming to Australia, what a long way you have come, and now you show us your Aussie granddaughter! cheers, catmint

Hort Log said...

I agree with your take on free range chickens....especially when not feed with antibiotics and hormones, the eggs are more nutritious as well.

But how do you keep hawks at bay or control what crawlies they peck ?

marie-louise said...

Beautiful pictures and a lot of information again. Fabrizia looks cute. Love ML

Lavender and Vanilla Friends of the Gardens said...

Rowena thank you for your visit. I have trouble getting into your site. It takes quite a while to come up (before it was always quick) When I want to make a comment the site disappears.Have you heard from other bloggers that it does not work? I will try again.

Lavender and Vanilla Friends of the Gardens said...

Thank you catmint for your kind comment.

HortLog, I have not had problems with the hawks, as we have plenty of trees to give them cover. They have also a little veranda with a roof and a covered sand bath. Sometimes a python is around has even slept in the nesting box, but until now no trouble. We have to watch the foxes.

vincibene said...

Was, schon wieder Herbst?
Wunderschöne Bilder aus Deinem Garten! Und Deine Enkelin ist eine ganz Süße!

LG
Chris

Elisabeth's bright side said...

I love your garden! Isn't it catching having chickens? My daugther have to chicken familys and we have lots of fresh eggs and be assured they have a good life.

Barbee' said...

Oh, my goodness! How do you remove a python, Titania?! You surely have had a lot to adapt to. My question is a serious question; I really wonder. We have innocent little snakes and if one is where I do not want him, I just sort of gently herd him along with a stick.

Fuchsienrot said...

Hallo Titania,
das sind wundervolle Eindrücke von eurem herbstlichen Garten. Jetzt ist der Sommer bei euch schon vorbei. Wie schnell die Zeit doch vergeht...wir freuen uns, dass endlich der Frühling hier eingezogen ist.
LG
Angelika

MedaM said...

I literally enjoyed this post of yours. This is so interesting. While the signs of autumn are in the air over there, it is sign of spring in the air over here. I love both of these seasons but at the present I am looking forward to spring. That is only because I am little tired from the winter. As for this area I live in, autumn is the sign that winter is coming soon.
Thanks for sharing these beautiful photos!

Lavender and Vanilla Friends of the Gardens said...

Chris danke fuer deinen Besuch. Herbst faengt hier am 1. Maerz offiziell an. Es ist zum Teil immer noch sommerlich warm.

Elisabeth thank you for your comment. I am just passionate about animals that when we are keeping them to give them a decent life.

Barbee we do the same, we notch them to leave, Pythons are not aggressive.But they still can bite. I would not try it with any of our poisonous snakes.

Angelika ich wuensche dir einen schoenen Fruehling.

Medam, thank you, spring in the cold climate is like a new beginning as everything green is emerging again. I wish you gentle, sunny spring days.

As Nunes thank you for visiting.

HappyMouffetard said...

So many interesting photos!
Your grand daughter is gorgeous. The chickens look sweet and it's fascinating to see what is going on in your autumn, whilst we in the Northern hemisphere look forward to spring. Thank you for the views into your garden.

Barbara said...

Das sind ja viele verschiedene Paprika- oder Pfefferschoten die du anbaust. Den Pecannussbaum muss ich Beryl zeigen, es sind ihre Lieblingsnüsse und hier recht teuer. Hast du alle Kräuter in Töpfen? Ich denke da an die grosse Arbeit mit Begiessen, wenn es bei euch so heiss ist..... Morgen fahren wir in den Tessin, da werden wir die Camelien auch noch in Blüte sehen...hoffe ich. Es liebs Grüessli, Barbara

Steffi said...

Very nice pics of your autumn in your garden!So much various plants and fruits!Perfect!
Dein Tomatenmix ist toll.Du hast echt den grünen Daumen!Hier ist Frühling und langsam rabbelt sich die Natur auf und die Knospen beginnen zu sprießen,nach dem langen Winter.
Have a nice weekend!

LG Steffi

Anonymous said...

Gosh Titania what a lot you have going on in your garden during Fall! I didn't know you had chickens too, I am very envious! I love seeing your vegetables. Tomatoes also stop producing here during our hot summers so I am hoping to get some soon before the heat hits. Enjoy your cool down just as we are starting to heat up. :)

Kerri said...

You have so many wonderful things growing in your garden, including your sweet granddaughter...and chickens! :)
How I'd love one of your mandarines!
Your autumn is our spring. I hope you enjoy the change of seasons.
We have glorious, welcome sunshine today after several days of cold wind, rain and snow flurries.
My crocuses are happy and a few daffs are struggling to open....grass is greening and spring is springing...at last!