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Garden Weekends - by Amanda Crotty

Garden Weekends - August 2008

Canungra 70th A, H, and I annual show

August 24th 2008 12:18
: SHOW TIME
The Opening Ceremony


Every year around July my family look forward to attending the local show. For anyone entering, on offer in the pavilion to choose from are: Vegetable and Fruit, Horticulture, Cookery, Home produce, Needlework, Agriculture and amateur Photography for adults. And in juvenile classes the choices are Horticulture, Cookery and Sweets, Needlework/Handcraft, Crafts and Hobbies and Photography. they also offer a Fine Arts section, for both. Outside you can choose from the Horse section, Diary cattle, stud Beef, Woodchopping and a Ute show and shine.





If serious about entering you would start to plan well in advance, As soon as the schedule comes out its a good idea to get produce together and keep an eye on the garden for anything that will be ready, choosing art, photography and other projects completed during the year. All photography and art needs to be mounted, this can be done at anytime once pieces are chosen. The final days get a little hectic in the flower and cookery sections as these can't be done too far in advance.




Even after a winter of heavy frosts the flowers still managed to impress me.


The pavilion smelt amazing with help from the native orchids.


Some of my favourites, geraniums, roses, lavender, gerberas and snap dragons just to name a few, beautiful quilts in the background.


Grevilleas and flowering shrubs.


Another successful show. A great way to showcase your wares and meet people with similar interests. Great fun well worth all the work.











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Iris

August 14th 2008 10:32
: For Flower Lovers
Iris ensata

The Iris is popular for its variety of beautiful blooms adding colour to borders and gardens in spring and early summer. Flowers can be found in all colour and combinations except scarlet.
When choosing a position in the garden for these plants try for a sunny well drained spot. If the soill is poor try adding something organic. The Japanese Iris are the only ones that do poorly in lime soil all other varieties thrive on lime. There are two main groups.
Rhizome-rooted. A rhizome is a thickened creeping rootstock sometimes small and compact other times large and conspicuous as in the well known bearded Iris. Rhizomeous Iris will spread and multiply easily if given good growing conditions, to keep growth vigorous its a good idea to fork through and divide every four or five years after flowering has finished.
Bulbous-rooted are the other group, this type all have true bulbs like daffodils, bulbous Iris can be left for several years, to multiply you lift the bulb when all growth has withered and seperate the bulblets when well dry. Replant from Feburary till April.


Iris a versatile plant can be grown in a pot, beautiful cut flower. One to keep an eye out for at school/church fetes, garage sales, or gardeners with large clumps that like to trade plants.

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Heliotrope

August 5th 2008 10:11
: Shrubby perennial


This sweet smelling plant gets its name from the ancients who recognized the plants ability to follow the course of the sun. After opening it gradually turns from east to west and during the night turns back east to greet the rising sun.

Heliotrope is a shrubby perrenial that grows to about 75 centimeters high and 1 metre wide.
The sweetly scented flowers come in purple or mauve and appear from early spring to late autumn, the perfume lays claim for this plants other name the Cherry pie plant.
An old fashioned plant that is easily grown in a frost free spot in the garden. Soil should not be allowed to dry out, and a little liquid manure when in bud will give better colours and larger blooms. Cut back after flowering for repeat blooms.
Heliotrope grow wild on the mountain sides of Peru and are said to not like extremes of temperature, mine seems to tolerate them ok though.
In some parts of the U.S.A a sprig of heliotrope is always included in a brides bouquet for good luck.
If your after an attractive plant with a delightful perfume this is the plant for you.



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