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RETIREMENT & LIFESTYLE PLANNING | |
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| ISSUE - 21 - Summer 2005/2006 | |
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Surviving summer
When it comes to summer weather, gardens and people are alike: we both need to be protected from the power of the sun.
Mulching is a good start for your garden, using organic material such as pea straw, eucalyptus mulch or compost. It keeps the soil cooler, and therefore moister, in summer (and warmer in winter) and, as a bonus, suppresses weeds. Organic mulch also decomposes and provides nutrients to your plants, making them stronger and better able to stand up to the extremes of summer weather. For the best results, apply a 5-8 centimetre layer of mulch to well-watered garden beds and pot plants in spring, and ‘top-up' as necessary every autumn and spring after the initial application.
Your choice of plants and where you plant them are also important to summer survival. Try to avoid emotion and the latest fashion when you're choosing. Instead, focus on the local climate and your garden's micro-climate.
Perth and Sydney, for example, are both coastal cities with hot summers – but very different weather. Lavenders, rosemary, roses and olive trees thrive in Perth's dry heat, but Sydney's weather is much more humid – which is why gardenias, murraya and daylilies flourish there.
Within your garden, remember that garden beds to the south of your house are cooler and shadier than those to the north. Trees can provide valuable protection to nearby garden beds and to the west even a boundary fence will protect tender plants from hot afternoon winds.
In difficult areas select native alternatives, such as native hibiscus or alyogyne instead of the exotic hibiscus. Dianella, lomandra or orthrosanthus are excellent substitutes for agapanthus and callistemons and grevilleas can be planted instead of camellias for a colourful display. All these native require less nurturing during extreme weather.
When you start planting, be sure to consult the plant labels or a good gardening book for guidance on cultivating requirements. Azaleas, camellias and rhododendrons need to be planted in part shade, whereas roses, daisies and citrus trees grow best in full sun. Hydrangeas are one of the first plants to wilt and suffer from leaf scorch when planted in full sun but when grown in their ideal morning sun aspect, they will thrive.
To make watering and maintenance easier (you may be wilting a bit yourself as the mercury rises), group together plants that like similar conditions.
Sound gardening practices enable all of us, no matter where we live, to reap rewards from our gardens all year round.
More
Q. I have ‘black thumbs'. What can I grow when the weather's against me, too?
A. Don't despair if your climate is extremely hot and dry. Select native plants indigenous to your area which have adapted to thrive in these conditions with little maintenance. Plants from other countries with similar climates are also suitable. Lavender and rosemary from the Mediterranean, arthropodium and flax from New Zealand, clivia and royena from South Africa and echeveria and agave from Mexico all grow well in Australian gardens. Other plants that flourish with minimal care include geraniums, olive trees, rock roses, liriope and flowering quince.
Q. How do I look after my pot plants when I go on holidays?
A. Before departing on vacation, group your plants together in a shaded, protected part of your garden where they can be watered by your irrigation system or a friendly neighbour. Prune any plants that are straggly and overgrown, which will reduce their water requirements. Water indoor plants and stand them in a couple of centimetres of water in the bath-tub. This creates an ideal humid environment for them until you return.
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Copyright Retirement Publishing Pty Ltd 2001 -- ISSN 1031-6620 ACN 088 049 218
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