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Unknown userMember
A SOS to any green thumbs out there
I have always found gardening to be therapeutic and it has given me great joy. However, after a major crisis with Mr Darcy's health I have not had been able to get back into it. Have other gardeners suffered from a similar hiatus and how have you recovered and got going again?
Darcy
PS have a spot that needs filling any recommendations for a 1m high cool climate white flower plant?
In response to: Self care by growing a garden
outlanderSenior Contributor
In response to: Self care by growing a garden
CatcakesSenior Contributor
In response to: Re: Self care by growing a garden
AdgeSenior Contributor
That's a good idea @Catcakes Because many plants don't like or don't tolerate sandy soils.
It's all sand here, throughout most of Perth (except the Hills).
It's also alkaline soil (sand), & most plants don't like that either.
Most plants prefer slightly acidic soils, so lots of compost & much with the sand here helps.
My Grevilleas, Banksia, & Mellaleucas are local types - because they're used to alkaline sandy soil. Many of the eastern plant species don't like it at all...
Adge
In response to: Re: Self care by growing a garden
outlanderSenior Contributor
In response to: Re: Self care by growing a garden
SmcSenior Contributor
@Adge, and meanwhile us Eastern states gardeners look longingly at the WA plants that are virtually impossible to grow here.
My parents went on a WA wildflowers bus tour years ago. Pretty special.
In response to: Re: Self care by growing a garden
AdgeSenior Contributor
Yes that's true @Smc Many WA plants can be tricky to grow on the east coast, largely because of the different soils (not so much the temperature).
I have a Red-Flowering Gum out the front, grown from a tiny tubestock seedling.
It's doing well, flowers beautifully - even though a species from further south, that does not like sandy soil (it's in sand).
Apparently they are very hard to grow on the east coast. My Mum had a few, & they all died.
Many eastern plants do very well in WA though. All the Bottlebrush (Callistemon) shrubs around here (lots) are eastern species.
My Mum loves the WA wildflowers too, she's in NSW.
Adge
In response to: Re: Self care by growing a garden
SmcSenior Contributor
@outlander They would all suit pots well enough. Were you thinking about growing from seed? For starting off, buying seedlings would be a better idea, but they cost more. Seeds can be "fussy". If the pot dries out just as they're starting to put their root out, that's it, they're dead. And if you get them too wet they can rot. With a bit of experience, seeds are great fun and will give a lot of variety for a small price, but it's a bit of a "learning curve".
Out of all of those, violas are probably the easiest, but more an autumn/springtime flower than midsummer. Dahlias are springtime, I think gerberas and chrysanthemums are more heat tolerant.
In response to: Self care by growing a garden
Unknown userMember
In response to: Re: Self care by growing a garden
outlanderSenior Contributor
im not sure if i want to start from a seed or get some that are already starting to grow.... big w near me has a garden section too that i could take a look at @Former-Member@Smc
hmm im liking the sound of gerbas..... i like them all!
theres so much to learn!
is it better to buy those plants that have already been sewn and they come in those little pots? then i can transfer them - maybe 2 of them into a larger pot?
In response to: Self care by growing a garden
Unknown userMember
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Help us push aside the stigma and discrimination surrounding complex mental health and change the way people talk about, and care for, mental illness.
SANE acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures; and to Elders past and present.
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