There are so many things happening in the garden this week we don't know where to start. From Floriade to the Leura Garden Festival, It's all happening this spring!
We're hitting the road to admire the spring display around the gardening world. But not before we get things under control in the garden
Not what the new rose buds need right now. Photo - Graham Ross
Aphids all over the place? Don't panic, just keep calm and use the right control
There are aphids all over new growth at the moment. Check succulent new growth on roses, maples, veges, stone fruit trees and citrus for aphid attack.
Use Yates Naturasoap, Natures Way Herb & Vege Spray, pyrethrum sprays. Hiding merely relocated them to the ground to return to your plants.
Richgro Bug Killa granules is useful for ornamentals where bees are not present, but certainly not on edibles.
What should I be doing to my lawn?
Deep watering with sprinkler, hand weeding those dreaded bindi and adding a handful of dolomite per square metre. Next weekend add lawn fertiliser after
a good soak.
Can we get some rain over here?
Have you heard the one about ... when the bottlebrush flower heavily in spring, we're in for wet summer? Do you know any other weather predictions? We're
enjoying reading your answers to this question on the Garden Clinic Facebook page.
As for the rain....#wecanonlyhope!
I think this particular myth is busted!!
How do I keep my Flamingo Flower happy?
A common enquiry to our helpline over the past weeks has been how to care for the Flamingo flower or Anthurium andraeanum. These beauties are
native to the lush forests of Central and South America and are used globally as a popular tropical houseplant. The Anthurium often grow on trees in
their native rainforest which gives us an indication that they require GOOD DRAINAGE. Unfortunately, we usually overwater. Water only when soil is
dry. They do not like to sit in constantly moist soil which may lead to root rot. The other important issue is light. In their native environment they
thrive in filtered light provided through the canopy of trees. We can replicate this by finding a position with bright but indirect sunlight.
Anthurium are not heavy feeders, however an application of Strikeback for orchids four times a year will encourage those colourful spathes to brighten
your room all year round.
What's on:
Spring festivals and open gardens abound in September and October. Here's our list of the best New South Wales and ACT has to offer this week.
Leura Garden Festival
The 2017 Leura Gardens Festival opens this weekend. Saturday 30th September - Sunday 8th October inclusive. Gardens are open from 9.30 am - 4.30 pm daily.
Situated in the beautiful Blue Mountains west of Sydney, the gardens of Leura are famous for their magnificent displays of azaleas, rhododendrons, dogwoods,
camellias and other cool climate exotics, as well as flowering annuals, perennials and bulbs. The blaze of springtime colour in the gardens attracts
visitors from all parts of Australia and overseas.
Visit the Leura Garden Festival website for more details and tickets.
The famous cherry blossoms are everywhere in Leura during festival time.
Floriade
Floriade is a spectacular – and free! – celebration of spring. Part-garden show, part-spring festival it draws nearly half a million visitors every year,
who come for the flowers - especially the tulips!
Check out our Floriade Festival Planner here.
Maple Springs Nursery and Gory’u Japanese Gardens
Gory'u is the Japanese name for confluence in English which means where the waters meet or where two rivers converge in this case a lake of water meets
a dry landscape lake converging to form one.
Gory'u Japanese Gardens has a huge variety of Japanese Maples and Conifers of all colours. There are some 28 Japanese Lanterns, 12 Basins, 13 Ornamental
Bridges, Waterfall, 4 Suikinkutsu (water harp), Shishi-Odoshi (deer/kangaroo scarer) Moon viewing Platforms, Lake, Stream and exceptional panoramic
views, Sugar Loaf Mountain (Satokibi yama), Mt York (Maunto yoko) and Hassans Walls (Hassan'u~oruzu).
Garden Clubs Welcome Tea and Coffee and Snacks are available upon request at time of booking. Go to the Maple Springs Website for more information.
Gory'u Japanese Gardens in Hartley west of the Blue Mountains.
Chinoiserie
The hot summers and cold winters at this stunning Southern Highlands garden replicate the climatic conditions of those in China, so the peonies are perfectly
at home and produce beautiful and generous blooms.
Read more about Chinoiserie, and it's creator Dominic Wong in
this month's feature article by Robin Powell.
Mayfield Gardens Spring Festival from mid October
During the 16 day Spring Festival the Hawkins Family opens its Private Garden to visitors so this is your opportunity to explore the entire 160 acres of
Mayfield. Get lost in the traditional English inspired Maze, see the Croquet Court, the Chapel, the Chook Hilton, the 80 metre Cascade with Temple
and much more. In Spring, our row boats are available on Mayfield Lake (at no additional cost) and interactive games are scattered throughout the garden
for your family and friends to enjoy.
Mayfield Garden Spring Festival runs October 14 - October 29. Tickets from the Mayfield Garden website.
On the Road
Buongiorno Firenze!
Graham caught up with Sandra this morning over the phone from the center of Italy in the city of Florence, where she is with her group of Ross Tours guests, enjoying the majesty of this historic, treasure-filled city.
The group are leaving Florence today and heading over to another stunning Italian city - Venice. For a thousand years the city was one of the world’s great
mercantile powers. Today the economic influence of Venice has faded, but the beauty lives on.
Beautiful Venice. Photo - krishna.wu / shutterstock
Sandra just loves Italy. But she is of course looking forward to her next big tour - the new Rose Gardens of England.
A tour to celebrate the English rose
For all the rose-lovers out there, and there are a lot of us, this is the tour you've been waiting for!
See the Rose Gardens of England in early summer, up to its knees in wildflowers with roses smothering ancient walls and hedgerows. Gardens on this new tour have been selected for
their display of roses by tour leader Sandra Ross with the finale at RHS Hampton Court Flower Show.
To find out more about this or any of our tours go to the the Ross Tours website and have a look at our 2018 programme.,
Call Royce or Roslyn at Ross Tours on 1300 233 200.
Nothing compares to an English summer floral display.
A BIG congratulations to the Ross Family on the birth of their new grandson, Cooper Hill Ross. Welcome, little fellow. Can't wait to meet you.