Gardening Down Under
I have had an interesting past few weeks “in the garden,” so to speak, and thought I would share the experiences with you. With that in mind.
I traveled to Australia for my spring break (though my in-laws Down Under are actually celebrating autumn, as the seasons are reversed down below the equator.)
While there, I was able to dig in the dirt a little bit, as I put some daffodil bulbs in the ground for my mother-in-law.
To my surprise, the soil at her house was remarkably soft and easy to work with. As she lives in a very dry and hot climate (think “Outback” and you are getting close,) I thought that it would be similar to our clay like cement here, in middle Georgia.
Instead, the soil was loose, and a little sandy. So, I spent an hour placing daffodils into her beds, and dividing some cannas, without having to sweat and suffer, amending the soil.
The highlight of my trip was spending a night with my wife at a bed and breakfast out in the country. In Australia, lantana is considered an invasive weed, and is not encouraged. I was able to spot some of it while boarding at this beautiful home, surrounded by a great garden.
Aussies love to grow roses, just like their Commonwealth brethren, the British. This bed and breaky followed in those footsteps, and had a huge rose collection. During the evening, my wife and I took a walk in “the brush” and saw some very large kangaroos.
The other highlight of my trip was visiting a farm. And, wow! A three thousand acre farm. Simply outstanding.
Where my mother in law lives, the price for a tiny lot of land could fetch one $80,000 to $100,000.
Away from town, where this farm lies (about a half hour away,) an acre might cost one $800. What a difference! With land THAT cheap, one could buy their own county! And this farm seemed like it. The land went on and on and on.
What is most interesting about this farm is that it is an organic one, and the owners raise cows organically. I was able to witness a most remarkable way of growing fodder organically in a greenhouse environment. Afterwards, we traveled throughout the property, delivering the fodder to the cows.
And we think that there is a drought here, in Georgia? Australian farmers have been battling drought for what seems like forever. The land is brown, golden brown, with many dried lakes abounding.
When I arrived home, I was anxious to get back to my own garden beds. After being away for two weeks, there was much to do.
Mowing lawns, planting annuals, sowing veggie seeds, pruning forsythias, weeding, and even seeing about a dead pony(!), I had my hands full. Maybe I should have just stayed with the ‘roos.