Week 1. October 2000. The best laid plans of mice, men and gardeners oft go astray. We thought that our Garden Diary could be written at the end of each month. There is so much happening horticulturally and environmentally at Yallaroo that we will attempt to write the Diary on a weekly basis.
A large garden bed has been finished to west of our home. This bed has an area of 160 square metres and has absorbed 450 native plants that we have propagated. Shrubs and ground covers are the main components of this garden. We have avoided used trees because they will block our view.
The weather is very dry and some of our Banksias and Prostantheras (Mint Bushes) are suffering and required supplementary watering. More acacias are flowering. Two tall local species are prominent. Acacia diphylla and Acacia pycnostachya have bright yellow rod-shaped flower heads.
Small frogs are beginning to appear in our propagating igloo. Dwarf Tree Frogs and Peron’s Tree Frogs are cavorting amongst the cuttings and seedlings. Speaking of frogs: we observed a large Red-bellied Black Snake with a Burrowing Frog firmly wedged in the snake’s mouth. We managed to photograph predator and prey before the latter became lunch.
A great deal of our time has been spent watching the Olympics on TV. Very gratifying to see bouquets of native plants presented to medal winners.