April In The Garden

Working in the garden at the end of Autumn basically is cleaning up, tidy up, pulling out dry annual flower plants.  Fertilising all citrus trees, and so forth.  Topping up soil for all potted plants and add slow-release fertiliser.  Yes, it is a busy time.  My first choice is cleaning up and caring for my cymbidium orchids.
Thursday afternoon feeling very energetic, getting this twenty cymbidium cleaned up, watered and dressed.

Cleaning the Cymbidium Orchids

Sad plants need special attention. So sorry that they have far gone neglected.

Friday, a lot more cleaning up for other cymbidium orchids, and also Australia native.  Spending six hours in the garden was alright, pleased and proud.

The Orchids are cleaned and the leaves so green.

The Australian Native Orchids-Dendrobium and Dendrobium Speciousum

Potted Dendrobium Spaciousum

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 A Sad Case, I don't know what happened with these potted Orchids, two large cymbidium and the small potted Dendrobium-Australian Orchid.

Forthy Cymbidium Orchids I thought I have, but no, there are only thirty-four.  The other potted orchids are Paleonopsis, Australian orchids and also other orchids family.  In fact, altogether, there are fifty-five potted orchids.  Lots of plants to care for.

Spotted a few spikes, they are emerging beautifully, and they look very healthy. Four potted Cymbidium have new spikes, now they are clean and sitting under the Eaves.

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In The Backyard

A part of the garden is looking well, the grass is a little sad, but soon the Gallipoli Heath has to be pulled out, the plan is to plant lavender on that spot.  At a glance, this area is not wrong, as always, the photo does look better.
Give a little more touches, I am sure the place will be acceptable, and on a beautiful day, we can sit there to enjoy the fresh air.
Working for the orchids continued on Saturday, now all the plants are home where they came from.  Put slug bites on every single potted orchid, the job was completed.

The weather has been so good for working in the garden, it helped, so what had to be done was done, and I will, or we will keep on going to work in the backyard on the next day.

Caring for Phalaenopsis orchids and other Orchids

Glorious Sunday, what people do on a beautiful Sunday? The churchgoer would say prayers and thanks for the day.  Lots of people would visit the parks for a picknick, and maybe to see the art show, visiting gardens, have a ride to a different town, visiting country town activities-food and wine festival,  playing with the grandchildren, visiting family and friends, it's was the perfect wheater whatever you decided to do.  I celebrate this Sunday by working in the backyard to continue for caring for my orchids and cleaning up the garden.

This time is cleaning and caring the Moth orchids or Phalaenopsis, luckily only nine of them, and this time, they are not in flowers, but new leaves are there, a very healthy growth that I could see. Hopefully, they will be flowering within a year.  Indeed we have to be patient. It was good, Rayner came out to join to work in the garden too.  He had his own chores, and as usual, he did it very well.

Taking the orchids from inside the house to the backyard garden

Ready to clean, to water and to add fertiliser

Phalaenopsis are on the grass readily for me to care and clean.

No orchids house, the work had to be done outside, simply put all the plants on the grass, it's easy.

This orchid is beautiful with lovely fragrant, I forgot the name, the label has gone, don't nowhere.  When I was cleaning it, the stem broke into two, Aaahhh!!  Now, I have two pots of orchids instead of one.  I hope they will grow well.

Chinese ground orchid, the flower is beautiful pinky - purplish.

The Chinese ground orchid, which is potted is suitable, but no sign of flowers.

Orchid, purchased at the Latrobe Valley Orchid Club Two years ago.

The orchid which I purchased at the Latrobe Valley Orchid club is looking good, hmm I could not remember the name.  So typical, the label has gone.  I will find out at the Orchid Show by asking the experts.

The cleaning and caring of the orchids were so timely, they all done at the time was planned, the orchids were dressed, clean, and they looked very well and pleasant.  Now, the orchids are back inside the house for the Phaleonopsis, and the rest are sitting under the Eaves.

A long working day, and happy to go on, but we have time to stop for coffee and special treat that's enjoying the Javanese Fruit Salad with Hot and spicy dipping sauce (Lotis).  It's the perfect food for the day.  Thanks for the freshly picked off the homegrown cucumber, Anne and Max.  Cucumber is one essential ingredient for the Lotis.

Lotis-Fruit Salad, Javanese Style

As promised I have to finish all gardening activities for April, before the month is over.  I have enough time, I think.  May is the first month of winter, we will be more relaxed and welcome the cold winter with a fresh and calm attitude.

Cutting the unwanted ground covers, pulling the Gallipoli Health, trimming the Lili pily, dressing and clipping the chairs topiary plants. Watering! Bigtime! Watering trees, hydrangea plants and the crepe myrtle which is in flowers, but the buds drying out as the soil is so dry, we did not have enough rains.  All was done today.  I was so productive and useful if you only could see my face, I had a big smile! So happy!

These are the flowering buds which never make it open to pretty flowers.

 The drying buds of the Crepe Myrtle

Not only watering the Crepe Myrtle tree today but literally, I soaked and bathed it.  Maybe the buds will have a chance to open showing off the flowers.

Slowing down to work in the backyard is a good idea, the rubbish bin is full of garden rubbish and cuttings.  Resting to gain energy is advisable.  Tomorrow is going to be a day off for gardening, the regular schedule for Monday keeps us busy. 😊



It was a glorious Sunday for me, my wish it was the same to you.




Until Next Time.
Susy