Newsflash: Purple Haze blankets Sydney!!!

It must be October! One of my favourite months of the year as Sydney is smothered in a haze of purple. The beautiful Jacaranda is in bloom! The Jacaranda is a genus of 49 species of flowering trees in the Bignoniaceae family which is native to the tropical and sub-tropical regions of South America.

In some areas of Sydney the streets are planted with avenues of Jacaranda which, when in bloom, form a magical canopy of mauve flowers which flutter to the ground like 'Purple Rain'...in the words of Prince!

It's quite adaptable and has been widely planted in many countries around the world for its beautiful colour and elegant shape. 

Of the 49 species, the one grown in Australia has the botanical name 'mimosifolia' 
refers specifically to the leaves which resemble the leaves of the Australian wattle
or 'mimosa' tree.

The leaves of the Jacaranda are long, up to 45cm in length and are 'bi-pinnately compound' which refers to the many leaflets that make up the compound leaf structure. The flowers can be up to 5cm long and are grouped into large 'panicles' which are essentially clumps of flowers which hang pendulously from the ends of the branches.

Jacaranda's will grown best in areas that are free of frost and one of the most spectacular plantings can be seen in the northern New South Wales town of Grafton which holds an annual 'Jacaranda Festival'.

One of the things I love most about the Jacaranda is the colourful carpet it's blooms create as they gently flutter to the ground. Although as beautiful as it looks I'm sure street cleaners think of the trees as a bit of a nightmare!  Still, beauty is sometimes a bit messy!

As I mentioned, the species we grow is the Jacaranda mimosifolia which will range from 5m to 15m in height and the canopy can spread up to 10m. So you will need to have a bit of space if your planning to have one in your garden. But they are definitely worth it for the colour the provide.....even if only for a couple of months of the year. And remember not to prune your Jacaranda; pruning causes the growth of 'water-shoots'...ugly growth that shoots straight up into the air like fishing poles which ruins the elegant, twisting, natural shape of the tree.

And if you do have the space, I'd recommend you plant a Jacaranda with the wonderful Australian native Brachychiton acerifolius, better know as the Illawarra Flame Tree. This tree, also used for street planting in many areas of Sydney produces a stunning display of bright red, bell-shaped flowers in late spring. Like the Jacaranda, the flowering is more spectacular when the winter months have been dry. 

     The colour combination of bright red and mauve is spectacular, and the fact that these two trees only bloom for 2 months at the same time of the year make them perfect planting companions!

So if your wandering about Sydney on a beautiful October blue-sky day and come across a carpet of purple-mauve flowers, look up and enjoy the Jacaranda canopy above you....it will all disappear before Christmas!

GREENBO re-visited!

You might remember earlier this year that I talked about a product that was new to the home garden design market. It's called Greenbo, and I'm pleased to announce I've just added Greenbo to my own balcony!

                                
The distinctive 'G' in the trademarked Greenbo logo is a stylish and subtle addition to the product. Constructed in 100% weather resistant resin, the high grade Polypropolene material is light weight with increased strength and a range of 10 designer colours that will last for years. I'm the proud owner of a Greenbo 'planter' in black and plan on adding a couple of the GPR30 model smaller planters, possibly in the vibrant orange....although I love the turquoise....and the green....mmm....and the red!

Planting up is easy!  Firstly ensure the two removable drip trays are firmy attached to the base of the planter. Then start to fill the 2 chambers with a good quality potting mix containing water retention crystals and added slow release nutrients.

                   


Don't overfill the chambers, about 15 litres of mix will be sufficient for the larger planter.

Once you've filled the chambers it's time to start planting up the Greenbo.  This is where you get to be creative. You could put in  a mix of succulents to create a low maintenance and low water garden. Or maybe a selection of potted colour for the season. But I had planned a herb garden for my Greenbo.

Now this is a bit of an experiment as I'm using only the one planter and I've decided to plant it up with a mix of both hard and soft leaf herbs. Ideally I'd plant them in different pots. It's always a good idea when planting any plants, herbs included, to place things together that have similar nutrient and watering requirements. Soft leaf herbs such as basil and parsley like a little more water than, say, sage or thyme; so you don't want to risk over-watering or under-watering and killing some of your plants!

What I've done is planted the soft leaf herbs in one side of the Greenbo; a mix of basil, parsley and coriander. In the other side I've planted the hard leaf herbs which are a mix of sage, thyme and oregano. And just for good measure I've planted some miniature orange marigolds which will are a natural bug repellant to help keep away the aphids and other pests.

Once planted up, the Greenbo is still quite light and easy to move into position. Of course you could always place it in position and do your planting 'in-situ'.

                              

  The unique design of the Greenbo planter allows it to sit securely on railings, balustrades and fences up to 8.5cm in width. It will sit quite snugly on it's own but of course if you'd like to secure it this can easily be done with the instructions provided.

                          

Once in place give your herbs a good drink of water mixed with a little bit of seaweed solution to help the roots settle in. Remember not to over-water as the drainage trays have a limited capacity.

And there you have it; a Greenbo herb garden! (and no, there is not a freeway running beneath the Greenbo...that's just trick photography!)

If you'd like to start your own 'Greenbo garden' you can find out more information at www.greenbo.com.au.

And you'll see Greenbo appearing in nurseries and garden centres around the city. Now's the perfect time to plant up your flowers for summer or get your own herb garden started and enjoy the fruits of your labour for months to come!