Sunday, November 11, 2012

On a Sunday Afternoon

Hmmmm...

It's strange how at this time of the year we only ever really see the garden properly and spend time in it during the weekend. It takes some time to get used to it, and we better do as it will be like this yet for many weeks ahead. But that is winter for you, more than just the cold, it has the inconvenience of extra long nights and much shorter days.

Any plant that flowers again, and at this time of the year too is certainly extra appreciated - Kniphofia thompsonii
So you always hope that the weather behaves during the weekend. If it is rainy, then that's it, most likely you'll just have to do something else that involves less exposure to the elements.

And so that was Saturday (but that was fine, we had to do something else anyway). Sunday was much more well behaved, well actually better than well behaved as it was sunny and relatively warm for the time of the year. Perfect, at least I had the chance to do a bit of tidying up and take some photos of the garden too!

A peek into the window...
We did spend most of the afternoon indoors though, in the koi filter house that is, trying to figure out the layout of the filters, pumps, and pipeworks. It's not an easy task I tell you, it took us all afternoon to figure out possible sensible placements, and I think by the end of the day we have figured out most of it. 

It was a task on its own shifting these huge equipment into the filter house to start with. On the plus side we have gained some space back in our kitchen and dining room where these equipment lived for more than a year, yay! All we need to do now (sounding so simple yet in reality is complicated) is to connect them all up and the pond should be up and running soon.

The filtration puzzle has begun.
So there you go, we have officially started solving the filtration puzzle, which is like a combination of piecing together a jigsaw puzzle, building a lego structure, and solving a rubix cube. A challenge yes, but fortunately not really that stressful.

Another one that is flowering again, and for the third time this year too - Celmisia hookeri
Magnolia denudata 'McCracken's Variegated' is just about to start shedding its leaves
But this Toona sinensis seems to only start changing colours now, mostly it is still lush and very green still
Fatsia polycarpa about to flower, as it always does every autumn
But this Schefflera kornasii is already in its full floral swing!
A clump of Cotula hispida glistening with some morning dew
And so are the Euphorbia stygiana leaves
The Ricin to the right is still looking majestic, but it is on borrowed time (but we hope it will be a long one!)
For those who like their bamboos bright, bendy, and stripey - Phyllostachys aureosulcata 'Argus'
Our tallest Schefflera taiwaniana flowering as well
And this Agave bracteosa is enjoying a lashing of some autumn sun
Overall though, it was a fine, chilled out Sunday afternoon. It was nice to finally start sorting out the filtration of the pond project, but even nicer to see the garden again in daylight.

Mark :-)

31 comments :

  1. Everything is still looking pretty good at your place. It has been very strange here also, no fall color, some things gone and others like nothing has happened yet.
    Cher Sunray Gardens

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    1. Hi Cher! Same here, some plants have turned colour and shed their leaves, others are still hanging on to their like its still summer, and everything else in between. The shedding of leaves seems more prolonged and spread out this year.

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  2. A lot of exotics still in their prime, it's nice to take a moment and appreciate what's still looking good. That Celmisia hookeri is new to me, not a bad point of interest in the drab days of November. Castor beans are a personal fav, save him! :)

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    1. Hi Nat, until the first wave of hard frosts come a lot of exotics do carry on looking good and even remain evergreen given the chance. Hope you find a Celmisia in your area. Castor oil plant we treat as annuals, they grow so quick and easy from seed too :)

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  3. You are serious koi enthusiasts - one step closer! Your garden is looking lovely as always. We had our first frost on Friday night. Saturday was clear but cold so I ran around getting lots of garden clean up done in time for the rain to return on Sunday with a vengeance!

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    1. Thanks outlawgardener :) We've had one or two episodes of light frosts already and some of the more tender ones are safely indoors now. A few that we put under cover are back out again to get some sun and fresh air but will be shifted again if we have a cold spell.

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  4. Love that Celmisia hookeri. It's one that was on my "what's this" list of pictures from your garden. A quick search tells me it's pretty unavailable over here in the U.S.

    I noticed some nice yellow with a hint of orange on the Emperor Oak (in the photo with the Castor Bean). Is that it's typical fall color? Looks gorgeous!

    Congrats on the extra room in the house and starting to solve your jigsaw rubix lego puzzle cube. Sounds like hours of fun...

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    1. Hi Loree, the Celmisia is certainly lovely, and like it more for its foliage. The daisy like flowers I like too (some don't) and regard it as just a bonus. Celmisias are not that easy to get hold of here as well, and most available are small and takes awhile to bulk up. These two were lucky finds at a nearby garden centre a few years ago :)

      Yes, that's the typical fall colour of the Emperor Oak. Can imagine how lovely bigger specimens looks like at this time of the year.

      Hmmm, not sure about the fun bit but we're taking our time so it won't get stressful, cross fingers!

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  5. The clumpy thing with dew looks like an ice formation! I hate the darkness of winter...and our's is mild compared to yours. Loving spring!

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    1. Ahh Hazel, so envious you have spring now. So looking forward to ours here :) ove the Cotula too, and it's such a tactile plant as well!

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  6. Hi Mark, i am now more familiar with who between you two is writing, even if you don't sign it! It looks like most of your plants are already blooming, and they really look healthy. I wonder what happens during winter. It would be easier if they are small plants, but they are not! In fact i wonder why you prefer those big plants, when many like the miniature.I guess it is more difficult to manage, but of course, choice is personal. Regarding those filtration, I am awed at how to make it work!

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    1. Hi Andrea, most of the large plants you see are hardy even in winter.

      The filters will be quite a jigsaw to connect up but we will get there.

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  7. You've got so many plants looking good at this time of year, no mean feat. Filter house is looking good too.

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  8. I'm lucky enough to have the luxury now of being able to garden seven days a week but can still vividly remember work stopping play especially during the winter months. Hope that these winter weekends are kind to you.

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  9. You have given me more plants to admire, including the Celmisia hookeri. I am also excited to learn that Fatsia blooms! I planted Fatsia japonica earlier this year and look forward to when it is mature enough to flower.

    Good luck with your filtration puzzle! I can imagine your delight in getting all that out of your kitchen!

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    1. Hi Debs, yes so glad to gain some space back in our kitchen :) Hope you manage to get hold of Celmisias there, and Fatsias tend to flower quite regularly in the fall too.

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  10. Oh, I just the short winter days, when half the day is dark. I much prefer summer, when it's daylight until about the time I'm ready to come inside. I am impressed with that celmisia - what a cute bloom! Good luck with your 'puzzle'. I'm glad you're not stressed over it!

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    1. Thanks Holley :) We're taking piecing everything in a stride. Hopefully it won't get stressful.

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  11. I must go out and check the scheffleras we have to see whats happening this year. The Celmisia hookeri is lovely, a new one for me, very neat foliage rosettes. Very exciting collections you have, the filter house is really coming along.

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    1. Thanks, which Scheffleras do you have? The filter house jigsaw continues this weekend, pipes, bends, gate valves etc to connect!

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    2. We have a couple of S.taiwaniana and one S.kornasii. Good luck this weekend.

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  12. Looking gorgeous. what a great collection of plants

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  13. I love the way the flower on the Celmisia hookeri is peeping from under the foliage - rather like a child would look upon an adult.

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    1. It does have such an endearing quality to it. In the summer the flowers were on longer stems, more proud of the plant.

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  14. Boy...you really made the most of that Sunday. You will need the full work week to rest up.

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    1. We sure do Ricki, soon be weekend again though!

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  15. I'd find it really tough to go back to the days of going out in the dark and coming home in the dark, being ill sucks but at least I get to see the garden every day. Your plant room equipment gave me a headache just looking at it, so am impressed you worked out how to put it all together, but there again your mammoth pond project is just impressive!! But I think I may hate you both, just a little, as it has taken me almost an hour to read just this one post because I kept going "oooh, have to look that up" when I spotted yet another plant I really like. You are getting rather expensive...

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    1. Thanks Janet, your reply made me laugh :) We're still getting used ourselves to this 'long darkness' thing, it almost feels like being jet lagged. Can't wait for the longer daytime already!

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