To restart the blog I am presenting an edited version of my weekly column in the city newspaper entitled "the Garden of Life" and have set up a URL with that name. Hope you like what will come in the next weeks and years.
Western Australian summers in the South west of the state are generally hot and dry. At the time of writing cyclcone Diane came close and deposited a heap of rain here this morning after two weeks of blistering heat. There is a another one forming in the North West and that will affect our weather again till March I guess!
Recently I interviewed people from the "School of the Air". In West Aussie we have a lot of children who live in isolated outback areas and in the old days of pedal radio, the only education they got was from the infancy of the "School of the Air" Well, times have changed and with computers and satelites, although children still live in isolated areas, with this new facility and technology they have better access to education than in the old days.
So we proceed! Our interest here is mainly in gardening and in this case landscaping.
The original School of the Air that was based in Meekatharra, burnt down in 2007 It was re-located to Beachlands in demountables and now we have a purpose built facility for distance education at this site in Kempton street Bluff point. Geraldton, Western Australia.
Bruce Perry of Garden Design gave me a tour of the site. He planted the landscaped design using fine leaved kurrajongs, Lomandras and Little John Callistemon. Out the front were Aussie bred new wild wisteria (Harenbergia violacea Meema), peppermint trees (Agonis Flexuosa), Tuckeroos (Cupaniopsis anacardioides) were also planted. A row of new Queen Mum Agapanthus featuring extra large dual coloured white and violet blue flower heads and clumping strap-like foliage were growing in the long bed near the entrance. Hakea Laurina (emu bush), Little Smokie (olearia axillaris), dwarf Oleander (Nerium) and Lavender also featured in the overall design alongside other species. I am sure Bruce would tell you about them if you could find him!
Melaleucas, gums, acacias and casuarinas made up the first storey trees that were planted here. Bruce said the soil along the edge of the coast near the beach is horrible for growing anything so they took out the sand and added 300/400 ml of good soil. Included with this soil were terracotta soil improver and water conserving polymers, plus root stimulators to get plants going. Sub surface watering was installed and then covered with inorganic pine bark mulch which doesn’t break down and helps to prevent weed germination amongst what is planted. If good mulch is put in these types of situations it only produces soil on breaking down.
Bruce said it is pretty hard to plant in the three months of summer when Geraldton gets absolutely drilled with heat and the wind so we are restricted with our plants and it is hard to find new species that are going to handle it. Especially down on the foreshore.
The lawn is a new variety of Kikuyu that has been recommended for all schools. It is leafy and soft. Kids need this type of lawn to run around on. Bruce left a piece of garden on the south west corner for the children to use as a vegetable patch. The soil was treated and the area covered with good composting mulch.
During our heat wave the design of this building with its wide verandas, landscaped gardens and pleasing aspect is a welcome sight amongst today’s modern developments. My old friend Bob reckoned it reminded him of the spacious farm and town houses of the fifties and sixties.
That is the end of the article and next week we interview Phil who an American tree person who shifted here a while ago and will share about trees in general.
Look forward to sharing with you next week.
Stan Maley 61428230029
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