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Australian Natives

24 Friday Jan 2014

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A pink flowering gum with some visiting Sugarbag bees.

A pink flowering gum with some visiting Stingless bees.

I am getting in early and would like to wish you all a happy, fun, fantastic, sunny Australia Day. There’s not much more to say really other than tell you how lucky I feel to live in a country with such diverse, interesting and beautiful plants and wildflowers. I love that my garden flowers throughout the year with interesting flowers and colours and that those plants invite a wide range of birds, insects and critters with their nectars and protective foliage. It is wonderful that I can cut stems of native plants for longlasting colour and have little piles of gum nuts and gum leaves scattered around my home. These plants remind me of where I come from, where I am and where I wish to be. I hope you enjoy this collection of some of my favourite Australian native plant and wildflower pictures.

Dianella flower

Dianella flower

Australian Bush - Girraween National Park, QLD

Australian Bush – Girraween National Park, QLD

Eucalyptus haemastoma - Scribbly Gum

Eucalyptus haemastoma – Scribbly Gum

Wildflower

Wildflower

Actinotus helianthi - Flannel Flower

Actinotus helianthi – Flannel Flower

 
Emerging Flower

Emerging Flower

Hardenbergia violacea - Happy Wanderer

Hardenbergia violacea – Happy Wanderer

Westringia fruticosa - Coastla Rosemary

Westringia fruticosa – Coastla Rosemary

Blooms

Blooms

The cap is almost off

The cap is almost off

Xanthorrhoea Flower Spike (Grass Tree)

Xanthorrhoea Flower Spike (Grass Tree)

Sunshine in the canopy

Sunshine in the canopy

I confess, pink flowering Gum is one of my favourites!

I confess, pink flowering Gum is one of my favourites!

Have a wonderful long weekend and keep safe.

Until next time.

Carmel

It Looks Like Dutch To Me!

10 Friday Jan 2014

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Welcome to the New Year! I hope the first nine days have been nothing but spectacular. If not, there’s still plenty of days left for improvment.

My days have been filled with swims in the ocean, bounties of summer fruits, relaxing picnics, catchups with friends, (a little too much) sleeping, followed by returning to work to find a spectacular discovery in my post box (if you follow any of my feeds on social media you will have seen it but if you don’t follow any… then you should get on board!)!

Cherries and Colander

So, back to the post box… I received my copy of the winter edition of Dutch gardening magazine Tuinieren all the way from Holland and mentioned inside is me!!! How fabulous!!!

It’s a little mention but a mention none the less about ‘Gardens and Polka Dots’ and ‘Serendipity Garden Designs’.

Tuinieren Magazine

I feel very honoured. It is a beautiful magazine and I have no doubt that if my Dutch was fluent I would enjoy the words along with the gorgeous pictures.

Thank you Tuinieren for inviting me to be apart of your beautiful magazine.

Until next time.

Carmel

FYI You can find me here:

Instagram – @SerendipityDSGN

Facebook – Serendipity Garden Designs

Twitter – @SerendipityDSGN

Pinterest – Carmel @SerendipityDSGN

Magazine Image: tuinieren.nl/

My Word

27 Friday Dec 2013

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The countdown is upon us, the days and hours are counting down for the turn of the clock and the beginning of the New Year. It’s exciting! I wonder what the New Year will bring? What adventures will I take myself on? What opportunities will knock at my door? How will my life be different a year from now? The only thing I know for sure is that I have zero control over any of it, I can only control how I treat myself and how I treat others and I’m ok with that.

Broken Rose

For the past few years, instead of creating a new year’s resolution to feel guilty about not achieving, I have had a word. My word reflects where I am in my life or a time in my life I have recently experienced. Sometimes I have one word, sometimes 2 or sometimes a word gets added as I progress into my new year.

My first word was ‘nurture’, I decided I needed to give back to myself. After experiencing a great loss in my life I went into survival mode. I forgot how to really care for myself, I didn’t show myself any compassion, I just went straight ahead with what I had to do. While the outside smiled, laughed, hugged, got married, finished a Diploma and celebrated, the inside was depleted, I had nothing more to give to myself or to the people I love. ‘Nurture’ helped me turn the mirror on myself and I asked myself what I needed and how I’d achieve it. It was the beginning of a new me, I recognised that I was learning to live my life without my Mum (and I still am). I learnt how to spend time with myself again – a scary task when grief is your constant companion. I learnt that Yoga is a perfect match for me. I reminded myself that I am loved. I learnt that the ocean really does soothe my soul.

Mum and I copy

Another word was ‘grateful’. ‘Grateful’ is such a wonderful word because it encourages you to recognise everything that is wonderful in your life. Here are a few of the things I am grateful for… my health, my husband, my family, my friends, my clients, my abilities, my capacity to continue to learn, the income that I make, the home that I have created, my ocean view, my garden, clean running water, my freedom to choose, I am grateful that I went ‘home’ for Christmas and saw most of my family, I am grateful for the meals we shared, the laughter that filler our childhood home and the gifts I gave and received. And there are so many more…

Dear reader, I am so very grateful that you visit Gardens and Polka Dots to read my words. Thank you!

Sunrise

Now it is time for a new word to enter my life. I welcome JOY! Joy will envelope my whole being, it will sit in my tummy where anxiety was, it will stand tall on my shoulders where the expectations were, it will fill my head where the stresses lived, it will control my tongue where the frustrations burst forth. Joy will remind me that it’s all ok because I have so many things to be ‘grateful’ for.

Dave & I copy

The magical thing about having a word is that the word never leaves, I don’t hand it in for a new word at the end of the year and it doesn’t expire it just continues to be. Eventually all of the words  moosh together to become ‘life’.

What’s your word and how will it make your life more fruitful?

I wish you a wonderful new year.

Until next time.

Carmel

Thank you to my friend Nykke Coleman of Paper Elephant Press for the gorgeous image from my wedding day

Black Plants For Black Friday

13 Friday Dec 2013

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It’s Friday the 13th, also known as ‘Black Friday’ – a day when superstition prevails and sense becomes uncommon. Oh, dear! What should the ‘normal’ people do….. Did you know that as well as all of the usual superstitions – don’t walk under ladders, stay away from black cats, don’t break a mirror – there is also a superstition in relation to Friday the 13th. Yes, some people, I don’t know how many, but some people are actually afraid of this day. Apparently bad things will happen so it’s best to call in sick and lock the door.

If your boss doesn’t believe you, make sure that you inform them that you have friggatriskaidekaphobia. Or if that doesn’t fly, try paraskevidekatriaphobia because that one has been around a lot longer. I know they’re crazy long names to use with your sick, “I’m not coming to work” voice. In fact, in comparison to the many, many, botanical plant names that I know (and I can spell them too – thanks to Janet) these beauties have me tongue tied to the extreme.

I have a few superstitions of my own that I shall be brave enough to share. These aren’t limited to any particular day, these are every day out and about superstitions. I don’t know when I first developed them -yes, I have two, no, I have three, the last one I have thankfully grown out of. But I have had them since I can remember, I even passed one onto a friend once. That’s not good sharing.

The outgrown superstition is one that some of you may be able to relate to – it’s the ‘must not step on the cracks in the concrete’. Being the shy child that I was I found it quite natural to walk, head down, avoiding eye contact and all concrete cracks. But in a city where I am invisible whilst being present, taking my eyes off my fellow pedestrians may render me with a dislocated shoulder. I am thankful for the disappearance of this superstition from my life and no I do not know what the consequences were for stepping on a crack.

The second superstition is of man holes – scary things, you don’t know what’s down there and you don’t know if the ‘lid’ is on tightly enough to support your weight. I avoid these things at all costs taking the long way or finding the path of least resistance, either jumping over or placing tippy toe ever so slightly on the cross bar. The cross bar should support me, after all it holds up the ‘lid’! The consequences of this one are far less tantilising than Marilyn standing over a subway vent let me tell you.

And finally, one must not walk under metal street signs. You know the huge signs signalling a suburb direction… huge! If one was to fall it would render me either symmetrical or asymmetrical and I’m not sure what I’d prefer. And don’t get all ‘she’s crazy’ on me, next time you’re walking under a huge sign have a look at the far side of the post, I bet the grass is worn!

Now back to Black Friday, here are some fascinating and beautiful black plants for your eyes. Either flower, foliage or fruit is black or so dark it is deemed black. I don’t have black plants in my garden or inside my home. I think of myself more of a bright sunshiny plant person but these images below could twist my arm ever so slightly.

Black and dainty

Black and dainty

Terrarium with black Mondo Grass

Terrarium with black Mondo Grass

Colocasia escuenta 'Black Magic'

Colocasia escuenta ‘Black Magic’

Shiny Black Texture

Shiny Black Texture

Black & White

Black & White

Black Fruit // Black Tomato

Black Fruit / Black Tomato

Black Foliage / Black Pot / Black Indoors

Black Foliage / Black Pot / Black Indoors

We often think of black being dark, heavy and gloomy but as you can see from these plants they come in bold, striking, delicious and even dainty varieties.

Have you found some black inspiration for your garden and indoor plants? I have. This weekend will be perfect for a visit to my local garden centre.

Until next time

Carmel

Images

Leila’s // Shop Terrain // Momo Living Online

Green Life Studios // Skonahem // Feral Kitchen // Making It Lovely

A Christmas Decoration You Can Make!

29 Friday Nov 2013

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My friends will tell you that I’m ‘creative’. I love coming up with an idea, getting all of the bits and pieces I need and assembling them to make whatever it is I set out to acheive. Unfortunately these days I spend more time in admiration of what other people are creating than I do on my own ‘creativity’ – give or take a few trinkets. Any time of year is perfect for making and creating but there is something about christmas that gets the creative juices flowing. In the past it has been the wonderfully inspiring Christmas Edition magazines. But now there’s Pinterest, Instagram, many more magazines, and blogs, blogs, blogs. If you can’t find something to make/create on the plethora of social media chanels than you must be looking with your eyes shut!

It’s time to open your eyes, because I can now say that this blog, yes, the wonderful Gardens And Polka Dots has contributed to the aformentioned plethora of creativity… Yep, I made a Rosemary Christmas Wreath.

Most of us have Rosemary growing in our gardens, but if it’s not growing in your garden someone you know will be growing it. Like any plant Rosemary likes a prune, it promotes vigorous new growth and keeps the plant from getting to big and messy looking. Our Rosemary needed a prune so I decided to turn the cuttings into a beautiful Christmas Wreath. It was easy, it smells delicious, it got me away from my desk and out into the garden and the wreath will last for a very long time.

Tools

What you will need:

Seceteurs // 10cm to 20cm peices of vibrant green Rosemary // wire coathanger – made into a circle // ties // ribbon

Tie

Start with your first peice of Rosemary and tie it loosley to the coathanger circle (if you missed the ‘make coathanger in to circle’ step you’ll have a funny looking wreath, you may not even be able to call it a wreath). My coathanger was round but there is a very obvious ‘edge’ to it, but who wants store bought perfection anyway!

Twist the Rosemary around the coathanger and tie the end piece to the coathanger. Continue this with different pieces, allowing each to over lap. Eventually you can start sticking Rosemary ends into other peices and they’ll stay put. Keep going until you end up with something like this…

Paper Daisies

I wound white satin ribbon about the hook of the coathanger, this way it becomes invisible. But you can use any colour ribbon or any type of material or string – be creative!

I thought the green needed a little extra zing so I picked a few Yellow Paper Daisies from the garden and weaved the stems through the Rosemary. These Paper Daisies will last (ha ha, Everlasting Daisies) for many weeks which is why I chose these flowers over any other from the garden. If you have water reliant flowers in your garden it is probably best to wait until Christmas day before cutting them and decorating your wreath. But if you can’t resist decorating your wreath just keep an eye on the flowers and change them over when necessary – just don’t run out of cut flowers before the big day.

Paper Daisies Close

Looks like sunshine

I also cut some bronze orange Kangaroo Paw for my Christmas wreath, I just love the vibrancy of the orange with the green of the Rosemary and the yellow of the Paper Daisies. This flower will also last for a long time but I am giving it a helping hand and have it in a vase for the time being.

Kangaroo Paw

It’s being to look a lot like… a home made creation!

Wreath Both

I feel it unnecessary to point out this blaringly obvious point but I will. When Christmas is done and dusted and all the beautiful decorations come down your Rosemary can continue life as BBQ accompaniment, just pop the wreath near the BBQ and pull off sprigs as you need. There you go a vegetarian helping all you carnivours with edible delights.

And that my friends is my contribution to Christmas creativity.

I hope you enjoy the lead up to Christmas, enjoy the anticipation of the celebration that is family, friends and summer or winter, depending where you are.

Until next time.

Carmel

A Visit To Mayfield Garden

15 Friday Nov 2013

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One of the nicest ways to spend a weekend is to pack a bag, grab your respective other, in my case Dave, head on up to the Blue Mountains and pick up your newly married friends on the way. What ensues is a laughter filled weekend which includes a gorgeous timber cabin, home cooked meals, red wine, market wanderings, a few cheeky purchases and a stroll around an open garden.

Imagine the Most Beautifully Scented Rose You Have Ever Smelt And I Promise You This Rose Would Match It

Imagine the most beautifully scented rose you have ever smelt and I promise you this rose would match it

In this case the open garden is Mayfield Garden, located near Oberon in the Central West Tablelands of New South Wales on the western side of the Blue Mountains. Mayfield Garden is one of the ‘largest privately owned cool climate gardens in the world’. Purchased in 1984 by the Hawkins family, the garden has evolved to represent a grand English garden in the Australian climate. Nestled within a working farm, the extensive garden is made up of garden rooms that are joined by meandering paths and large expanses of lush green lawn. While the garden is very much a work in progress with areas still under construction and plants yet to fill out to their mature potential, there are some wonderful spaces within the garden. For example, you can wander through the Birch trees, explore the Pine trees, smell the divine roses and listen to water cascade over the many water features and water falls.

The Water Garden

The Water Garden

To say this garden is big is an understatement, it’s huge and requires around three hours to see it all. We took 2.5 hours with the only stops reserved for smelling roses and taking pictures and I was happy with that.

The House

The house

It was a joy to wander through the garden, map in hand but still not know what to expect at each destination. Within minutes of entering the garden you realise that this garden is more than just a hobby, it is a passion, filled with bold statements and attention to detail. For example, the aviary is an almighty bird enclosure containing its own mini garden. The chicken coop – well it’s more like five star chicken heaven thank you. Those chickens must be the happiest chickens on the Central West Tablelands – if not, dare I say it, the earth!

A Chicken Coop For The Happiest Chickens On Earth

A chicken coop for the happiest chickens on earth

Chicken Heaven

Chicken heaven

The highlight of Mayfield Garden for me was the grass roofed ‘Studio’. A gorgeous timber cabin up on a hill away from the main house with Birch trees planted on one side and sweeping lawn on the other. We imagined what sorts of arty endeavours might take place in the studio from painting and sculpture to stone masonry and artists retreat, who knows. What we did fancy though was ourselves perched on the veranda with a cold glass of anything we like looking out over the sun kissed countryside.

The Highlight Of The Garden - The Grass Roofed Studio

The highlight of the garden, the grass roofed studio

The Studio - The Roof Is A Field Of Green

The studio, the roof is a field of green

Exquisite Timber Work On The Front Door Of The Studio

Exquisite timber work on the front door of the studio

If you also had the opportunity to visit Mayfield Garden you may have been disappointed with the number of roped off ‘No Entry’ areas within the garden. I understand the need to keep prying eyes away from the family house that is reasonable and expected. But to advertise a garden maze and parterre then have no access I must admit was disappointing. I have mentioned that the garden is a work in progress and the maze planting still has a bit of growth to go before enclosing the occupant within, however the child within fancied a wander through the maze and she wasn’t allowed anywhere near it. The Parterre was also roped off too. Maybe it was because there wasn’t a skerrick of plant to be seen within its borders, who knows. Hopefully by the next open garden the Parterre will be richly planted, the maze will be amazing and visitors can explore both.

The Maze - No Entry

The Maze from the outside

Behind The Pleached Hedge - The Parterre. No Entry!

Behind the pleached hedge is the Parterre.

Aside from these disappointments, I did enjoy my wander around Mayfield Garden. I look forward to revisiting one day and seeing how the garden has matured and whether the grand ideas of Mr Hawkins have come to fruition. But only if I can get lost in childhood excitement within the maze.

The Walled Potager

The Walled Potager

Inside The Walled Potager, Espaliered Edible Fig

Inside the walled potager, espaliered edible fig

Inside The Walled Potager, The Garden Beds

Inside the walled potager, the garden beds

Liriodendron tulipifera - Tulip Tree

Liriodendron tulipifera, Tulip Tree

A Landscape Of Green And Maroon

A landscape of green and maroon

Divine Climbing Roses

Divine climbing roses

Tiny Pine Cones

Tiny pine cones

The Crocket Lawn, With Not A Blade Of Grass Out Of Place

The crocket lawn, with not a blade of grass out of place
Water Cascade. Built By The Romans? No, But It's Built To Last

Cascade. Built by the romans? No, but it’s built to last

The View From The Top Of The Water Cascade

The view from the top of the cascade

Beautiful Detail On The Pergola

Beautiful detail on the pergola

The Beginnings Of A Pleached Hedge

The beginnings of a pleached hedge

The Bridge - It's a Very Large Bridge

The bridge, it’s a very large bridge built with Blue Stone

The Red Bridge In The Water Garden

The red bridge in the Water Garden

I hope you enjoyed your tour through Mayfield Garden, perhaps one day you’ll get the chance to visit and see it in all it’s grandeur.

Mayfield Garden, 350 Mayfield Road Oberon, is open in Autumn 2014 on these dates; April 26th & 27th. May 3rd & 4th.

Until next time.

Carmel

Natural Swimming Pools – Swimming Chemical Free!

04 Friday Oct 2013

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This blog post first appeared on Cohabitaire {Lifestyle Inspire by Nature} in June 2013. As the warm smimming weather gets closer and closer for us in the southern hemispher I thought it a perfect opportunity to share with you the joy that is natural swimming pools, yes chemical free.

Natural Swimming Pool 6

During my teenage years and earlier I followed the blue-tiled line lap after lap after lap, kilometre, after kilometre. I loved swimming, it was one of the things I was actually good at when I was teenager. I soaked up every word my coach said to help me improve, I soaked up the boundless energy I had and I soaked up the chlorine into the pores of my skin…

I remember sitting in class after morning training sessions and all I could smell was the chlorine leaching out of my skin, yuk! And double yuk in a humid climate. Even after a few laps now I still get a hint of that same chlorine smell, although now it is a little less chemical and a little more nostalgic.

Natural Swimming Pool 2

If I was out and about and there was a swimming pool, that’s where you’d find me, submerged and loving it. The pool would have been either chlorinated or salt-chlorinated, but it didn’t matter, I was in the water, happy, excising and out in the great outdoors.

Natural Swimming Pool 4

Fast forward a couple of decades and who would have thought that these swimming pools in all of their kidney bean and rectangular shapes could one day be fresh water swimming pools (and germ free)? But don’t let the title fool you, a natural swimming pool doesn’t have to be natural looking with boulders, water plants and mud bottom, it can be a luxurious design element in your garden complete with timber or stone capping.

Natural Swimming Pool 3

The need for humanity to get back to nature, recycle and live more chemical free lives has inspired new thinking in the way we design, build and manage backyard swimming pools. It also contributes significantly to the decrease in the production / sourcing of chemicals and the use of them around our homes. This new way of thinking can only get better and it is by asking the questions of the professionals that you’ll see and help to create change. You can have a natural swimming pool designed from scratch or you can convert your existing pool to chemical free.

Natural Swimming Pool 3

By using a natural filtration system the need for chemicals to clean the water has been eliminated. No more sore red eyes or dry, stinky chlorine skin from swimming in chemicals. Now it really will be taking a dip to freshen up!

Natural Swimming Pool 5

Enjoy this summer of swimming and remember when there is water nearby always keep children in view.

Until next time,

Carmel

Images from DesignRulz and Phillip Johnson

Fun At The Garden Show

20 Friday Sep 2013

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Well, the Australian Garden Show Sydney has come and gone for this year. If you had the chance to visit I hope you enjoyed it. I really enjoyed my two days wandering around the show, held in Centennial Parklands and what a magical location. Just walking through the park to get to the show filled me with inspiration and it usually does.

One our way to the Australian Garden Show

One our way to the Australian Garden Show

Some of the highlights for me were attending a talk by Patrick Blanc, French vertical garden specialist. He showed a slideshow of pictures he had taken from around the world when researching and discovering the beautiful and endless possibilities of using soil-less plants in vertical plantings. I have a new appreciation for his craft and would like to do my own experimenting in my own garden – time will tell how that pans out!

Patrick Blanc giving his talk on soil-less plants

Patrick Blanc giving his talk on soil-less plants

I went to see ‘The Gourmet Farmer’ also known as, Matthew Evans. It was a wonderful and memorable talk and once again I was inspired, this time to have my plot of land to cultivate from and return to it nutrition, goodness and love. Actually that has been a dream of mine for some time, the talk reinforced my desire to escape the city and return ‘home’ to the country.

The ladies with the Gourmet Farmer

The ladies with the ‘Gourmet Farmer’

I didn’t seem to capture quite as many pictures as I’d hoped (I was too busy chatting, browsing and committing things to memory). But, below is a snap shot of what was happening at the Australian Garden Show.

Spring flowering feature (Westeria)

Spring flower feature (Westeria)

\\\ Height ///

Height

Texture

Texture

Layers....

Layers….

Wall.. Roof.. Tiles..

Wall.. Roof.. Tiles..

Love the table and chair setting

Love the table and chair setting

Tile detail

Tile detail

Rain chains

Rain chains

Cut and stacked

Cut and stacked

A little dutch inspiration...

A little dutch inspiration…

Gabion walls are one of my favourite landscape features. Gabion wall with bench.

Gabion wall with bench. Gabion walls are one of my favourite landscape features.

Creating movement in the garden

Creating movement in the garden

Hexagon ceiling and floating curtains

Hexagon ceiling and curtains floating in the breeze

A home for your friendly garden critters

A home for your friendly garden critters

Garden lighting

Garden lighting

Bring on the night!

Bring on the night!

Lighting detail

Lighting detail

I hope you have been enjoying the wonderful spring gardens and the glorious weather that has accompanied it.

Until next time.

Carmel

All photographs taken by me.

Spring! Spring! Spring!

06 Friday Sep 2013

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Spring is here!!

Some would say that it has been here a few weeks already and judging by the blooms bloomin outside my kitchen window, I couldn’t agree more. To say we had a tough winter in Sydney would be an exaggeration worthy of being publicly shamed on the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Don’t even suggest it.

Do however, delight in spring time. Oh yes, please do!

Actinotus helianthi - Flannel Flower

Actinotus helianthi – Flannel Flower

It’s a time when the sun is noticeably higher in the sky, the colours in our landscape get brighter, our gardens get fuller and our jackets, heavy scarves and woollen hats get stored away to make way for summer dresses, sun hats and bikinis (if that’s your preference).

Actinotus helianthi - Flannel Flower

Actinotus helianthi – Flannel Flower

If my comment ‘our gardens are getting fuller’ has made your heart skip for all the wrong reasons never fear, I say, delight in other peoples gardens, like I do. Dave and I have our own little botanical wonders occurring in the garden (those of you following SerendipityDGSN on Instagram will be familiar with our planting and flowering successes). But by no means do we have our dream garden, not at the moment anyhow and not in our current digs. So spring is the perfect time for us to to get out amongst it and visit Open Gardens, spring flower festivals and delight in others people’s gardening passion.

Anigozanthos sp. - Kangaroo Paw - Orange

Anigozanthos sp. – Kangaroo Paw – Orange

There is so much happening right around Australia during spring, from shows to festivals. So, here is a very, very (very, very) short list of a some events that might be worthy of slapping on some sunscreen and popping on a sun hat to visit.

Westringia fruticosa - Coastal Rosemary

Westringia fruticosa – Coastal Rosemary

New South Wales:

Australian Garden Show Sydney – 5th to 8th September 2013 at Centennial Park

It’s happening right now so get your hat on, grab your sunscreen and your camera, purchase your ticket/s (online of course) and get movin’. I’ll see you there!

Daffodils at Rydal – 7th September to 8 September 2013 and 14th to 15th September 2013 with lots of other planty stuff happening on other weekends during September and October.

Swaths of Daffodils can be seen in private gardens and in public open spaces during the Oberon and Villages Spring Garden Festival.

ACT:

Floriade – 14th September to 13th October 2013 Commonwealth Park Canberra

Canberra celebrates all things spring and bulby. And don’t forget to visit NightFest when Floriade comes alive after dark with entertainment, cocktails and a night market or market and cocktails. We all know what happens when we cocktail and shop.

Victoria:

Kyneton Daffodil and Arts Festival – 5th to 15th September 2013 Kyneton

Kyneton is making quite a name for itself with much desired country living, beautiful architecture, cool climate gardens and a bounty of beautiful shops. During Septmeber pay a visit to the Flower Show (7th and 8th) and the many, many open gardens.

Queensland:

Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers 2013 – 20th to 29th September 2013 Toowoomba

Oh my goodness! There’s so much on, check out the website for more information.

Tasmania:

Spring Community Festival – 5th & 6th October 2013 Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens Hobart

The name says it all really, Spring… Community… Festival… and translates to plants, flowers, food, wine, entertainment, family.

Western Australia:

I tell you what, hop on the next west bound Indian Pacific train and report back to me. Just being in Western Australia at this time of year is a showcase, festival, carnival and open garden. It most certainly is on my to do list. There was chatter about it this year but it didn’t get over the line.

Northern Territory:

Maya’s Garden – 7th & 8th September 2013 Malak (Open Gardens Australia) If tropical gardens are your thing Darwin is the perfect place to see them. This South East Asian inspired garden will have you lusting after a tropical oasis of your very own.

Tupils - Lanka

Tupils – Lanka

There’s a few spring garden festivals to get you started. As I mentioned this is a very short list, there are many, many more than this so keep your eyes peeled and feel free to share any that you’d like to promote or any that you attend and think are worthy of a mention. If you’d like to share any pictures feel free to visit Serendipity Garden Designs on Facebook and leave them there.

Epidendrum sp. - Crucifix Orchid

Epidendrum sp. – Crucifix Orchid

I have not been asked to promote these gardens, festivals or shows, I just thought I’d let you know of a few so you can get out there with other like minded people and share your passion and/or growing interest in gardens and all things planty.

Have a wonderful spring weekend.

Until next time.

Carmel

All pictures taken by me in my garden.

Bushfood – Dry Roasted Wattle Seeds

02 Friday Aug 2013

Posted by in Bushfood, Gardens, Polka Dots

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I have been hearing the term ‘bush tucker’ since I was a little girl. But, to be honest the only ‘bush tucker’ I can confidently say that I knew back then was the Witchetty Grub and I can tell you now there was no way I was going to even look at a Witchetty Grub, let alone eat one.

Fast forward, I don’t know, lots of years, maybe even a couple of decades and growing in my own garden are a number of bushfood plants, lovingly planted and cared for by myself and my husband. I usually refer to them as bushfood, but you should use which ever term you like to describe the wonder that is the edible Australian landscape.

Those of you in the Sydney region will be starting to see and smell the golden flecks of wattle gracing our neighbourhoods. Don’t you just love the scent of the wattle floating on the cool winter breeze, I do.

Growing wild, beautiful golden wattle

Growing wild, beautiful golden wattle

I thought it might take a little more time but our wattle (Acacia sophorae) is in full bloom too. In ‘Winter Blooms’ I shared with you my surprise to see so many plants flowering in my garden. The vibrant yellow wattle is no exception as the little lime green balls on the flower spike burst open with all of its glorious stamens.

From the garden, our bush food

From the garden, our bush food

After the flowers come the fruit and in the fruit you find the seeds. While the flowers look and smell delicious it is the seeds that I am really waiting for. Not all Wattle seeds are edible but this one is and the flavour that the seeds add to our breakfast muesli is wonderful.

Home made toasted muesli with roasted wattle seeds

Home made toasted muesli with roasted wattle seeds

I finally got around to opening the wattle seed pods that I harvested at the begining of our previous Summer. They had completely dried, some had opened and some of the seeds had fallen out into the bowl (which saves me from picking them out of the pod). 

Wattle Seed Pod with one remaining seed

Wattle seed pod with one remaining seed

My bowl of Wattle seeds ready for shelling

My bowl of Wattle seed pods ready for shelling

Seeds in the pod

Seeds in the pod

They are fiddley little things and the amount of pods plus the time it took to harvest has left me with little more than a couple of tablespoons worth of seeds. But it doesn’t matter, it is all about the adventure of growing, harvesting and turning our produce into an edible product that we can enjoy.

Shelled and ready for roasting

Shelled and ready for roasting

Once I have all of the seeds out of the pod I dry roast them, this brings out all of the nutty, coffee, chocolaty tasting goodness.

Ready for the oven

Ready for the oven

I’ll then grind them in a pestle and mortar and store them ready for homemade breakfast muesli and baking.

The last stage is the grinding

The last stage was grinding the seeds, this was done in batches in a mortar and pestle

I can’t begin to describe the gorgeous scent the ground wattle seeds eminate out into my kitchen, like I said it is nutty and chocolatey with a little coffee but it is so much more than that. The scent makes my heart melt, it is warm, inviting and smells like a country kitchen with a difference.

Oh my goodness, the ground seeds smell devine and look at that colour

Oh my goodness, the ground seeds smell divine and look at that earthy rich colour

Try some roasted Wattle seeds for yourself. You can purchase roasted ground Wattle seeds from online bushfood stores, specialty shops and I have often seen them in Botanic Gardens shops. So next time you are visiting an Australian Botanic Garden don’t forget to ask at the shop for your packet of roasted wattle seeds and find yourself deliciously hooked like I am.

Until next time

Carmel