Winter Begins. SoS June 18, 2022

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‘Winter is a season of recovery and preparation’ Paul Theroux.

We are well into wintry weather now in the Central Tablelands of NSW, and it’s quite difficult to find six things of interest in the garden. Two tonnes of topsoil have been spread on various gardens and on part of the lawn, a massive effort by Mr MG, and I’m regretful that I neglected to photograph either the pile of soil or the job being accomplished. However, with a return to frosty mornings and sunny days, the play of light on remaining autumnal colours is pleasing and so this week I’m concentrating on that.

Above, Sedum ’Autumn Joy’ has developed chocolate brown seed heads on caramel stalks, a delicious concoction of colours.

Next, the leaves on the Pyrus glow, buttery yellow in the late afternoon sun.

The leaves of a Heuchera ’Fire Alarm’, purchased recently and not yet planted, as it radiates richly on the wall in its pot. Now to find somewhere to house it…..

Russet-tinged leaves of this succulent (which doesn’t have a name) match the pot in which the plant resides.

A lone Nerine flower flaunts her spidery petals. Nerines usually bloom in the garden at this time, just before the frosts come to finish them off. This one, in a more sheltered spot hasn’t had to face her demise just yet.

Lastly, nothing to do with glowing, autumn or winter, the yellow-tailed black cockatoos continue to visit the Hakea petiolaris, and use their own form of pruning whilst cracking open those iron-hard capsules to retrieve the seeds. We are busy collecting the branches that have collected under the tree.

Weather today: Glorious. Sunny. -2 to 16 degrees C

For more Six on Saturday, check out the host’s page: The Propagator

38 Comments Add yours

  1. Rosie Amber says:

    The lone Nerine looks lovely, fingers crossed she stays frost free for a while longer.

    1. Jane says:

      Thank you Rosie. We are well into frost territory now, especially with the gloriously clear days we’ve been experiencing. Every day the Nerine holds on is a good one!

  2. I never imagine you having frosts, it is always a shock. I haven’t heard of Heuchera ‘Fire Alarm’, it looks wonderful in that winter sun. Always loving the cockatoos! Hubby has been hard at work, looking forward to seeing his efforts rewarded later in the year. Have a great week. 🙂

    1. Jane says:

      July and August can be very frosty, but the days afterwards are usually beautiful. I’m very pleased with the Heuchera and will most likely plant it next to H ‘Marmalade’, a nice combo, I think.

  3. As we approach our longest day this is a timely reminder that the world is round

    1. Jane says:

      Yes indeed, Derrick, and I wouldn’t mind some of your hot weather just now!

  4. Pauline says:

    We were sweltering in 32C yesterday, too hot for me, thank goodness today is cooler. Hope your Nerine survives for some time to come!

    1. Jane says:

      I love it here when the temps are in the 30s, but our heat is usually dry and not so energy sapping. I hope you get some respite soon!

  5. fredgardener says:

    Pretty Nerine flower against the light! I googled for your succulent and it goes well with the crassula arborescens: what do you think?

    1. Jane says:

      Thank you Fred. I hoped I would get an ID from someone. I’m sure you are right.

  6. Autumn Joy looks lovely. Sedums are such great all year round plants – in some ways I think I like their winter look best, especially during a frost.

    1. Jane says:

      I’ve been planting some other Sedums too. They are great stalwarts in the garden. I agree with you, I think Autumn Joy is much more interesting now than when it had its pink flowers.

  7. Prue Batten says:

    Interesting how the Tablelands are a little behind us – we’re well into winter, leaves all gone. And envy envy – you’ve had blue skies!!! We have barely had any of note.

    1. Jane says:

      We haven’t had blue skies for long, Prue. Until this last week the weather has been constantly grey and gloomy and it has been so nice to see the sun again. There’s a little breeze today, and the last leaves are rapidly falling.

  8. Heyjude says:

    A veritable feast “chocolate brown seed heads on caramel stalks” – your winter sounds much nicer than mine – usually damp and grey, I much prefer cold and frosty with sunshine! And focussing on the winter light is a good idea, there is much to love about winter.

    1. Jane says:

      There is much to like about winter, but I personally have to look much harder for it! I’m relishing the sunny days after the frosts as it has been damp and grey quite a lot here. When the colours are gone, I’ll enjoy looking at the tracery of branches against the sky – blue or grey.

  9. The Sedum is indeed glorious! I also didn’t realise you got frosts but maybe the elevation is quite high where you are? Job well done on all the top soil even if you didn’t photograph the labour!

    1. Jane says:

      Yes, although we are on the edge of the Tablelands, we are still quite high above sea level, so frosts happen often during July and August and can be quite severe.

  10. That hakea is good value for the black cockatoos, Jane. Self-pruning too. Bonus. Perhaps a few more are needed in your general vicinity? The succulent in the pot looks like it is enjoying the weather. I love these few days of sun we are having. I wore short sleeves on my walk yesterday.

    1. Jane says:

      I don’t think Hakeas are so very popular in private gardens as I never seem to see them anywhere around here. Perhaps not ‘pretty’ enough despite their wonderful flowers. Short sleeved walks? That’s impressive.

      1. I’ve not been successful growing them myself. Maybe you have found a very hardy one. It seems a shame that there aren’t more around for the black cockatoos.
        I was wearing a thermal t-shirt under my regular T and there was no wind.

  11. You do have some really nice Autumn colors. It is always interesting to see what is happening on the other side of the world. We have been hitting 100F (38C) with no rain in sight here on the Gulf Coast.

    1. Jane says:

      Oh, I wish for some rain for you. I’m guessing that your 38C is humid as well which would be enervating. Our heat tends to be quite dry so more bearable at that temperature.

      1. Yes, we are very humid. The morning start near 90%.

  12. Despite your opening remarks you’ve found plenty to interest us with. The sunny skies make such a lovely backdrop to your photos too.

    1. Jane says:

      Thank you. The sunny skies have been most welcome!

  13. You have wonderful autumn colors. It is always interesting to see what is happening on the other side of the world. Here we are having temperatures at and above 100F with no rain in sight.

  14. That succulent looks like my Money Plant, I’m afraid I always forget proper names but mine has been going for 20+ years. Lovely autumn photos

    1. Jane says:

      I have kept all my plant labels since I started this garden and can usually identify something (not always off the top of my head , though!) but that succulent was given to me as a cutting, which is why I don’t know its name. A couple of SoSers have supplied names, which is just what I was hoping for!

  15. Kris P says:

    I’m sure all that topsoil will pay dividends come spring, Jane. Your colder winter delivers more punch in terms of seasonal color than mine. My two cents on the identity of the pretty succulent is that it looks like one of the smaller Cotyledon orbiculata, some of which have that lovely edging.

    1. Jane says:

      Thank you Kris. Fred Gardener from France also supplied the name Crassula arborescens. I’m very pleased to have some idea of what this plant may be. It was given to me as a cutting which is why I don’t know it. I always hesitate to guess at a name on my posts in case I’m wrong. I’ve been caught out a couple of times!

  16. Cathy says:

    Your winter garden is very colourful. Lovely shades of yellow and orange. I wonder if you ever have snow fall in your garden if you have frosts? Handy to have the cockatoos prune for you. Shame there isn’t a creature that can spread topsoil! 😉

    1. Jane says:

      Hi Cathy, we don’t have snow in our garden. Last year there was some snow on the hills behind the house, but that was very very unusual and it only lasted a day. It was the only snow that settled in our more than 20 years of living in this area. Occasionally there have been flurries, but that’s about all.

      1. Cathy says:

        Thanks Jane. Interesting to learn more about the climate in your part of the world. 😃

  17. Karen says:

    Beautiful colour on those trees, I love the foliage of Heuchera’s never been able to grow them for long though. We got down to -2 the other morning in Cobbitty the weather has been pretty cold so far.

    1. Jane says:

      Thank you, Karen. You have beautiful colours where you are too. I’m hoping my Heuchera will last. I’ve planted it near one called Marmalade, so I’m hoping for nice colour contrasts.

  18. paolsoren says:

    It’s amazing what you can find in a winter garden. And my local nursery calls that unnamed succulent the “Lipstick Plant”.

  19. Indeed that succulent does look great with that ceramic pot color. I was going to guess it was Kalanchoe thyrsiflora. Or is that just another name for crassula arborescens? I tried growing one once but it died. Yours looks wonderful!

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