Great idea! On paper, that is! Somehow, though even in its infancy, this year is beginning to look decidedly more complicated than I had planned! The weather has turned very, very hot even for an Australian summer in Queensland and my priorities have been set aside for the time being!
Suddenly, the garden is gasping for water and the expected sub-tropical downfalls of summer have not materialised. So my key focus has changed from creating wonderful programs for 2017 that I have had in mind .. to keeping our precious heirloom roses alive!
We have done reasonably well to keep the roses going so far by pumping water from our dam to irrigate the rose gardens. But this summer of 2016/17 has continued mercilessly on with very little rain to ease the unusually high temperatures. Typically, by this stage in summer we are coping with torrential rain from cyclones in the tropics. And the dam is filled to the brim again and the water tanks start overflowing.
Not this summer. Some old-timer farmers from around here say the rain will come, and it will be torrential! I am so hoping they are correct, but without the damaging floods that can be typical of many of these downpours.
Meanwhile, the eastern parts of Australia are continuing to cope with unusually high temperatures, breaking any previous records! And I wonder if this is going to be the new 'normal' as a result of global warming. And if this is so, how do we cope with these heightened increased temperatures in summer in a country where water is a relatively scarce resource? It seems evident that we need to develop some adaptive strategies that will enable us to continue to grow and cultivate beauty, without using all our water resources.
Perhaps, it is about gardening more sustainably, using practices that have until recently been scoffed at as too costly and low yielding. Simple measures, like retaining more trees on our properties, and growing hedges as windbreaks so that drying winds don't strip the moisture from our crops and garden plants. Trees also help to shade and shelter buildings from the sun so that we rely less on air-conditioners during heat waves. Minimising the use of artificial fertilisers and toxic sprays, so that tiered eco-systems can develop and provide not only layers of shelter, but habitat for wildlife that also help us with pest control. Other simple measures, like building up the soil with humus from our own compost will help the soil retain moisture for longer.
In our own gardens, we are growing more trees, and retaining blue gums and other indigenous species on the perimeters of the gardens, as well as hedges of tea trees and callistemon. We learnt to mulch heavily, particularly in readiness for the hot weather and to reduce moisture loss from the soil.
We also researched which heirloom roses to grow in our sub-tropical climate. Heirloom roses are generally tough survivors that have been known to live through tough seasons. So we planted heirloom roses that suit a hot climate, like the Tea and China roses and the Hybrid Musks as well as species roses. And our roses are under planted with hardy herbs that cope with harsh conditions, while providing some pest control as well.
Despite all this, we have made plenty of mistakes, such as not mulching early or heavily enough to cope with the harsh conditions of this summer. Hopefully, the old-timers' predictions are correct and we will get the much needed rain. Meanwhile, we need to learn the lessons of climate change and adapt our systems to cope. And so, serendipitously, my original goal for 2017 of educating is still in place, although with a clearer focus ..
After all, we can't live on this earth without plants,
and gardens are one of life's joys.
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