It's late autumn here in Australia and though there are a few flowers in my garden, I thought I'd have a go at creating an arrangement that draws on foliage colours and forms rather than flowers for interest. Though Adelaide has a Mediterranean climate, I grow a fair number of tropical foliage plants in pots, moving them undercover in winter to keep them dry in the cooler weather. Here's what I came up with: Foliage: Iresine herbstii , Aucuba japonica , Plectranthus argentatus , Hypoestes phyllostachya , Alpinia sp., Syngonium podophyllum 'Neon Robusta' (I think), Ctenanthe setosa , Ctenanthe setosa 'Grey Star'. Flowers: Begonia 'Mega Red'. Fruit: Sold to me as 'Chinese 5 colour chilli', from a garage sale over a decade ago - I've been saving the seeds and growing it every year since.       Here's the arrangement with a few props: Props: being late autumn, it's persimmon season. Yum. I like the vanilla type; the knitted black ca...

It's late autumn here in South Australia, but in reality, it feels more like winter as our rainy season has well and truly arrived. Though I aim to have a plentiful supply of flowers in my garden throughout the year, this month feels like slim pickings, however I still managed to find a few blooms as I wandered around with my camera recently. The standouts this month are the Schlumbergera sp. With their dazzling colours, they brighten the garden on cold, drizzly days. This one is Schlumbergera 'Millie'. Schlumbergera 'Millie' Schlumbergera 'Millie' with Iresine herbstii below This yellow / buff variety is a favourite for its unusual colouring:  On closer inspection, I noticed something unusual going on....     At first, I though the salmon blooms might sprouting from a separate plant (often several cuttings are placed in the same pot to create a fuller basket for sale). However, on closer inspection, I noticed that both yellow and salmon blooms are growi...

Autumn is by far my favourite time of year.  Our (often hellishly) hot summer temperatures gradually subside to cooler nights and UV radiation levels dip low enough to allow for gardening sessions without the non-negotiable long sleeves, sunscreen and hat of summer outdoor activities. Lagerstroemia indica x fauriei 'Natchez' in autumn regalia Many of my favorite perennials are in full flower frenzy, intent on making the most of the warmth before the cooler weather sets in. Plants in the tropical garden look good too. After months of balmy temperatures, they have likely forgotten they are living in a temperate climate.  Backlit Canna 'Tropicanna' But more than anything, the reason I like this time of year is for the glowing ethereal quality of autumnal light. The way it comes in sideways, backlighting foliage, seedpods and flower stalks, transforming the mundane into something magical.   Begonia sp. lit up like stained glass I attempted to capture this light during...

Until recently, an average day for me began with an early morning stroll through my garden, cup of tea in hand and Cosmo the cat weaving in and around my legs as we conduct our morning garden inspections together. Then I’d head out to garden for clients, or up to the nursery where I work part time. On days off, I’d usually be found pottering around my own garden.  Cosmo keeps an eye on the Agastache foeniculum Then I broke my ankle and all garden activities came to a grinding halt. The injury was a silly one; I inelegantly tripped on a door snake in our hallway, twisting and falling awkwardly. X-rays revealed the need for surgery and the installation of some gnarly metal hardware with a long period of recovery downtime. This was not the news this gardener wanted to hear! Ankle surgery and gardening don't mix   Not being able to garden has been interesting. My immediate thought, when the accident first happened was... ‘how on earth am I going to water my (600+) pot plants*!?’...