In the Garden with Nell Carr
Photo contributed
Gaillardias, or Blanket Flowers, are drought tolerant and self-seeding.
THIS COLUMN is being written as this district has been enjoying a copious summer downfall. At the time of the deadline, on January 24th, 55.6mms had fallen over two days – a lifesaver for farmers and gardeners alike. However, dry conditions could well return for the next two months, so the subject remains relevant. Few flowering plants are more drought tolerant than Gaillardias, or Blanket Flowers. A friend who was travelling in US noticed a whole field of these bright orange and yellow daisies on an arid hillside in Texas. The one pictured grows amongst Salvias, most species of which are both drought and frost resistant. Gaillardias will self-seed when the flowers dry off. Any surplus in the bed can be transplanted or discarded. Experience has shown that they will not tolerate a wet summer. Those planted in the arid bed in the Deloraine Community Garden disappeared in one very wet summer.
Most Salvias can survive in dry summers. Some of those Beef and vermicelli salad wraps Beef, vegie and vermicelli rice paper rolls combine flavours of Vietnam with Thai and Straits Chinese influences – a perfect light tasty starter. Photo by Wai Lin Coultas Gaillardias, or Blanket Flowers, are drought tolerant and self-seeding. Photo contributed 3 Toss onion rings in salad dressing, drain off excess dressing and set aside. 4 Repeat step 3 with saved dressing and repeat in sequence with carrot, capsicum, pea pods, basil, chives, mint and lastly the vermicelli. 5 To assemble 12 salad wraps, evenly distribute the dressed basil onto 12 lettuce leaves, followed by equal amounts of the dressed vermicelli, beef, pea pods, carrot, mint, capsicum and lastly, chives. 6 Fold in both ends of lettuce leaf and roll into a sealed parcel. Makes 12 salad wraps that are both drought and frost resistant are Salvia leucantha, the Mexican Mint Bush, (purple flowers), the red flowered S. greggii, (Autumn Sage), S. trijuga (blue purple flowers), and S. officinalis, which is the culinary sage, but with its flowers of a striking bright blue it is not out of place in the ornamental garden. The shrubby Salvias should be trimmed back after flowering
In the vegie garden
A warm, moist soil is ideal for sowing winter vegetables. February is the last month for sowing carrots and parsnips. The latter are much slower and more pernickety than carrots. Their long roots require deep topsoil, and they need regular water. Unlike carrots, parnsips have to be dug, rather than pulled out, to avoid breaking off the very long, slender roots. Sow them in seed raising mix and keep them moist. Seeds are slow to emerge – three to four weeks, and should be thinned out to 10cms apart. They will take from 18 to 20 weeks to grow to maturity.
