Succulents

EASY TO grow and propagate, drought and mainly frost hardy, succulents are excellent plants for children’s’ gardens.

House Leeks (Sempervivum spp.) are particularly appealing with their flat rosettes of fleshy leaves. Apparently they were used in some European countries to make a waterproof, decorative roof covering, hence the Common name of House Leek.

Sedum sieboldii, which trails gracefully from hanging baskets, has rounded blue grey foliage and tiny pink starry flowers in early Autumn

Sedum Vera Jameson pictured in the succulent box in the Deloraine Community Garden, has flowers of darker pink.

The same box contains other Sedums and the ground hugging native succulent Pig Face, Carpobrotus rossii.

This grows profusely along beaches in Northern Tasmania, and bears pretty mauve flowers.

S. morganianum (Donkey’s Tail) can trail down for metres, given the right conditions, sunlight and a high enough bench.

Trees in late March

It is interesting to watch the differing rates at which European trees change colour before they lose their leaves.

The Silver Birch, Betula verrucosa, turns colour in mid March, while the weeping variety of the same species retains its green foliage.

Liriodendron tulipifera (Tulip Tree) has a yellow leaf here and there. Later in April, the tree will be visible from a distance, as it becomes a column of pure gold.

Some striking specimens adorn the centre strip of the main street in Deloraine.

A copse of distant Elm trees (Ulmus spp.) bear curved caps of gold while the foliage below remains green.

In the vegetable garden

Last opportunity for sowing onions, spring onions, spinach or broad beans. Broad beans can be sown in September but experience has shown that Spring sown broad beans are not very successful.

Radishes are easily grown and children love that peppery taste and their crunchy texture. They can be sown with a little mixed fertilizer throughout the year, and are ready to harvest within 5 weeks of sowing.