gardening dilemmas

It is proving a challenge when considering what plants to incorporate into our new habitat. The first thing we have to do is disregard and unlearn all that we knew about gardening in the UK. The problem we have is to find attractive plant species that fit all the following criteria:

1. can tolerate winter frosts of at least minus 8 degrees
2. can withstand summer temperatures of over 40 degrees
3. need little or no water
4. can grow in minimal soil of extreme acidity
5. can withstand high winds
   

.....and that leaves us with wattles, wattles, proteas, wattles, rosemary, wattles, succulents and lavender.

Of course in reality the minor environmental drawbacks are not going to stop us, so we spent the last few days digging up huge mats of nasty spiky aloe vera type succulents in order to produce a border for paeonies. Large quantities of lime have been added, irrigation installed, and many prayers sent up.

From Protea Farm 1

The metal has arrived for our new industrial looking termite proof raised bed edges, so today we unpacked the newly purchased angle grinder and set to work. It is surprisingly easy, when using said angle grinder, to set fire to your head. I now have a very interesting fringe.

The beds will soon be transformed from this........

From Protea Farm 1

......to this

From Protea Farm 1

The rockery has been graveled, and although it still has the homemade in the 70's look about it, the overall effect ( combined with the chain-sawing and removal of dead trees) is much improved.

From Protea Farm 1

From Protea Farm 1