The Imitation Game

Being the hopeless romantic that I am, my girlfriend and I went to Forster on the New South Wales Mid-North Coast to swim with dolphins over the Valentine's Weekend. It was a perfect day, we got to see so many of these amazing, playful and curious creatures all within what felt like arms length.

The whole experience reminded me of what wonders we have in our lives and how the natural world has helped develop some pretty amazing technology that has helped our daily lives.

They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, if this is true good old Mother Nature must be very flattered indeed. You only have to look to modern designs, structures & man made landscapes to see we are are incorporating and re-creating more natural elements into our lives.

The increased use of green (or vertical) walls and roofs in and on buildings attempt recreate mountain, alpine, coastal and cliff face landscapes, with the benefit of reducing radiant heat and energy costs (but more on this subject at a later date).

Doing a bit of research for this blog (yes I do some research, it all can't be flying by the seat of my pants stuff) I discovered the concept of Biomimicry. It's a fascinating discipline aiming to create nature-inspired solutions for complex human challenges in sustainability, environmental protection and technology. There are some interesting examples of Biomimicry.

Take Velcro for example, that nifty invention came about in 1941 when a Swiss Electrical Engineer by the name of George De mestral was walking in the woods with his dog, on his return he noticed he and his dog were covered in Burdock Burrs (Arctium sp.). Curious to how they worked, he took a closer look with a microscope and wondered how this kind of hook and loop system could be useful, in 1948 Velcro was invented.

Arctium sp. Burdock Burr

Another fascinating example is the Lotus plant or Water Lily (Nymphea sp.). Despite growing in the muddy bottoms of lakes and ponds the leaves always seem to stay clean. This is due to the micro-rough surface of the leave, this "self cleaning" system repels dust particles, as soon as a speck of dust lands it it quickly ushered to a central point on the leaf, once the leaf has water land on it (rain etc) the dust is washed off. A clever German company, ISPO, spent four years studying this phenomenon and developed a paint with similar properties, reducing the need to wash the outside of your house.

Nymphea sp. Lotus or Water Lilly

Ever seen the seeds of Maples (Samara) fall from the trees? The start spinning like a helicopter rotor blade the moment they fall, twirling like an aerial ballerina - an extraordinary engineering feat from Mother Nature designed to disperse the seed far away from the parent plant. If you haven't witnessed it for yourself, get onto YouTube now!

The Maple Seed - Samara

The Samara seed design works so well that they have been studied for years and just over 8 years ago serious applications began to surface in the area of drone technology. In June 2012, American global aerospace, defense and security technologies company Lockheed Martin posted a rather cool video on YouTube of the drone technology they have been working on called Samarai - you can check it out here: Lockheed Martin Samarai

Life can be a wonderful thing, all you have to do is look around, walk outside - take a short trip or along one, somewhere new or re-visit an old favorite. Of course to me, life within the natural world is something else, something much more wonderful, powerful and beautiful.

What inspires you?

Forest through the Weeds

Did I ever tell you I hate weeds? Well I do. A lot.

As I walked through the nursery today I was reminded of my hatred. I kept wandering off to pull weeds out of our stock, in particular Fireweed (pictured above) a plant I have a deep hatred for.

On the way home this afternoon, as I pull up the traffic lights near a new sub division I see swathes of Rhodes Grass (Chloris gayana) lining the road verges, most likely planted there to stabilize the roadsides during and after earth works are carried out. A very effective grass indeed but it does tend to spread into areas where it becomes an issue.

Due to the good rains we have had during the middle of summer, weeds have exploded around the Sydney area. Weeds by nature are opportunistic, spread freely and set numerous viable seeds - if plants could get jealous they would certainly get jealous of weeds.

So what is a weed? Back when I was studying, a weed was anything classed as a 'plant growing out of place'. Certainly you could say it's any unwanted plant, or something not native or endemic to the particular area - but what about the exotic selection in the average home garden or the non-native trees lining our streets?

A weed to me is a plant that colonizes and is persistent in an ecosystem that it did not once belong. Weeds in general show many of the same characteristics - weeds can be native and exotic. You can find a lot of good weedy information at the Weeds in Australia or Grow Me Instead websites.

Weeds in Australia (and around the world for that matter) are spreading at a rate that far out weighs the management of them. Controlling weeds consumes a large amount of resources and of course money - it literally costs billions a year. It's hard to put a figure of course on the actual cost to the natural environment but in Agricultural/Horticultural terms, it is estimated at around $4 Billion dollars annually - that's a lot of peso's!

It's not all doom and gloom though, weeds are, in some cases playing there part in alternate environment. Take Lantana camara for example, a significant weed Australia wide. A true 'Frankenstein' of a plant, a hybrid that its true origin is fairly unknown. Though it has provided habitat for small insectivorous native birds and smaller mammals like possums but unfortunately also for foxes. Lantana also serves as a pretty useful buffer between disturbed bushland and intact good bushland.

My daughters often make comment about to all the "pretty flowers" they see , most of these are weeds like Purple Top (Verbena), Gazania (pictured above), Coreopsis & Dandelion flowers and the fluffy seed heads they enjoy to spread (come on, tell me you didn't also do this) to name a few. I think the attitude of my daughters is fairly reflective of the general consensus - weeds are so common now they are simply tolerated.

Where would you start when faced with the above? Yes, it's a big problem, bigger still when you stand back and take in the whole thing. It's the overwhelming sense of futility that we all feel when faced with a garden, paddock or bush full of weeds. Where do we start?

Though like a lot of problems facing society today, it's something we all have a part to play in - Think Globally, Act Locally they say, its a great saying but I prefer an old gardeners saying when thinking about managing weeds is: "One year of seeding equals seven years of weeding".

A Load of Crepe

Heading out to get our morning coffee this weekend (something I was really looking forward to as our favorite cafe had re-opened this week) my girlfriend noticed a "Garage Sale Today" sign.  (all you Caffeine aficionados in the Hawkesbury area should check out Cornerstone).

As we do love a random adventure and the possibility of finding those perfect knick knacks for our collection we took a detour off the main road to partake in this much loved weekend ritual. Not long after the turn off my eyes were drawn to the bright magenta shades of the Crepe Myrtle's lining the street. It was actually the humorous sight of an unfortunate car parked under a Crepe Myrtle that made me take notice, I had to stop and take this photo:  

In my first blog I criticized the (in)famous Jacaranda for its messy nature, here I am going to do a 180 and express my affection for the Crepe Myrtle. Yes, Lagerstroemia's can be a messy tree but there is something a bit more appealing to me a bout this tree, possible my love of the magenta colour spectrum?

January is the peak flowering time for Lagerstoemia indica (and it's hybrid cultivars), this popular East Asian deciduous tree. The common name is derived from the crinkled flower, as it's appearance is similar to crepe paper. On our drive this morning they all seemed to be trying to out compete each other for the 'Most Vibrant' award - possibly because of a combination of the heat and rain we have had over the past few weeks.

Today Lagerstroemia's are a very popular tree for the home gardener, councils and landscape industry. With modern breeding there are now a range of colours and sizes available in the market. These 'Indian Summer' Lagerstroemia's have also been bred to resist powdery mildew, a fungal disease that effect flowers and leaves.You can get varieties ranging from 1 metre shrubs to 8 metre trees. For more information, head over to Flemings website.

Key features of this small to medium tree (apart from the fantastic flower color of course): they are easy to grow and have good Autumn foliage color but what I think I like the most are their trunks. With age they exfoliate their bark giving them a mottled appearance, as you can see below they can display swathes of silver and tan. 

I am sure you have noticed these highly ornamental trees out and about, what are your thoughts on them? I think they are a great choice for a small tree in the home garden but also have a place along the streets of our towns and cities. There is a lot to like about the Crepe Myrtle, unless you happen to be parked under one at the moment.

Summertime Bites

How about this heat?

So we are smack bang in the middle of summer, a wonderful time in Australia, a time to get outdoors and enjoy the sunshine. It's good for the plants so it must be good for us right? Apart from the generous lashings of Vitamin D, it gives us a boost to our general well being too.

It's not just us humans that like this time of year, plants are growing rapidly and flowering freely but this also means insects are out and about too, enjoying the spoils of summer. For the most part we don't notice too many of them, they are behind the scenes, going about their lives with minimal fuss but then there are others that can be down right rude and obnoxious!

You know the usual suspects: Mosquitoes, Fleas and various types of flies - of course there is cockroaches but I think we are at that point that anything bar a Nuclear Holocaust is going to do anything against that particular menace!

                                                             

So what do we do to stop these pests? There is always the chemical solution, but it isn't really the best thing for you and your families health is it?. I have noticed a lot of the new generation fly and insect sprays are using "natural plant extracts" in their sprays, about time I say, plants have had this arsenal in there defensive for years, not such a surprise really, so why don't we tap into this market a bit more?

The basis for a plants defense against insects often comes down to two factors: fragrances omitted from leaves and flowers and chemicals produced within leaves and stems to counter attack chewing and sucking insects. Take Nicotine, that wonderfully addictive drug (for all the smokers out there) was once a wonderfully effective insecticide, it is produced by many plants in the Solanaceae family (Tomato, Potato etc). 

So why don't we take a leaf (pardon the pun) out of the defensive playbook of our green friends and see what natural remedies are available to us. 

Peppermint: Biting bugs don't like the scent of Peppermint, so grow some in pots or in gardens near outdoor entertaining areas, crush leaves and apply to skin for best results*.

Lemon Balm: Contains high amounts of the original wonder bug repellent Citronella, which is used today in many bug repellents. It also has many health benefits for us humans (relieves stress and anxiety and also helps digestion). As with peppermint is easily portable (keeps well in pots) and leaves can be crushed applied to skin.

Basil: Apart from being a delicious addition to many pasta dishes, this easy to grow herb repels flies and mosquitoes. Basil germinates easy, so keep some in a pot on a window ledge or another sunny spot and enjoy the wonderful fragrance. 

Chrysanthemum: These dainty daisies can be used to repel Fleas, Cockroaches and Ants. It is interesting to note that members of this genus contain Pyrethrum (particularly C. cinerariifolium OR Tanacetum cinerariifolium) a commonly used non-selective insecticide and is certified for use in organic agriculture.

Leptospermum liversidgei "Mozzie Blocker": This Australian Native from the tea tree family contains Citronella and when planted in warm, sunny spots, releases it's bug repelling fragrance to help ward of mosquitoes and other flying pests. This 2 x 1.5 metre shrub produces an attractive light pink flower and can be pruned to shape.

Lavender: This very common, easy to find and grow genus of plants is a favorite of gardeners due to it's long flowering and heavenly scent. Great for attracting bees to the garden to help pollinate fruit and vegetables. Lavenders also contain oils that have many health benefits aiding in relaxation and sleep. Lavender is said to repel moths, fleas and flies.

Tansy: This herb from the daisy family has a cute yellow button flower and has been used for centuries for it's medicinal properties. It is used for repelling ants, mosquitoes and flies. Tansy also is used in companion planting with potato crops to control beetles.

Venus Fly Trap: Ok, who doesn't love the idea of insect eating plants? As a child I loved watching the pots of Venus Fly Traps that my Nan had on her veranda, hoping an unsuspecting fly would stumble into the waiting jaws of these super cool plants. I think every kid should have one, just for the fascination aspect. Keep your eye out for other insect eating plants such as Sundews and Pitcher Plants.

So there is just a small selection plants you can use to naturally control and/or repel annoying insects and help you enjoy your outdoor time a bit more. Remember to plant in a warm sunny spot, this will help heat up the oils and release the fragrances contained in the leaves. Planting in pots is an ideal way to have these plants move with you, wherever you may be entertaining or enjoying your leisure time.

Many of the plants listed can be found at most nurseries. Check out Oasis Horticulture as they grow a great range of herbs that can aid in the control of insects, here you can find out if they supply your local nursery or garden center.

More information about Leptospermum "Mozzie Blocker" including suppliers, can be found at Austraflora

So did any of your favorite herbs/plants make the list? Any others did I miss? There are so many out there, common and uncommon. Give them a try, what's the worst that could happen? At least you're gardening and that's not a bad thing.

Enjoy the rest of your Summer, hopefully it will be pest free!

* Please proceed with caution when applying and of these herbal repellents to skin, some plants can cause allergic reactions. Best to trial a small area before a broad spectrum application.

The Green Urge

I think I have a problem.....

It appears as a form of tunnel vision. I can only focus on one thing (or a selection of things in a certain spectrum). An urge takes over me and I feel the need to take in and observe as much green life around me as possible. Should I be worried?

On a recent holiday to Europe, travelling through London, Paris and Berlin I found myself drawn to the various plants as I walked the streets of these iconic European cities. Being my first real trip abroad but it was fascinating seeing plants I only knew in nursery situations in more of their natural environment and other plants I had never come across before, I was like a kid in a plant candy store.

Don't get me wrong, the holiday itself was amazing - the history, the architecture, the people, the food, sights and smells also had much of my attention, there were so many new impressions to process but I continuously had my eye wander to the green life in my surrounds.

Be it the 120+ year old Plane Tree's at Sacre-Coeur, the symmetry of Tuileries Gardens or the Melia azeddarach (an Aussie invasion!) at the Pere Lachaise cemetery in Paris.

Tree 'Skeleton' at Sacré-Cœur

Pond at Tuileries Gardens

Central alley of  Tuileries Gardens looking towards The Louvre

From Paris to Berlin,where mistletoe laden trees stood out due to the lack of foliage, the terraced gardens of Sanssouci Palace or the pot of Anigozanthos seedlings at my girlfriends parents house in near Strausberg Germany (seeds we sent as a gift) - the green life of Europe caught my attention as much as the man made wonders nearby.

Mistletoe in Trees, Potsdam

Weeping Willow on Sanssouci Palace grounds

As I mentioned in my previous blog, I think the basis for my love of the natural world began earlier than when I started working and studying in the field of horticulture. I always found it interesting to watch the 'behavior' of plants throughout the year - see leaves change color in Autumn, shed their leaves for Winter or come to life in Spring and Summer, be it new growth, flowers or fruit.

This 'green tunnel vision' phenomenon of mine started about the time I began studying in the field of horticulture. One thing my teacher said to us was "good observation is the key to being a good horticulturalist". It was a sentiment echoed in countless textbooks and from mentor's throughout my working life so far. From my early days learning the craft up until now I have had an eye for detail, no matter how small.

I think it's kind of cool being able to live the year vicariously through plants, being able to tell what month or season it is by looking at the green life around you. But it's not all about the plants themselves, it's the creatures that interact with plants that is equally interesting.

How plants co-exist with and even use fauna and insects for their perpetuation is quite amazing when you think of the science and mechanics behind it. A sweet smell, a bright flower rich in nectar or a juicy ripe fruit - plants feeding the masses (humans included), the pay off? Procreation, life renewed.

Plants are amazing things, there are countless examples of zany and crazy things they do to survive and continue the species, but that folks is a blog for another day.

This keen eye has kept the wonder and magic of the plant world very much alive to me, it's allowed me to continue to learn about the wonders towering above us, growing around us or below our feet, it's silly to think of it like a kid holding onto the idea of Santa or the Easter Bunny but it's that kind of excitement I still get from the natural world.

What is it that draws your eye to the plants around you? Is it as simple as a pretty flower? Or is it something more complex like the Venus Fly Trap catching it's own food? I'd love to know what fascinates you about plants.

In the beginning.....

Possibly my second blog should of been my first?

Ah what the heck, stories are never that interesting in any logical order anyways.

For this installment I thought I'd look at what directed me towards Horticulture and why I still find it so fascinating today.

It's a fairly typical reason and probably one a lot of my generation (and many more in generations prior to mine) can relate to. Remember back to a time when we had big yards and less to occupy our downtime with i.e. Tablets, TV's, Netflix etc etc? As a child it was a great time to be growing up, so much endless opportunity right in our own piece of the world.

I guess I had a slightly bigger backyard than most growing up on a dairy farm in Northern Tasmania, as a young boy it was paradise - animals, hay, mud, large paddock, tractors, did I mention mud?I could get lost in imagination play for hours. Coming from a fairly big family there were always cousins around to play with, but I could also go off by myself and get into trouble at times anywhere on that farm.

Christmas was always a great time to look forward to, especially if we held the family Xmas do on the farm, so many people in the one place, I still have so many fond and vivid memories of those times. There was always one person who brought it all together, somehow with a magic wand now that I think how much work there was to do prior - my Nan.

And Jean Gregory (aka Nan) folks, is whom I squarely blame my plant obsession on!

Some of my fondest memories are spending countless hours playing in my Nan's garden. Her house wasn't far from ours, but nowhere near as close as some neighbors these days, but close enough we could visit anytime.

Her home seemed huge, I guess you could call it the homestead of the farm but I never wanted to spend too much time inside (unless food was being cooked/served - that in itself is a story for another day) because the garden was a realm of possibilities. Trees to climb on, bushes and shrubs to hide in and the creek that ran behind my Nan's house was a favorite spot especially in the warmer months (yes Tassie can get warm).

My memories of the garden were that is was large, fairly contained to the to the rear by large shrubs and large trees under planted with shade loving shrubs and ground covers.  An open frontage was bordered by fairly typical cottage type garden. The front veranda was a great place to sit and enjoy the sun or relax after a day running amok in the garden and of course there were plants filling the veranda - hanging baskets with ferns and zygocactus, various plastic pots with seedlings and other assorted green life.

The other fond memory of my Nan's garden was the edible component. Jean was like many of her generation (an earlier) that produced a lot of their own food for home consumption. Nan spend a lot of time tending to her garden and in particular the fruit & vegetables. Nothing went to waste with so many kids and grand kids around to feed. Long term needs were also taken care of, my Nan was big on making Jams and preserving vegetables - an art that is in decline but still very much worthwhile.

I can credit much of my connection to the natural world to two very prominent women in my life, my Mum, with her dairy farming and my Nan with her garden. It's sad to see that we have been losing touch, losing our connection with nature and the systems that provide us with much of the food we consume due to higher density housing with smaller backyards.

There is a silver lining however, with a growing resurgence for gardening, there are now many innovative ways for people to use smaller space smarter. Systems like pre-manufactured raised garden beds and vertical gardens all growing in popularity over the last decade.

Also, and the most pleasing as a parent, is the increased number of primary schools incorporating fruit & vegetable gardens and the cooking of this produce into their curriculum - getting kids into gardening and giving them a connection to their natural environment, learning that fruit and vegetables don't just come from the Supermarket.

So fellow green thumbs, who gave you the passion for green life? I'd love to hear your stories if you're willing to share - I bet more often than not it was passed down from a family member.

Purple Haze - Jacaranda's

It's Jacaranda season again! Those purple blooms grabbing our attention across the Sydney landscape.

It's currently peak season for Jacaranda mimosifolia - those South-American natives that love the great southern land and many of us Aussie's love them right back.

Of course what we don't see with our own eyes as we travel around, generally gets pointed out to us like we are color blind or something. Almost every year without fail there is a piece on "Where the Best collections are" in local newspapers or even appearing on the 6 'Clock News - kind of like a floral "Best Christmas Light" display listing, so we can 'oooh' and 'ahhhhh' at them like we are watching New Years Eve fireworks.

Okay, fair enough, they are pleasing on the eye, but I personally would prefer to the 'flaming' red flowers of the Brachychiton but that's just one man's humble opinion (my humble opinion tends to lean towards Australian Natives). There's always a couple of things that irk me every year when the purple haze appears:

1. The Bloody Mess! - come on, most of you Horties out there will agree surely? The green lawns suddenly turned a sea of purple, cars parked on the street,unfortunately positioned under a Jacaranda that has spewed forth it's mauve delights.

 2. Safety Concerns: The other thing I think about when I see Jacaranda's bloom is the potential slip hazard (won't somebody think of the children!). When it rains, the flowers turn to mush and on concrete paths and walkways this can make traction sometimes tricky. Ok, I know people should watch where they are walking but in this day and age public liability is zero and why not blame the trees? It's way too easy to get caught up in the social going's on via your smart phone to notice a potential slip hazard, even a brightly colored one (hell you could even be distracted by a fantastic blog about Jacarandas).



So it's really been a bit of a rant about my lack of fondness towards the humble Jacaranda? Okay you got me but it's really a love hate thing I swear.

Of course Jacaranda's are still a fairly popular tree in the landscape and I can see why: statuesque, long lasting and striking when in flower but at what price? I think it's best to admire somebody else's and think of the mess you don't have to deal with.

To conclude - I know I'll ruffle a few feathers but what the hey, there will always be those do gooders who say 'but we as humans cause more mess to the environment' to them I say - get off my lawn (it's the one without the purple flowers covering it).