Early Container Gardening

lemonwood (pittosporum)

My favourite container planting started off as a gift from a friend who was leaving New Zealand. She had planted a native Lemonwood (Pittosporum Eugenoides) in a half oak barrel.

The half oak barrel was heaved onto a sack-barrow and wheeled onto the trailer. On arrival here at Mooseys I put it at the top of the driveway, near the door to the sleepout.

Potted Pittosporum

The Lemonwood seemed happy, though cramped, and I watered and fed it carefully through its first two years. Time has since passed, and I am sure now that its roots have escaped through the bottom of the barrel.

The tree is positively healthy, and its visible growth is now over four times the height of its container. Oops! I wonder where those roots have got to?

Succulent Collection

Succulents in the Bath

Next to the Lemonwood is an old tin bath which at the moment is filled with succulents and grasses. Originally I planted it with pretty things like miniature roses. They looked really silly, and I forgot to water them.

Enter the toughies - some echeverias (just stalks from existing plants) were unceremoniously poked into the soil in the bath. Much better! Then I planted some variegated Spider plants at the back. I hoped that they'd survive the winters.

Experimenting With Flowers

As an later experiment I added several concentrated clumps of mixed daffodils. I'd hoped that the soil in the tin bath wouldn't be too dry - I'll be able to drive into the garage and enjoy their yellow spring welcome. A white self sown aquilegia joined them. Alas, these good ideas didn't provide many flowers to admire, though the spring aphids appreciated the white aquilegia flowers!