Landscaping is on the agenda here in Blackheath. Our new house in the Blue Mountains has been built within an established garden, on a similar footprint to the old, now demolished cottage. Nevertheless, new entrance steps and an added vehicle awning have meant that some mature plants have to go.

One is a mature sasanqua camellia. It won’t be a great loss, as it was being squeezed out by a spreading Japanese maple and hadn’t flowered for a few years. Such a shame really, as the parrots loved munching on the blooms.

THE KING PARROTS ONCE LUNCHED OUT ON THE FLOWERS

Rather than just hack it down we offered it to friends from Mount Victoria. They had already taken a large Japonica, so we were pretty sure they had the wherewithal to remove this one.

WORKING IN THE WET!…..MARCH 2021

Oh dear me, what a day they chose for the job. As they dug and pulled and struggled the rain just got heavier and heavier. Torrential is the only word I can use to describe it. Of course having started, our friends didn’t want to give up. After all, when you are soaked to the skin more rain is of little consequence right? It’s a bit like swimming in the sea during a downpour. This feeding king parrot was just as wet!

MAPLE SEEDS WASHED DOWN WITH RAINWATER

Human strength was clearly not enough. The trailer was parked on the lawn and a rope attached between the van’s bumper bar and the tree trunk. OK, start your engine!

But was that tree going to leave its home? NO! Admit defeat my friends. You can see the sheets of rain as Dave sadly re-attaches the empty trailer. 😨

The abandoned project next day. At least the rain has eased a bit.

Removal of this camellia was part of our landscaping plan.
FIVE CROWBARS MAY HAVE HELPED
A BLEAK OUTLOOK 😫
ROUND TWO…ALMOST A KNOCK-OUT!

I spoke too soon….another deluge. There was soon a moat around the camellia.

Oh my hat, we hadn’t actually planned on installing this stepped water feature!

Conolly cascades, an unplanned landscaping feature.
CONOLLY CASCADES AT THEIR PEAK
Nature's landscaping.
EASING UP….TAKEN .FROM THE KITCHEN WINDOW IN THE NEW HOUSE

Water curtain, surely Mother Nature was inspired by the one at Sydney’s Martin Place.

Another unplanned landscaping feature.

If there’s a positive to this extreme weather event, it’s that it reveals all the weak points in your landscaping design. Forget the camellia removal…I think we need to do a bit more flood mitigation! Back to the drawing board.

I truly believe there are less challenges involved in BIRDSCAPING than bloomin’ landscaping.

2 Comments
  1. Good grief, that’s some stepped waterfall feature! Poor Rob, I was just wondering what his next project would be when the new house had finally had its ribbon cutting ceremony at the official opening. Seems like the snagging list may last for another day or two

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