A little piece of paradise in the hills

I am lucky enough to be the custodian of two gardens; two very different gardens. One of them surrounds a little 1940's cottage and is in Kallista in the Dandenongs. The name Kallista is derived from the Ancient Greek superlative noun for "the most beautiful", and it is. The garden is on the shady side of a hill, adjacent to a small, rambling creek. It is a private place with low light and much dampness in winter. It forms the backdrop for this website.

I would like to introduce you to the broader constitution of this garden. When I think of this garden I think maple, conifer, rhododendron, camellia, yew, pieris and mountain laurel. There is something of interest for every season of the year, even if winter is a little blander than the rest. Birds love this garden and I am lucky enough to have a pair of yellow robins who keep me company when I'm digging.

The Green Rose / Rosa chinensis 'Viridiflora'

            Well here is another gem from Ivy's garden! I had never heard of green roses until recently when Ivy brought me a bunch. I have since discovered just how unusual this plant is. Apparently the mutation is caused by a genetic abnormality which results in a bizarre bloom that is made up of sepals, not petals (the sepals are the leafy-looking bits where the stem joins the flower heads). Green roses are known to have been cultivated since 1743 but I am suspicious that they are now hard to find. When I asked a nurseryman/grower in Keysborough about them (as of course I decided I must have a plant of my own) he was keen to find my source of green roses with a view to propagating them. Don't worry Ivy, your secret is safe with me!

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A visit to Ivy's garden

My lovely nonagenarian friend Ivy has a rambling, cottage type garden out Ringwood way and during my visit I was introduced to some very interesting plants that I was not at all familiar with. Ivy's encyclopaedic knowledge of plants is awesome. The plant pictured above is a Peruvian Lily (no, not Alstromeria). It is otherwise known as Scilla Peruviana; an evergreen perennial that is a native of Portugal and Spain.

Another gem from Ivy's garden is this Cantua buxifolia or Scared-flower-of-the-Incas (also called Magic Flower). These are poor photos that were quickly taken early in the flowering season of the plant; they do not do this exquisite plant justice. I've read that you can grow a plant from seed or from a cutting however the seed will only produce a monochromatic flower. It is the national flower of Bolivia and apparently Bolivians adorn themselves with the flowers on special occasions.
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Mum's cactus flower

How's this for a cactus flower?!?
My mother has this type of cactus growing in a pot on her balcony and recently potted a piece for me. She can't remember where she got it from but thinks that Dad might have brought it home from an elderly lady's garden in Flemington. Any ideas on what it is?

                         Update from Ivy  (see "Ivy's garden"). This apparently is an Orchid Cactus: EPIPHYLLUM. They are jungle dwellers, needing semi shade and a rich fast draining compost of sand peat and leaf mould. They strike easily from cuttings (as per the example above). Good in large pots or hanging baskets. Slugs and snails love them so keep watch!
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