Spring Fling! with Earth Creation Landscapes

Image source: Photographer Ian Waldie

The best place to celebrate the joy of Spring is in our gardens. Pete Goodlet leaps into the new season with gay abandon.

Spring is here IN Noosa so it’s time to shed the winter woollies – and possibly a few other layers that we tend to gather around ourselves in winter. Gardening is an excellent form of exercise as you will find yourself stretching, bending and balancing – but always make sure your ladder is stable or you may find yourself in emergency! And no one wants to be trussed up in spring. Time to take the pool cover off the pool and get ready for laps – the brisker it is the faster you will swim. It’s a win-win. Have a little float on your back and cast your eyes around the garden. Does anything ugly jump out and need hiding?

Hopefully we are not talking about Beryl next door getting a bit of early colour on her bits – or Bobs – for that matter! In the subtropics some plants can become too lush and need a good trim so spring is an excellent time to get your bushes in order. Poolside planting is vitally important to get right. It takes a bit of a beating in summer so it pays to reassess just how successful it is. Grasses and other perennials may need thinning; succulents can be cut back, and cuttings used to fill gaps in the garden. Fresh gravel or pebble mulch can unify the area and keep dirt away from the pool edge.

Paving loves a good spring clean as does the pool coping. If in doubt get the professionals in for a long-lasting treatment. Scrub your outdoor furniture and roll out the umbrella. Is it time for a new cover? Afterall, spring is the season of joy and renewal.

For those of you lucky enough to own a tennis court, it’s time to whiten your lines and wash your whites. Get your blower out (a battery one if you’re a good neighbour) and blow away the winter debris and any winter blues that may have gathered. Speaking of neighbours, be very wary if Beryl and Bob suggest a game of mixed doubles! Tennis may not be the only thing they have in mind…

Spring is a great time to fertilise your lawn and garden. Follow the instructions and an excellent rule is a little, often. Large doses of fertiliser are wasted and can be leached into the watercourses in a big spring rain. A gentle feed of slow realise fertiliser is perfect. Foliage feeding is a great way to promote lush spring growth in an establishing garden. It is also excellent for your herbs and veggies. You don’t have to have a dedicated herb garden. Some herbs like Continental Parsley make an excellent border alternative and who doesn’t love a rosemary hedge? Planted near your BBQ or pizza oven all the Mediterranean herbs are excellent and stronger rosemary stems can be stripped and used as skewers for lamb kebabs.

Spring is the perfect season to bring colour to your garden -plant pots full of it around the garden. Orchids can be mounted on tree trunks or fences for an exotic touch. Furniture can be used to create an eye-popping feature – why not jazz up that old timber seat with a fresh coat of turquoise paint. Your garden in Spring loves a bit of attention but always take time to sit and celebrate the season of renewal.

Watch the birds as they flit and flirt around the garden. Hopefully you have lot of flowers for them and for the bees to enjoy. Native banksia, grevilleas and correas are great bird attractants. A large shallow birdbath will give you and the birdies hours of pleasure, and your garden will sing with the joys of spring.
Now what could be better than getting out there and doing all this yourself?

The image of Stuart and his strapping team of workers at Earth Creation Landscapes coming around to whip your garden into shape is really rather appealing. And yes, their power tools are battery-operated. How neighbourly.

About the Author /

pete.goodlet@gmail.com

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