Update on tree plantings

To date a total of 31 trees and shrubs have been planted along the Tenterfield's creek edge, including 3 in the creek itself, on a self made island formed by the last flood. However, a heatwave has struck Tenterfield, making it impossible to plant anything during the day. So, I spent my day yesterday creating a new garden bed for my neighbour, Carol, out the front of her house. The existing garden bed that was there had very poor soil, and the moisture-retaining ability of the soil had disappeared. The garden bed is partially finished due to the heat and trying to figure out what to keep in the way of existing plants and what to get rid of. The main plants I am getting rid of are the flowers/plants that create a dead underlayer, with new growth on top of the dead layer.

The redesigned garden bed with Bottlebrush planted.

So far I have planted a crimson bottlebrush in the newly designed garden bed and will be planting 2 prostrate grevilleas in it too. As leaf litter I am using Eucalyptus leaves plus the dirt underneath the gum leaves. The leaf litter is brought in from a nearby area at close proximity to a gum tree.

This garden bed is adjacent to the paddock in which the Bangor Rainforest will be grown in so it's important to extend the flora to Carol's front garden to help create additional food sources for the native birdlife, as well as creating extra shade. Not only will birds be attracted to the front garden bed once the plants are established but it will also help to create even more shade for the skinks that hang around Carol's front verandah. An entire family of skinks lives on, under and around Carol's house. Creating a habitat for the skinks is just as important as it is for the birds. What is more important is creating a leaf littered area where insects dwell which the skinks can eat in peace.

Foraging through Carol's garden I found some more plants which will be added to the rainforest. The plant's seeds were dropped there by birds (droppings) and self-seeded and fortunately for me most of them are tree seedlings that have germinated from 2 trees out the front of Carol's place. There are about 6 self-sown seedlings of these trees around various areas of carol's garden.

The 2 mature trees in Carol's front garden.

One of the seedlings of the same tree.

It's top has been chopped off but still growing.

An unusual plant like no other in Carol's garden self-germinated, probably also deposited there by a passing bird. It has dark green leaves and looks like nothing I have seen in Carol's garden as yet. When the temperature cools down a bit I will pot it up. I found it at the base of the far left mature tree (see above left photo).

I am very curious to see what this particular plant will grow into. At this young seedling stage it looks like it could grow into an actual tree of some sort. Perhaps a rainforest tree even?

The flower from one of Carol's vines.

Two of my favourite plants in Carol's garden are a bit of a challenge to get seedlings of, as they both reproduce by lateral suckers, and probably by seed. I have managed to cut off a lateral sucket from the lovely white flowering vine. It has a gorgeous 5 petalled windmill shaped flower. The honeyeaters and other smaller birds eat the nectar from the flowers. The other plant grows lateral suckers straight from the base of the trunk and is proving unsuccessful at getting a sucker from it. The vine, however, will eventually be planted somewhere near the creek or transplanted next to one of Carol's existing semi-mature trees at the edge of the rainforest area. I love finding free plants especially tree seedlings.