street trees and water saving

I mean, really???

Who could do this to this beautiful tree?

Time for a rant about street trees. The streets of an old suburb like Bonbeach are planted with a hodge-podge of street tree species in various stages of growth and health. The earliest plantings are probably the most successful - giant flowering gums in the back-streets. The tower above the powerlines and were probably planted before power was put through. They provide sanctuary and food for flocks of rossella. Old trees in the neighbourhood reach the same heights and contribute an interesting, sheltering skyline - Norfolk Is Pines, Araucaria heterophylla, and Pinus pinea, Stone pine, though I'm not sure about this one - its massive and a darker green, maybe a Pinus densiflora.
Mixed with these are random Casuarina spp., Melaleuca spp. and various others including the subversive olives of my neighbours. The odd Pittosporum spotted about seem to have died in the drought. The one on my nature strip was, I think, Pittosporum undulatum. the council don't seem to take much notice of weed warnings. Kingston Council recently had a bit of a spree replanting dead and diseased street trees.
It caused some a lot of argument in my street which I got dragged into. The council workers who planted them told my neighbours (who were all out supervising) that they were coastal banksia (Banksia integrifolia var. integrifolia), which are indigenous to the area. Coastal banksia grow to 25m trees - surely not ideal under power lines. Anyway, the twiggy young saplings they planted have very long and markedly serrate leaves. The leaf arrangement and the leaf shape and attachment look more like Banksia serrata, the Saw Banksia. At length we decided that we liked this one better anyway and it we only grow to 16m. Given that is bound to be further hacked about by the council to protect power lines, perhaps this is a less dangerous size. They were well mulched and the council were careful not to destroy the nature strips which are planted with shrubs and ground-covers. The upside of a fairly disinterested council is that they let you do pretty much what you want. I don't think I could live in one of those designer suburbs where you can only plant specified, approved species and must paint you fence in approved colours.

My experience of the Smart Water Site.
Well, I entered information for the front garden and parking area. The site offers a lot of information to identify plants and advise on watering requirements. For anyone looking to plant a new garden or someone with limited gardening experience taking over an existing garden the site would help with planning and planting. However, I had planted my garden knowing I would not be watering very much after the initial settling in. I selected plants suitable for summer drought, adequate shade and shelter,  then composted and mulched. The watering requirements calculated by the site suggested not watering at all, which I don't. Not very helpful.
I did appreciate the site's providing plenty of photos of the plants suggested for various water requirements. Its a great help to see the plants growth habits in Australian conditions rather than European photographed books or sites. The site will be useful to me in stimulating planting ideas for future plans - I don't intend my garden to be static.

local parks

 the quality of parkland varies. there are some vacant blocks acquired by the council which are little more than derelict sites, mowed weeds and perhaps a swing. Other blocks have been developed as more focussed recreational areas with wide gravel paths, shaded (eventually) seating areas, some attractive artwork, mosaics are popular and metal sculptures. These are well maintained and well used by the locals.
Bicentennial Park is popular with both locals and visitors. These photos were taken in the early morning before the hoards of toddlers and preschoolers arrive. After school and at the weekend the park is packed with walkers, riders, skaters - there's a purpose built ramp - families picnicing and work and recreational groups. The landscaped areas and open parkland are planted with native species in groups or alone to create views across the wetlands and open land. Mounds, almost small hills, probably manmade, create more enclosed spaces. Gravel paths suitable for walks and bikes stretch many kilometers and link with school bike paths, the bridges across the Patterson, Kananook, lower Dandenong and Mordialloc rivers. Some remnant trees remain from previous plantings, wind break Pinus radiata, Casuarina spp. and Eucalyptus citridora. Landscaping is ongoing and the parks staff seem to be venturing beyond trees/grass/paddocks/wetlands and are planting path intersections and bends with interesting shrub. this planting style makes the groundplan look more natural as it seems as though the pathways meander to go around copses of trees. I have spotted Eucalyptus ficifolia, Red Flowering Gum and Eucalyptus mannifera, Red Spotted Gum and Australian frangipani, Hymenosorm flavum. I think also possibly Livistona australis, Australian Cabbage-tree Palm.

 The play areas are structured to appeal to different age brackets but all are visible from the seating areas around the park so parents can keep an eye on their variously aged children.

 Open areas give a feeling of space in an residential suburb.

This is the back of the golf course and the path down from the river which links the wetlands through to Mordialloc Creek.

Roses

 I grow only old fashioned roses in my garden. I have tried hybrid teas and David Austins but the soil here is very poor (just sand and shells) and these modern roses need a lot of cosseting. The roses shown here are Rugosa, which don't mind sand, Bourbon and Noisette, which don't mind heat. I also grow old Tea roses and ramblers. They basically look after themselves. They flower best in the Spring but repeat flower through the summer and autumn. I disregard gardening books advice on planting in full sun as this just bakes them to a crisp. All my roses are planted in half to full shade and have been watered maybe a couple of times this summer. I like to grow climbing

 roses as the garden itself is really a series of courtyards and ground space is limited. I've had to put up serious metal supports on the walls of the house as the Early Tea climbers grow enormous in Melbourne's climate.
I order bare rooted stock in the winter from a specialist nursery in the Dandenongs. The catalogue arrived this week with hundreds of tempting varieties.The old roses have such fantastic names. I have ordered Souvenier de Mme Leonie Viennot, more Mutabilis, Comtessa de Sargosa, Arch duc Joseph and Baronne Henriette de Snoy. I have experimented with burying the grafts on the old types and it does not seem to do them any harm. The Complicata is climbing into to purple plum (Prunus cerasifera 'Nigra"). I have started to propagate cuttings so that I can have some of the stronger growers on their own roots. I think the old Wedding Day rambler in the back garden is doing this for itself; where the long canes hit the ground they are rooting just as the Albertine rose did from the neighbor's garden over the back fence. Both are 'pruned'with the chainsaw.  

                                               Beach boxes on the quiet beach at Bonbeach

                                               the south river walk, above. the wetlands and park, below

Bonbeach has a large amount of open space. The houses only stretch a few blocks back from the beach and the golf club spreads from the river to the south, back along the bike track towards the wetlands and parks. The beach is a fabulous open space for children, the sand flat and firm and the waters shallow and sheltered. The is hardly any public parking from Edithvale the the north as far as the Paterson river, so the beach at Bonbeach is private. Local are issued with parking permits but almost everyone walks down. There are little cafes at the Life Saving and Sailing clubs, most only open through the summer. You see people walking on the beach in all seasons and weather conditions, walking their dogs or even just choosing this as the option for walking down to the shops at Chelsea. There are seats and sheltered areas at the river entrance and people sit there all day watching the river traffic come and go. 

The wetlands have really come into there own this year. This google map does not show the greening up of the parks and the huge lakes that have returned to the wetlands. There is always water in the deepest parts even through the drought. The wetlands are remnant and reconstructed areas of the CarrumCarrum swamp. The wildlife are enjoying the wetter conditions with ducks breeding up and egret, herons and pelicans on on the river and wetlands. Also some of the fattest kangaroos I've ever seen in the fenced (protected) ares up at the Edithvale end. Sports grounds extend along the back of the housing development. Football, cricket and hockey are played on the well maintained fields through the week and weekends. There are facilities spread though the parks and netball grounds and a basketball stadium available. Centennial Park is a huge landscaped open area with walking tracks, woodland areas, lakes, dog parks and a pony club linked to it. Also a fantastic children's play area. 

The river itself is a well used open space. Patterson Lakes boat traffic flows out of the 3 flood gates up and down the river and out into Port Phillip Bay. The Water Police Dock and the Parks station are also here. The River has footpaths running either side with the south side track linking with the Dandenong Creek Path. The photo above shows the stretch going past the National Rowing Centre. Foot bridges cross the river at the entrance and at Wells Road. Its a pretty long walk around, about 7km but a huge number of local people I talk to do the walk with their dog, children on bikes or as a run every day. The riverside paths also have parks, lawn, native trees and BBQs which are well used by families picnicking during the warmer monthesWhen the river is low and the tide is out little beaches form where toddlers can play in the shallows. Fishermen set up along the river for all day sessions and seem to get fairly good results. 

Missing photos

This is one of the photos I was planning to add to last week's post. These alleyways lead through to the river pathway and are used by everyone to cut though between blocks and sport facilities. More photos to come.

Open Spaces in Bonbeach

I live in the tiny bay-side suburb of Bonbeach. The area was settled early due to the presence of fresh water creeks but for most of its Commonwealth history has been a holiday or retirement suburb. Only with the rapid spread of the metropolitan area in the 1970 has it become a commuter suburb. Due to the ad hoc nature of earlier subdivision, irregular, large blocks extending across and between streets with access from both roadways or alleys were common. Random small areas of high density units and town houses now exist where those blocks have been developed but there are still a surprising number of the old double blocks - neighbours in my road use theirs as large vegetable and fruit gardens. Greek families at either end of the road have extended their olive orchards out on to the verge. They were out there with ladders and sheets harvesting last week-end.
Despite the odd housing mix and the apparent disinterest of the council in any form of town planning there remain large open areas surrounding and through the suburb. Until recently there were sheep grazing blocks in the next street and there are still farmlands in use on Wells road. There's a pony club and huge children's parks beside wetlands that extend from Mordialloc Creek to  the Patterson River. There are sports fields and facilities through Chelsea and Bonbeach, a golf club, the river and riverside parks and of course the beautiful beach and foreshore.
Is it possible that this random growth and change can continue to provide such a cosy feeling community or are we too headed for a greedy development boom that banishes old gardens, cricket fields, pony clubs and flower filled alleys?