Water is Life.

Summer has arrived at last.  Temperatures are regularly hitting the mid-thirties.  Watering newly planted trees and shrubs is now  a matter of life and death. One day missed can result in disaster.

In 2011 we invested a considerable amount of time and money in new plantings. A Hazelnut hedgerow comprising sixty trees, an advanced and rather expensive American walnut, a Pecan and an English Mulberry were planted in The Nuttery.  We relocated fifteen Silver Birch in The Horse Paddock and replaced a Japanese Maple.  In The Parterre Garden we planted fifty Dwarf Box, Buxus suffruticosa,  and eight climbing Cloth of Gold roses on the pergolas. On The Eastern Terrace a new hedge of one hundred and twenty English Box was planted.  In The Hill Garden we planted new Mt Fuji cherry trees and relocated a Magnolia denudata, three Magnolia grandiflora "Little Gem" and some Camellias into The Camellia Grove.  New grape vines and Crepescule roses were planted along the stone walls of The Old Cottage Garden; in this garden we also planted two Moss Roses, "William Lobb" and "Nuits de Yong" plus a Granny Smith Apple.  In The Old Orchard we planted a Pink Lady apple and in The Main Courtyard dwarf peaches and nectarines were planted in wine barrels. A Chinese Liquidamber, Liquidamber formosana,  was planted in The Water Garden. And a new garden area was undertaken with the planting of Proteas and Silky Oaks The Western Acre near the camping ground next to The Gully.   It was a busy year.

Although we have had significant rainfall recently it would be foolish in the extreme to think this means that regular watering is not necessary; this is a common error and results in many deaths.  The routine of weekly watering must be continued through midsummer, regardless of rainfall,  for the first two years after planting.  In heatwave conditions even more regular watering is often required  These new plantings will therefore require careful attention until the summer of 2013/14.  To see more information, including complete plant lists, for these garden areas at The Drip, Mudgee click on the links above.