A fitting Tribute to Colin Campbell

© Courier Mail

Hey Everyone,
Tonight I thought I would take a break from the Melbourne adventure and talk about one of my Idols and heroes.

For those of you that did not know him, or had not heard, sadly, Colin Campbell at the age of 78 died this year.  He had been a presenter on Gardening Australia from the very beginning as well as writing articles for newspapers, magazines and as a host of a gardening radio show.

I have had the pleasure of meeting Colin on several occasions and I was amazed by the person he was. I was expecting meeting him to be something akin to meeting some big, intimidating famous person, but when I did, it felt as though he was an old family friend who had been around my entire life.  He was a truly amazing man.  His kindness, passion and knowledge was overwhelming and I was blessed to experience his genuine smile on several occasions, which I am sure would have had the ability to light up a dark room.

He was an incredible man and I was so glad that Gardening Australia did a fitting tribute to him.  I would like to send you all a link of the video and I highly suggest you all take a look because it gives an insight into the funny, knowledgeable and cheeky man that he was.

He shall be very sorely missed, though I am glad I had the privilege of meeting this brilliant man.

A Tribute to Colin


Happy Gardening,
Michael

© Brisbane Times

Melbourne Adventure | Part 3, Melbourne Aquarium, Cont' (Penguins)

One of the few underwater photos that turned out ok, THEY WERE SO QUICK

are you watching me while I'm in the bath?!

Hey Everyone,

ok, so yesterday I said today I'd be writing about the gardens I visited, however, after I published the last post I realised... I FORGOT THE PENGUINS, honestly, I couldn't possibly let you all miss out on hearing about these amazing Penguins.

so, to bulk up this post so it's not just a couple of words I figured I'd write out this information signs that were in front of the exhibit.

These were written on the signs so therefore are not my property and are likely the property of the Melbourne Aquarium.

a mother's content

Gentoo Penguins

CHEEKY AND FEISTY

Scientific Name: Pygoscelis papua

Maximum Size: 85 centimetres

Life Span: 15 to 20 years

Population: 640,000

Gentoo penguins are active little characters with an amazing supply of energy.  They are the fastest underwater swimming bird in the world and can reach up to 36 kilometres per hour.  While they can sometimes look a little clumsy on land as they waddle through the snow, Gentoo penguins can out-run humans over short distances.  These cheeky penguins are curious and outgoing, which leads to a habit of investigating and interacting with anything new.  Gentoo penguins often call out to each other with a honking sound and sing together in a loud chorus.

strike a pose

DINING DELIGHTS

King and Gentoo penguins savour particular flavours.  Only the highest-priced platter at the most exclusive seafoo rastaurant would tickle the taste buds of these fussy eaters.  Their most prized delicacies are Lantern fish and Rock cod, with squid, krill and other crustaceans being the perfect side dishes.  Instead of using cutlery to grip food, penguins have specialised tongues that are covered with dozens of small spines pointing backwards into the throat to prevent tasty morsels from escaping.

BABY PENGIN

HEATING HABITS

These penguins are cool characters with hot bodies, as they have two different but extremely effective insulation methods for surviving Antactica's freezing climate.  While their outer feathers are covered in oil which acts like a waterproof jacket, a thick feathering inner coat insulates penguins from the elements.  A penguin's nose also knows how to keep it warm. It has a complex heat exchange system that allows warmth to be retained when they breathe out.

Well, Happy Gardening,

and hopefully tomorrow shall bring some beautiful gardens,

Michael

Melbourne Adventure | Part 2, The Melbourne Aquarium

Well Everyone,

Shall we continue the adventure?
Following my um... interesting (?) flight down to Melbourne we got back to the caravan park and had to reverse the motorhome into our spot... yeah, nothing better than a loud reversing beep at midnight to meet your neighbours... oops.

The following morning (Saturday) mum and dad woke me up at 6am which would not have been a problem in Brisbane, however due to stupid day-light savings it was 5am Brisbane time and lets just say, I was a LEEEEETTLE  bit tired.  But after finally dragging myself out of bed we were off, which is a precarious task as my bed is located above the front seats of the motorhome, yeah thats right, let's seen anyone climb down a ladder gracefully whilst half asleep and still being partly entangle in the sheets. LOL

So, after a quickly scoffed breakfast off we went as quietly as possible in our motorhome into the Melbourne Convention Centre because Mum and Dad were down their for work (for the AQM, Australian Quilt Market, which is a wholesale show for the craft industry), anyways, after spending a couple of hours in there helping mum and dad, part of which i spent being the "water-boy", handing out bottles of water, I finally managed to "escape" off to the Aquarium.

A view from the bridge between the Convention Centre and the Aquarium.

Therefore, with iPhone "Maps" app open in one hand, camera in other with a backpack on the back I set off from the convention and over to the aquarium.  The trip there was an interesting one, for some reason the Maps app decided to send me via the scenic route which all it showed me was buildings and shops, and we have plenty of them up here in Brisbane so it was no big-y to me.  But then on the way back I figured screw the app, I'm going to try out a different way and if I get lost then so be it, that'll be funny.  Well coming back it turned out to be a far more scenic (i.e. pleasant to look at route) than it had been going the opposite direction because this time I didn't go through city streets, instead I went through one of the MANY river side parks.

Well, enough blabbering about that, lets get on to the FISHIES!!!! :)

Long-knecked turtles, they look so cool

Cow Fish, they kept me entertained.  They'd skim across just below the top of the water going in circles

I was so excited about this Chambered Nautilus

Don't you just love a good Jelly?

these were the stupidest, most dumbest jelly fish EVER, they spend most of their life upside down... dumby heads

octopus

weird octopus eggs (?)

FISHIES!

Now you see him...

and Now you don't...

hehe, I even spotted an Nobile Dendrobium in one of th tanks... Pitty it was in the Poison Dart Frog tank :S

and there's the frog in the middle of the photo, just above the rock and left of the plant

Well, off to bed I go... Until tomorrow when I'll tell you all about my adventures of the plant kind, First up the amazing Fitzroy Gardens, then following that is the Botanical Gardens, as well as the Queen's court of roses and the King's Domain... but you'll just have to wait to hear about them.

Melbourne Adventure | Part 1, Getting to Melbourne

Hey Everyone,
Well, so begins the telling of my adventure to Melbourne and back.

Before I started upon my adventure, I made my last post, Orchids In Flower, whilst sitting in the Brisbane Domestic airport, and I was most impressed by the speed of their free internet.  Little did I know, this was the beginning to an experience.

My plane was leaving from gate 30, and I was seated in seat 16 F... however, during my flustered and excited trip from my seat in the waiting area, across the tarmac and into the plane I managed to convince myself that no, I wasn't in seat 16 F, I was in seat 30 F (I got the gate number mixed in).  So here was I, sitting in the window seat, having made myself comfortable and gotten my book at the ready when a couple walked onto the plane, looked at me, looked at each other, looked back at me, then started whispering furtively to one another... when they said that I was sitting in their seat I apologised but said with full conviction that I was certain my ticket stated I was in that seat... yeah, I very quickly got out my ticket to double check and noticed my mistake.  I apologised profusely and shuffled up the aisle to my PROPER seat... hehe oops.  Now in my defence I must remind you all that I'd had MINIMAL sleep for the past two weeks and had undertaken a gruelling 3 hour long chemistry exam, then 3 hours worth of Geography orals, one of which was mine, that went for 10 minutes.

Having found my seat, the person in front of me very promptly decided to lean their chair back ALL THE WAY, then lean on it really heavily so it went back even further, so lets just say, I spent the next 2 and a half hours plotting this individuals slow and painful death.

However luckily I had the wonderful "The Scent of Scandal", a book about the smuggling of Phragmipedium kovachii to keep me fairly well occupied.  And I plan on finishing it off in the next couple of weeks and telling you all about my favourite bits and what I liked about it... I guess you'd call that a review :).

Thankfully, the plane finally started its decent and soon I would be with Mum and Dad.  Having landed myself and the other occupants of the plane walked across the tarmac, into a dingy tin shed-cum-walkway and up we went towards what I was expecting to be a nice, clean arrivals area of the building.  YEAH, NO!  Up the walkway we went towards the building then just before we reached it the path took a sharp right turn and spat us out into what could not be more lavishly described than as a big cage.  It was an area with a tin roof high above, with bars for walls and a one way spinny-door-thing that was also made of bars, with an old beaten up conveyor belt in one corner... yes folks, this was the Tiger Airways arrivals area... for those Aussies that read this, you will understand, yes, sadly, I experience Tiger... and I vow, never again.  The place was freezing cold (i'd have to say, the 2 and a half hours travel resulted in a drop of 20 degrees and roughly a drop of 50%-80% humidity).

Once I made my way out of the "spinny-door-thing" I was then greeted by a very sleepy dad (I arrived at 11:45pm) and we then drove to the caravan park, while I slept in anticipation of my up-coming adventure the following day.

Happy Gardening,
Michael

And a Photo just for fun: Unknown Encyclia, I'm trying to find out the proper name for this, it is a species.

1st of December | The Meanings of December

Hey Everyone,

Okay, it's not exactly the first.... it's the fourth, but still the issue is relevant.  Today i thought I would let you all know what this significant day means....

the meanings are as follows.

HOLIDAYS, WOOP WOOP - Yes, it is holidays, and I don't have to go back for another 8 weeks, YAHOO, and I plan on making the most out of these wonderful long, warm, sunlit days.

SUMMER! - I have mixed feelings about this.  On the upside it means days at the beach, or in pools... or anything water related really... but it does also mean heat... lots of it too.  But I guess without heat then it wouldn't really be possible to experience that heavenly atmosphere after rain.  The humidity in the air, the overpowering aromas of freshly cut lawn, mulch, plants, the wonderful smelling and tasting air, and the sweet, subtle and luring scent of the flowers.  To be able to wake up in the morning just as the sun rises to the deafening chorus of birds, and to be able to be elbow deep in dirt, mulch and plants within a few short moments after waking up.

CHRISTMAS! - Yes, it's almost here.  Now my poor family has to put up with endless christmas carols and soon (i.e. ASAP) I will be getting out the boxes of christmas decorations and the house will be brilliant... it normally takes me a couple of days to decorate the house so I normally try and con a friend into helping me, muhahahaha.


POINCIANAS!!!! - My bestest garden friend of all is in the middle of coming for a visit.  No I'm not talking about an actual person, I'm referring to the several poincianas that we have at our house, this time of year they explode into "fire-y floriferous-ity".  They are completely ablaze with flowers and having walked under one of them today the dogs and I got completely showered in pollen and got the equivalent of a bad fake tan from it.

FAMILY! - This is that wonderful time of year when no matter what, you see the family and friends.  I'll be visiting uncles and aunts and staying with grandma, and they'll be visiting us, and on Christmas day of course, all hell will break loose :).  No doubt there'll be a fight, likely due to too many cooks in the kitchen, everyone will talk louder and louder so that their story or opinion will be heard, there'll be the practical joke or two, we'll all GORGE ourselves on food then spend the rest of the day waddling around making mischief and chatting, and it will be an all round thoroughly enjoyable time.

and lastly... FRUIT! - One of my favourite things about this time of year, it's not the lollies, candy or sweets that excite me, it's the overwhelming abundance of fruit; Mangos, Cherries, Mangos, Nectarines, Mangos, Apricots, Mangos, Bananas, Mangos, Avocados... MANGOS!

For those of you below the equator, I hope you enjoy this wonderful summer ahead, and those of you above it, enjoy your winter, and those of you lucky enough to get a white christmas (ours are normally brown, and we're excited if it's green, but it's never white), I hope you enjoy it.
Happy Gardening,
Michael

And I now have a Facebook page for the blog, so why not pop over to it and give it a "like".  I'll be updating it with every new blog post, and will probably talk on there more than I would here.  The kind of things that are interesting, but not long enough to make into a blog post :)
here's the link: My Patch of Heaven, Facebook

I'm BAAAAAAACK!!! | Carina's Roses & Garden

HEY EVERYONE!,
Yes I do still exist believe it or not.  I've barely been around lately thanks to school assignments, etc. But now that it's the summer holidays you'll all be wanting to get rid of me :) hehehe.

Well, have I had an absolute blast!  Melbourne was absolutely amazing.  I have a lot to talk about... and show for that matter because while I've been away I've taken 2,161 photos... oops, 1,204 of them being from the Dubbo Zoo where we stayed the night at their WONDERFUL, "Zoofari".  It was the worlds best christmas present.

While I've been away I've visited the Melbourne Aquarium, the Royal Melbourne Botanical Gardens, several plant nurseries, all of which I shall be raving on about, and the wonderful Mt. Beenak Orchid Nursery run by the ever-knowledgeable Clive Halls.  Then on the way back from Melbourne we stopped off at a couple of quilt shops for mum (yes, even they shall be getting a post) and I did a little bit of writing in the car too, but only a little, I was too busy drinking in the scenery or chatting with mum and dad most of the time.  Then there shall be a HEAP of posts about the amazing Dubbo Zoo and what we did there.

On the way back from Melbourne, we (Mum, Dad and I), stayed at a friends house on Sunday and Monday night, and on Monday morning I decided to go for a stroll around our friend, Carina's, garden, and I was amazed by the overwhelming number of roses, so of course I took some photos to share.  Enjoy :)

Now I must say, since we visited our friend's house, Mum and I have gone a bit rose crazy.... since Monday we visited Carina we have bought: 2 Rosa "Peirre da Ronsard", 2 carpet roses, 2 bush roses, a standard rose, and a couple of other little miniatures.... I think I may have to create a garden exclusively for the roses.... I can think of worse things to have to do :)


Happy Gardening,
and it's nice to be back blogging again.

Michael

p.s. sadly I don't have the foggiest of ideas what the names are for the roses above, and there are a couple of non-roses in their too...