Hose in hose

When I lived in Canberra (1974 - 1978, inclusive), I bought my first house in the inner southern suburb of Curtin, although in those days there was no need to use 'inner'. The back yard faced NE which was perfect. Along the back of the house, I grew tomatoes, and zucchini, and capsicum and we lived off Ratatouille.

Along the western lap'n'cap fence I grew roses. Or tried to. Helen, a friend of my husband's from his uni days, was a rose devotee and introduced me to all the nurseries in the Dandenongs, especially the ones who posted boxes chosen from a catalog, a bit like an Abbott e-Bay. I planted them so far from the fence, and so far from each other.

But roses are 'just so' plants. They are like the maiden aunt who comes to visit, with her white gloves, and perky millinery, and stockings with elegant seams. Roses are all perfume, and no soul. And, they have thorns.

When we moved to St Ives (1978 - 1998), I planted azaleas. Red azaleas like Goyet, Only one Earth, and Red Wing. White Azaleas like White Bouquet and Alba Magnifica. No thorns. No princess mentality.

This is a Red Wing.

Go forth and multiply

The Azalea "Red Wing" is a double hose-in-hose variety that is usually very hardy. I say usually, because last year I lost one of the three I had planted in my front courtyard. So the weekend before last as I readied the remaining plants for their growth prior to the July flowering season, I pruned a number of branches.

I dipped each of the maybe 8 stalks into a rooting compound and slipped them into individual holes in my gardenia bed. Lo and behold, I think there are four that are showing signs of being ready to put down roots and take on a life of their own.