In Melbourne's summers, the grass burns to straw,
leaves and branches fall from Eucalypts,
the soil turns to dust
and all that moves are the wind and insects.
Even hardy succulents and sun-lovers wilt and singe.
Days in the mid-30s ( 35 degrees Celsius = 95 degrees Fahrenheit ) are not uncommon.
You go outside into the simmering heat and want to faint.
You realise it's silent because the birds have stopped singing.
I am spending countless hours watering, nursing the garden, keeping strong.
oh! Faisal is almost surreal to see those pictures when everything here is covered with snow... the good thing about spring & summer is that they always come back ; )
ReplyDeleteI hope they do, Demie! I long for autumn, as you must long for spring. You must miss Greece at times like this. I saw tonight on the news that Norway has had a wonderful starlight shower.
ReplyDeletei live in the southeast of Norway, so such spectacular phenomena only on TV ; )
Deletei think i miss Greece more lately, not because of the winter but because i know things are not good there now...
It's sad to see these things happen without immediate solutions. I hope answers are found quickly.
DeleteWith the exception of the brown grass, your beautiful photos don't make it look very parched. It all looks lovely. Do you get humidity with the high temps? That is the thing that bothers me about summers in DC. When I was in Melbourne for about four days in August 2007, it was sunny and bright and had really nice crisp temperatures and a bit of a warm up that brought out all the locals in running shorts. There were so many people out jogging and biking and playing sports, it made me think that Melbourne had a fitness requirement for its citizens. I'd be interested to see it in the summer.
ReplyDeleteOh, about the silence. Do you have cicadas there? I know the part about it being too hot for the birds to make much noise, but we have such loud cicadas when it gets hot here that there is always a loud hum.
Hello Faisal:
ReplyDeleteOh dear, how distressing to see things burning up in the heat. We always found in our gardening days that hand watering was never as good as a decent amount of rain. If only we could send you some of the wet stuff that is pouring down as we write!!
Stay cool!!
I hand water my roses, and the newer plants. The others must bear up with us and wait for March and autumn coolth. We have a humungous frog chorus going at the pond this evening.
ReplyDeleteHi Thomas, Australia's meant to be the most sport-mad country in the world and Melbourne its most sport-mad city...I have to say we're also known as a hub for much of Autralian culture too!
ReplyDeleteHumidity's not a great problem. We've had a hot spell lately - the burnt grass in my photos was emerald green only recently. When it gets really hot - too hot to be outside - you know you just have to sit it out.
Thankyou for the compliment - I could have taken some awful photos, but who'd want to look at them?
Yes, some years we get masses of cicadas - whick I love, both as an insect and for their noise - but this year they're pretty low-key.
Hello Jane and Lance,
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you that only rain really penetrates. Up in Queensland they're having floods, but they won't be trickling down this far south!
Diana, our 12 year drought only broke a year or so ago, so things here are still finding their feet, though I'd prefer not to have to worry about watering. Where I live has particularly sandy soil too, which doesn't retain moisture. How lovely to have the frogs. It's a noise I find comforting!
ReplyDeleteFaisal, I am already dreading our next summer here in the southern USA. Last year we had record highs of 114 F; I lost so many of my favorite plants. I have yet to decide if I will replant. We are having a mild winter this year, making me worry about this upcoming summer. I hope you have a fabulous gardening hat to wear when you are out. Wishes for a nice summer rain in your future. Bonnie
ReplyDelete(I hope you don't mind I mentioned you on my site.)
Do many people get killed by falling eucalyptus branches, Faisal? Like coconuts supposedly kill loads in Thailand each year? Lovely photos and they could be of a different planet compared to Sussex in winter.
ReplyDeleteDavve
Hi Bonnie, though the challenge forces greater ingenuity, drought can be devestating. I hope your bad weather's just a glitch. I've got two hats, but bad me, I tend not to wear them! May all of us experience gentler climates! ( No, I don't mind being mentioned on your site at all. )
ReplyDeleteDave, to be honest, I've not heard of anyone being killed by a falling Eucalypt branch! You're probab;y more likely to go down to a shark, a red-back or an alligator...
ReplyDelete'I am spending countless hours watering, nursing the garden,'
ReplyDeletei must say this is the last thing gardens need..most plants just shutdown to adapt to the heat and dry..my garden has never been so stressed in this driest period for 15 years..I will lose nothing!
A great many have been killed by gums tree's..hence the name for many smooth barked euc's..widow makers...
ReplyDeleteI'm not in a position, Billy, to play with the life of a garden that isn't my own.
ReplyDeleteYou are obligated by your landlords to water?
ReplyDeletef
Deleteyou comment box will only open to me in "reply" form....
nice to see your photos again.....
John, it's always good to hear from you. My computer's been playing up for some time, so sadly, my communication's not up to scratch.
DeleteDear Faisal, this post is divine, the photos are divine and it so expresses the searing heat. I have just been watching, not watering, and trying to capture the desication in photos. Plant shutdown like Billy describes it, is what many are doing. They won't die, but I never know if annuals like forget me nots will be back, and in what numbers. cheers, cm
ReplyDeleteexactly the opposite here. except the keeping strong part.
ReplyDeleteCatmint, it's hot enough to challange all you know. I, for one, had forgotten what drought/heat was like, and will be glad when autumn comes. Nice to hear from you.
ReplyDeleteVelma, I could do with some serious cold, despite my arthritis.
ReplyDelete