lemongrass
Dear Ciara,
Another weekend over. How was yours? We had an eventful one. Early Saturday, we drove north to visit a country market we like. The markets are set up in the shade of this old, stone church, and surrounded by gorgeous gardens rich with red heliconia and pink trumpet flowers. We wandered the markets for a while, drinking Vietnamese iced coffee and window-shopping, before heading to a nearby beach for a quick explore. We had a lovely walk along the water, sheltered by a canopy of sea hibiscus and coconut palms. I collected some of the hibiscus flowers in the hopes I might be able to cross-pollinate them with some of my hibiscus plants at home. Who knows what varieties might emerge!
Today has been quieter but still engaging. I had recently taken my snake beans out of the garden bed—they were being demolished by pests—so I've been looking for some replacements. After choir practice, I surveyed a couple more nurseries and picked up some seedlings. A couple of salvias (although I can’t find the variety I want), sawtooth coriander, Vietnamese mint, and some sprigs of lemongrass. I’m hoping that between the lemongrass and the already-existing marigolds, I can keep the pests at bay. As for the sawtooth coriander and Vietnamese mint, I’ve just heard they grow well here. We shall see how they do.
The weather has been fantastic, Ciara. I know you dislike the heat, but it has been so marvellous recently. The sky is a deep blue, filled with streaks of clouds, lorikeets and magpie-geese. At dusk, swarms of flying-foxes emerge from over the mountains, coming into the city to eat from the resident fig trees. There is a good energy in town. Things feel calm.
The song for today is:
Mantra — Susanne Sundfør
I can’t possibly put into works my love for Susanne Sundfør. Maybe one day I’ll write a letter to you entirely about her. I’ve recently been learning Mantra on guitar. It’s a lot of fun to play.
Love,
The Gardener