We enclosed our previously screened-in carport, placing two small conventional windows on the SW side, facing our tiny sideyard. Both the SE side (facing our back garden) and NW side have sliding glass doors, the NW doors having glassed-in miniblinds. Both sliding doors have thermal drapes that can be used to cover them completely in weather that is too hot or too cold, and I have both a portable dehumidifier in the SW corner and and a large "end table" automatic quartz heater in the NW corner. I placed three large area carpets over the concrete slab, giving me essentially three different areas in which to arrange things. The slab absorbs both heat and cold, so if I am attentive to the room's needs it is entirely possible to keep it comfortable year round by adjusting the drapes, ventilating, and running the dehumidifier and heater. My sliding glass doors are screened, so on a good day I can open the doors at both ends and have a wonderful breeze through the entire room, and almost have the look and feel of a sun porch *and* a screened in porch, but without the inconveniences. The NE side opens into our tiny dining area, and we have an air conditioner in there. On very hot, humid days, our "sun room" is cooled sufficiently from that and a ceiling fan we added. This is a fairly low cost solution for anyone with a roofed-over carport or garage that they never park in; it's incredible the amount of living space that can be added to a home--it's now the largest room in the house, and the most attractive in terms of view, lighting, and general comfort.

Molineaux really is a sturdy floriferous rose. Shame about the lack of scent though. I've got Charles Austin, it's a big fella, also disappointingly scentless.. I'm not planning to cull him, but if I had time over I'd probably get something else. There's so many lovely Austins..my faves would be Pat Austin (Glorious on every level! A must have, and not at all strident in colour which you could expect from the photos and labels...very very fitting he named it for his wife) Jude the Obscure (sensational perfume...when it's running) Abe Darby (Lovely flower, lovely perfume, lovely lovely rose) Cymbeline (yucky myrrh type smell, but sensational colour) Eglantyne (great smell, and very pretty too) ...easy to go one, as is often the case, the ones that make the most beautiful shrubs aren't so hot on the perfume... ...have you checked out the Austin section at Werribee?

W I am on the Mornington Peninsula and we have sand if I dig 3-4 ft down I will find a pure fatty sand. I used the Council mulch for many years, then switched to Sugar Cane ages ago. There are a few tips you should follow. Make sure the soil is wet first best after a good soaking rain. First prepare the soil by adding plenty of Moo Poo, Dynamic Lifter and Saturade lightly dig it in and give it a good hose in. Mulch I have use it 15-20cm+ spread it best you can then give it a good watering. I know its a lot of work but it works. The soil is well fed and damp, the sugar cane on top stops the water evaporating. A good watering at least twice a week and the underneath will not dry out. A little Saturade helps the water penetrate the Sugar Cane. Keith

Threading back for a bit, I want to cover my couple visits to garden centers in the Dandendongs. This was the only place on the trip to AU & NZ I had the chance to drop in and see what a GC looks like. At Emerald Garden Center I took more pictures, but talked more to the very nice people at Paddy's Plants. They were super friendly and interested that an American knew something of the region, horticulturally speaking. Here's a view of the main sales area at Emerald. Although NH (going to start using that as an abbreviation for Northern Hemisphere!) plants are, along with all other plants from outside AU, highly restricted, they obviously got plenty of good ones in before the quarantines. You can see a lot of colorful maples here. I think I also might spot Toona 'Flamingo' which was a common ornamental, and in fact the first place I saw it. They were gorgeous pinky-orange throughout the mountains and coastal parts of Victoria. Mine only colors if we have a perfect 'slow motion' springtime; if it gets too hot too fast, like this year, the pink color doesn't form as well and quickly vanishes. They surely perform better in the PNW. And one more picture from the coast, of Nasturtiums being weeds. I envy the places where even the weeds are beautiful, which is also the case of the UK and their much hated Impatiens glandulifera. I didn't get a good picture but Watsonias are planted in many Dandenong private gardens, and obviously spread very aggressively, as plain-old orange daylilies might around here. Before we leave the coast, one more picture of the Southern Ocean. I did visit "Twelve Apostles" and other attractions of the Great Ocean Road, but figure they will be well covered by many other travel sites/instagram feeds/whatever. I'm glad I briefly swung by the interior town of Ballarat. It's amusing that it's considered to have a very harsh climate - at least by Victorian standards - but is still mild enough for date palms. I spotted this fine Sequioadendron in an old church yard. The airbnb I had in Wangaratta had a superb view of the distant "Victorian Alps". These are the home of the 3rd or 4th hardiest gum tree, Eucalyptus neglecta, which has become somewhat popular in the US. Alas I also had a really annoying issue with this Airbnb, that started my long slow souring on them...such that after 2019 I won't stay in one unless it's an emergency. But I digress. Another thing not quite related to horticulture but I am ethically obligated and I daresay, spiritually bound to point out. IF YOU EVER GO TO THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE, REMEMBER TO GO OUT ON A CLEAR NIGHT AND LOOK AT THE STARS. Perhaps, due to a paucity of the ethically obligated AND well-traveled in my life (haha), *nobody* told me this. THANK GOODNESS on a lark I went out to get something in my car and looked up. My jaw dropped. TBH I'm surprised this is not more written about in travel literature - but - I'm not even into astronomy but my mind was absolutely blown away by 1) how different it looked and 2) how much 'starrier' it seemed. I think what I saw was the Carina nebula...in any case, I wasn't really able to capture with my camera but here's a pic anyhow. (This being a very rural part of AU obviously reduced light pollution.) (And I had never tried to do astrophotography, before, or since! Take me word for it...it's impressive) Here was sunrise over the 'Alps' LOL. On the drive towards the Snowy Mountains and the VIC/NSW border, I saw various pine plantations. I believe in Northern Spain, there are Eucalyptus plantations to return the favor. 🤣 I spoke above about the maddening variety of AU Proteaceae and Myrtaceae at the Australian National Botanic Gardens in Canberra. I could do a whole thread with my pics - but, of course, they have limited relevance to most of us, in terms of what we can grow in our garden - but I'll just add one. This is Melaleuca fulgens of Western Australia. Various plants of WA have to be grafted to grow in NSW or VIC, because of the climate differences. This one might be ok on its own roots just because Canberra has a reputation of being 'chilly' and a bit dry. In fact, in the woodland valley that is something of the centerpiece of the garden, there's a discrete misting system to keep the trees ferns happy. But still it would seem like an incredibly mild climate to any American not from coastal California!