How thrilling all that you're doing. I do understand full well that with age some things become more difficult....and yet you can't stop yourself, look at all that you're accomplishing. So good that you have your godson there also....I can remember how much work I could get done at 40 and at 68, all things take much longer. I had not planned to be digging sod....no, I planned to have large trees and jusr ride my mower, but given an empty piece of ground, the plant collector in me takes over....
Regarding "mild winter" for you...is that because, like the rest of us, we're waiting to see how much of an El Nino we may have? I don't know which way it will go here....sounds like a 50-50 chance either way for us. This are would usually get 60 inches or more of rain and yet, in the last two winters that I've experienced, we've received only 30-some inches per year. Just fine with me, but we do need the snow pack and our wells need replenishing.
I see that the rooted piece of Azara that I have also comes from Chile. The friend from whom I've received these Chilean plants spent time living in Peru...perhaps this is where her love for these certain plants springs from....but then she also loves all Australian plants and has not lived there. Perhaps it is better said that we simply love all that grows......
