CLIMATIC DIFFERENCE

My garden is different to most Queensland gardens due to the altitude of the Granite Belt. Most Queensland gardens are located in tropical or subtropical climates, but the Granite Belt of Queensland is the only region of this State with a temperate climate. The majority of the gardens in Queensland only know two seasons, the ‘WET’ and the ‘DRY’ whereas here on the Granite Belt we have four distinct seasons as in the Northern Hemisphere.

Usually our winters are dry so we seldom get snow and for the same reason we frequently experience more winter frosts than Victoria. Brisbane and Melbourne are the capital cities of Queensland and Victoria. Coastal Brisbane has a subtropical climate but the altitude of Das Helwig Haus (about 850metres above sea level) and our position on the western side of the Great Dividing Range create our much cooler climate.

State capital cities

As my readers know I have a fascination with trees and one of the significant registers of our climatic conditions here are the eucalyptus trees commonly known as a Peppermint Gums. These trees grow along the mountains of the Great Dividing Range from Melbourne to the Granite Belt.

Peppermint eucalyptus

Significantly they have tightly formed bark, which they don’t shed in strips like the other forms of eucalyptus trees growing on our land. It is almost as though they use their bark to keep warm.

Cool mountain climate

The darkly shaded area I have marked in black on this map shows the coldest portion of Australia which experiences four distinct seasons each  year.

If you look again at the map of the State capital cities you will note that Perth in Western Australia is at a similar latitude to Brisbane,  Queensland. There are no cold mountain districts in WA.

When planting seed of frost tender plants I note that most packets have a map on the back showing with differing colours the recommended growing seasons for flowers and vegetables. That is not to say though, that our soil here in Queensland will be as cold as in some of the southern states. It is always the early or late frosts which concern me. While it might be possible for me to germinate cucumber seed in September, it is probable that the seedlings will be frosted. Therefore I seldom plant my summer vegetable seeds before mid-October. Generally we expect autumn frosts by the third week of April, but in 2009 we had a cutting frost on 30th March.

I mention these dates as reason why I am now harvesting the last of my summer vegetables and bedding down my garden in preparation for winter.

Colouring grape leaves

The grape leaves have begun to colour but our garden is not without flowers. Presently the mauve deciduous hibiscus, which is the National flower of South Korea, is in full bloom.

Deciduous hibiscus

Note that I have already thickly mulched the ground around these shrubs to prevent weed growth. The Rose garden is scented with the fragrance of the repeat blooming rose varieties.

March is the month to harvest vegetables, savour the taste of the last fruits of the season like figs and persimmons, enjoy the roses and lay down mulch as a ground cover.

Mr. Lincoln

Pink Iceberg

Double Delight

Book cover

Das Helwig Haus B&B owned by Eberhard and Fay Helwig is situated at Glen Aplin, near Stanthorpe on the Granite Belt of southern Queensland, Australia.

This is a region noted for Australian wildflowers, four wilderness National Parks and sixty wineries. In 1997 Eberhard and Fay established the Remembrance Field of red Flanders poppies, a European wildflower.

To obtain Fay’s book Wildflowers, wilderness and wine send an email to helwig@halenet.com.au The price is $33.00 posted to destinations within AustraIia.

Internationally it is available on

http://stores.lulu.com/strictlyliterary

http://books.google.co.uk/