Leaving Australia in Autumn

Leaving Australia in Autumn

My Australian herb bed, with Tansy's in flower.

Each year my husband and I depart Australia in April or May to travel to our house on the island of Lemnos in the Aegean. This year we are leaving a little earlier than usual and so after our Australian Easter we will be celebrating the Greek Orthodox Easter in Athens.  Hopefully this will mean that when we get to the island we will be able to catch more of the Greek spring - though of course going earlier also means we will miss most of the colour Australian autumn. 

However autumn here and spring there means I'll be having a very busy April in two gardens. Here in

before I leave I've cut back trees and bushes and lit bonfires. Because we have fire restrictions in the summer I've had to wait until April to do this. Fortunately I've just had time to light the fires before we leave and today I've burnt down to ash two large piles of branches. 

The fire burnt down, with water at the ready in case is spreads.

This is a job that is carefully monitored by the Kookaburras

They are on the watch for insects escaping the fire.

After the burn off there are still other jobs I have to fit in.

Another job waiting to be done. I'll be redoing a flower bed, adding some new plants.

Autumn Pleasures in this Forest Garden

The flowering Sedums

Fuschia's that have been flowering all year.

We will miss picking the lemons. They will ripen while we are away.

But I'll look forward to getting back to see how my woodland walk is developing.

 And Autumn in Greece

There are different joys to look forward to in Greece in Autumn.