Aussie Rambler, Lemongrass & Rhubarb

One day during our regular walk around the neighbourhood, my older boy spotted this beautiful Aussie rambler while I was looking at the smaller version - the pig face - growing in the same front garden.  I instantly fell in love with these flowers! They are large, about 10cm in diameter, hot pink and glorious! I knocked on my neighbour's door to ask for some cutting, brought it home, stood it in water for a day and then popped it into 50% potting mix and 50% sand.  Here's hoping it will strike.  Then I was totally elated to realise a friend, also a neighbour down the street, having tons of these growing in her garden.  She welcomed me to take as much as I wanted. One day I will!

I have failed several times growing culinary lemongrass.  First, I bought the wrong ones, 6 pots of them! And when given some authentic ones from an ex-neigbhour, and then a friend from Sydney, I managed to get them going in pots but neglected them as I was too busy with my newborn.  They died in winter.  Finally I was given some by yet another friend.  I carefully protected this little plant in winter and it did well.  I planted it into Patch Deck recently, still with plastic sheets surrounding it. It is doing well! Hooray! :

 My pot of rhubarb sprang up quickly after being invisible for a while.  Such beautiful colours! :