Crassula ovata aka Money Tree or Jade Tree. One of the easiest pot plants to grow.

Crassula ovata

Without a doubt Crassula ovata is one of the hardiest and neglect tolerant plants I have grown to date. It has a few different common names 'Money Tree' being the most common. The problem with common names is the confusion that arises when different plants are given the same common name and Crassula ovata is one such plant. I have found that people often give all Crassula's the moniker 'Money Tree' especially the smaller leafed Crassula (I'm unsure of the botanical name). The great thing about this plant is that it is almost a 'pot and forget' plant. Being a succulent it requires very little water in the summer and even less in the winter. It is also almost fail proof in terms of its strike rate when propagating it from cuttings which can be either stem or leaf cuttings. It flowers in winter and can be planted outside in the ground or potted up and placed either inside or outside. The only trouble I have had with my potted Crassula is frost damage which occurred when I moved the plant from its original position where it was protected by my verandah. Crassula ovata is originally native to South Africa but is now found many countries. It is often used as a Bonsai plant. Crassula ovata is a great plant to gift somebody who desires a low maintenance plant. 

This Crassula was located in a car park in Brunswick Victoria. This attests to its hardiness as it would have to endure all sorts of damage in that location.

A close up of a tiny white / pink flower cluster.

As with many other succulents the appeal is mostly in the foliage. 

This is what heavy frost will do to a Crassula. This poor fellow is from my home and it had to endure not only heavy frost but also snow this winter. If I had kept it under the cover of the verandah it would have been fine. I'm predicting it will bounce back once the weather warms up.

Visiting the Forest Glade Gardens on Mount Macedon in summer

Forest Glade Gardens in summer 2014

Towards the end of last summer I took some visitors from England up to Mount Macedon to view a garden. I remember looking on the open gardens website and seeing that nothing was on offer up there on that particular weekend. That being the case I knew that there are always a few gardens that are open for viewing as these particular ones are open every weekend. We decided to visit Forest Glade. I didn't know anything about Forest Glade and for some stupid reason thought that because the garden was open all the time and not part of the open garden scheme openings that it would be a bit sub standard. How wrong I was. Forest Glade is a huge garden (14 acres) and has 4 different areas. Those areas are an English garden, a woodland garden, a Japanese garden and a cool fern gully. The gardens were very well maintained and unbelievably green considering I was there in the middle of a really hot spell (I'm pretty sure this was only a week after we had that run of 40+ Celsius days). The gardens also have lots of sculptures placed here and there. One of the great things about living in Macedon how the trees colour up so vibrantly during Autumn so I'm definitely going back there in a few weeks.

This is the first view you experience upon entering the gardens. Believe me the shade was a godsend on the 30+ Celsius day I was there.

I love these pavilions (there must be a more accurate word for them). 

One of many sculptures throughout the gardens. This one is near the front.

Top view of the topiary area.

Arum lillies growing in a cascading water feature at the top of the topiary garden. 

So much box hedge. These big gardens on the Mountains are full of hedging.

Topiary swan

Bear and giraffe all neatly clipped

The next 4 pictures are of spectacular dahlias that were growing in a herbaceous bed. They are such showy flowers. I really need to get some for my garden at home.

The remainder of the photographs are of the Japanese garden. This really was an impressive part of the gardens. Its probably has to be the largest section of Japanese garden I have seen in Victoria to this day.

Wow look at that circular passageway.

Pond area complete with stepping stones and massive goldfish.

This small path was really cute. It wasn't anywhere near big enough for any person to walk though. I'm guessing it was a water feature as it runs into the pond area.

Bonsai house.