The Ballandean Dump Beautification Project...Part Two.

A long time ago, yes, sometime last year, I wrote about the Ballandean Dump Beautification Project.
It started for us, well, for my husband actually, at a dinner. After a hearty meal and a few good red wines, the idea was born.
One of our neighbours, a long-standing local, Sam Costanzo, a grape grower and wine maker, suggested to my husband, also a grape grower and wine maker, that they meet at the dump early next morning to plant some trees.....to make the dump look better.
Well, after more than a few wines, what do you do but agree?
So they did. They met at the dump. They planted tress.

That was 12 months or more ago, and over that time some of the trees planted did not make it. Some died.
What to do?
Recently Sam spoke to Ade again about the problem, and a second day was planned, to replace the dead trees, and add more plants.

Ready for work.

Here is Sam's truck, with a 44 gallon drum of water, a hay bale for mulch, and plants. All ready to go.

Sam, with one of the Golden Robina trees.

Ade with buckets of soil.

Last year they planted some Chinese Pistachios, which have beautiful red Autumn foliage.
This year they replaced the few dead Pistachios with Golden Robina, which also has colourful Autumn leaves.
As an extra they planted some Virgina Creepers, which look like grape vines, and have magnificent red leaves in Autumn.
Sam is hoping that they will grow up and along the walls of the dump.
(Apparently, this creeper which originates from China, is an excellent climber. The Chinese have called it Mountain-climbing tiger because of its vigorous growth. Don't you love the descriptive Chinese names?)

Sam telling Ade what to do!

The tree is planted, so now the support stake must be placed.

"Just add water"

...and then cover with mulch.

 

And the Virginia Creeper is in.

 The Golden Robina (Robinia pseudocacia) has clear yellow leaves in Spring, which turn bright yellow in Autumn.

The Virginia Creeper (Perthenocissus tricuspidata) has magnificent scarlet, yellow or purple Autumn colours. Then the dump walls will truly be beautiful!

It really should be the prettiest dump in Queensland by the time all the plants mature!