Malcolm's house at Oyster Cove

Monday, April 03, 2006

Bracken is my friend


This view is looking towards the west. The bush in the background and the hills behind the bush protect the property from the worst of the weather that sometimes hammers Tasmania from the west and south. In the foreground is lots of bracken fern which has an undeserved bad reputation. I've found the bracken a very useful plant nursery. Young trees are protected by the bracken from summer sun, winter frost, competing grass and browsing animals. Once the tree is higher than the bracken it starts to out-compete the bracken and then other understory plants can regenerate.