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Apple Tree Garden Tour

The Apple Tree Border was created in a very early digging episode in Moosey's Country Garden. It seemed natural to use the old orchard fruit trees and dig around them. The plum and the apricot tree missed out on the naming rights.

The Apple Tree and Back House

This border was originally full of shade-loving plants like Ligularia, Bowles Golden Grass, variegated white Honesty and blue Hostas. Chatham Island Forget-me-nots thrived in the dappled sunlight. The apple and plum trees had Moonlight roses climbing through them, and there were large clumps of spring daffodils.

In March 2000 the Apple Tree Border suffered a sudden shock, as the tree lucernes which shaded the bed in summer were chopped down. The oaks planted in their place took over shade duties, but to stop any thoughts of sulking the Ligularia was moved to the back of the wood shed.

Top-side of the Apple Tree Border there are some rather large hydrangeas, and the neighbouring wood shed is smothered by a rambling rose, name unknown, intentions extremely vigorous. The top lawns between the wood shed and the sleep out are a sheltered area, the spongy grass perfect for lying down on and cloud watching. Plantings here are dominated by roses and a huge rhubarb patch.

My vegetable garden is often in disgrace, although its lettuce trees are spectacular each summer. Roses and perennials have colonised the potager, and a rose covered pergola points the way to the bridge over the water race. The thug rose Mermaid stretches along the fence to the Sleep-Out, where you'll enjoy the small shade garden of hostas, oak leaved hydrangeas and camellias.

The front of the Sleep-Out has an odd collection of pots including an old tin bath, and a very courageous Lemonwood growing in a half oak barrel. This is also the reception area for new plant arrivals - here the mail order boxes are excitedly opened, or the stragglers from the bargain bin spend weeks waiting for a new home.

Newcomers in this area of Mooseys include a large Variegated Elm tree given sanctuary in the country - and its own small garden bed to keep it company. This reaches out from the side of the wood shed towards the glass-house, and contains feathery grasses and daylily clumps.

In the spring of 2002 many of the roses which had pushed their way into the vegetable garden were redistributed around other newer borders. However, the potager which should have reclaimed the soil just wasn't quick enough. And more new roses have easily sneaked back in. Oops!

Mauve Hydrangea... Sat 12th Feb 2005: These compact low growing hydrangeas started life cruelly at Mooseys stuck in pots. Hydrangeas appreciate frequent watering, and the Moosey pots often go without. I've now planted them in the Apple Tree Garden, close to the lawn edge.
Chatham Island Forget-Me-Nots... Fri 11th Feb 2005: In a shady spot near the Sleep-out I've planted a cluster of Chatham Island Forget-Me-Nots. I'm hoping that they'll grow quite large here, as I've seen waist-high specimens in similar positions in other gardens.
Cabbage Tree Top... Wed 23rd Jun 2004: One of the first Cordylines (or Cabbage trees) I planted is seen here, tattered but triumphant, silhouetted against the winter blue sky.
Elm Tree Garden... Sat 22nd May 2004: The variegated elm arrived at Mooseys in 2001 as a rather large tree. Firstly it was planted in the grass by the woodshed.
Both Sides of the Fence... Wed 19th May 2004: Early in the Moosey garden's history this fence was planted with pink roses, in a very narrow border. Then I planted the yellow rose Banksia Lutea at the end of the fence.
To the Glasshouse... Wed 19th May 2004: This is the view standing under the yellow Banksia Lutea rose looking at the back lawn and the glass house.
Along the Garden Fence... Mon 17th May 2004: Plantings along the garden fence towards the pergola have changed over the years. First things were very simple - and apart from daffodils and some neglected dahlias there were few major gardening statements. But then...
Choisya Sundance... Wed 21st Apr 2004: This slow growing Choisya has beautiful yellow foliage, and lightens up the shady Apple Tree garden with its sunny colours. The variety is called 'Sundance' for a very good reason!
A Tale Of Two Borders... Sat 20th Mar 2004: The Apple Tree Garden and the JAM Garden on its right both have New Zealand flaxes at their end points. Originally these two were modest in size.
Behind the Garden Shed... Thu 1st Jan 2004: I've moved a semi-spotty Ligularia into this narrow border behind the wood shed, and it is appreciating the shelter from the hot summer sun.
The Garden Wood Shed... Sat 27th Dec 2003: The wood shed is on the top lawn. This rambling rose covers the sunny sides of the wood shed with apple blossom pink flowers in late spring. It came here with the wrong label on, so I don't know its name.
Sleep-Out Garden & Lawn... Sun 21st Dec 2003: The Sleep-Out gave me my first chance to grow climbing roses around a house window. I also planted my favourite white camellia (plus hostas and other foliage perennials) in its small garden.
Garden Rose Pergola... Sat 20th Dec 2003: The pergola with its resident roses has been a real success. It forms part of a natural walkway from the back of the house right through to the new Hazelnut Tree Orchard.
Apple Tree Border... Wed 17th Dec 2003: I took this photograph of the Apple Tree border in the spring of the year 2003. Things are forever changing in this garden - I can't decide whether it should be shrubby or flowery!
My Rhubard Patch... Thu 6th Nov 2003: Just along from the corner pergola post is my rhubarb patch. The compost heap is just over the fence, and I have to lean over the rhubarb with my food scraps. I like to use rhubarb in jams.
Blue Green Hosta... Sun 16th Feb 2003: This blue green hosta clump is due for dividing. It is one of the original texture plantings in the Apple Tree Garden.
Cabbage Tree... Sun 10th Mar 2002: This Cabbage tree (cordyline) marks the end of the Pond Paddock side border and the beginning of what I've always called the Apple Tree Garden. It's a favourte tree climb for my younger cats.
White Hydrangea... Sun 10th Mar 2002: Here is a flower head of the white hydrangea. It's very hard to take photos of white flowers in the garden.
Wood in the Wood Shed... Tue 14th Mar 2000: The wood shed is full of wood collected from the property and sawed up ready for the log burner. Winter is never far away. And who knows - with New Zealand's peculiar weather, firewood could be needed anytime!
Blue Delphiniums... Thu 9th Mar 2000: The Apple Tree Garden originally housed my original collection of blue seed-grown delphiniums. They were initially a bit of a flop (literally), until the trees and shrubs planted nearer to the road gave wind shelter.
Nicotiana and Japanese Iris... Mon 6th Mar 2000: There are always lots of annual Nicotiana flowers in the Apple Tree Garden border - they have all self-sown from my original plantings, which I grew from seed. My favourites are the pale lime green variety.
Orange Canna Lily... Mon 6th Mar 2000: Underneath a scruffy green cordyline I've planted a clump of Canna lilies. They have purple leaves and beautiful orange flowers, and I suspect they are very much the common garden variety!
Roses In The New Rose Garden... Sat 4th Mar 2000: The new rose garden took over my first attempt at a potager, and in it I originally planted many sale roses (no labels) and others given to me by friends. Consequently it was fun to see what colour combinations eventuated.
Mermaid Rose On a Garden Fence... Thu 2nd Mar 2000: The old fence continues towards the sleepout, and has narrow gardens dug each side. My rhubarb patch is here, and two fierce Mermaid roses whose thorny canes stretch right along the fence.
Hardy Geranium Plants... Sun 27th Feb 2000: This magenta flowering geranium is planted behind the wood shed. It grows well in this partially shaded and reasonably moist garden. It has subtle lime green leaves
Hosta Vista... Sun 27th Feb 2000: On the far side of the Apple Tree Border, under the apple tree itself, is a small pink hydrangea. It is in the company of some pushy variegated hostas.
Garden Shed Roses... Fri 25th Feb 2000: When the garden area by the wood shed was newly developing I trained some climbing roses along the fence - a Gerbe rose, and a Bantry Bay rose. They are still beautiful in their early blooming season.
Foxgloves... Mon 21st Feb 2000: The southern or top side of the Apple Tree Border has many different coloured foxgloves, which self seed each year. There are also large clumps of the geranium Mourning Widow, which I clip back after flowering.
Bowles Golden Grass... Sat 19th Feb 2000: The Apple Tree Border is full of golden foliage plants. This small beauty is Bowles Golden Grass. It is pictured in spring, with purple violas and golden marjoram.
Aster Flowers... Fri 18th Feb 2000: By the corner of the pergola this clump of asters colours the autumn garden with beautiful smoky blue flowers. The old fence was finally painted a terracotta colour in the year 2006.
Textures... Thu 25th Feb 1999: The Apple Tree Border used to be my foliage and texture garden. I deliberately planted golden coloured plants in here to contrast with the strong green hostas. Now Choisya Sundance is a favourite shrub of mine.