First Driveway Garden

In early times I tended to spread my gardening tentacles out from the house. The first garden in the driveway was far away from home base, so it was left neglected, to get on with growing without my help. Tall gum and pine trees towered overhead, and there wasn't much sun.

Over the years I'd trim back the shrubs and trees to keep the access clear for large trucks - particularly the fire truck. My first improvement was to lay stones along the right side and plant lots of New Zealand natives - Hebes, Pittosporums, and Phormiums.

First Driveway Garden - 2009

Finally in the winter of 2009 guilt got the better of me. I pulled out the old wooden retainers from the scruffy garden on the left side and built one of my much loved river-stone walls. I filled in the raised garden with compost and horse manure, and planted some huge clumps of Agapanthus.

First Impressions

first driveway garden - 2000

What an improvement! Now every visitor gets a positive first impression - obviously a well-tended, foliage-filled garden lies just around the bend in the driveway.

But you'll spy snatches of colour amongst all the greenery. In spring there are welcoming groups of mixed daffodils to pass by. Later blue Agapanthus flowers join with summer plantings of red Pelargoniums - a simple and nice look.

No Irrigation

All the year this garden survives with no irrigation. It's now a pleasure to walk, drive, or cycle past the first driveway garden. Nice work, Moosey!