Serene?
Autumn Delphiniums
Aha! April, the proper autumn month, begins. In New Zealand it's crisp, golden, and serene (thanks to AI for searching through squillions of autumn descriptions and choosing these words).
Serene?
Alas, I have far too many things to do in April to feel very serene. Most of these carry over from March, namely : Sort out the dahlias. Dig out the periwinkle. Clear the garden behind the pond. Burn all the rubbish. OK. We get the message. And an unfinished garden doesn't ever look serene. It just looks unfinished.
Thursday 2nd April
So far today I've spent three hours digging periwinkle out of the front of the Shrubbery, trying my best to get all the deeper root clumps out as well. One heavy barrow load of mess is on the bonfire ready to be burnt.
I've installed a line of thick logs to mark the periwinkle boundary, dividing the Shrubbery into front (controlled, periwinkle not welcome) and back (wilderness, perfect for periwinkle). A compromise, which will require vigilance. Except - I suspect that periwinkle doesn't know the meaning of the word 'compromise'.
Lilac Chrysantthemums
Aargh! Now I have to go to the dentist. Wish me luck...
Friday 3rd April
I have antibiotics and a referral to a dental specialist. A procedure done fifty years ago is finally failing. After fifty years! Amazing longevity!
Have been working all morning in the front of the Shrubbery. Have dumped organic matter - found some home-made compost by the Pump House, and four bags of successful leaf mould - excellent. Spread three bags of horse manure, mixed it all up with the sandy soil, and finished the stone wall rebuild. Oddly I have rather a few stones left over.
Stone Wall Rebuilt
Had to dig out a huge clump of green Mondo grass (which was riddled with periwinkle). It's now wallowing in water.
Tempted...
After three hours hard work I was very tempted to stay inside and read my book. But I feel so proud when I've had a productive gardening day. So (sorry about this) I made a wee list of attainable goals for the afternoon.
- Finish digging out the Mondo grass.
- Finish spreading organic matter on the Shrubbery.
- Stash spare stones nearby.
And I did everything on the list. Oops. One more thing : I need to replant the dug out dahlias. They won't flower again (too late in the season).