August Week 2 - More

My Olympic gardening continues. Energy levels are down, though, with all this serious TV watching in the evenings. And my kneeling knees and rose-pruning hands need to toughen up!

Wednesday 13th August

Today I'm further rejuvenating the Stables Garden, which has lost its scruffy Toi Tois (and Lavenders). There will be much gentle shovelling of rotted horse manure, and much serious four-seasons thinking.

Stables Garden Grasses :

The original grass plantings in the Stables Garden were, I thought, very nice!

This garden hasn't 'spoken' properly to me yet to declare its identity intentions. I don't think it wants to be just another blended shrubbery. I can sense two definite sides to its personality - sculptural/grassy, and fussy/pretty. I think the garden is grieving for its lost Toi Tois (which got utterly trashed by last winter's snow) - perhaps some smaller, more snow-friendly grasses (Chinochloa?). Would it like a small, sturdy trellis, sticking out from the stables corner, with all my irises confined to the 'sunnier' side by the driveway?

The Garden Has Spoken...

Ha! Yes - the garden has spoken. The trellis gets a big tick. Communication has been restored! I feel better already. It's disheartening when a garden area clams up and shuts the eager gardener out.

Thursday 14th August

Right. I have some exceptionally large plans for today - like, for example, going to look at a kitset garden shed. But before I start super-plotting, let me record yesterday's achievements.

In the garden yesterday I planted all the irises and shifted some more flaxes and tussock grasses around. I have decided that the two 'spare' Easleas Golden Ramblers are a thousand times too rampant to be planted by the Stables wall - no trellis known to woman or man could possibly contain and/or support them. The Stables Garden is rationalised, if not organised, and there's room for a couple more shifted grasses.

Today I will be starting with the house gardens - making sure that the pots of daffodils can be enjoyed on a tidy patio, surrounded by trimmed catmint and pruned roses - and a weed-free border! Some last pre-gardening gasps before I begin - the joys of sunshine, yellow spring flowers, and friendly, eager cat and dog company are indescribable, so I won't even try (yippee for spring).

Pushy Poultry

My poultry are taking too many liberties with their 'free ranging', and are starting to wander over to the house and meet me by the car. Lost in thoughts, arms full of grocery bags, it's a shock to look up and almost trip over five staring, feathery lumps. Today I erect netting barriers to keep them securely in the orchard paddock.

Later...

Aargh! I forgot to go and look at the garden sheds. But I forgive myself, since I can't really afford one. I have been soooooooo busy and I love my garden.