Happy birthday to meeeee!
Aha! Happy birthday to meeeeeeeeee. Am going to do birthday planting today - maybe the potatoes, or the Rock lilies and Pittosporums. And some birthday weeding. Maybe some digging? Just waiting for things to warm up a bit more outside. It's fresh!
Happy Birthday to Meeee....
My physical present (a trailer load of garden mix for the veggie garden) hasn't arrived quite yet. My present to myself is a spiritual one - lots of mindfulness in the garden, lots of music for my head (and fingers), good food and refreshing water to drink. And maybe just a few cafe coffees? Some new roses?
Much later...
So I planted the Rock Lilies - about fifty of them - properly, along the edge of the Pond Paddock Garden, with lashings of sloppy potting mix to help. It took ages, and my hands got really cold.
Edge of Rock Lilies
Am now having trouble staying awake. Oops. Non-Gardening Partner is taking me out to the local pub for a pensioner's birthday roast.
Tuesday 9th September
I've written an 'I Could' list. This morning I could :
- Paint the fence.
- Start the bonfire, bring mess from fence-line over.
- Do some weeding somewhere.
- Barrow more mulch to the Septic Tank Garden.
- Clean the kitchen.
Hey! How did that last item pop in? And yes, I could do some or all of those, but instead I am dropping some unwanted coats in the Charity bin and then visiting a friend for morning coffee. All the 'coulds' can wait.
Pretty Daffodil
Much later...
My friend's garden is full of quirky creative things (like statues of maidens and concrete hares, strange old seats, and so on). Her trees are enormous - so are her Camellias. My goodness! It was very inspiring, and I rushed home full of gardening energy and weeded for three hours near the bonfire.
After a late light lunch, I managed another hour and a half. Decided not to paint the fence - am subtly trying to interest Non-Gardening Partner in that task. And - oops - didn't get around to barrowing any mulch. I brought loads of dry Phormiums and Gunnera stalks and leaves over for the bonfire instead. It smoked and flamed and crackled. Luckily the wind stayed down.
And then - trumpet fanfare - I did tidy up the kitchen. Yeay for me! And (this may be silly) I reckon the garden I've just weeded (on the sunny side of the pergola) would be perfect for roses. Oops. Oops. Oops. I am soooo tempted. Spring is the silly season when all the garden areas seem absolutely sensible locations for roses (they are not).
Gertrude Jekyll :- A beautifully fragrant David Austin rose, one of his early ones.
Have just peeped at the local rose nursery online. Gertrude Jekyll's international denomination is Ausbord. Who would have known that? My Gertrude had good intentions but did not survive her last (and final) shift. I could get a replacement. I could? I could get more that one - safety in numbers. I could? They could be birthday presents!