Moosey News : July 2006

Dear Subscriber,

This newsletter comes to you from mid-winter in New Zealand, and will absolutely not be filled with gardener-gloom! The three words 'tree', 'damage' and 'snow' are not allowed to feature in any one sentence! There will be summery lightness, and much frothy flowery imagination!

This month's features :

1. New Zealand Cordylines
2. Le Chateau de la Hulpe
3. Snow 2006
4. Weeding
5. Flax Fiasco

Regulars :

6. Plant of the Month : Hebe
7. Animal of the Month : Beige Puss
8. Garden Quote : Garden Changes
9. Garden Gallery : Pink Peonies
10. Forum Focus : Summer Flowers
11. Gardening Advice : Doing Everything at Once?
12. Searching for Moosey : Gnomes in the Pink
13. Coming up this month : Sawing, Chopping, Carting, Stacking, Chain-sawing, and Burning

This month's features

1. New Zealand Cordylines

'Moosey-cat, Moosey-cat, where have you been?
I've been to London to look at ... Red Cordylines!'
Honestly, London gardeners are crazy about these New Zealand natives! Read more...

2. Le Chateau de la Hulpe

I've written about my visit to this lovely forest in Brussels.

3. Snow 2006

It has been a full-on homecoming surprise for a world-tripping gardener - a June snow storm, the wettest and heaviest snow for fifty years. Welcome back to winter, Moosey!

4. Weeding

A terribly serious article on this most important gardening topic, which people write books and books about. I had no idea how boring photographs of weeds were, though...

5. Flax Fiasco

I've fallen in love with the Forum friends' summer flower gardens. And I've fallen out of love with my New Zealand flaxes, flattened in the recent snow...

Regulars

6. Plant of the Month : Hebes

My hebes have been swamped and smothered in snow, and trodden on by the resident chain-saw operator this month. It's time they were given some recognition - they give so much service to the foliage feast in my garden. And they have the loveliest flowers!

7. Animal of the Month : Beige Puss in the Snow

When the snow (which I should stop mentioning, I know) was at its very worst, only one Moosey cat was bothered (and brave) enough to follow me outside. B-Puss, that was you! B for the Bold, and the Beautiful...

8. Garden Quote : Garden Changes

Regarding the challenge of tidying up after the snow - my 'Tales from the Wattle Woods' may not be as light and breezy as the Viennese waltzes of Strauss, but I'm working on it! I'm helped by some basic good advice from a new gardening friend in Central Pennsylvania.

9. Garden Gallery : Pink Peonies

Pink peonies are just magical, and I am lucky that they enjoy growing in my garden. At the moment they are flowering fiercely in my imagination - roll on summer!

10. Forum Focus : Summer Colour

Aquilegias, then Clematis, Peonies and Roses - all the beautiful colours of summer, including white, are here, thanks to the Moosey Forum friends.

11. Gardening Advice : Doing Everything at Once?

You don't have to do everything all at once. That's right, isn't it? All gardeners have heard this helpful sentence. In our heads we know it's true. But in our hearts? No way!

12. Searching for Moosey : Gnomes in the Pink

Mary Rose

'What is best pink rose?' - How to choose? The best name - that has to be David Austin's Mary Rose, for obvious reasons.

The Fairy Rose

The best nature - I'd give this to The Fairy Rose, for being uncomplicated and staying tidy.

Uetersen

The best flower could belong to the lovely deep pink Uetersen. The best pink? Some of the nicest pinks have just a touch of peach, or apricot...

Garden Gnomes

And one I couldn't resist - 'rude gnome'. Yes, I do have a gnome - just one - and he's looking pretty disgusting at the moment, face peeling, desperately in need of new clothes. I've even taken a special photograph, proudly displayed in my journal. I realise this might not be quite what the searcher intended the word 'rude' to dig up. Oh well!

13. Coming up this month : Sawing, Chopping, Carting, Stacking, Chain-sawing, and Burning

For reasons which I will not burden my readers with, this month I will be concentrating on all the above woody verbs. I wonder - why would that possibly be?

Cheers,