Moosey News : February 2007

Dear Subscriber,

Eek! One whole month of 2007 has passed me by, and I've never done as little gardening in a summer month as I have this month. Whatever happened to those New Year's Resolutions? I'll have to rewrite them and start all over...

This month's features :

1. The Moosey Garden Calendars
2. Green Astelias - Beautiful in Garden or Bush
3. A Clean Green New Zealand Journey
4. Blushing Pink Iceberg
5. New Year's Honours List 2007

Regulars :

6. Plant of the Month : Clary Sage
7. Animal of the Month : B-Puss
8. Garden Quote : Self Seeders
9. Garden Gallery : Rusty Dog
10. Forum Focus : Gardening Books
11. Gardening Advice : Planning in Advance
12. Searching for Moosey : Sun and Colour
13. Coming up this month : The extreme in Moosey Mother-and-Son silliness - an on-line plant questionnaire.

This month's features

1. The Moosey Garden Calendars

When I should have been outside weeding or trimming the garden edges I have often been inside trying my hand at producing 2007 Moosey Calendars. I've had heaps of fun trying...

2. Green Astelias

Anyone who has tried to grow an Astelia in a large blue pot - be very envious! I've grown this lovely spiky New Zealand plant for years and completely ignored it. Finally the Astelias in my own garden are getting the credit they deserve.

3. A Clean Green New Zealand Journey

When a track through the clean green New Zealand bush just goes on, and on, and then on some more - what to talk about? See my latest Gardener's Journeys story.

4. Blushing Pink Iceberg

I love the different coloured Iceberg roses. Here's a very subtle pink and white one, which I've just planted.

5. New Year's Honours List 2007

This is the second year that I've published a Moosey Honours List. And I suspect I'm giving the same awards to the same recipients! Plants, cats, the dog, and immediate relatives (not the rooster) are the only living things eligible.

Regulars

6. Plant of the Month : Clary Sage

Clary sage is a brilliant large perennial for a large garden. Its impact is only slightly marred by its dreadful smell, which cat owners will possibly be familiar with...

7. Animal of the Month : B-Puss

B-Puss, my lovely, dorky white cat, just seems to pop out of the greenery whenever I have my camera clicking. There can be no suggestion of cat-favouritism...

8. Garden Quote : Self Seeders

In this January journal entry I finally make a breakthrough in my attitude to self seeding plants.

9. Garden Gallery : Rusty Dog

The picture of Rusty behind the gate has appeared before, in the garden gallery. I love it so much that I've given it a new page in the Hazelnut Orchard Tour section.

10. Forum Focus : Gardening Books

Thanks to Michael aka Muddywellies from Winsford Walled Garden for getting us all started on our favourite gardening books! Perhaps you'd like to join the discussion...

11. Gardening Advice : Planning in Advance

There's a truckload of gardening advice in my New Year's resolution package - have a look at the first journal entry for the year. My favourite is the following:
Plan in advance if you require 1000 pansy seedlings.
Pretty useful advice, don't you think? Hmm...

12. Searching for Moosey : Sun and Colour...

New Zealand sun

Someone else is obviously searching for summer like I am - well, searching for 'sun New Zealand'. I don't think anyone takes sensible photographs of the sun. But this picture of New Zealand sunshine on the Moosey water race looks nice.

rose colours

Every month there are a lot of colour searches, like this one - obviously from a beginner gardener : 'How many colours of roses are there?' Would it be cheeky to quote a song - How deep is the ocean? How high is the sky?

Boring colours

Then another, more down-to-earth search for 'boring colours'. I don't think I've got any, but you might like to peep through my rose photographs, and make a list...

13. Coming up this month : What Plant Am I?

Almost the silliest thing that the famous Moosey Mother-and-Son team have ever come up with. It's an on-line plant questionnaire, which tells you what plant you are. Go on - you might like to try it out!

Cheers,