It's February!
Ha! It's February, the month for major design decisions and for radical planting changes in the garden. This is the month of visible mistakes. Plants that have grown far too large for their positions, look out!
Sunday 3rd February
Yesterday I sulked because of work commitments, and all I did was clear part of the hen-house path. Today I feel much better. I won't get much time in the garden, but I have started the day on a positive note.
The start of the hen-house path
Cosmetic Gardening
Today's plan is cosmetic - to do edges, and clear up gum tree debris, have a small fire (before the fire bans start), plant a few more Pittosporums by the hen-house, that sort of thing. Feeling the gentle breeze on the face, enjoying the shade under the trees, stretching the legs on a gentle walk-around with the rake...
I have made a major decision. I do not stake plants. Therefore, the dahlias (some of which are starting to flop) which are self-planted throughout the garden are just out of luck. Too bad. Find a neighbour to lean on or face the consequences. I have also made a profound observation. Each year I get sick of the lilac phloxes (likewise throughout the garden) and spend many hours thinking I'm digging them out. This year I haven't yet had time to get sick of them. In fact, I quite like them. I think that they've been a bit hard done by in previous years - as if I've been bored, and have had nothing better to do than to pick on them.
Angelica and Toe Toe
Wednesday 6th February
It's not fair. Today is a public holiday and I planned to garden all day to balance my lost weekend (well, lost Saturday, anyway). So it is raining and blowing a strong southerly. I am up, and keen, with woolly socks on, and woolly jersey covering my favourite green gardening shirt. Humph.
Inappropriate Weather
This is not appropriate weather for early February. But at least the pots are getting watered. I must remember to go outside and pick some cherry tomatoes. The heirloom varieties are still struggling to set fruit.
The pink roses in the Dog-Path Garden (which were about to be banished to a far fence-line) look great from the upstairs bathroom window. This is another thing which I need to remember - that window-peeping views are important in my garden design (or lack of). It occurs to me that I need to check all viewing vantage points before banishing plants. This will have consequences for the house carpets, as I have been known to sneak inside and not take off my gum boots (on very dry days). Hmm...
The rain has stopped, but the southerly wind is still gusting. I have just wandered around for a garden walk, and discovered to my dismay that the middle of the Robinia Casque Rouge tree is down. The wind noise is unsettling, so I have returned inside. With what I've seen I could garden for a week and still not be finished. There is a lot to clear from the winds, and there is much weeding needed in the borders over the race. So be it. This is why gardeners always have a reason to get up in the morning. Pity is that this particular gardener is back at work. I will draw up a week-night garden maintenance roster.
Later...
I am not going to be beaten by wind (and garden guilt). So I have spent two noisy hours clearing over the water race, doing edges, and creating pansy mulch by chopping up spent pansy plants.
pinks on parade
I feel a lot better. The pruned Robinia Casque Rouge looks ghastly though. Its wood was very brittle, and may not have been such a good choice for the wind. Oh well.