Flowery writing...
Flowery writing for a flowery garden - colourful prose, colourful borders... Garden journal writers do take themselves so seriously at times!
Compassion Roses
Tuesday 4th December
Firstly I want today to be a Flowery Day. I have personally-produced seedlings to plant (Nicotianas, purple Alyssum, and Petunias), plus my new Daisy and Gazania nursery plants. I feel like some colour gardening.
Then I'd like another Pond Beautifying Day. A return visit to the nursery sale is tempting - yesterday I saw some evergreen Azaleas called 'Ilam Purple', which spread sideways more than upwards. A stand of Ilam Purples, placed to reflect their spring flower colour in the still water... But the colour might be too dark for spring reflections... See, I do try and think about design elements!
Smiling Dog
Things To Do...
I also need to toughen up, and perhaps do a couple of hours of weeding, tree-clearing, and burning - without grumping or sulking. But first - my faithful dog friend would love a bicycle ride around the country block, my hens would love some breakfast, as would all their squeaky bird friends from the surrounding trees, and my cats (eight of them) would love some fresh steak'n'kidney. Oh - and my downstairs rooms would love to be vacuumed, and my kitchen floor mopped. I think I'll stop right there!
Sometimes gardening journals can start including far too much personal nonsense. Some gardeners even use journal writing as an excuse for not starting their real garden work. The word is 'procrastination', while the words (in the journal) just dribble on. And on. And on... Is it time yet for another cup of coffee?
Much, Much Later...
I have had the loveliest, gentlest gardening day. I've weeded the house gardens, planted my new spots of instant plant colour, and also cleared wood for an hour. Then I sat in a plastic portable chair and read a good gardening book by the owner-gardener of Larnach's Castle in Dunedin. I visited this garden a month ago, and absolutely loved its rock garden.
Larnach's Castle Garden
OK - the garden is now very open to the public, and so it has a real Head Gardener with a BSc in Botany. Another Under-Gardener maintains the lawns and paths. I want one of those! And someone else does 'grooming and dead-heading', while 'Contract Arborists' attend to and shape the trees. Ha! A wonderful team of gardeners is required for a larger garden. Larger that what?
Rock Garden at Larnachs Castle
I mentioned these extra workers to NGP (Non-Gardening-Partner), who immediately claimed all the titles for himself. In his dreams! Since when do NGPs know anything about 'grooming'? Hee hee...
Mega-Herbs
I didn't realise that there were so many Chatham Islands plants in Larnach's Castle Garden, though. And some mega-herbs (this is what the gardening books call them!) from New Zealand's sub-Antarctic islands. I should have done my research instead of pottering around snapping pictures of pretty-coloured things!
Wednesday 5th December
NGP has escaped to Canberra for a few days, leaving the lawns in a disgraceful state. I am escaping into the mountains today to scramble up saddles, down screes, and through beech forests (it's the favourite Camp Saddle trip).
On Camp Saddle
Goodbye, Rusty! Sorry about your boring home-alone-in-kennel day.
Moosey Hiking Boots
Thursday 6th December
Back to the garden, after a brilliant hiking trip in the mountains. To start the day on a positive note I've just popped into the nursery sale (as one does) and loaded up my car with more plants for the Continued Beautification of the Moosey Pond.
I now have two feathery Nandinas with leaves flushed a warm orange, two rhododendrons called 'Silver Sixpence' - almost as cheap as their name - and a little flax called Surfer which has thin green leaves.
I intend to build up the rhododendron area with a low stone edging, in-filled with assorted organic materials. Some bags of horse manure would fit in here very nicely. I am determined that my pond should reflect (hee hee) the exquisite taste of its Head Gardener...
Pond Transformations
As I have just explained to Rusty the panting dog (we have been bicycling around the country block), the transformation from Country Irrigation Pond into Reflection Pond continues slowly but surely. But he is not to worry - it is still a Dog Playground Pond - leaping into the water to chase tennis balls and sticks is OK.
But crashing through the undergrowth chasing mallard ducks is out. Phew!