Warm, sunny days...
We are enjoying warm, sunny days - finally summer has arrived! So the big irrigation has been awakened from hibernation, and I've been kept busy shifting the smaller hoses around. I'm very lucky to have an abundance of good water.
Lavatera with Bee
Tuesday 6th February - Waitangi Day
Today's a public holiday - it's supposed to be New Zealand's national day, so I'm going to work in my native garden areas as a mark of - respect? More the fact that they're shady places, and I've found some more newspaper to continue my mulching project!
Am I a Summer Daylily?
What Plant Am I?
I've been having heaps of fun testing the new What Plant Am I? questionnaire. I still giggle at some of the plant descriptions - rather self indulgent, since I wrote them! And huge thank yous to friends who are busy clicking buttons and seeing what plant they turn into. The rose Rhapsody in Blue is still my most favourite plant parallel-self - the perfect rose for a musical, slightly jazzy gardener!
Summer At Last!
Well, it's already mid-day and the sun is beaming down. This is really summer - sunhats and sunblock stay permanently on the kitchen bench, and it's pleasantly refreshing standing in the water race to weed. The hens get really nosy and come down to the water's edge, while rooster displays his side-profile, chest puffed out, throat stretched to the sky. Aargh!
I have lots of Pittosporum pruning to do - my new Shredder on debut ran out of raw materials rather quickly. But now I can plan ahead, collecting up shredding piles. Right. I'm off outside.
Later...
Humph. I've run out of newspaper, weed-mat, and oomph. I've had a great day, though, and I feel quite smiley.
Gunnera Warning
I've found heaps of the cutest little Gunnera seedlings on the water race edge - they've obviously floated in from up-stream. They are so beautifully miniature - I remind myself that Gunnera seedlings grow rather large rather quickly. Oops.
My Big Self Seeded Gunnera
The bright sun has made all my shrubs shine - the spiky cordylines are particularly dazzling. Tomorrow I'll be hiking in the mountains as a reward for good garden behaviour. Though how trudging up a reasonable little bush-clad mountain for three plus hours can be called a reward beats me!
Wednesday 7th February
Wish me luck - I am off on a serious bush-walking journey, climbing Mount Oxford. I am going now - I may be gone for some time...