Daft and Dafter...
Sunny Cordylines
There's daft and then there's dafter, I reckon. I've just bought a heap of 50 cent books for the cottage - some terribly serious tomes about the Aztecs, and some Willard Price boys-own tales of daring and courage amongst cannibals etc. My friend (same age, similar intelligence etc.) has just bought herself a metal detector. Hmm...
Thursday 29th May
I've been clearing in the Hen-House Garden, the relatively flat bit by the water. And I've discovered something amazing. Now that all the thug Carexes have been removed, there's heaps of room for the Loosestrife and the Ligularia, both of which were cowering underneath the larger grasses.
I've trimmed the big Japanese iris clump and started clearing the tiny dog-path. It actually goes past a nice wooden seat which is completely submerged in foliage plants, but I saw it! I still haven't planted the Arum lilies, but I'm sure this will be a most pleasant spot for them.
Memo to Self
Memo to self - a touch of compost/soil conditioner wouldn't go amiss in here. And there's room for my pot of Filipendula pieces, and perhaps some more Hostas.
Hen-House Garden Maple
Too Windy!
There I was, completely focussed, humming along nicely, when the southerly cold front struck. Within a minute the wind was roaring fortissimo high in the big gums, sounding like a nightmare orchestra tuning.
Only one thought pops into a sensible gardener's mind - the direction in which to run if there's a loud crack from above. Eek! I battled on, but then Rusty the dog turned up, looking worried. Both of us were better off inside, I reckon, and sure enough - ten minutes later the temperature had dropped ten degrees (Celsius) and cold rain was spitting down.
Perhaps I should save the cannibals for later and read 'Adventure in the Arctic' tonight in my cosy little cottage...
Friday 30th May
Another frosty morning, followed by an edgy-warm afternoon in the garden, with brilliant blue skies. There was no wind, so I dutifully burnt the rubbish from yesterday's Hen House Garden clean-up. I dug more Carexes out of the little dog-path, and I raked underneath the Pittosporums by the hen house. So much gum bark has fallen!
Brown Escher Dog on the Dog-Path
But creative gardeners do get sick of garden maintenance, so I stopped to dig out some daylilies (the species terracotta colour but doubles). I've planted them by the side driveway. And I planted the Hydrangea quercifolia 'Pee Wee', which only grows to one meter, in the tiny Sleep-Out Garden (from which more daylilies were removed). Though one probably never completely removes a patch of species daylilies... Anyway, they'll be much happier where they are now, in full sun for next summer.
Species Daylilies
Earlier in the day I'd gone to inspect my friend's metal detector. It is sleek and black, almost a fashion accessory, and can be hung casually from a belt without the wearer's trousers falling down. It beeps and/or vibrates. But does it work?
Brown Dog on Another Dog-Path
On Your Knees?
My friend has knelt down (it requires the detectorist to kneel) in her garden and found lots of bottle tops and pieces of foil. It also keeps on finding her wristwatch. She's offered to give my compost heap the once over, looking for my lost secateurs and hand diggers. Aha! A veritable goldmine...
Saturday 31st May
Big brown dog Escher is staying for the weekend, and so far 'we' have trimmed all the edges of the gardens across the water race. He is a busy, nosy dog, and likes to be on the move. Tomorrow we will be doing the dog-path, which Escher has already sniffled and snuffled his way along. And he loves splashing in the water. He is a very energetic gardening dog.
Right. It's time for a wine and the rugby. And then some daring bed-adventuring - a spot of underwater diving on a mysterious reef, perhaps? Cheers.