Harry Potter! My garden needs YOU!
Rosemary in the Herb Spiral
If only hedge trimmings could magically rake themselves into piles, point all their thick ends the same way, and then zoom like a squadron of flying broomsticks over to the bonfire. Harry Potter! My garden needs YOU!
Saturday 30th August
This afternoon Non-Gardening Partner and I cleared the front hedge trimmings, just the road-side ones, drove them around to the bonfire, and burnt them. This took absolutely ages - all afternoon - and there are still three sides of three hedges to go. Aargh! It's an honest way to spend a gardening day on a country property, though. Every three years. Hmm...
Meanwhile I've had some delightful moments with the Camellias behind the garage. Pink Plantation is flowering, as is Jury's Yellow (AKA Jury's Beige), and a rather tall, well-built basic red. Further over behind the Stables two of my plantsman friend's superb pink sasanqua seedings are now head-high and in blooming health. Their cool pink flowers are just gorgeous.
Jurys Yellow Camellia
I've also spread top-soil and compost in my perennials garden. Looks like the Alliums have survived my heavy footfalls - I do so hope they flower properly for me this year.
If it's got a stalk, it's a perennial?-Moosey words of wisdom.
The friend whose garden I've been weeding has lots of clumps of perennials - particularly summer flowering Phlox. I'm 'teaching' her how to sort out the weeds from the desirable flowers, and my rather vague advice has been : If it's got a stalk, it's a perennial. Oops... There are bound to be weedy exceptions!
Camellias Behind the Stables
Tending the bonfire and collecting fresh loads of trimmings is tedious, but its nice to be by the Herb Spiral, enjoying all the new green growth on my perennials, and the fresh little shoots on the beautifully pruned roses. As a soon-to-be-senior gardener, I must learn to enjoy these slower moments.
Unknown Red Camellia
Stuck!
Like lying down on the wet grass to watch the bonfire smoke swirling up into the sky. Oops. It took ages to get back upright again, but it was a worthwhile rest. Now I'm off to soak in the bath. Hope I don't get stuck (one of the perils of the imminently-elderly).
Sunday 31st August
Ha! August is nearly over, and my birthday month looms large. I am going to make some September Resolutions. A wobble-free September would be extra-nice. On this the last day of August I did a spectacular wobble on Middle Bridge, clutching my far-too-heavily laden wheelbarrow as it tipped itself and me over.
Nothing for it but to launch sideways and prepare for a seated splash landing in the water race. So silly! Water up to armpits. Soaked! Undeterred (or, possibly, mad) I burnt the barrowful of hedge trimmings anyway, dripping wet, gardening boots squelching out water. Felt a bit silly, but the bonfire kept me warm.
Trust This Wheelbarrow?
Oops...
'Had I had a turn?' asked Daughter of Moosey, who had spied the barrow tipped over and me disappearing from view. Certainly not! I may be approaching official seniority, but really! 'So had I tripped and had a fall?' she continued. Certainly not! I was NOT turning into a doddery old lady. My wheelbarrow had just had a moment of mean-spirited magical madness and had decided to eject me.
However I am sporting a rather bruised bottom (sorry about this), the colour of which I am monitoring. I am expecting vivid purple, followed by a drab garden green, and possibly mustard yellow, hee hee. Obviously there can be no photographs...
Phew! My wheelbarrow and I are reconciled. I've promised never to fill it too full and then try to rudely bounce it up and over a step again. It's apologised, and has promised not to be nasty and tip me up again. Fair enough.