Edges, paths, and gum leaves...
Pebbles
Edges and paths, edges and paths... My life as a February (late summer) gardener revolves around edges and paths. Oh, and raking up gum tree leaves. I forgot about the leaves. Edges, paths, and gum tree leaves are my life!
Today my friend came to help with the paths behind the pond. Yeay for my friend, an under-gardener with stamina, who doesn't tell me my garden is too big, too messy, too ill-designed, and so on. The weather wasn't too hot, but the high humidity brought out the mosquitoes. We had to keep moving - the 'catch us if you can' gardening style where older ladies can get the wobbles.
Proper paths again...
In no time the paths were proper paths again, as we trimmed what needed to be trimmed. There were a couple of ominous plopping sounds as Pebbles the dog snuffled around grasses on the water's edge. I have a horrible feeling that a couple of my fishing gnomes have gone underwater. We two well-balanced gardeners, however, did not fall in the water. Phew!
Gnomes near the Water
I've finally seen sense and removed some sad roses from the garden behind the pond. This is not a good area in which to grow roses. Rough and tough things only, please - shrubs which require food and water are not suitable.
Aha! A path!
Wednesday 14th February
Oh, by the way, it's Valentine's Day, and my garden (which I love very, very much) is my Valentine. Gardens make the best Valentines. You don't have to buy them off with red roses. Actually, they provide you with the sweetest freshest roses, some of which are bound to be beautifully red.
Not do you have to spend hours in a shop finding chocolates and an appropriate greeting card. They love you just the way you are, chocolate-free, hee hee!
Liriope
Hot, hot, hot...
Still hot, hot, hot. All I did yesterday was to water the Pittosporums and the roses in the Allotment Garden. Today, however, I am back to paths and edges. The wee path behind the glass-house is now passable. I've dug up the flopped-over red dahlias - they need to relocate. And I've 'dealt to' the California thistles. Hmm...
Now I'm about to redefine the edges of the Pond Paddock. Overhanging oak tree branches need a tiny bit of pruning, and I will also rake up the Cordyline leaves from the lawn. Such little things make a big difference.
Thursday 15th February
Oops. A large gum tree branch fell down on the driveway in the night. Luckily nobody (and no cat or dog) was walking underneath at the time. It didn't take long to be chainsawed into logs, the heaviest ones thrown onto the trailer, the mess raked up. Non-Gardening Partner pulled another hanging branch down with a rope attached to the tow bar of the car. The recent big winds must have weakened things.
Tree Branch Down
A large-scale reminder of 'Gardening with Nature's Wind'. On a smaller scale, all the Shasta daisies are lying flat and forlorn, as is the Angelica gigas. Naturally the bumble bees don't mind this at all. They adore the flowerheads, whether vertical or horizontal.