July and August...
It's winter. The trees over the water race start to come down. The garden is put to bed with pea-straw, and garden books get read inside by the log fire.
A Wholesale Tree Slaughter
Monday 5th July
Sorry about the silence. I am back. Today I am going to do seeds and pots. We just lost the cricket test in England that we should have won. We lost it really badly. And I have lost my SECOND cricket radio. But... I AM ON HOLIDAY!!!
I want to do heaps and heaps in my garden today. Where shall I start? I will write a list.
- Holiday Gardening List
- Pots
- Plant white honesty in Wattle Woods
- Sow seeds of white honesty.
- Cut back catmint.
Thursday 8th July
Today is Thursday. I have planted the red Flower Carpet rose in the Stables Border. I put some bronze fennel seedlings in a pot (saw that in a groovy magazine). I clipped some more catmint. I might shift the Alchemilla Mollis. I wonder if it might like to try some partial shade? Then I could divide it up like I should.
Friday 9th July
I should like to comment on the new position of the grass path, resulting in the creation of the ex-Island Bed. It is the best idea ever! It will look amazing in spring.
Saturday 10th July
I have just read 'The Collector's Garden' by Ken Druse. It is an amazing book, which I will have to buy. I am inspired by the foliage plantings. There is a canna with cool leaves called 'Praetoria'? I've never seen it here.
Sunday 11th July
I have shifted stuff. The Complicata rose has gone into the vege garden, en route to over the water race (where it can spread out). I should shift the oak-leaved hydrangeas, as they are in a too-dry spot. In the Apple Tree Border the Choiysa Sundance and the Ligularia have changed places.
Saturday 17th July
It's the following weekend and I am inspired. The weather, unfortunately, isn't. I have been reading a Companion Planting book by Bob Flowerdew. There is a photo of him with a long plait holding a pitchfork, looking like a mediaeval Jack-the-Ripper. I like his books very much.
Later...
TREES ARE BEING CUT DOWN!!! (The row of gums over the water race.) Help!!! My ideas for developments over there will soon be put into practice. Help!!!
Stephen's Border
Friday 23rd July
I have been on the internet reading and visiting. And there is a canna grower in N.Z. called Podgora Gardens that I am going to order stuff from.
Saturday 24th July
I have been rose pruning. And Stephen's border has been put to bed with a blanket of horse-poos and pea-straw. It's quite cold.
Sunday 25th July
- Garden Achievements :
- I have built some golden marjorams.
- I have brutally pruned (with the edging shears) the climbing Icebergs.
- With those same edging shears I have quartered the Choiysa Ternata in the ex-Island Bed.
- I have taken cuttings of Othello rose.
Saturday 7th August
I have been sick for a week. There has been SO much rain.
Tuesday 10th August
As a sick person, I stayed home from work today. I did a bit of work in the Stables Border (I only lasted 1 hour - I must be sick).
Saturday 14th August
I am still a sick person. It's cold in the garden. I am going to do a bit of weeding.
Later...
I didn't, but I had an idea for making another bed bigger...
Saturday 21st August
I am better. I had a cool day today, making the border at the end of the driveway bigger (it doesn't have a name). There is an Angela Rippon rose in there sulking. Then it started to rain so I came inside, lit a fire, sat in a chair and fell asleep covered with cats. Ha! I am a well person again.
Sunday 22nd August
I've bought some plants!!!
My friend Astrid and I went to a nursery called Trees for Canterbury (I think!) and I bought lots of things which weren't trees:
- New Plants for the Garden :
- Corokia - the coolest wiry,scribbly foliage, like a botanical Mr Messy.
- Two of the N.Z. native euphorbias with bluey leaves.
- A groovy pepper tree (native).
- A reddish Pseudopanax.
- One little green/brown flax.
When I got home I took cuttings of the variegated hebe and pricked out the purple cornflower seedlings. They remind me of England where I saw lots at that fire station and garden in Somerset - Hestercombe.
Saturday 28th August
It's Saturday and I am in Wellington! I have hired a car to drive to Moss Green (half way between Upper Hutt and Waikanae). I am here on a seat. The garden is sleeping, not even any blossom yet. There are birds everywhere (tuis and wood pigeons). This is so cool. This pond is supposed to be the best pond in the whole of N.Z. I will have to come back another season - I wonder which is the best? All of them, I suspect. This garden is full of creatures.