Garden Journal 2003

2003 starts out as any normal year, but ends in triumph, as I become a retired person, ready to try my hands at full-time gardening. There's an odd twist healthwise, as I discover I'm not superwoman. The garden is, of course, completely oblivious to all this drama.

Time...Time......
Time is rushing past like the water race which runs through my garden. January is my long gardening holiday. Those ubiquitous lilac phloxes appear everywhere, I snack on the fresh peas from the vege garden, and make ambitious new plans.
Life goes on...Life goes on......
These few weeks turn unexpectedly into a transition period in my non-gardening life. But life definitely goes on, and weeds keep growing.
Not superwoman...Not superwoman......
This February I have some unexpected time off work to enjoy the garden. I'm looking forward to spotting all the little changes I usually miss. I'm reminding myself I am not superwoman...
Regaining my gardening confidence...Regaining my gardening confidence......
I am slowly regaining my gardening confidence. And still the weeds keep growing!
More relaxed in the garden...More relaxed in the garden......
I am determined to be more relaxed to the garden this month. There will be no frenetic weekend days spent trying to do everything at once. I have transformed into a gentle and wise gardener...
Waiting for rain...Waiting for rain......
I am waiting patiently for rain, while claiming that I have turned into a less frenetic, more mellow gardener. Time will tell if this is the case!
Sheltering in the woodshed...Sheltering in the woodshed......
The woodshed full of firewood becomes a favourite shelter. Mud gardening, drizzle gardening and even rain gardening become more and more normal - so does sitting warm and cosy inside peering out windows at the Autumn colour.
Too many new daffodils...Too many new daffodils......
My holiday is going really well. It's often during this autumn break that I start making ridiculous plans for garden improvement. But I seem to have overestimated the numbers of new daffodils needed for the Moosey Spring Show.
Energy levels?Energy levels?...
This is the second week of my holiday. Wonder if I'll be able to keep up my energy levels? There is so much to do.
Very guilty...Very guilty......
It's May, and I feel very guilty, and very tempted to fib. It's now the third weekend in May, and this is the first time I've come to write in my gardening diary. I have made some sporadic journeys into the garden, but nothing of any substance. Very disappointing.
Laughing in the face of winter...Laughing in the face of winter......
I keep on weeding while the late summer flowers continue to bloom - laughing in the face of winter, which can't be too far away.
An in-between month...An in-between month......
June is an in-between month. Who knows if it will be hopelessly wintry, or warm and dry enough to garden every day? All my family is arriving this month - hope I still have time for the garden.
I wonder...I wonder......
I am seriously starting to think about becoming a full-time gardener. Wonder if I should do this? I am very tempted.
What more could there be?What more could there be?...
It's my two week winter gardening holiday, where I garden all day and contemplate retirement (complete with personal vineyard) all evening. Crisp morning walks with the dog, midday reads on a sunny seat, afternoon burn-ups... What more could there be?
Moosey the Winter Gardening Legend...Moosey the Winter Gardening Legend......
I try very hard to be Moosey the Winter Gardening Legend, struggling with morning frosts and frozen ground - just exactly where I want to be digging!
A pruning and burning obsession...A pruning and burning obsession......
I have a pruning and burning obsession - it's about time that the scruffy Pittosporums are dealt to.
Keep up the winter gardening momentum...Keep up the winter gardening momentum......
After the heady expanses of holiday hours with nothing to do except gardening, it's back to work and one July weekend in which to keep up the winter gardening momentum...
II'm deciding......
These next few weeks see me make the big retirement decision. Yippee!
The year of the vegetable garden?The year of the vegetable garden?...
August - the month when the garden starts giving out little hints - seeds are sown and plans for new exciting summer gardens are germinating too. Perhaps this will be the year of the vegetable garden!
Spring colour...Spring colour......
It's September! This is the last September before I become a retired full-time gardener. Already there is spring colour - crocuses, daffodils, camellias - and the garden is ready to burst into flower. The rhododendrons are covered in buds.
I am on holiday!I am on holiday!...
I am on holiday! I am so very happy, oddly semi-paralysed by thoughts of all this freedom. So far I've wandered around the garden picking spring flowers, noticed new blossom trees and the red rhododendrons flowering...
DonDon't run out of energy!...
I hope I don't run out of holiday energy too soon. There are so many big plans inside my gardening head.
So many things to do...So many things to do......
I'm going to run out of time - there are so many things to do in the garden and so many beautiful things happening.
October in my garden...October in my garden......
October has been a bit of a disaster for me in my garden. The first weekend it rained continuously. The second weekend I had to go up to Auckland for work. The third weekend is now, and I am dutifully writing up my diary for the first time. In three hours we fly over to Tasmania...
October in TasmaniaOctober in Tasmania...
Tasmania is a beautiful part of Australia to visit - the climate is quite mild, and the island is a good size for touring - it's not too commercial or too busy. Tasmanian wildlife is unique, and we were lucky to spend some time watching some Tasmanian Devils...
A gardening disaster!A gardening disaster!...
November has been a gardening disaster. It's been my teaching job - work, work and more work. As I've worked to finish all my commitments for the school year, the roses are blooming beautifully, the lawns are growing daily, the edges need doing, and I have barely noticed...
Ignoring my roses...Ignoring my roses......
This is the continuation of my Spring Rose Garden Update. The roses have never looked so good, and all I've done is ignore them.
Early DecemberEarly December...
It's December already, and I have FOUR days of work left before I retire. Yippee! I can hardly believe it - should I be making terribly serious lists, or should I just let the next few days flow by?
A new lifestyle...A new lifestyle......
Thursday 11th December marks the first day of my retirement from being a music teacher. As of today I am a free agent. I choose. I have a new lifestyle which I should be able to describe as serene, relaxed, and gently paced.
Stinking hot!Stinking hot!...
It's nearly Christmas, it's stinking hot, and the hot dry wind is blustering about. I haven't been out in the garden yet, but already I've put the small hoses on. There is no real hurry - Ha! Evidence of my new improved attitude.
ItIt's almost Christmas!...
It's almost Christmas. It's a great feeling, not knowing or caring what day of the week it is. I've bought the cats some special Christmas dried food - they'll surely appreciate it.
Late DecemberLate December...
Merry Xmas. It's hot, and windless. I've already spent two hours in the Willow Tree Garden, pulling out pansies and cutting them up for mulch. I have tested out my new Christmas Womans Work gardening gloves - they are inspiring.
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