Escape?
Chooks in the Garden
I try to be a patient, realistic gardener, but I find myself longing for the Moosey gardens to once again be full of fat greenery, luscious roses, colour and warmth. Could I escape and visit a summer garden somewhere? Hmm...
Saturday 26th June
It's me - writing early Saturday morning, with crowing rooster three feet away through the glass door. Having already thrown him some unhealthy white soaked bread, perhaps he prefers my gardening company together with the pursuit of food - after all, I am the supreme wriggling grub-uncoverer...
The London Moosey team have been wallowing in the mud and rain of the Glastonbury non-gardening festival in summery England - I am spared (for one week at least) their pictures of sun and summer flowers. As my gardening clean-up progresses west (through the gardens of the water race), all the photographs I've been taking have that cold, bluish low-light veneer of - lets face it - THE WINTER GARDEN.... Arrgh!
Cordylines Against the Winter Blue Sky
Let's further face it - gardening in the dead of winter is NOT as satisfying, fulfilling, inspiring, colourful etc. as I might have tried to make out!
Apres-Gardening in Baby Blue Linen Shirt, Navy Wool Jersey, Tres Stylish...
I have had a good day. First of all the trailer where I can get cheap plants was out on the road-side - I bought some New Zealand natives (Pittosporums and Hebes) for the new Pump House garden and path. Then I chopped down a Pittosporum in the Dog-Path Garden (yes I know there's an odd connection - the Pittosporum is dead, long live the Pittosporum sort of thing). With axe and secateurs I removed one large flax which had reverted totally to the large bulky species Phormium Tenax, and half removed another. This took absolutely ages, but means that the Plank can once again be traversed retaining one's balance.
Flax Mess
And, well organised winter gardener that I am, I have burnt and/or binned everything. I am tired, but happy. My reward is a pre-dinner trip to the movies to see the latest Harry Potter film, then back home for a rugby test match on TV which we will WIN, followed by a cricket one day match against the West Indies which we will probably - lose? Oh well, whatever!
Hot Coffee!
Sunday 27th June
It's me again - well, it would be, wouldn't it! I am apres-gardening a little early today, but I have continued to work very hard in the Dog-Path Garden. My flax problems are now completely sorted, and yet another Pittosporum is in transition - limbed up to see if it looks any good, if not it's coming down. The Plank is getting very rotten at one end and is rather wobbly - Hmm...
Now we are off to see if the trailer with sale plants is road-side again. Then I might zoom around taking some colourful winter photographs - for example, I found a white rose which is flowering nicely. Overall, I think I'm happy with my gardening day.
Update on the Wriggling Stream through the Wattle Woods
All the tree lucerne stumps have been chainsawed off at ground level. Next weekend Stephen will begin to experiment with pipes and water. Yippee!
Monday 28th June
I am SO SO lucky! Today the winter weather is beautiful - if it wasn't for the extremely low sun in the sky you'd think it was late spring. As soon as I've finished my morning coffee and written a list I'm going outside. Good morning, two fat hens and a staring rooster...
- Winter's Day List
- Finish clearing gum tree rubbish from behind pond.
- Plant New Zealand natives behind pond.
- Completely chop down yesterday's limbed-up Pittosporum (still no room for it).
- Winter clean-up the front patio gardens.
- Burn everything.
I am off out there. Back not too soon!
Later, After Lunch...
I have been incredibly disciplined (for once), and although I haven't totally finished the items on the list I have properly attempted each and every one. The fire is burning, the sun is at its highest skimming the top of the Hump shelter trees (those Hump trees are a little tall for extreme mid-winter), and I don't feel too tired for once (eleven comfortable hours sleep last night should have something to do with this).
The Dog-Path Garden is Tidy
Wednesday 30th June
Right. What do I want to do today? First I will finish off the winter's day list - particularly I will plant the natives behind the pond. Then I need to check and water the pots safely tucked away in the glass-house. Then I might just look around for inspiration.
What I'd really like is for everything (edges, lawns, weeds, borders) to magically look organised before we go away to Sydney. Could be possible - hopefully!
Rooster :- I do get a lot of pleasure from the antics of these chooks.
I went to work yesterday, with two consequences - no gardening got done, and the chooks didn't get fed. This morning there was a major pet traffic jam on the decking - and the cats (trying to eat their breakfast) looked intimidated - the pushy chooks won out, and three annoyed cats slunk away looking highly peeved. Now the chooks are staring at me - waiting, waiting...
Four Busy Hours Later...
I am tired, so I have come inside. Fresh baked bread is almost ready, I've made a hot chocolate, and even ironed my white linen apres-gardening shirt. I've had a great day - unbelievably the last day of June. Mist rolled in about 11 am, but I kept going planting and clearing behind the pond. It seems to take me ages to do a small area of winter clean-up, but hey! Who cares? The garden will still be there tomorrow. I am very lucky.