A gardening genie?
Self-seeded Calendula
Imagine finding an old bottle in the compost. Whoo-hoo! A gardening genie! So what to wish for? A self-weeding garden border? Too sterile. Everlasting roses? Oh no, dear me no. Total gardening control? Aargh! I'd miss the fun of failure, puzzlement when treasured plants don't thrive, gratitude (maybe misplaced) for all the cute little self-seeders....
I do wonder, though. I often wish that my garden (which has now become a sentient creature with personality) would notice my best efforts, appreciate my hard, thoughtful work, and remember to thank me - like a grateful friend. But now I come to think of it, I sense that this already happens. So I wish for nothing. Phew! That's sorted then.
Wednesday 17th August
Help! Continuing the magic theme, a robust weeding fairy is arriving tomorrow, and she's even bringing her own hand tools. Aargh! This afternoon I've been scraping and digging and trying to clean up, so I won't be too embarrassed. Gosh we women are silly. Well, some of us are. Those of us who race through the house cleaning up an hour before the cleaning lady is coming.
Stone Wall Garden
So the little stone wall garden is weeded now, and it looks so sweet. The screening Pittosporums are bushing out nicely, and the garden is quite full of green growing things (not weeds, you understand). Mainly Calendulas, lovely annuals, which don't seem to notice which season it is. They build new seedlings, they flower, or they set seed - whenever.
Thursday 18th August
I am ready, shorts on, lightweight natural latex gloves in pocket. We've already been to the dog park. Smiley sad news : big brown Escher has left us. He's gone home to live in his new house. I miss him and yet I don't miss him. Just having the two collies is less demanding, and we seem to be a much brainier pack. Oops. Sorry about that, brown dog.
Winnie and Another Weeded Garden
This morning's plan is to clean up the driveway garden - weeds, roses, shrubs, and so on. Lots of pretty little annual grass seedlings are growing in the horse manure, and there's more to be spread. But it's free, and the garden soil needs topping up. Right. I will impress the weeding fairy by being ready in position. Aargh! She's just texted that she's on her way. A modern communicator, this fairy...
Much, Much Later...
What a delightfully productive day! And someone non-furry to talk to in the garden. The fairy pruned the roses by the driveway curve. I'd moved them here last month with a stern warning - their last chance before being thrown on the bonfire. They were all free dig-outs, claimed to be Princess Diana, and had been sulking (barely flowering) for some years in the driveway garden closer to the house.
Rhododendron Kaponga
When my helper went home I kept going, clearing up the edges of the Welcome Garden. I trimmed Phormiums, Senecio shrubs, and Hebes so any big trucks can fit through without breaking anything. I burnt all the rubbish. I remembered to plant a red dwarf daylily, and a Hellebore called Ivory Prince (which had been stuck in its pot for over a year, oops).
Maybe just one wish...
Actually, there is one tiny thing that I wish for - an extra, sneakily hidden day of the week (or weekend, depending on whether I need Non-Gardening Partner to do anything with the trailer or the chainsaw). Like Platform Nine and Three Quarters on the Harry Potter railway station. A day of garden magic when things get done and no energy (mental or physical) is used up. Fingers don't get the slightest bit achy, mind doesn't get the tiniest bit bored. The garden results are amazing. Time bobbles happily along, but the calendar stays the same. Hee hee...