Inspired...
Pale Pink Rhododendron
Today I am inspired. Visited a sweet little garden yesterday, with lovely brick paths, and neat edges. It was a real garden, where chunky shrubs contrasted with smaller treasures. Some plants were coming on, others were finishing. This garden was full of beautiful contrasts, the prettiest pale pink rhododendron, a huge bay tree... And two boisterous brown dogs just itching to knock over the big bearded irises.
Just because my garden is large, that shouldn't mean I can ignore the smaller details. So today's plan is to mop up some little things, the things that are easily forgotten in the whirl of a large garden landscape.
At the risk of scrolling right off the page, allow me to present a large list of small things. There will be a few non-gardening items therein - such is life.
- Put calendula and lettuce seedlings outside glass-house to harden off.
- Weed bay window garden by breakfast chairs.
- Water newly planted roses in the Hump Garden, strawberry pots, Azaleas in Jelly Bean Border.
- Build new garden by big gum tree.
- Get stones from decommissioned Middle Path, redistribute (flat ones by Laundry Path, fatties elsewhere).
- Barrow lots of stuff to bonfire, light it late in day.
- Organise Non-Gardening Partner.
Ha! This needs a sub-list, with a chain-sawing theme :
List for NGP
- a) Chainsaw dead plum tree.
- b) Chainsaw Hump Garden Ake Akes.
- c) Chainsaw self-sown Sorbus tree.
- d) Help barrow stuff to bonfire.
The non-gardening items will now get their own list :
Non-Gardening Items
- 1. Piano practice - Bach and Albeniz.
- 2. Make bread.
- 3. Hang washing on line./li.
- 4. Clean out Lilli-Puss's room (no need for dirt box any more).
If bored, vacuum the downstairs? Aargh! A bit too serious.
Euphorbia and Pink Campion
Enough items?
I am aware that there are enough items above to keep me happily (and unhappily) busy for at least a week. But here goes! Can but try. And mustn't forget to enjoy the garden, checking out all the wonderful flowers, shifting the hoses, admiring the greenery, and so on.
Later, Mid-Afternoon...
Six times I've shifted such a load to the bonfire, then collected horse manure and compost for the Hump Garden on my return journey. Hard work, got a bit hot and semi-bothered.
Hard to enjoy the beautiful sights and smells in the garden while plodding past with a heavily laden wheelbarrow of mess, which is wobbling and threatening to tip itself on top of the yellow big bearded irises? Long sentence, that. But I always try to enjoy myself. Was doing really so well balance-wise, then my two dogs charged past me and knocked the flowers over. Blast!
Oops - Knocked the Irises Over
Then I started sorting out the wee garden by the big gum tree. The lawn mower can't fit between the tree and the next garden any more, so I'm digging the gap up and filling it with plants. Nearly finished. Not time yet to report on the success of the lists above. NGP hasn't even started his sub-list : he has escaped to go off for a fly in his tiddley plane.
Much later...
Inspired. I finished the new garden, filled it with horse manure and chopped up forget-me-nots, the mulch de jour. Planted Agapanthus clumps along the house edge and edged it with stones. Then NGP came home and mowed the front lawns (forgot to put that on his list).
No Gap Anymore
I was still bonfiring at six - actually, was lying in the damp grass warding off Winnie the dog, who thought I was dead and she needed to prod me alive with her paw. Fair enough? Four more loads of hedge trimmings burnt as well - just a couple to go. NGP redeemed himself, helping me with those.
A huge day doing small things...
A huge day doing small things in the garden - nearly eight hours, plus piano practice, washing, and bread made as well. Today's bread is a brick shape with a concave curve (oops) into the middle. Tastes great, though.