The winter Gunnera trim
Can't wait any longer for the frosts - I've started my major winter Gunnera trim. Thickets of coarse green Carexes have also spread far and wide around some of the huge root systems, and the remaining Phormiums (the tall, stiff Tenax species) seem to be getting thinner each year.
Gunnera Mess
Today has been a 'slightly' day - slightly cold, slightly grey, and slightly subdued. Did lots of sitting and kneeling in the mud, so the log-burner (lit and gurgling away in the house) was a great reward to look forward to. Brrr...
My new gardening bread-knife...
So I worked for nearly three hours with my new replacement breadknife (big spender, me - cost me two dollars at the Op Shop). It's the perfect slashing tool for deconstructing Gunnera and cutting out Carexes. My clearing system is to separate the Gunnera leaves (a bit watery) from the stalks (really watery), then throw them under the hedge in appropriate piles to dry out. I've carted everything burnable to the bonfire.
Pebbles
Lazybones dogs!
During this whole time my two lazybones dogs snoozed inside on their dog chairs. Then I came inside quite cold and wet, cranked up the log burner, changed into dry warm clothes, and sat down for a well-earned rest. So, naturally, both my dogs woke up and decided it was time they did something.
Correction - it was time that I did something with them. Something incredibly dog-exciting - like going in and out of the back door, or walking over to the garage to bark at the lawnmower, or going round something and trying to get there first. Hmm...
But since I was being incredibly boring by not co-operating, they both went outside to be nuisances and bark at something. We seem to have our wires completely crossed today.
Winnie the Dog
Am loving the almost-last tree with coloured leaves still in place - the Liquid Amber tree on the house lawn. Beautiful!
Wednesday
Good morning. It's my busy day. I am off for a swim and a coffee, then I zoom into town for chamber music. Back home I have a three hour window for garden inspiration (more Gunnera), then I zoom off again to meet my friends. And then I zoom off to my Jazz choir. Wow!
Late Afternoon...
Brrr. I got cold and wet in the water race. Today my dogs came outside and then kept on barking randomly. So I'd heave myself out and go and see what was going on. Absolutely nothing. 'False alarm, dogs, there's nobody there' I'd say cheerfully (well, semi-cheerfully), then stomp back to the water in my leaky waders. Anyway, a lot of the Gunnera is now down and lying all over the back lawn, but I haven't cleaned up anything. Too cold.
Me with a Gunnera Leaf
Came inside, lit the log-burner, washed hair, put on dry clothes, made a cup of tea, and then found a wee chocolate bar hidden in the back of the pantry. Yeay! A reward, before I zoom off to my Jazz Choir rehearsal. Doo ba doo ba doo!