Hello August
Hello WInnie
Hello, August, and hello Winnie, the best ever dog-company in the garden. But what a daft Day One - a warm nor-west wind is blowing and it's a warm sixteen degrees Celsius. Hey, winter! What's up? Have you got the sulks? Not that I'm complaining...
Tuesday 1st August
Have been clearing the wee garden where the car gets parked, dealing to the smallest, easily overlooked details. Trimmed back the Erica. It's flowering now, and a few honey bees and one bumble bee have been buzzing around, reminding me of their livelihood.
Scooped up buckets of soil-mud from the driveway's lowest point, filled a couple of large pots, and added pink Pelargonium cuttings. Have started pruning the house roses, hoping that I'm not slowly killing them off. One of the Compassions looks very unhappy, almost hidden underneath a pushy conifer. So I pruned a bit off the conifer. Oh well.
Golden Conifer Vs Compassion Rose
It's tricky. The conifer is golden, and looks gorgeous throughout winter. The Compassion roses have a much shorter seasonal impact. But in any trade-off between a conifer and a rose, guess who is likely to win?
Wednesday 2nd August
Crikey! A different day, a different wind. The Wind de Jour is a cold biting southerly (straight from Antarctica). Am not happy to garden in this wind, but love the fresh air swirling around. Think 'bracing' is the word...
Thursday 3rd August
Did you know that yesterday was 'Leave Your Phone At Home and Really Need It' Day? Yes, apparently. So this morning I have written out all my family phone numbers on a wee card and put that in my wallet. Like a young child would carry around in their bags, just on case. Enough said.
White Flowering Erica
On the way home from my ballet class (exciting) I called in to the Op shop where I bought two hammers (very exciting). Went outside for a couple of windy hours, trying to be mindful of the hips and knees. Weeded one end of the Driveway Garden, dug out self-seeded Anemanthele grasses and replanted them in the curved garden across the drive.
Cornubia Rhododendron
Welcomed the rhododendron Cornubia, just starting to flower in the Driveway Garden. What a joy! Have dumped a bag of horse manure carefully around it to say thank you.