I've decided I really like those porch swing seats with an awning although they cost a bit of money that would be nice on my deck. There's one up for bidding on trademe but I'm a bit cautious of buying furniture online...if it's a seat, I'd like to test it out first.
Today it's a bit wet so I won't be doing much. There's a free orchard workshop coming up this sunday and I'm wondering if should go along and find out any tips on fruit trees. For our community garden. But I do have this book on how to make a forest garden which involves more than just orchard trees.
I also have a book on magnolias and one on Ayrlies to read, plus old copies of Consumer Home and Garden magazine from 1997 (!) I found at the book exchange.
One of my balloon flowers leaves are turning yellow. It may be suffering from the cold. I hope it turns out alright, the other one seems fine. I planted more freesias, called 'Purple Rain' underneath Cleopatra magnolia.
One of my sunflowers has become casualty to marauding chickens. Mum had let them run free also the other day and they nearly scratched out my tulips. I put logs and branches to cover them.
I have two free large pots now that I can use for something, and an empty hanging basket.
I bought seed raising mix and even though its midwinter have got a polystyrene tub that can use to raise seedlings in, ready for spring on my potting table. I will cover them with glass and then transplant in warmer weather.
So, there's always things to do.
Hopefully by summer when all the things are growing luxuriantly I can then relax in my swing seat/hammock on my sunny deck sipping iced tea and fall asleep underneath back issues of NZ Gardener.
Tuesday, 30 June 2015
Sunday, 28 June 2015
California Dreamin'
Where the palms are gently swaying..
I chat with people online and they all are going on about how hot it is and their summer vacations and here I am in the middle of winter California dreamin'.
Here in Auckland not all the leaves are brown and the skies grey..and I did go for a walk today...and I noticed..nikau palms.
I'm thinking wouldn't it be nice to have a few nikau palms near our deck so in summer they can provide a hint of paradise and shade under their arching fronds. I wonder what Mum would say. The west side of the house has a wooden deck where the chickens ice skate and mummy cat walks the catwalk, and where, on sunny days we air our blankets. There is also a corner nearest the kitchen that mum has set up as her second outdoor kitchen and plugs the stove top onto a makeshift bench to cook soups and salty chicken. I have rescued a round deck table from the SPCA opshop which is also in this corner. There were four chairs that go with it but they seem to have rotted, or are unstable, so currently they are in corners near the house and not really used for sitting on. The problem with our deck is it needs painting every now and again, and it's long and narrow so you can't put a decent deck setting on it. And there is no awning or shade.
Underneath we've got hay for the chickens and they scratch around in the soil there. There's also a few potted orchids and succulents that like the shade underneath the deck.
I used to have a steamer deck chair like you'd see on the Titanic that my brother bought me one christmas but..it was meant for someone more giant than me and when stretched out wasn't really comfortable for lounging on without cushions. So that ended up being shunted into storage also as it needed staining and couldn't be left outside to rot.
So..I'm wondering what can be done with this long narrow space that doesn't have any greenery anywhere. Its like an observation deck but nothing much to observe, it overlooks Fluffy's corner garden and the tangelo tree. I can't hang things off the barricade as..we put towels and blankets there to air them in the sun. All the pots with plants are moved to the concrete verandah on the north side of the house. I have put in a solar light down the bottom of the steps to light the way..but so far, it's pretty uninspiring. I need some furnishing that won't fade, crack or warp in the sun. I'd like to have somewhere to read a book or something.
Two sliding doors open out on to this deck but..I find them very annoying, constantly sliding in and out. It would be better to have proper french doors but this was the 70's. Aluminium was all the rage. Any ideas?
I chat with people online and they all are going on about how hot it is and their summer vacations and here I am in the middle of winter California dreamin'.
Here in Auckland not all the leaves are brown and the skies grey..and I did go for a walk today...and I noticed..nikau palms.
I'm thinking wouldn't it be nice to have a few nikau palms near our deck so in summer they can provide a hint of paradise and shade under their arching fronds. I wonder what Mum would say. The west side of the house has a wooden deck where the chickens ice skate and mummy cat walks the catwalk, and where, on sunny days we air our blankets. There is also a corner nearest the kitchen that mum has set up as her second outdoor kitchen and plugs the stove top onto a makeshift bench to cook soups and salty chicken. I have rescued a round deck table from the SPCA opshop which is also in this corner. There were four chairs that go with it but they seem to have rotted, or are unstable, so currently they are in corners near the house and not really used for sitting on. The problem with our deck is it needs painting every now and again, and it's long and narrow so you can't put a decent deck setting on it. And there is no awning or shade.
Underneath we've got hay for the chickens and they scratch around in the soil there. There's also a few potted orchids and succulents that like the shade underneath the deck.
I used to have a steamer deck chair like you'd see on the Titanic that my brother bought me one christmas but..it was meant for someone more giant than me and when stretched out wasn't really comfortable for lounging on without cushions. So that ended up being shunted into storage also as it needed staining and couldn't be left outside to rot.
So..I'm wondering what can be done with this long narrow space that doesn't have any greenery anywhere. Its like an observation deck but nothing much to observe, it overlooks Fluffy's corner garden and the tangelo tree. I can't hang things off the barricade as..we put towels and blankets there to air them in the sun. All the pots with plants are moved to the concrete verandah on the north side of the house. I have put in a solar light down the bottom of the steps to light the way..but so far, it's pretty uninspiring. I need some furnishing that won't fade, crack or warp in the sun. I'd like to have somewhere to read a book or something.
Two sliding doors open out on to this deck but..I find them very annoying, constantly sliding in and out. It would be better to have proper french doors but this was the 70's. Aluminium was all the rage. Any ideas?
Saturday, 27 June 2015
Tulip Time
I thought I wasn't going to buy any tulips but...I saw they were so pretty and folorn waiting at the Warehouse 40% off that...I decided to buy two lots of red and pink ones. Now I know where to plant them, on the south side of the house in the gravel bed, as tulips like it cool. And now is the time to plant, just as the weather is getting cooler.
I also bought some frost cloth just in case. I'm hoping my hibiscus will recover. In the garden centres its slim pickings now. There's only primulas and pansies left for potted colour...and I've already got pansies. I'm not too keen on primulas, although they make a good bog plant.
I watched Gardening with Soul last night. It is about a nun called Sister Loyola and her life of gardening. She cared for abandoned children at a home in Wellington with other sisters of mercy. She was a nurse, so she used her nursing skills to care for and teach children, and then when the children grew up I suppose she stayed behind and continued caring for the vege garden on the grounds there. She is 90 years old and still sprightly.
While I am not of the catholic faith I believe that God does teach us through gardening, to care for others. One thing she says was that getting things off to a good start in good soil means they will thrive. And that's the same for children too.
She had some gardening tips and one that I will use is her comfrey tea fertiliser. I plan to go to the community gardens and harvest some of the comfrey there to make my own free liquid fertiliser. She also has worm tea and horse manure tea, but I don't have access to those yet, so will just stick with the comfrey.
I suppose just like humans plants need a cup of tea too. It's amazing what a pick me up a cup of tea is for people. It cures all ills. I think my Dad would not survive or thrive without his daily cup of tea. Of course, nowadays the trend is for people to drink coffee, but I don't like it and suspect it is a drug unlike tea.
Sister Loyola also demonstrated how to make compost. She goes to the beach and harvests seaweed so the plants can get their minerals. She says the best thing for clay soil is to add some river sand. She also says gardeners are always planning ahead and that's why they so healthy cos they look forward to each day. And that God is like the sun, even if there's clouds in the sky and we may not see sunshine for days, He's still there.
I then think maybe the Catholics are alright after all. I don't know about all the statues of Mary though. I don't have them in my garden..but we already have a hen named Mary. She hasn't had any baby Jesus chicks yet, but you never know...since there's no rooster around it will have to be an immaculate conception.
I also bought some frost cloth just in case. I'm hoping my hibiscus will recover. In the garden centres its slim pickings now. There's only primulas and pansies left for potted colour...and I've already got pansies. I'm not too keen on primulas, although they make a good bog plant.
I watched Gardening with Soul last night. It is about a nun called Sister Loyola and her life of gardening. She cared for abandoned children at a home in Wellington with other sisters of mercy. She was a nurse, so she used her nursing skills to care for and teach children, and then when the children grew up I suppose she stayed behind and continued caring for the vege garden on the grounds there. She is 90 years old and still sprightly.
While I am not of the catholic faith I believe that God does teach us through gardening, to care for others. One thing she says was that getting things off to a good start in good soil means they will thrive. And that's the same for children too.
She had some gardening tips and one that I will use is her comfrey tea fertiliser. I plan to go to the community gardens and harvest some of the comfrey there to make my own free liquid fertiliser. She also has worm tea and horse manure tea, but I don't have access to those yet, so will just stick with the comfrey.
I suppose just like humans plants need a cup of tea too. It's amazing what a pick me up a cup of tea is for people. It cures all ills. I think my Dad would not survive or thrive without his daily cup of tea. Of course, nowadays the trend is for people to drink coffee, but I don't like it and suspect it is a drug unlike tea.
Sister Loyola also demonstrated how to make compost. She goes to the beach and harvests seaweed so the plants can get their minerals. She says the best thing for clay soil is to add some river sand. She also says gardeners are always planning ahead and that's why they so healthy cos they look forward to each day. And that God is like the sun, even if there's clouds in the sky and we may not see sunshine for days, He's still there.
I then think maybe the Catholics are alright after all. I don't know about all the statues of Mary though. I don't have them in my garden..but we already have a hen named Mary. She hasn't had any baby Jesus chicks yet, but you never know...since there's no rooster around it will have to be an immaculate conception.
Friday, 26 June 2015
Steel Magnolia
Magnolia is planted. Dad helped me plant and took a photo afterward, in the front yard. I also gave the Kings Plant Barn man who delivered it a tour of my garden, he too was impressed with the buxus hedges, while I asked him on tips for my yellowing gardenias. Epsoms salts he says, or Sequestron. I will continue the vinegar treatment, and added bark mulch, which I hope, because it's from pine trees, will acidify the soil.
I have now put up a hessian sack windbreak for my hibiscus, to shelter her from frosts.
It was working bee down at Woodside today, and to my disappointment the buckwheat had not germinated at all. Must be too cold. But the broad beans are doing really well. We tidied up the shed and I have a list of things we need
measuring tape
broom
hooks
garden arch
We are planning our future crops:
potatoes
onions
kumara
choko
asparagus
I am going to read a book on how to make a food forest for our fruit orchard beside the vege plots. We need treescape to mulch the ground for us so we can plant in it. Otherwise, the lawnmower man is just going to run over our fruit trees. Jacqui says she has banana palms that can be planted in a bunch, but it might just be a tad cold for them.
I return home, mum is mad I planted the magnolia. I told you not to buy any more plants. She says I'm crazy. Well...
I quickly moved out of earshot. Wait till spring.
I have now put up a hessian sack windbreak for my hibiscus, to shelter her from frosts.
It was working bee down at Woodside today, and to my disappointment the buckwheat had not germinated at all. Must be too cold. But the broad beans are doing really well. We tidied up the shed and I have a list of things we need
measuring tape
broom
hooks
garden arch
We are planning our future crops:
potatoes
onions
kumara
choko
asparagus
I am going to read a book on how to make a food forest for our fruit orchard beside the vege plots. We need treescape to mulch the ground for us so we can plant in it. Otherwise, the lawnmower man is just going to run over our fruit trees. Jacqui says she has banana palms that can be planted in a bunch, but it might just be a tad cold for them.
I return home, mum is mad I planted the magnolia. I told you not to buy any more plants. She says I'm crazy. Well...
I quickly moved out of earshot. Wait till spring.
Thursday, 25 June 2015
Brr..cold mould..
Not as cold as it was two days ago...but I checked my hibiscus yesterday and the poor thing looked miserable. She needs a warm blankie and perhaps, even better, a trip to Fiji.
I scoured the garage looking for some covering but couldn't find any hessian sacks or similar. Maybe an old towel might do? There's some kind of fleece I could put as mulch around her roots...
My issue of Get Growing sang the praises of rosemary. We already have a big rosemary bush outside our back door, and two prostrate ones hanging in baskets over the terrace fence..but I thought, why isn't the big rosemary bush on the SUNNY side of the house? Perhaps if I swapped the gardenia for the rosemary they would be happier. But, the gardenia is long established as is the rosemary.
Anyway, I won't think about that now. I'm still waiting on my magnolia. I don't know why they insisted she wouldn't fit in my fun cargo. Could be planted by now. You gives them money..and then they don't deliver. They are just up the road, surely it's not out of their way or so busy they can't make it one kilometre.
Get Growing also talked about cloches and glass houses. Glass houses sound like a lot of work. I do have some spare panes of glass out the back but nothing to support them, so..they just sitting there. Also, it used to be that some houses had conservatories attached, my next door neighbours have one, don't know if they using it to grow plants. They were all the rage in Victorian times, and in the eighties I suspect, but now you hardly see them. My grand uncle in Canada had one, to grow his bonsai in.
As our house has two porches...one a decking, and the other a concrete terrace, either of them could have been covered over and made into a conservatory but they aren't. Actually my Aunty does have one attached to her house but its got no plants I think it's now become her sewing room and also junk depository.
That's my problem, I need a space, like a studio or writer's retreat. In the garden. I was hoping to check out these shepherds huts I found in NZ house and Garden magazine. They look very cute.
Here is the link Shepherd Hut
Aren't they gorgeous? But again, mum said no.
Sigh.
I scoured the garage looking for some covering but couldn't find any hessian sacks or similar. Maybe an old towel might do? There's some kind of fleece I could put as mulch around her roots...
My issue of Get Growing sang the praises of rosemary. We already have a big rosemary bush outside our back door, and two prostrate ones hanging in baskets over the terrace fence..but I thought, why isn't the big rosemary bush on the SUNNY side of the house? Perhaps if I swapped the gardenia for the rosemary they would be happier. But, the gardenia is long established as is the rosemary.
Anyway, I won't think about that now. I'm still waiting on my magnolia. I don't know why they insisted she wouldn't fit in my fun cargo. Could be planted by now. You gives them money..and then they don't deliver. They are just up the road, surely it's not out of their way or so busy they can't make it one kilometre.
Get Growing also talked about cloches and glass houses. Glass houses sound like a lot of work. I do have some spare panes of glass out the back but nothing to support them, so..they just sitting there. Also, it used to be that some houses had conservatories attached, my next door neighbours have one, don't know if they using it to grow plants. They were all the rage in Victorian times, and in the eighties I suspect, but now you hardly see them. My grand uncle in Canada had one, to grow his bonsai in.
As our house has two porches...one a decking, and the other a concrete terrace, either of them could have been covered over and made into a conservatory but they aren't. Actually my Aunty does have one attached to her house but its got no plants I think it's now become her sewing room and also junk depository.
That's my problem, I need a space, like a studio or writer's retreat. In the garden. I was hoping to check out these shepherds huts I found in NZ house and Garden magazine. They look very cute.
Here is the link Shepherd Hut
Aren't they gorgeous? But again, mum said no.
Sigh.
Wednesday, 24 June 2015
Queen of the Nile
I'm excited as I've ordered a magnolia soulangea 'Cleopatra' from Kings and they are coming round to deliver it with some bark mulch. I am getting my digger (Dad) to help me plant it.
Dad said we may have to plant her inside the property as, he thinks the tree may get stolen or someone may crash into it again. (like last time). Poor olive, never really stood a chance.
I know, I may get in deep trouble with my mum, but she can't unplant a magnolia. Besides, it is in memory of my good friend Iraena Asher. The tree reminds me of her. I was not thinking of her when I bought it, but last night, God reminded me..that I really did need this. I suppose, while I'm here on earth...and she's not..I miss her sunny smile and just having a good friend like her to have fun with. I now have other friends but...she was special.
Of course, she had supermodel stature and this is what Magnolias have in the plant world. You can't help but stare. The flowers are large, a deep purply red colour, and fragrant. What more could you ask for? I asked the Kings Plant Barn man for tips on how to plant them and he said, make a mound for good drainage and put plenty of mulch around. The magnolia grove people recommended some other varieties, one called 'Cascade Salmon' and another called 'Hot flash' but, they are not available at Kings and...I don't fancy a magnolia named 'Hot Flash'. Sorry.
Aren't plant names funny? I saw some hebes named 'Audrey Hepburn' which looked nothing like Audrey Hepburn. I was thinking she'd be more of a leggy chinese lantern type plant than a bushy hebe. There are roses named after people, I remember Vivien Leigh, the actress who played Scarlett O'Hara in Gone with the Wind, had a rose named after her, she said, it was no good, it hung it's head. Poor Vivien. But, Scarlett O' Hara had a bougainvillea named after her. I've also seen a coprosma with that name sake. I don't have a bougainvillea because there is no pergola to grow it on plus it has thorns. I just appreciate it growing on other people's houses not mine! It is a gorgeous showy colour.
There is no plant called Selina.
I told my friend Melissa she has a lemon balm named after her. Melissa Officialanus. Her name means 'bee'. How sweet.
I also had a workmate named Dahlia. And an aunties named Rose and Lily. Of course no boys are named after flowers. It's like ships. They're all female.
Dad said we may have to plant her inside the property as, he thinks the tree may get stolen or someone may crash into it again. (like last time). Poor olive, never really stood a chance.
I know, I may get in deep trouble with my mum, but she can't unplant a magnolia. Besides, it is in memory of my good friend Iraena Asher. The tree reminds me of her. I was not thinking of her when I bought it, but last night, God reminded me..that I really did need this. I suppose, while I'm here on earth...and she's not..I miss her sunny smile and just having a good friend like her to have fun with. I now have other friends but...she was special.
Of course, she had supermodel stature and this is what Magnolias have in the plant world. You can't help but stare. The flowers are large, a deep purply red colour, and fragrant. What more could you ask for? I asked the Kings Plant Barn man for tips on how to plant them and he said, make a mound for good drainage and put plenty of mulch around. The magnolia grove people recommended some other varieties, one called 'Cascade Salmon' and another called 'Hot flash' but, they are not available at Kings and...I don't fancy a magnolia named 'Hot Flash'. Sorry.
Aren't plant names funny? I saw some hebes named 'Audrey Hepburn' which looked nothing like Audrey Hepburn. I was thinking she'd be more of a leggy chinese lantern type plant than a bushy hebe. There are roses named after people, I remember Vivien Leigh, the actress who played Scarlett O'Hara in Gone with the Wind, had a rose named after her, she said, it was no good, it hung it's head. Poor Vivien. But, Scarlett O' Hara had a bougainvillea named after her. I've also seen a coprosma with that name sake. I don't have a bougainvillea because there is no pergola to grow it on plus it has thorns. I just appreciate it growing on other people's houses not mine! It is a gorgeous showy colour.
There is no plant called Selina.
I told my friend Melissa she has a lemon balm named after her. Melissa Officialanus. Her name means 'bee'. How sweet.
I also had a workmate named Dahlia. And an aunties named Rose and Lily. Of course no boys are named after flowers. It's like ships. They're all female.
Tuesday, 23 June 2015
Ice-skating chickens
It's so cold the chickens stayed inside the house and when we let them out they ice skated down the deck. The frost has arrived. I am typing this and my fingers feel numb. I quickly looked outside, it looks like my frangipani has survived although it is losing its leaves, and hopefully my chinese lanterns and gardenias have survived as well, as watered the gardenias yesterday with vinegar solution, I think it's working...the leaves are coming out greener.
Well, now I have an extra hanging basket to fill, as I took out the convolvulus to put in the gravel bed..it is a ground cover after all, and the coriander that was growing with it I put in the corner bed.
Maybe I will put strawberries in it.
I was considering going on holiday over winter to relax...a spa retreat sounds like my idea of heaven. I did go up to Waiwera for the day last week and it was very relaxing. Then my sister emailed me (she lives in London) to tell me she and her flatmate are going to Vienna. Just for the weekend. I'm like, oh. So I emailed her back to say I'm going to Fiji.
Well, it's true, Fiji would be nice this time of year..after the school hols. But that means I have to wait till August. And I can only go on my own...and pay extra just cos I haven't found anyone gullible enough to be my companion. My sister emailed me back 'when? and who with?' I just replied 'my bf. August'.
If she asks if it's a BOY friend (I was meaning 'best friend') I will just say..yes, we decided we would have a practise honeymoon, you know, do all that pre-marital stuff beforehand, so there won't be any surprises. Mum then said..'then your sister won't trust you, you liar' but...well, she lied first. I'm sure her flatmate is more than just a flatmate. He once tried to stay in my bedroom with my sister on my queen bed. I was like no. That's a girls room. You can stay in the spare room.
I think he finds me annoying.
Anyway, what this has to do with gardening I'm not sure..but, as it's so cold I can't do anything..oh..take photos...and watch gardening DVDs. I've got 'Around the World in 80 Gardens' (take, that, Phileas Fogg!) and 'Gardening with Soul'. The latter is about a catholic nun who loves compost. The catholic faith looks more interesting now. I used to think it was just boring, but ...weren't the first serious gardens in monasteries? Anyway...it is not likely I'll convert, as I'm already born-again Christian...but..sometimes the catholics do have the right idea.
Before anyone judges me for lying to my sister...well, then it looks like I will have to go to Fiji and eat my words.
Well, now I have an extra hanging basket to fill, as I took out the convolvulus to put in the gravel bed..it is a ground cover after all, and the coriander that was growing with it I put in the corner bed.
Maybe I will put strawberries in it.
I was considering going on holiday over winter to relax...a spa retreat sounds like my idea of heaven. I did go up to Waiwera for the day last week and it was very relaxing. Then my sister emailed me (she lives in London) to tell me she and her flatmate are going to Vienna. Just for the weekend. I'm like, oh. So I emailed her back to say I'm going to Fiji.
Well, it's true, Fiji would be nice this time of year..after the school hols. But that means I have to wait till August. And I can only go on my own...and pay extra just cos I haven't found anyone gullible enough to be my companion. My sister emailed me back 'when? and who with?' I just replied 'my bf. August'.
If she asks if it's a BOY friend (I was meaning 'best friend') I will just say..yes, we decided we would have a practise honeymoon, you know, do all that pre-marital stuff beforehand, so there won't be any surprises. Mum then said..'then your sister won't trust you, you liar' but...well, she lied first. I'm sure her flatmate is more than just a flatmate. He once tried to stay in my bedroom with my sister on my queen bed. I was like no. That's a girls room. You can stay in the spare room.
I think he finds me annoying.
Anyway, what this has to do with gardening I'm not sure..but, as it's so cold I can't do anything..oh..take photos...and watch gardening DVDs. I've got 'Around the World in 80 Gardens' (take, that, Phileas Fogg!) and 'Gardening with Soul'. The latter is about a catholic nun who loves compost. The catholic faith looks more interesting now. I used to think it was just boring, but ...weren't the first serious gardens in monasteries? Anyway...it is not likely I'll convert, as I'm already born-again Christian...but..sometimes the catholics do have the right idea.
Before anyone judges me for lying to my sister...well, then it looks like I will have to go to Fiji and eat my words.
Monday, 22 June 2015
No photos yet
You will just have to use your imagination.
Yesterday I went to the Warehouse and they were having a sale on bulbs - 40% off. I did find blue hyacinths and also bought 100 ranunculus and some more anemones. It said to soak the ranunculus in water for 2 hours before planting. I put them were the creeping buttercups like to be, on the border.
I scattered the mixed anemomes in Snowy's bed perhaps I should have stuck with white ones, for the 'snowy' theme, but, too late now. The hyacinth I buried next to the steps on in the front gravel bed.
I'm a bit of a loss as to what to do with the sunny gravel bed garden. There grows a leggy gardenia, ginger lily that gets bushy and then scraggly and dries up in summer, bright red nerines (spider lily), and then further down, I've got my olive tree in a big pot, a thin stone trough of alyssum, there's more rocks further down the thin wedged shaped border that's an almost perfect isosceles triangle. At the far end I think bindweed is creeping through. I've planted metrosideros Tahiti, thyme, calendula, echevrias, dianthus, borage, and viola. There's also phacelia coming up. I've put in the purple convolvulus marinus. The theme seems to be purple and reds and grays. There's also a bearded lily that's been there forever. I also have english lavender which will be purple and spanish lavender which is wine colour.
If I could, I would take out the gardenia as it was going yellow, even though it's flowers perfume the entrance, and the ginger lily which spreads. I considered growing a mini bottle brush, but as I already have metrosideros Tahiti, I think having it's overseas cousin might upset the balance. Also, I've read cistus - rock rose, might be good there. But I haven't seen that in the garden centre.
Another option would be to espalier a fruit tree on the sunny brick wall, but I don't really have a clue how to do that. I'm thinking of removing the alyssum from the stone trough and putting in succulents and other dry mini alpine plants there. I will need to remove the soil and put in a proper gravelly mix. Those poor hyacinth found it a bit too damp and clayey.
So..that is my task for the week.
Hooray, the council replied back and said they would send my neighbours a surveillance notice and advice on how to remove their privet.
Now I'm just waiting to hear from the magnolia people for advice on which magnolia to plant on the road side verge.
Yesterday I went to the Warehouse and they were having a sale on bulbs - 40% off. I did find blue hyacinths and also bought 100 ranunculus and some more anemones. It said to soak the ranunculus in water for 2 hours before planting. I put them were the creeping buttercups like to be, on the border.
I scattered the mixed anemomes in Snowy's bed perhaps I should have stuck with white ones, for the 'snowy' theme, but, too late now. The hyacinth I buried next to the steps on in the front gravel bed.
I'm a bit of a loss as to what to do with the sunny gravel bed garden. There grows a leggy gardenia, ginger lily that gets bushy and then scraggly and dries up in summer, bright red nerines (spider lily), and then further down, I've got my olive tree in a big pot, a thin stone trough of alyssum, there's more rocks further down the thin wedged shaped border that's an almost perfect isosceles triangle. At the far end I think bindweed is creeping through. I've planted metrosideros Tahiti, thyme, calendula, echevrias, dianthus, borage, and viola. There's also phacelia coming up. I've put in the purple convolvulus marinus. The theme seems to be purple and reds and grays. There's also a bearded lily that's been there forever. I also have english lavender which will be purple and spanish lavender which is wine colour.
If I could, I would take out the gardenia as it was going yellow, even though it's flowers perfume the entrance, and the ginger lily which spreads. I considered growing a mini bottle brush, but as I already have metrosideros Tahiti, I think having it's overseas cousin might upset the balance. Also, I've read cistus - rock rose, might be good there. But I haven't seen that in the garden centre.
Another option would be to espalier a fruit tree on the sunny brick wall, but I don't really have a clue how to do that. I'm thinking of removing the alyssum from the stone trough and putting in succulents and other dry mini alpine plants there. I will need to remove the soil and put in a proper gravelly mix. Those poor hyacinth found it a bit too damp and clayey.
So..that is my task for the week.
Hooray, the council replied back and said they would send my neighbours a surveillance notice and advice on how to remove their privet.
Now I'm just waiting to hear from the magnolia people for advice on which magnolia to plant on the road side verge.
Sunday, 21 June 2015
It's 'Bouquet'
Went to King's yesterday and considered the magnolia, even though it is 30% off it is still pricy. They have shrubby star magnolias, a variety called 'Brixton Belle' and some more expensive hybrids. The evergreen one 'Little Gem' is the cheapest, but I don't want evergreen.
I did the rounds and bought two bags of hyacinth bulbs, there were the only two left, all the popular purply blue ones were gone so I was left with white and cream. I buried them in clumps of three in the rock garden.
David L Culp had put his tulips amongst the gravel in his drive and I thought, yes I should just put them in the rocky gravel they don't really need their heads in soil they are bulbs after all, it is only their roots that need the moisture. Because my other ones were kind of rotting in the trough, had bloomed early and the flowers did not look that great.
I bought another lily that is kind of pinky white colour to put in with my passionfruit.
Then I bought two punnets of delphiniums, one dwarf and one giant. I put these in my back borders. As they are ranunculae, hopefully they will do as well as the creeping buttercups there which are of the same family.
I watched more of Alan Titchmarsh's Garden Secrets DVD. I looked at Victorian gardens, where display and ferns were all the rage, as was exotic gardens, then up to the 20th century with the famed Sissinghurst castle garden in Kent. This was a garden that is romantic in style and one in which the garden is an outdoor room, decorated with foliage and flowers. This is a garden for living in. I saw the famous white garden...especially enchanting at night. I do have a night garden of sorts now in my fenced off patio area. Here, I've put a glow in the dark pot stickers and butterflies, a solar lantern that comes on at dusk, and masses of night scented stock and sweet alyssum. I am hoping to see my jasmine bloom one day. I sit in this garden on my ceramic stool and gaze at my wall of foliage, the fuchsias hanging down, the orchids climbing up, the impatiens peeking in the corner, the nodding pansies, the sweet peas growing bushy each day, the passionfruit vine trailing toward the light.
Bromeliads are resting in the nooks of tree branches. Hibiscus suns herself against the north face of the fence. My little alcove, named 'Nurture'.
I try to think of my outdoor area as a series of rooms, one leading toward the next. Some areas are designated corridors, some have nothing but lawn. I've started doing 'corner' gardening. I start one corner, then as that fills up with plants I go on to the next. When I look at this corner, I arrange the plants like an artist would compose a picture. There are lots of corners in my garden, and so far I'm in the process of doing about nine of them. I find this way, there's a bit more dimension to my gardening than trying to fill a long flat border.
I think I will take some photos today, and if the computer is working, put them up to show you.
I did the rounds and bought two bags of hyacinth bulbs, there were the only two left, all the popular purply blue ones were gone so I was left with white and cream. I buried them in clumps of three in the rock garden.
David L Culp had put his tulips amongst the gravel in his drive and I thought, yes I should just put them in the rocky gravel they don't really need their heads in soil they are bulbs after all, it is only their roots that need the moisture. Because my other ones were kind of rotting in the trough, had bloomed early and the flowers did not look that great.
I bought another lily that is kind of pinky white colour to put in with my passionfruit.
Then I bought two punnets of delphiniums, one dwarf and one giant. I put these in my back borders. As they are ranunculae, hopefully they will do as well as the creeping buttercups there which are of the same family.
I watched more of Alan Titchmarsh's Garden Secrets DVD. I looked at Victorian gardens, where display and ferns were all the rage, as was exotic gardens, then up to the 20th century with the famed Sissinghurst castle garden in Kent. This was a garden that is romantic in style and one in which the garden is an outdoor room, decorated with foliage and flowers. This is a garden for living in. I saw the famous white garden...especially enchanting at night. I do have a night garden of sorts now in my fenced off patio area. Here, I've put a glow in the dark pot stickers and butterflies, a solar lantern that comes on at dusk, and masses of night scented stock and sweet alyssum. I am hoping to see my jasmine bloom one day. I sit in this garden on my ceramic stool and gaze at my wall of foliage, the fuchsias hanging down, the orchids climbing up, the impatiens peeking in the corner, the nodding pansies, the sweet peas growing bushy each day, the passionfruit vine trailing toward the light.
Bromeliads are resting in the nooks of tree branches. Hibiscus suns herself against the north face of the fence. My little alcove, named 'Nurture'.
I try to think of my outdoor area as a series of rooms, one leading toward the next. Some areas are designated corridors, some have nothing but lawn. I've started doing 'corner' gardening. I start one corner, then as that fills up with plants I go on to the next. When I look at this corner, I arrange the plants like an artist would compose a picture. There are lots of corners in my garden, and so far I'm in the process of doing about nine of them. I find this way, there's a bit more dimension to my gardening than trying to fill a long flat border.
I think I will take some photos today, and if the computer is working, put them up to show you.
Saturday, 20 June 2015
Winter Solstice
It is the shortest day.
My garlic I planted a week or so ago has sprouted.
My carrots are growing in their tubs and I thinned out most of the weeds. They are still tiny. I don't know how long till harvest...I've never grown carrots before.
I've been doing more 'musical plants'. I moved prostrate rosemary from the rock garden to hang with her sister in my window box bed. I also moved four hyacinths to the rock garden as they seemed not to enjoy the trough where they were going soft and mouldy. I think I planted them too early? Maybe you just meant to plant them now, because they had already started blooming, and the blooms don't look very good. I have removed the nasturtiums from the hanging baskets and mangers as they were were not getting enough moisture and going yellow, so put them in the ground.
Then the rain came, and I couldn't do any more.
I read on a media website that a lady asked the council if she could plant a lemon tree on her grass verge. Auckland Transport then said she had to pay $1000. ??! Ridiculous. I say plant the tree, don't tell the council as it's not their problem anymore, as now they refused to mow the grass anyway...but in West Auckland we've been doing that forever so I think we should be able to plant what we like. And we'll probably choose better trees than what the council chose, who now have the added cost of maintaining the trees that grew too big and then died of disease cos they planted the same ones everywhere. A lemon tree isn't going to drop needles everywhere and interfere with power lines and storm water systems.
At Woodside we have a lot of fruit trees that were actually gifted to us from the council..some of them were for the 'trees for babies' project (or scheme, or ...?). Silly thing is, the volunteers were directed to grow fruit trees entirely unsuitable for the area they wanted the volunteers to plant them. So they had this avocado which didn't like the wet soil it was planted in, and died. What did the council do? Replaced it with ANOTHER avocado tree, which will probably end up dying as well.
Hello?
Anyone got any common sense at the council? Do they know anything about trees?
Grr. Well, the answer to that is NO, which is why, I don't work for council anymore. They don't know anything. And if you try and tell them stuff, they don't even want to know.
My garlic I planted a week or so ago has sprouted.
My carrots are growing in their tubs and I thinned out most of the weeds. They are still tiny. I don't know how long till harvest...I've never grown carrots before.
I've been doing more 'musical plants'. I moved prostrate rosemary from the rock garden to hang with her sister in my window box bed. I also moved four hyacinths to the rock garden as they seemed not to enjoy the trough where they were going soft and mouldy. I think I planted them too early? Maybe you just meant to plant them now, because they had already started blooming, and the blooms don't look very good. I have removed the nasturtiums from the hanging baskets and mangers as they were were not getting enough moisture and going yellow, so put them in the ground.
Then the rain came, and I couldn't do any more.
I read on a media website that a lady asked the council if she could plant a lemon tree on her grass verge. Auckland Transport then said she had to pay $1000. ??! Ridiculous. I say plant the tree, don't tell the council as it's not their problem anymore, as now they refused to mow the grass anyway...but in West Auckland we've been doing that forever so I think we should be able to plant what we like. And we'll probably choose better trees than what the council chose, who now have the added cost of maintaining the trees that grew too big and then died of disease cos they planted the same ones everywhere. A lemon tree isn't going to drop needles everywhere and interfere with power lines and storm water systems.
At Woodside we have a lot of fruit trees that were actually gifted to us from the council..some of them were for the 'trees for babies' project (or scheme, or ...?). Silly thing is, the volunteers were directed to grow fruit trees entirely unsuitable for the area they wanted the volunteers to plant them. So they had this avocado which didn't like the wet soil it was planted in, and died. What did the council do? Replaced it with ANOTHER avocado tree, which will probably end up dying as well.
Hello?
Anyone got any common sense at the council? Do they know anything about trees?
Grr. Well, the answer to that is NO, which is why, I don't work for council anymore. They don't know anything. And if you try and tell them stuff, they don't even want to know.
Friday, 19 June 2015
No wait, there's more!
Actually I eat my words. There ARE more plants to plant, and thankfully I had held off buying in bulk so far as yesterday went to Kings and they were having a 30% off everything sale!
So I bought some plants I'd been meaning to get - two platycodons, (balloon flower), another hen and chickens fern, another Chinese lantern, three violets to plant amidst the roses, three Iceland poppies to go in my poppy bed - those seeds are taking ages! I guess Kings want everything to go and having a stock take sale before winter sets in.
I checked out the magnolias and have yet to decide on a specimen. I would like a deciduous one. When they bud, you see just the flowers against the sky, and they look gorgeous. My 'Care-free plants' book said they make ideal street trees. Just hope another car doesn't crash into it, or it gets stolen, but..I don't know if anyone round here would be so savvy to steal a magnolia tree. I do have some stakes and half a bag of compost already.
Well, today is wet, which is great to water in the new plants. I moved the madonna lily to be near the passionfruit vine which is flowering, as when it grows tall, the flowers will pop through the foliage. Also as they are tall the vine can grab hold of the lily stems as well.
My garden seems to have more subtropical plants than romantic cottage garden ones. Auckland gardens tend to go for the exotic, after all we are the largest polynesian city. I remember going to Tahiti and everywhere the ladies wore fresh flowers in their hair. I would like to grow enough flowers so that everyday I could pick one and put in my hair if I wanted to.
I watched a bit of Alan Titchmarsh's Garden Secrets DVD last night. He showed how to make a parterre. I'm thinking it would be nice to have a thyme parterre underneath the washing line. After all it is just lawn there, and while it might be nice to have a plum tree its not really feasible with Dad's weather station taking up the lawn. But a parterre is a low garden meant to be looked at from above so you can see the interesting pattern and colour..
I also read a book called the Layered Garden by David Culpa which is stunning. Although a lot of work. He wrote that he hardly got time to sit on the garden benches, and also had to have a helper. He is a plantaholic and particularly loves hellebores (winter or christmas rose) and snowdrops. He has a hillside planted with them underneath his woodland trees, a huge border of flowers, and a ruin garden.
I also looked through Beth Chatto's Garden, as there was a book on that. She has a gravel garden that has never needed watering. I know I don't enjoy watering all the time in summer. She also has ponds and bits of woodland. She is more natural landscape inspired.
Both gardeners plant to the conditions rather than try to amend the soil and move it around. They don't have hedges...and of course, they have much larger sections than anyone living in the suburbs.
So I bought some plants I'd been meaning to get - two platycodons, (balloon flower), another hen and chickens fern, another Chinese lantern, three violets to plant amidst the roses, three Iceland poppies to go in my poppy bed - those seeds are taking ages! I guess Kings want everything to go and having a stock take sale before winter sets in.
I checked out the magnolias and have yet to decide on a specimen. I would like a deciduous one. When they bud, you see just the flowers against the sky, and they look gorgeous. My 'Care-free plants' book said they make ideal street trees. Just hope another car doesn't crash into it, or it gets stolen, but..I don't know if anyone round here would be so savvy to steal a magnolia tree. I do have some stakes and half a bag of compost already.
Well, today is wet, which is great to water in the new plants. I moved the madonna lily to be near the passionfruit vine which is flowering, as when it grows tall, the flowers will pop through the foliage. Also as they are tall the vine can grab hold of the lily stems as well.
My garden seems to have more subtropical plants than romantic cottage garden ones. Auckland gardens tend to go for the exotic, after all we are the largest polynesian city. I remember going to Tahiti and everywhere the ladies wore fresh flowers in their hair. I would like to grow enough flowers so that everyday I could pick one and put in my hair if I wanted to.
I watched a bit of Alan Titchmarsh's Garden Secrets DVD last night. He showed how to make a parterre. I'm thinking it would be nice to have a thyme parterre underneath the washing line. After all it is just lawn there, and while it might be nice to have a plum tree its not really feasible with Dad's weather station taking up the lawn. But a parterre is a low garden meant to be looked at from above so you can see the interesting pattern and colour..
I also read a book called the Layered Garden by David Culpa which is stunning. Although a lot of work. He wrote that he hardly got time to sit on the garden benches, and also had to have a helper. He is a plantaholic and particularly loves hellebores (winter or christmas rose) and snowdrops. He has a hillside planted with them underneath his woodland trees, a huge border of flowers, and a ruin garden.
I also looked through Beth Chatto's Garden, as there was a book on that. She has a gravel garden that has never needed watering. I know I don't enjoy watering all the time in summer. She also has ponds and bits of woodland. She is more natural landscape inspired.
Both gardeners plant to the conditions rather than try to amend the soil and move it around. They don't have hedges...and of course, they have much larger sections than anyone living in the suburbs.
Thursday, 18 June 2015
Vitamin C
I can't grow Vitamin D but I can grow Vitamin C with blackcurrants.
While I am growing the blackcurrants I suppose I get my daily ration of Vitamin D by just being outside. There were two choices, 'Magnus' or 'Sefton' also known as Blackcurrant Jazz. I chose the jazzier plant, as it is said to be sweeter and less tart. So now I have a bush with no leaves planted near the chickens house, on the shady side of the garden by the fence. I will need to mulch it later to keep down any weeds.
Well, I think that's done..now there are no more plants to plant as it is nearing the longest day. Winter will soon be upon us. I thought about asking the council for a new tree for our verge but I don't think they will respond, since the old tree is long gone. If we plant another one there it might be hit by a car as well. Instead I emailed them asking them to send my neighbours instructions on getting rid of their privet tree. Too bad a car can't crash into that one. It is not their fault, that tree was not planted by them. But as it is on their property they are the ones responsible for cutting it down, and I don't think the council will give them any incentive to pay for the cost of a removal. A tree is not so easy to remove if it's been growing there for years.
I thought if I had a choice, or the council gave me money to buy a new trees, one for my neighbour and one for me, I would pick any of these:
My top choice would be:
Magnolia
Plum
and any of the following - Kowhai, Chinese Toon, Fragrant Snowball Tree, Lime, Bay, Ponga Tree Fern, Nikau Palm, Jacaranda.
My neighbours have a feijoa, a citrus, a cabbage tree, a camellia, a tree that looks like a bottle brush, and the privet. That is all.
My other neighbours on the other side have cabbage trees, bamboo, pittosporum, a pine, a bougainvillea, manuka, and some other trees I haven't identified yet.
I have had some neighbours have tree envy before saying they wanted our tangelos, and some people walking past on valentines day wanted to cut our roses. Mum is very tight about people wanting something for nothing, or even if they offer money, she won't give it to them. I think she would rather let them rot and die before giving to someone just cos they asked. But I have secretly given away a bucket of feijoas to my friend down the road.
While I am growing the blackcurrants I suppose I get my daily ration of Vitamin D by just being outside. There were two choices, 'Magnus' or 'Sefton' also known as Blackcurrant Jazz. I chose the jazzier plant, as it is said to be sweeter and less tart. So now I have a bush with no leaves planted near the chickens house, on the shady side of the garden by the fence. I will need to mulch it later to keep down any weeds.
Well, I think that's done..now there are no more plants to plant as it is nearing the longest day. Winter will soon be upon us. I thought about asking the council for a new tree for our verge but I don't think they will respond, since the old tree is long gone. If we plant another one there it might be hit by a car as well. Instead I emailed them asking them to send my neighbours instructions on getting rid of their privet tree. Too bad a car can't crash into that one. It is not their fault, that tree was not planted by them. But as it is on their property they are the ones responsible for cutting it down, and I don't think the council will give them any incentive to pay for the cost of a removal. A tree is not so easy to remove if it's been growing there for years.
I thought if I had a choice, or the council gave me money to buy a new trees, one for my neighbour and one for me, I would pick any of these:
My top choice would be:
Magnolia
Plum
and any of the following - Kowhai, Chinese Toon, Fragrant Snowball Tree, Lime, Bay, Ponga Tree Fern, Nikau Palm, Jacaranda.
My neighbours have a feijoa, a citrus, a cabbage tree, a camellia, a tree that looks like a bottle brush, and the privet. That is all.
My other neighbours on the other side have cabbage trees, bamboo, pittosporum, a pine, a bougainvillea, manuka, and some other trees I haven't identified yet.
I have had some neighbours have tree envy before saying they wanted our tangelos, and some people walking past on valentines day wanted to cut our roses. Mum is very tight about people wanting something for nothing, or even if they offer money, she won't give it to them. I think she would rather let them rot and die before giving to someone just cos they asked. But I have secretly given away a bucket of feijoas to my friend down the road.
Wednesday, 17 June 2015
Forget Me Not
Yesterday I went for a stroll in the West Lynn Gardens. I was in the area and thought, I would like to see it again. I put in $3 donation at the gate, and wandered on through.
What impressed me was this kind of garden was one in which you are immersed in it. Paths lead off to various places, it's all naturalised, there's no straight or hard edges. There didn't seem to be any of the traditional kind of focal points or demarcated areas, every turn you took it was to admire some camellia or native fern, the garden was quiet, there were no borders brimming with flowers like at the Parnell Rose Gardens. Although there is a hibiscus hedge type area. Plants are grouped in clumps, and I see spider plants and many bromeliads enjoying the shade.
There is only one bit of sunny lawn, the rest is used as pathways. The butterfly house was open but I only saw one lone Monarch feasting on a rosemary bush. The plants I liked best was seeing the Chinese lanterns growing very tall through the bushes, so that the lanterns were arching overhead. I thought, what a wonderful effect, why do the gardening books say to prune it hard to keep it bushy?? It's meant to be 'leggy'!
I think I would like more ferns for my garden, the hen and chickens grow very big there, loving the shade. Also I saw a row of impatiens growing beside a brick wall corridor and thought that's so pretty, I would like to do that. Impatiens, or busy lizzies, do really well beside the house and I do like the hot pink ones the best, although brick red would complement our house the best.
Anyway I had a nice stroll looking at all the plants, saw sparrows enjoying the birdbath (I think they ignore mine) and thought what an amazing garden all planted and cared for by volunteers. And butterflies.
I then went on my with my shopping. I was on the look out for the chatham Island forget me not. I had picked up a book at the library called 'Border Flowers' a green fingers guide. It was a UK publication but I noticed it recommended a very NZ flower! Why is this not in my garden? Had I forgotten? The more natives the better..so I had a look in Kings...they had three left, growing quite giant in their pots for $20. I was not going to pay that. So..to Mitre 10 and sure enough they had smaller ones for $10. I bought one and a sack of compost, and two French Lavenders as I don't have one anymore, to put in my sunny border. The book recommended only plant flowers that make you happy, and these make me very happy.
So chatham Island forget me not is now living in the shady side of the house in the gravel bed. I hope it will spread as ..the leaves are wonderfully glossy ground covers and I can't wait to see the cute little blue flowers come spring.
Next item on my whitelist is a blackcurrant plant. Since my blackberry succumbed to rust, I thought...well, I don't even like blackberries that much anyway, but I used to be addicted to Ribena when I was younger..wouldn't it be better to have fresh blackcurrants than have to buy Ribena? Also those berries are very good for you. I'm going to plant it by the fence on the southern side of my garden near the chicken's house. It is said to like the cooler, moist areas. Also, bonus, no thorns.
What impressed me was this kind of garden was one in which you are immersed in it. Paths lead off to various places, it's all naturalised, there's no straight or hard edges. There didn't seem to be any of the traditional kind of focal points or demarcated areas, every turn you took it was to admire some camellia or native fern, the garden was quiet, there were no borders brimming with flowers like at the Parnell Rose Gardens. Although there is a hibiscus hedge type area. Plants are grouped in clumps, and I see spider plants and many bromeliads enjoying the shade.
There is only one bit of sunny lawn, the rest is used as pathways. The butterfly house was open but I only saw one lone Monarch feasting on a rosemary bush. The plants I liked best was seeing the Chinese lanterns growing very tall through the bushes, so that the lanterns were arching overhead. I thought, what a wonderful effect, why do the gardening books say to prune it hard to keep it bushy?? It's meant to be 'leggy'!
I think I would like more ferns for my garden, the hen and chickens grow very big there, loving the shade. Also I saw a row of impatiens growing beside a brick wall corridor and thought that's so pretty, I would like to do that. Impatiens, or busy lizzies, do really well beside the house and I do like the hot pink ones the best, although brick red would complement our house the best.
Anyway I had a nice stroll looking at all the plants, saw sparrows enjoying the birdbath (I think they ignore mine) and thought what an amazing garden all planted and cared for by volunteers. And butterflies.
I then went on my with my shopping. I was on the look out for the chatham Island forget me not. I had picked up a book at the library called 'Border Flowers' a green fingers guide. It was a UK publication but I noticed it recommended a very NZ flower! Why is this not in my garden? Had I forgotten? The more natives the better..so I had a look in Kings...they had three left, growing quite giant in their pots for $20. I was not going to pay that. So..to Mitre 10 and sure enough they had smaller ones for $10. I bought one and a sack of compost, and two French Lavenders as I don't have one anymore, to put in my sunny border. The book recommended only plant flowers that make you happy, and these make me very happy.
So chatham Island forget me not is now living in the shady side of the house in the gravel bed. I hope it will spread as ..the leaves are wonderfully glossy ground covers and I can't wait to see the cute little blue flowers come spring.
Next item on my whitelist is a blackcurrant plant. Since my blackberry succumbed to rust, I thought...well, I don't even like blackberries that much anyway, but I used to be addicted to Ribena when I was younger..wouldn't it be better to have fresh blackcurrants than have to buy Ribena? Also those berries are very good for you. I'm going to plant it by the fence on the southern side of my garden near the chicken's house. It is said to like the cooler, moist areas. Also, bonus, no thorns.
Tuesday, 16 June 2015
The plants blacklist
While I do have plants on my whitelist, to obtain, I also have plants on my blacklist, to remove or forbid from my garden.
Thornless Blackberry has now migrated to my blacklist, on account of bearing the no-good signs of rust. It's leaves are all purple and underneath bright yellow pustules of rust are showing. Meh. It probably wouldn't fruit well anyway..as it's an american hybrid bred to be thornless, not juicy.
So, it's goodbye Blackberry.
Others on the list I'm not so fond of include...due to being invasive or disease ridden or thorny:
Bindweed
Creeping Buttercup
Flower Carpet Rose
Privet
Onehunga Weed
Paspalum grass
Plantain
Thistle
Wild Ginger
Gorse*
*thankfully not in my garden.
It is funny, when I tell people I garden the non-gardeners always ask me if I want to do theirs. Silly question, of course not! Do your own! How would I know what a weed in your garden is and what plants you like to grow, I don't live there.
I don't know. Besides if I do other people's gardens, that just means they passing the buck to me when everyone knows gardening is a lifetimes work that needs regular doing. If I garden for other people, do I still have a right to the harvest? Gardening is a personal thing, or a community thing. I was thinking bout this lately and thinking it just might be the attitude of those who cut down christmas trees and put them in their house for one day in summer.
And also, when will I get time to care for my own if I'm off doing other peoples? They may as well bequeath me their land. It could be they don't even HAVE a garden, they just want someone to kill their weeds for them, then a few months later down the track, because they haven't planted anything, all the weeds come back. Waste of time.
I talked with some professional gardeners 'Professional' meaning they get paid I suppose, and their clients tend to be wealthy high maintenance people who don't want to lift a finger, to have a garden to show off to their other wealthy friends. They want a garden but they don't want to look after it once it's all planted. On the other end of the scale others want some kind of landscaping effect, which is low maintenance, meaning a lawn, one or two flaxes, and a line of cabbage trees. The drive thru Pak 'n Save garden.
I decided I'm not going down that pathway. If you follow the yellow brick road, all you do is go round and round in circles.
Thornless Blackberry has now migrated to my blacklist, on account of bearing the no-good signs of rust. It's leaves are all purple and underneath bright yellow pustules of rust are showing. Meh. It probably wouldn't fruit well anyway..as it's an american hybrid bred to be thornless, not juicy.
So, it's goodbye Blackberry.
Others on the list I'm not so fond of include...due to being invasive or disease ridden or thorny:
Bindweed
Creeping Buttercup
Flower Carpet Rose
Privet
Onehunga Weed
Paspalum grass
Plantain
Thistle
Wild Ginger
Gorse*
*thankfully not in my garden.
It is funny, when I tell people I garden the non-gardeners always ask me if I want to do theirs. Silly question, of course not! Do your own! How would I know what a weed in your garden is and what plants you like to grow, I don't live there.
I don't know. Besides if I do other people's gardens, that just means they passing the buck to me when everyone knows gardening is a lifetimes work that needs regular doing. If I garden for other people, do I still have a right to the harvest? Gardening is a personal thing, or a community thing. I was thinking bout this lately and thinking it just might be the attitude of those who cut down christmas trees and put them in their house for one day in summer.
And also, when will I get time to care for my own if I'm off doing other peoples? They may as well bequeath me their land. It could be they don't even HAVE a garden, they just want someone to kill their weeds for them, then a few months later down the track, because they haven't planted anything, all the weeds come back. Waste of time.
I talked with some professional gardeners 'Professional' meaning they get paid I suppose, and their clients tend to be wealthy high maintenance people who don't want to lift a finger, to have a garden to show off to their other wealthy friends. They want a garden but they don't want to look after it once it's all planted. On the other end of the scale others want some kind of landscaping effect, which is low maintenance, meaning a lawn, one or two flaxes, and a line of cabbage trees. The drive thru Pak 'n Save garden.
I decided I'm not going down that pathway. If you follow the yellow brick road, all you do is go round and round in circles.
Monday, 15 June 2015
The Snowball Effect
I now have a snowball tree in Snowy's bed. It is in the corner where the standard rose that died used to be. While I was digging the hole I uprooted part of the rose root that was still there and the wooden stake. The snowball tree is the compact variety and I think will provide wonderful shade and colour for my garden, while I sit beside it on the tree stump.
Mitre 10 had a clearance sale and I couldn't resist, I had my eye on the bare branched trees selling for $7, originally $16. I also bought a dwarf agapanthus (why not, grows the best in Auckland), another hellebore (ruby red) and...another cranberry. I planted them all down the back.
So that was my morning shopping spree.
I am quite heartened to learn, from reading NZ Butterfly and Moth magazine, that my near-winter gardening efforts won't be in vain, and the seed I blithely scattered a few months ago WILL germinate come spring, as I've been adding plenty of organic matter to the soil. Sheep pellets, digging in green manure, straw, worm castings, leaf mould, compost, old potting mix...
Bulbs are now appearing, hyacinth has bloomed already but it doesn't look as perfect as it does in it's picture. I've noticed some cream coloured jonquils poking out of the ground. Gladioli is sending up shoots as well. The chickens have tried to dig my lily bulbs out so I moved one to another bed they cannot get at.
I'm tired out now and feel like a nap. As we are nearing the winter solstice it will be all downhill from here. I'm wondering will I need to buy any frost cloth for my chinese lanterns? Will my new plants survive? What am I going to do in the meantime? Terrariums?
Also did you know..the cabbage tree is actually a giant lily? Why they didn't name it giant lily tree I don't know.
Mitre 10 had a clearance sale and I couldn't resist, I had my eye on the bare branched trees selling for $7, originally $16. I also bought a dwarf agapanthus (why not, grows the best in Auckland), another hellebore (ruby red) and...another cranberry. I planted them all down the back.
So that was my morning shopping spree.
I am quite heartened to learn, from reading NZ Butterfly and Moth magazine, that my near-winter gardening efforts won't be in vain, and the seed I blithely scattered a few months ago WILL germinate come spring, as I've been adding plenty of organic matter to the soil. Sheep pellets, digging in green manure, straw, worm castings, leaf mould, compost, old potting mix...
Bulbs are now appearing, hyacinth has bloomed already but it doesn't look as perfect as it does in it's picture. I've noticed some cream coloured jonquils poking out of the ground. Gladioli is sending up shoots as well. The chickens have tried to dig my lily bulbs out so I moved one to another bed they cannot get at.
I'm tired out now and feel like a nap. As we are nearing the winter solstice it will be all downhill from here. I'm wondering will I need to buy any frost cloth for my chinese lanterns? Will my new plants survive? What am I going to do in the meantime? Terrariums?
Also did you know..the cabbage tree is actually a giant lily? Why they didn't name it giant lily tree I don't know.
Sunday, 14 June 2015
Border Ballet
The stage is set, a gardenia to the left, one to the right. Lamb ears at the proscenium edge, chinese heavenly bamboo as the footlights, a graceful hot pink chinese lantern peaking out from the wings, another red chinese lantern one on the far side. Centre stage pirouettes Meyer lemon, while behind her sugar pea wends its way up the trellis. Grape vine drapes the wall as a curtain. Gladioli and dutch iris are reserved for Act two, come spring with fragrant sweet peas.
Broad beans are my corps de ballet, growing in formation.
I call my border ballet 'A mid-autumn daydream', all it needs is a Puckish fairy or a perhaps Victoria Plum flying from the wings with her arms full of violets and sprinkling magic dust. Draped over this tableau is garden netting, a screen so that the chickens, prevented from wandering on the stage, can only gaze in wonder.
Mum has taken Mary under her wing and been giving her warm epsom salt baths and drying her moulting feathers with my hairdryer. I'm sure if we had a third chicken I would call her 'Molly' since mum molly coddles them so much. Martha is not getting the special treatment this time, which she had several months ago when she turned tail and refused to lay eggs. It turned out both Mary and Martha needed worming.
I have often seen neighbours cats wander through my garden willy-nilly, Sparky sitting ON my geranium, squashing it flat, or my strawberries. Another neighbour's cat I saw rolling around on the catnip - no wonder it's looking worse for wear. Clearly enjoying him/herself.
Mummy Cat's favourite place seems to be the catwalk on the deck. She often jumps up to the railing, leaps over the gaps and then looks at me. At other times she suns herself on the deck, but I don't catch her sitting on my plants like Sparky does. She has better manners.
I have found this book today at the Te Atatu Book exchange called 'Pet Friendly Gardens'. Another book that I'm meaning to read again is 'The Chicken Friendly Garden' which has advice for planting in layers. I have just finished reading garden enthusiast and landscape designer Xanthe White's book called 'The Natural Garden' which was inspiring. It seems she was influenced by an English gardener's ideals by the name of William Robinson (no idea who that is)...but then, I don't pay much attention to those high up in the formal garden world. Of course it would be silly to replicate a European formal garden in a New Zealand suburban section...but I suppose people can try if they have the space. It would be like stepping into another world, but one may find it very expensive to maintain when your plants keep dying due to the variation in climate.
I had been thinking about this lately and concluded that most non-gardeners only real contact with the plant world is having a fake or dying tree at christmas time.
Broad beans are my corps de ballet, growing in formation.
I call my border ballet 'A mid-autumn daydream', all it needs is a Puckish fairy or a perhaps Victoria Plum flying from the wings with her arms full of violets and sprinkling magic dust. Draped over this tableau is garden netting, a screen so that the chickens, prevented from wandering on the stage, can only gaze in wonder.
Mum has taken Mary under her wing and been giving her warm epsom salt baths and drying her moulting feathers with my hairdryer. I'm sure if we had a third chicken I would call her 'Molly' since mum molly coddles them so much. Martha is not getting the special treatment this time, which she had several months ago when she turned tail and refused to lay eggs. It turned out both Mary and Martha needed worming.
I have often seen neighbours cats wander through my garden willy-nilly, Sparky sitting ON my geranium, squashing it flat, or my strawberries. Another neighbour's cat I saw rolling around on the catnip - no wonder it's looking worse for wear. Clearly enjoying him/herself.
Mummy Cat's favourite place seems to be the catwalk on the deck. She often jumps up to the railing, leaps over the gaps and then looks at me. At other times she suns herself on the deck, but I don't catch her sitting on my plants like Sparky does. She has better manners.
I have found this book today at the Te Atatu Book exchange called 'Pet Friendly Gardens'. Another book that I'm meaning to read again is 'The Chicken Friendly Garden' which has advice for planting in layers. I have just finished reading garden enthusiast and landscape designer Xanthe White's book called 'The Natural Garden' which was inspiring. It seems she was influenced by an English gardener's ideals by the name of William Robinson (no idea who that is)...but then, I don't pay much attention to those high up in the formal garden world. Of course it would be silly to replicate a European formal garden in a New Zealand suburban section...but I suppose people can try if they have the space. It would be like stepping into another world, but one may find it very expensive to maintain when your plants keep dying due to the variation in climate.
I had been thinking about this lately and concluded that most non-gardeners only real contact with the plant world is having a fake or dying tree at christmas time.
Saturday, 13 June 2015
Swingin' in the Rain
My plants are now singin' (and swingin') in the rain thanks to being moved to their new positions. It has been wet and windy and I've only been able to move them in the sunny spells in between. Now is a good time before they start their spring growth spurts.
I have divided some lambs ears and they are now gracing the back corner bed as edging.
The only thing left to move is maybe the manuka tea tree to the front, but I've put in English Lavender there with plenty of sand for the time being. If she takes root, she will stay but if like last time the lavender curls up its roots and dies, manuka can go in her place.
My poor gardenias look a bit yellow and I've read that vinegar can remedy this. I've tried epsom salts but no joy. The directions are to dilute a cup of white vinegar in a bucket of water and water each week for three weeks to raise the acidity of the soil so the gardenias can get their iron.
I watched more of Gardens of the World, with Audrey presenting flower gardens (my favourite), Japanese gardens and tropical gardens. I have also been looking up the Auckland Botanical Gardens website for their advice on what plants grows best in Auckland.
Where I am is close to the creek so tends to be boggy and damp, so that is why there's mangroves in the creek, and lots of flax and cabbage trees, swampy plants that thrive in lowlands. Now there's nothing wrong with flax and cabbage trees, but they aren't very 'gardeny' in my humble opinion! Plus the cabbage trees drop their sharp leaves everywhere, although, cats love to climb them. And I'm certain they don't look at all like cabbage or taste like them either. But they are very popular in my area and every second house seems to have one. The other plant many neighbours have is Chinese Toon, which is more colourful and graceful in my opinion. Our street is also planted with olive trees, but our grass verge doesn't have one as a car crashed into it and it never recovered. I'm thinking would I be allowed to plant a non-council sanctioned tree there instead? I'm thinking of a nice juicy plum tree. I'm keeping my own olive tree close to the house in it's tub. I don't want another casualty.
Feijoas and citrus trees are also dime a dozen, but I do really wish people would get rid of their privets. In summertime, I'm as bad as Sneezy the dwarf and have to go round with handkerchief all the time.
Each time the wind blows my angels sound their chimes. I wonder what the land looked like before human habitation. Was it swampy tussocks and toe toe, before it became an orchard and then houses?
Were there native birds before the ducks and sparrows claimed their space? Were there kauri gum fields nearby and pioneers floating their logs down the stream from Don Buck Hill and the mill at Henderson Creek? Did people ever eat the fresh grapes grown in the vineyards or was it all fermented into wine? Who knows?
I have divided some lambs ears and they are now gracing the back corner bed as edging.
The only thing left to move is maybe the manuka tea tree to the front, but I've put in English Lavender there with plenty of sand for the time being. If she takes root, she will stay but if like last time the lavender curls up its roots and dies, manuka can go in her place.
My poor gardenias look a bit yellow and I've read that vinegar can remedy this. I've tried epsom salts but no joy. The directions are to dilute a cup of white vinegar in a bucket of water and water each week for three weeks to raise the acidity of the soil so the gardenias can get their iron.
I watched more of Gardens of the World, with Audrey presenting flower gardens (my favourite), Japanese gardens and tropical gardens. I have also been looking up the Auckland Botanical Gardens website for their advice on what plants grows best in Auckland.
Where I am is close to the creek so tends to be boggy and damp, so that is why there's mangroves in the creek, and lots of flax and cabbage trees, swampy plants that thrive in lowlands. Now there's nothing wrong with flax and cabbage trees, but they aren't very 'gardeny' in my humble opinion! Plus the cabbage trees drop their sharp leaves everywhere, although, cats love to climb them. And I'm certain they don't look at all like cabbage or taste like them either. But they are very popular in my area and every second house seems to have one. The other plant many neighbours have is Chinese Toon, which is more colourful and graceful in my opinion. Our street is also planted with olive trees, but our grass verge doesn't have one as a car crashed into it and it never recovered. I'm thinking would I be allowed to plant a non-council sanctioned tree there instead? I'm thinking of a nice juicy plum tree. I'm keeping my own olive tree close to the house in it's tub. I don't want another casualty.
Feijoas and citrus trees are also dime a dozen, but I do really wish people would get rid of their privets. In summertime, I'm as bad as Sneezy the dwarf and have to go round with handkerchief all the time.
Each time the wind blows my angels sound their chimes. I wonder what the land looked like before human habitation. Was it swampy tussocks and toe toe, before it became an orchard and then houses?
Were there native birds before the ducks and sparrows claimed their space? Were there kauri gum fields nearby and pioneers floating their logs down the stream from Don Buck Hill and the mill at Henderson Creek? Did people ever eat the fresh grapes grown in the vineyards or was it all fermented into wine? Who knows?
Friday, 12 June 2015
Musical Plants
I'm playing musical chairs with my plants. This involves a lot of moving and when the wind and rain stop, I shift the plants to a better spot.
Today I moved the tea bush to the border where the box shrub was, as the tea bush was getting too much sun. Its leaves were getting fried by the north facing wooden fence. Also, it was not a climber or vertical like I thought it was so what was it doing right next to the fence? In it's vacant place I put in the hibiscus, because it gets full sun. Also, the hibiscus did not look right in the pot and it had quite vertical branches, which would look good pressed right against the fence. I just hope no frost gets there.
I also moved the blackberry bush to be near the chain link fence as that can be a trellis for it. In the spot vacated by the blackberry I have put some grapevine cuttings. I snipped off two branches from where it was growing in a most unsuitable location in the gravel garden so it can make new plants from cuttings, and grow where it's meant to grow!
Now there's an empty pot vacated by the hibiscus, and I have not thought what to put there, but I plan to do some more musical plants tomorrow by shifting one of the gardenias to down the back by the abutilon, to be near the other gardenia which seems happy in sheltered full sun down there. Where it is at present is not so good and it looks like it's short on minerals as the leaves are yellowish.
I will need to buy some peaty compost also to feed and mulch it when I replant it. I plan to shift the metrosideros Tahiti plant to wear the ground-covering gardenia is, as its in a pot at the moment but it does not really need to be in a pot. It can tolerate dry conditions which it will surely be where the gardenia is now.
So that is my plan. No new plants, but plants in better locations. Then I will have two empty pots that I can do something with...I could put the topiary box plants inside them...?
I saw a pink abutilon I was tempted to buy as think it's a pity to have just one when it's such a pretty plant. If I am going to find that snowball tree, I want the right one, not just any viburnum..but the most fragrant. Or perhaps, I can put another manuka, shifting it from next to the kowhai to the front Snowy's bed as then, I will have two, I think they have white flowers..and they are vertical and can tolerate some wind.
I saw in Kings they are now selling fruit trees, but I think we have plenty and don't need any more, but if I could have another I would choose a plum tree as they are nice and juicy.
Today I moved the tea bush to the border where the box shrub was, as the tea bush was getting too much sun. Its leaves were getting fried by the north facing wooden fence. Also, it was not a climber or vertical like I thought it was so what was it doing right next to the fence? In it's vacant place I put in the hibiscus, because it gets full sun. Also, the hibiscus did not look right in the pot and it had quite vertical branches, which would look good pressed right against the fence. I just hope no frost gets there.
I also moved the blackberry bush to be near the chain link fence as that can be a trellis for it. In the spot vacated by the blackberry I have put some grapevine cuttings. I snipped off two branches from where it was growing in a most unsuitable location in the gravel garden so it can make new plants from cuttings, and grow where it's meant to grow!
Now there's an empty pot vacated by the hibiscus, and I have not thought what to put there, but I plan to do some more musical plants tomorrow by shifting one of the gardenias to down the back by the abutilon, to be near the other gardenia which seems happy in sheltered full sun down there. Where it is at present is not so good and it looks like it's short on minerals as the leaves are yellowish.
I will need to buy some peaty compost also to feed and mulch it when I replant it. I plan to shift the metrosideros Tahiti plant to wear the ground-covering gardenia is, as its in a pot at the moment but it does not really need to be in a pot. It can tolerate dry conditions which it will surely be where the gardenia is now.
So that is my plan. No new plants, but plants in better locations. Then I will have two empty pots that I can do something with...I could put the topiary box plants inside them...?
I saw a pink abutilon I was tempted to buy as think it's a pity to have just one when it's such a pretty plant. If I am going to find that snowball tree, I want the right one, not just any viburnum..but the most fragrant. Or perhaps, I can put another manuka, shifting it from next to the kowhai to the front Snowy's bed as then, I will have two, I think they have white flowers..and they are vertical and can tolerate some wind.
I saw in Kings they are now selling fruit trees, but I think we have plenty and don't need any more, but if I could have another I would choose a plum tree as they are nice and juicy.
Thursday, 11 June 2015
Hedging
Yesterday I made a hedge by the garage from two box plants I pulled from the border. I had my handyman (my dad) dig planting holes for them. I filled in the gaps with cuttings from my topiaried boxes. This is so the chickens cannot escape. Hopefully they will grow thick and dense and high enough so they won't and then we won't need the pallets or the recycling bin guarding the corner anymore.
I actually would love a lavender hedge or walk to brush against maybe near the washing line, but I don't know if I am allowed to do anything to the sacred domain that is the lawn. If I start planting things all over the lawn, the lawnmower will get jealous, and dad would be out of a job. I think that its seems to be part of the NZ man's psyche to have a big noisy lawnmower and be in charge of the outer domain of his castle.
I don't know why this should be. Is it because a green lawn is like carpet? But carpet you need to vacuum. Floors you need to sweep and mop. As far as I know Mum doesn't enjoy sweeping and mopping floors, but she does not do any vacuuming, which I hate too, as it's noisy so I have a carpet sweeper instead. I'm thinking, while carpet is nice, it doesn't need to be wall to wall.
Anyway. Not much I can do for now. I'm just picturing how the garden would look if we never mowed the grass, like something out of Where the Wild Things Are. The chickens like to be under the deck where there's bits of wood they can perch on. It's dry and there's plenty of grubs in the earth they can peck at. They are not really grazers like sheep are.
I went for a drive out in the country and marvelled at the size of the trees out there, unconfined by suburban houses. When country people garden, the wealthy ones do so on a huge scale. I thought how silly it would be to have a lawn in the countryside when there's so many fields of pasture and sheep mowing it for free, why make extra work for yourself? But in the suburbs I suppose people like to imagine they have a field of grass they can gaze upon and pretend they are out in the wide open spaces of the country side as well. Or maybe its because of the rugby. I never really liked grass when I was young as our lawn had prickles in it so walking barefoot was like torture. And dad could never get them out, and made me pull up kikuyu grass which was pointless as it just grew back. I liked the daisies in it though.
One of the neighbours house across the road has totally dug up their lawn and put pebbles in, and their grass verge has agapanthus planted in it like they are growing it as a crop. I'm not sure about this. They don't really have any trees either. It seems they paved paradise and put up a parking lot.
I actually would love a lavender hedge or walk to brush against maybe near the washing line, but I don't know if I am allowed to do anything to the sacred domain that is the lawn. If I start planting things all over the lawn, the lawnmower will get jealous, and dad would be out of a job. I think that its seems to be part of the NZ man's psyche to have a big noisy lawnmower and be in charge of the outer domain of his castle.
I don't know why this should be. Is it because a green lawn is like carpet? But carpet you need to vacuum. Floors you need to sweep and mop. As far as I know Mum doesn't enjoy sweeping and mopping floors, but she does not do any vacuuming, which I hate too, as it's noisy so I have a carpet sweeper instead. I'm thinking, while carpet is nice, it doesn't need to be wall to wall.
Anyway. Not much I can do for now. I'm just picturing how the garden would look if we never mowed the grass, like something out of Where the Wild Things Are. The chickens like to be under the deck where there's bits of wood they can perch on. It's dry and there's plenty of grubs in the earth they can peck at. They are not really grazers like sheep are.
I went for a drive out in the country and marvelled at the size of the trees out there, unconfined by suburban houses. When country people garden, the wealthy ones do so on a huge scale. I thought how silly it would be to have a lawn in the countryside when there's so many fields of pasture and sheep mowing it for free, why make extra work for yourself? But in the suburbs I suppose people like to imagine they have a field of grass they can gaze upon and pretend they are out in the wide open spaces of the country side as well. Or maybe its because of the rugby. I never really liked grass when I was young as our lawn had prickles in it so walking barefoot was like torture. And dad could never get them out, and made me pull up kikuyu grass which was pointless as it just grew back. I liked the daisies in it though.
One of the neighbours house across the road has totally dug up their lawn and put pebbles in, and their grass verge has agapanthus planted in it like they are growing it as a crop. I'm not sure about this. They don't really have any trees either. It seems they paved paradise and put up a parking lot.
Wednesday, 10 June 2015
Morning Glory
I'm going out today so not likely to do much gardening but I just want to write a bit of catch up. I did find a sign the other day. From a $2 shop, although, it was $2.50. It is stone/plaster and has the word NURTURE on it engraved and a silhouette of a tree and bird. I hung it on my fence. It was a lucky find and the only one left in the shop! All the other signs cost an arm and a leg and are on things that won't last outdoors or would fade. I also bought one that had the word TEACH on it, which I may give to my friend who is a teacher to put in her garden.
I also found some more NZ Gardener magazines and a part work called 'Ground Force' at the book exchange. It did have a sticker on the inside with a little chart reversing the seasons for Southern Hemisphere gardeners. That's handy, cos when reading UK based material you likely to sow and plant things in the wrong seasons as it's upside down!
Another thing arrived yesterday more packets of seeds from Kings. I decided to order another batch and hold off sowing them until spring..I'm very disappointed that my wildflower patch didn't seem to grow anything but weeds, there were one or two poppies but the rest I couldn't really tell. Now that I've got my potting up table sorted perhaps I better try them the ordered way and sow them in trays of mix and pots to transplant. I might try peas again to transplant out to the community garden as I had sown a whole bunch in a row only to find nothing. They must have been eaten by hungry birds or slugs and snails. However...I didn't order any peas! D'oh!
This is what I ordered
soapwort
feverfew
evening primrose
violet
catnip
asclepias
astible
bishop's flower
calendula
cleome
cornflower
hollyhock
marigold
Some of these I had ordered before like catnip and cleome but had given away to other people.
I have decided in my borders to have an edging plant like lambs ears or catmint..or sweet william, or even parsley. I'm very sad that the neighbours next door don't really do anything with their border strip, which is full of weeds that migrate over to my side of the fence. So I have to battle with creeping buttercup. It's lovely when they flower all yellow and I have to learn to live with them, cos when I pull them out more grow in their place. Another weed that keeps coming up is convolvulus, or bindweed. I think it is. Not morning glory, which I'm hoping to grow on the fence come spring.
I told one of the elder folk who had brought in some of his gardening books to the book exchange. They were terribly old and not likely to be any use to me. One was a book of weeds. I don't want to look at a book of weeds. I told him about my creeping buttercups, which, funnily enough have the name ranunculus...which is also a highly prized flower bulb. What can I do? I ask. He said, bluntly 'move'. I told him I can't afford to.
Unless I want to live in Antarctica, where I will be creeping buttercup free along with everything else. So I've decided why fight them. They can stay. I just need to grow other good plants and eventually they will learn their place. Winter roses are appealing to me right now, and bonus they are thornless. They are also known as hellebores, which is a terrible name. But they look so perky, and like cyclamen they flower in the shade. I'm thinking of putting them in with the other roses in my sweet pea patch in the gully where nothing seems to grow on account of being shaded by the creeping buttercups.
That's all for now...
I also found some more NZ Gardener magazines and a part work called 'Ground Force' at the book exchange. It did have a sticker on the inside with a little chart reversing the seasons for Southern Hemisphere gardeners. That's handy, cos when reading UK based material you likely to sow and plant things in the wrong seasons as it's upside down!
Another thing arrived yesterday more packets of seeds from Kings. I decided to order another batch and hold off sowing them until spring..I'm very disappointed that my wildflower patch didn't seem to grow anything but weeds, there were one or two poppies but the rest I couldn't really tell. Now that I've got my potting up table sorted perhaps I better try them the ordered way and sow them in trays of mix and pots to transplant. I might try peas again to transplant out to the community garden as I had sown a whole bunch in a row only to find nothing. They must have been eaten by hungry birds or slugs and snails. However...I didn't order any peas! D'oh!
This is what I ordered
soapwort
feverfew
evening primrose
violet
catnip
asclepias
astible
bishop's flower
calendula
cleome
cornflower
hollyhock
marigold
Some of these I had ordered before like catnip and cleome but had given away to other people.
I have decided in my borders to have an edging plant like lambs ears or catmint..or sweet william, or even parsley. I'm very sad that the neighbours next door don't really do anything with their border strip, which is full of weeds that migrate over to my side of the fence. So I have to battle with creeping buttercup. It's lovely when they flower all yellow and I have to learn to live with them, cos when I pull them out more grow in their place. Another weed that keeps coming up is convolvulus, or bindweed. I think it is. Not morning glory, which I'm hoping to grow on the fence come spring.
I told one of the elder folk who had brought in some of his gardening books to the book exchange. They were terribly old and not likely to be any use to me. One was a book of weeds. I don't want to look at a book of weeds. I told him about my creeping buttercups, which, funnily enough have the name ranunculus...which is also a highly prized flower bulb. What can I do? I ask. He said, bluntly 'move'. I told him I can't afford to.
Unless I want to live in Antarctica, where I will be creeping buttercup free along with everything else. So I've decided why fight them. They can stay. I just need to grow other good plants and eventually they will learn their place. Winter roses are appealing to me right now, and bonus they are thornless. They are also known as hellebores, which is a terrible name. But they look so perky, and like cyclamen they flower in the shade. I'm thinking of putting them in with the other roses in my sweet pea patch in the gully where nothing seems to grow on account of being shaded by the creeping buttercups.
That's all for now...
Tuesday, 9 June 2015
Raise the red lantern
Today I knew I just had to buy an abuliton. Also known as Chinese Lantern. It was one of the flowers on my list, and I had seen a picture in NZ gardener magazine and fallen in love with it. The last time I went to Kings to ask a few months ago they only had scraggly ones. But today, I was in luck, they had gorgeous ones that were growing big AND had flowers for only $12. I knew I had to plant it by the fence as it would be sheltered there and also in full sun. The flowers hang just like red lanterns you see at Chinese New Year. And after all, I am Chinese. (Somewhat). I have Chinese blood. So that's two Chinese plants I have, the other one a Chinese Toon.
My Chinese Toon is now surrounded by lisianthus. They are the picture perfect wedding flower. They are like roses but without the thorns. I have them in purple and pinky white. Chinese Toon has lost it's leaves, much like my frangipani will, but it will be a gorgeous pink come spring.
I still had some gaps to fill in my garden beds, for some tall plants to add a bit of height to the garden. I decided on another manuka tea tree for one corner. You can prune them and they flower and bees love them. Also they are cheap as chips.
Then I thought what about the other corner, I haven't decided yet. Virburnum, or Snowball tree was beckoning, which was a favourite of my friend but..I'm not sure. Even though it would be apt for Snowy's Bed, I don't know how tall it will get. But it looks very hardy.
I then decided on another hydrangea to plant by the hen house, behind the garage as that was a shady damp area. I found one called 'Strawberries and Cream' which was half price. It was the only one left amongst all the 'Limelight' hydrangeas. I have no idea if the one I already have is blue or white or pink. I can't remember clearly what it was. It had no label. Anyway, it doesn't have much leaves at the moment, and I bought it at the wrong time of year, but hopefully it will perk up over winter once it gets it's roots settled.
Next door's pink camellia flowers heavily and sheds its petals all over our driveway. Dad is forever sweeping them up before they turn into a brown mush. We do have one standard rose flowering, called 'Mr Lincoln'. The other roses are 'Iceberg' and 'Loving Memory'. All are fragrant.
I then tidied the back fence border pulling out the green manure mustard and lupin to lay over the top of the soil to protect it as mulch which will then rot down, and I can add more compost if need be - my lasagna gardening. The broad beans are coming up, another green manure crop over winter. The phacelia I am leaving so it will flower come spring. I have left a few lupins near the roses because I want to see what their flowers will look like.
I am a flower girl after all. Some ladies are destined to be brides, some are bridesmaids. It looks like I will always be a flower girl. And that's fine with me.
My Chinese Toon is now surrounded by lisianthus. They are the picture perfect wedding flower. They are like roses but without the thorns. I have them in purple and pinky white. Chinese Toon has lost it's leaves, much like my frangipani will, but it will be a gorgeous pink come spring.
I still had some gaps to fill in my garden beds, for some tall plants to add a bit of height to the garden. I decided on another manuka tea tree for one corner. You can prune them and they flower and bees love them. Also they are cheap as chips.
Then I thought what about the other corner, I haven't decided yet. Virburnum, or Snowball tree was beckoning, which was a favourite of my friend but..I'm not sure. Even though it would be apt for Snowy's Bed, I don't know how tall it will get. But it looks very hardy.
I then decided on another hydrangea to plant by the hen house, behind the garage as that was a shady damp area. I found one called 'Strawberries and Cream' which was half price. It was the only one left amongst all the 'Limelight' hydrangeas. I have no idea if the one I already have is blue or white or pink. I can't remember clearly what it was. It had no label. Anyway, it doesn't have much leaves at the moment, and I bought it at the wrong time of year, but hopefully it will perk up over winter once it gets it's roots settled.
Next door's pink camellia flowers heavily and sheds its petals all over our driveway. Dad is forever sweeping them up before they turn into a brown mush. We do have one standard rose flowering, called 'Mr Lincoln'. The other roses are 'Iceberg' and 'Loving Memory'. All are fragrant.
I then tidied the back fence border pulling out the green manure mustard and lupin to lay over the top of the soil to protect it as mulch which will then rot down, and I can add more compost if need be - my lasagna gardening. The broad beans are coming up, another green manure crop over winter. The phacelia I am leaving so it will flower come spring. I have left a few lupins near the roses because I want to see what their flowers will look like.
I am a flower girl after all. Some ladies are destined to be brides, some are bridesmaids. It looks like I will always be a flower girl. And that's fine with me.
Monday, 8 June 2015
Putting garlic to bed
I have tucked in my garlic bulbs in one of the rose beds, after laying some wet newspaper (it will rot, hopefully) to suppress any weeds. I poured in a bucket full of sheep pellets, and then put the rest of the container mix on top. Then I put in one bulb of garlic cloves grown from the community garden. I had two bulbs left, one for eating, one for growing. I had two rows, so should yield a dozen bulbs if everything goes to plan! I put them near the centre so they would get the most sun. Then it rained a bit, thankfully, I placed leaf and hay mulch on top, and then covered it with netting.
I think with the raised beds the garlic will be a bit warmer so they will grow faster. All the garden gurus say to plant on the shortest day and they will be ready by the longest. I'm a bit early, but I couldn't wait any longer. Best to be a bit early than too late. They also said to put in plenty of 'muck' so I did not skimp on the sheep pellets. I think they would be more effective if ground into a powder but I'm hoping they will biodegrade into the compost and soil.
I also tided up my potting area. Mum had pushed my old bbq table I found on the side of the road to the fence but I had difficulty accessing it so put it back to its' old place next to the gate. She said the chickens might fly over to the reserve, if they jump on it. Hmm. Well, I think they've learned to stay put now. The potting bench is rotting, but it still holds up even though the slats are coming loose, so I just placed boards on top. I have hooks for my trowel, dustpan, bucket, seed trays, and extra pots. I put the seed raising mix what is left underneath. I had solar lights in pots but I don't think they work anymore so I may have to buy new ones.
Also the corner I have tidied up and put more bromeliads, tillandsia and succulents that have pupped into pots. I have one aerial rooted orchid garnishing the chain link fence along with the epiphytic fern. I've put some cuttings of daisies into the water pots so they can take root. Now the bare patch of soil next to it where my potting table was seems crying out for some plants. What to put? More hen and chicken ferns? Hellebores? Violets?
Daphne now has some friends. She has the succulent that has no name (looks like a spotty corkscrew) two bromeliads on a mossy log, and red and white striped impatiens for company.
By the doorstep stand two lollipop shaped boxes now in pots. I'm planning on making them into heartshapes when they grow a bit bushier.
Sleeping Beauty now needs some shut eye, it will be a long wait till harvest time..and the Prince is likely on first kiss to say upon whiffing the garlic..I think you need some mints. Sleeping Beauty yawns, stretches, and says there's some down the back in a pot.
I think with the raised beds the garlic will be a bit warmer so they will grow faster. All the garden gurus say to plant on the shortest day and they will be ready by the longest. I'm a bit early, but I couldn't wait any longer. Best to be a bit early than too late. They also said to put in plenty of 'muck' so I did not skimp on the sheep pellets. I think they would be more effective if ground into a powder but I'm hoping they will biodegrade into the compost and soil.
I also tided up my potting area. Mum had pushed my old bbq table I found on the side of the road to the fence but I had difficulty accessing it so put it back to its' old place next to the gate. She said the chickens might fly over to the reserve, if they jump on it. Hmm. Well, I think they've learned to stay put now. The potting bench is rotting, but it still holds up even though the slats are coming loose, so I just placed boards on top. I have hooks for my trowel, dustpan, bucket, seed trays, and extra pots. I put the seed raising mix what is left underneath. I had solar lights in pots but I don't think they work anymore so I may have to buy new ones.
Also the corner I have tidied up and put more bromeliads, tillandsia and succulents that have pupped into pots. I have one aerial rooted orchid garnishing the chain link fence along with the epiphytic fern. I've put some cuttings of daisies into the water pots so they can take root. Now the bare patch of soil next to it where my potting table was seems crying out for some plants. What to put? More hen and chicken ferns? Hellebores? Violets?
Daphne now has some friends. She has the succulent that has no name (looks like a spotty corkscrew) two bromeliads on a mossy log, and red and white striped impatiens for company.
By the doorstep stand two lollipop shaped boxes now in pots. I'm planning on making them into heartshapes when they grow a bit bushier.
Sleeping Beauty now needs some shut eye, it will be a long wait till harvest time..and the Prince is likely on first kiss to say upon whiffing the garlic..I think you need some mints. Sleeping Beauty yawns, stretches, and says there's some down the back in a pot.
Giant shop of horrors
OMG.
I went up to Plantarama in Massey and it was like a gardener's nightmare. I nearly missed the turn off and when I turned up at the drive all I could see was pots. All piled on top of each other. There was a long gravel drive which led to yet more pots. There didn't seem to be any kind of carpark or even any shop. I couldn't turn around and had to keep going, and everywhere I looked was plants, plants and more plants all in those black plastic pots and grow bags...as far as the eye could see.
There were no clear labels and didn't seem to be any prices or helpful sales assistants, and I couldn't even stop to get out as on either side of me was wall to wall plants. Growing like no tomorrow in big thickets and all weedy and looking worse for wear.
The website seemed benign enough, I thought it would be like Kings or Palmers but more specialised and bigger..and cheaper prices, but...the state of the grounds?? It was like a graveyard for unloved plants. You couldn't even walk amongst them to pick out the best ones. The drive carried on with several pot holes and then a few makeshift signs saying plants $20. I couldn't tell which ones. Then plants $4. And then I reached a dead end because a truck was parked on the driveway, luckily there was another drive leading off just before like a junction so I could turn around, but..my worst nightmare would be to be stuck there and have to reverse hundreds of metres of windy gravel path back to the main highway.
I quickly hightailed it out of there and thanked God there was a Palmers near Westgate and it was open. I had skipped Kings as there was nothing much there and hoping to bag a bargain from Plantarama. I think if I took anything nobody would even notice as there was so much stock.
So I went to Palmer's Planet and parked right next door to the entrance. Yea for tarmac! And automatic sliding doors! And customer service! It looked like they were having some gardening seminar workshop things later in the week and I'm thinking could be a good thing to go to. There's always something to learn.
I was not after plants this time but pots as I had pulled out two box bushes that were growing in the wrong place in my garden beds and decided they would look good in pots and as topiary. The kind sales lady showed me the different pots they had but I thought I would just buy plastic ones for now and then later decide if want to invest in more permanent ones, that I can easily slip the plastic ones inside. The plastic pots were a bit pricy even for plain black ones but I was there and couldn't be bothered seeing if mitre 10 or Warehouse had any bargains, so I bought sheep pellets and a bag of container mix. It came to about $40.
I also chatted with a chap about bulbs and he told me some tips about growing irises. I asked him if he had the bearded ones that grow from rhizomes but you need to get those from a specialist nursery.
The tip is to fork them and lift them up as they don't like being buried too deep.
I wonder if I apply for a job come spring would they take me? I wouldn't mind working there a while. Although Kings is much closer, but it seems Palmers people really know their plants. Many times I've asked for certain plants at Kings and they have no idea what I'm on about.
I went up to Plantarama in Massey and it was like a gardener's nightmare. I nearly missed the turn off and when I turned up at the drive all I could see was pots. All piled on top of each other. There was a long gravel drive which led to yet more pots. There didn't seem to be any kind of carpark or even any shop. I couldn't turn around and had to keep going, and everywhere I looked was plants, plants and more plants all in those black plastic pots and grow bags...as far as the eye could see.
There were no clear labels and didn't seem to be any prices or helpful sales assistants, and I couldn't even stop to get out as on either side of me was wall to wall plants. Growing like no tomorrow in big thickets and all weedy and looking worse for wear.
The website seemed benign enough, I thought it would be like Kings or Palmers but more specialised and bigger..and cheaper prices, but...the state of the grounds?? It was like a graveyard for unloved plants. You couldn't even walk amongst them to pick out the best ones. The drive carried on with several pot holes and then a few makeshift signs saying plants $20. I couldn't tell which ones. Then plants $4. And then I reached a dead end because a truck was parked on the driveway, luckily there was another drive leading off just before like a junction so I could turn around, but..my worst nightmare would be to be stuck there and have to reverse hundreds of metres of windy gravel path back to the main highway.
I quickly hightailed it out of there and thanked God there was a Palmers near Westgate and it was open. I had skipped Kings as there was nothing much there and hoping to bag a bargain from Plantarama. I think if I took anything nobody would even notice as there was so much stock.
So I went to Palmer's Planet and parked right next door to the entrance. Yea for tarmac! And automatic sliding doors! And customer service! It looked like they were having some gardening seminar workshop things later in the week and I'm thinking could be a good thing to go to. There's always something to learn.
I was not after plants this time but pots as I had pulled out two box bushes that were growing in the wrong place in my garden beds and decided they would look good in pots and as topiary. The kind sales lady showed me the different pots they had but I thought I would just buy plastic ones for now and then later decide if want to invest in more permanent ones, that I can easily slip the plastic ones inside. The plastic pots were a bit pricy even for plain black ones but I was there and couldn't be bothered seeing if mitre 10 or Warehouse had any bargains, so I bought sheep pellets and a bag of container mix. It came to about $40.
I also chatted with a chap about bulbs and he told me some tips about growing irises. I asked him if he had the bearded ones that grow from rhizomes but you need to get those from a specialist nursery.
The tip is to fork them and lift them up as they don't like being buried too deep.
I wonder if I apply for a job come spring would they take me? I wouldn't mind working there a while. Although Kings is much closer, but it seems Palmers people really know their plants. Many times I've asked for certain plants at Kings and they have no idea what I'm on about.
Sunday, 7 June 2015
Vampires, keep out
I have decided I am going to plant some garlic and clearing one of the rose beds to put them there. Garlic is a good companion plant to roses.
Unfortunately it seems the poppy seeds and wildflowers I scattered there are not coming up???
I can't tell if they weeds or not. I have pulled and dug in the green manure (somewhat). My way is just to pull them out, lay them on the top and then put more compost on top instead of digging. It's lasagna gardening. I can poke holes in the soil for breathing space but I'm not a fan of digging over unless I need to plant something deep.
I will need to buy another sack of compost, some fresh garlic bulbs, as I want to still eat the ones that I got from the community garden...they say just choose the fattest cloves..and mum didn't object, as of course she uses garlic in cooking all the time. Also I will need to buy some sheep pellets as don't have any sheep as garlic does need manure. We do have chicken manure but I also want to try sheep as I want big fat bulbs.
I'm thinking also I may visit Plantarama today just to check it out. It's up at Massey, so a bit further to go, but it seems they have a wide range of specialist plants there.
I also decided I won't put potatoes in the tyres I got as worried about the chemicals from the rubber tyres leaching into the potatoes. I did grow a cherry tomato in one but we didn't get that much fruit from it. Instead I'm going to put sunflowers as they are said to absorb any nasty chemicals. And the warmth from the tyres will help them during the winter. I have about five seedlings growing.
Yesterday I went to the library and borrowed the June issues of NZ Gardner and Weekend Gardener. Also picked up a book about layered gardens and also one by Beth Chatto, who I heard was an inspirational gardener. Her philosophy seems the right plants for the right places. I think in a volcanic, coastal, semi-rainforest type environment as Auckland is we can't really mimic those english country gardens or even cottage gardens - we don't have proper winters, and most of our sites aren't flat. I realise this goes against the grain even when my backyard is mostly a square of lawn with a border surrounding it. Boring. I can make it interesting though. But before I drastically change it I need to establish the framework. Its not just enough to have plots laid out but to have some kind of vertical structure, i.e. trees or other tall plants to provide micro-climates, climbers and shrubs.
I remember visiting Hamilton Gardens and being bowled over by the range of different style gardens there. One was a chinese style garden but in the English manner which was basically a square of lawn with flower borders all around. I don't know, having a lawn can be nice but I don't see what the point is having a field for your backyard if you not going to play rugby or cricket in it.
Those days are long gone! I did used to play cricket mind you but that stopped when I hit a six and smashed the garage window.
Unfortunately it seems the poppy seeds and wildflowers I scattered there are not coming up???
I can't tell if they weeds or not. I have pulled and dug in the green manure (somewhat). My way is just to pull them out, lay them on the top and then put more compost on top instead of digging. It's lasagna gardening. I can poke holes in the soil for breathing space but I'm not a fan of digging over unless I need to plant something deep.
I will need to buy another sack of compost, some fresh garlic bulbs, as I want to still eat the ones that I got from the community garden...they say just choose the fattest cloves..and mum didn't object, as of course she uses garlic in cooking all the time. Also I will need to buy some sheep pellets as don't have any sheep as garlic does need manure. We do have chicken manure but I also want to try sheep as I want big fat bulbs.
I'm thinking also I may visit Plantarama today just to check it out. It's up at Massey, so a bit further to go, but it seems they have a wide range of specialist plants there.
I also decided I won't put potatoes in the tyres I got as worried about the chemicals from the rubber tyres leaching into the potatoes. I did grow a cherry tomato in one but we didn't get that much fruit from it. Instead I'm going to put sunflowers as they are said to absorb any nasty chemicals. And the warmth from the tyres will help them during the winter. I have about five seedlings growing.
Yesterday I went to the library and borrowed the June issues of NZ Gardner and Weekend Gardener. Also picked up a book about layered gardens and also one by Beth Chatto, who I heard was an inspirational gardener. Her philosophy seems the right plants for the right places. I think in a volcanic, coastal, semi-rainforest type environment as Auckland is we can't really mimic those english country gardens or even cottage gardens - we don't have proper winters, and most of our sites aren't flat. I realise this goes against the grain even when my backyard is mostly a square of lawn with a border surrounding it. Boring. I can make it interesting though. But before I drastically change it I need to establish the framework. Its not just enough to have plots laid out but to have some kind of vertical structure, i.e. trees or other tall plants to provide micro-climates, climbers and shrubs.
I remember visiting Hamilton Gardens and being bowled over by the range of different style gardens there. One was a chinese style garden but in the English manner which was basically a square of lawn with flower borders all around. I don't know, having a lawn can be nice but I don't see what the point is having a field for your backyard if you not going to play rugby or cricket in it.
Those days are long gone! I did used to play cricket mind you but that stopped when I hit a six and smashed the garage window.
Friday, 5 June 2015
The Warehouse is my friend
I decided early Saturday morning I had to buy two more blueberry plants. They were selling for $20 bucks each at Mitre 10. So expensive! They were big ones too.
Well, the Warehouse is my friend, because I went there and they were selling them on the clearance stand for $6 each. Not only that, they had six packs of dietes - wild iris, or African iris, for $1, lisianthus for $1, and cyclamen for 20 cents. So you can guess what I did.
I even bought a bag of mulch for $10, and it all came to just $23.60. Bargain!
I planted them all today, so now my boggy patch is now full of plants. Hooray!
I wire fenced them so the chickens wouldn't dig them up, clearing up my daisies, planted two onions which were shooting, tidied my lilies, and pulled out the cherry tomato. I placed the tyres on top of each other, ready to put potatoes in, which some seem to be sprouting - the jersey bennes of two seasons ago.
So..that was my day.
Of course, mum saw. But, what's she going to do? Pull the plants out? I didn't buy any roses. Besides, my green manure wasn't a wild success in the boggy patch. I did think though, if it was going to be permanently boggy, to put venus fly traps there. I would have to get them from the little shop of horrors.
I'm going to sit down to watch the rest of Audrey Hepburn presenting Gardens of the World. Or maybe read Xanthe White's book Natural Garden Design. I thought what kind of gardener I am...if you could categorise me. I don't really fit into the self-sufficency class. They're all we wannabe urban farmers. I don't have the muscle for that. I like things beautiful. I do like things ornamental, but I'm not a rose gardener - a rosarian, they call it. I'm not a landscape architect. Those people are all lawns, pavers and low-maintainence designer plants. I'm not really a collector, like those bromeliad mad people. Or a herbalist, although I like herbs. I think maybe I'm a secret gardener.
Well, the Warehouse is my friend, because I went there and they were selling them on the clearance stand for $6 each. Not only that, they had six packs of dietes - wild iris, or African iris, for $1, lisianthus for $1, and cyclamen for 20 cents. So you can guess what I did.
I even bought a bag of mulch for $10, and it all came to just $23.60. Bargain!
I planted them all today, so now my boggy patch is now full of plants. Hooray!
I wire fenced them so the chickens wouldn't dig them up, clearing up my daisies, planted two onions which were shooting, tidied my lilies, and pulled out the cherry tomato. I placed the tyres on top of each other, ready to put potatoes in, which some seem to be sprouting - the jersey bennes of two seasons ago.
So..that was my day.
Of course, mum saw. But, what's she going to do? Pull the plants out? I didn't buy any roses. Besides, my green manure wasn't a wild success in the boggy patch. I did think though, if it was going to be permanently boggy, to put venus fly traps there. I would have to get them from the little shop of horrors.
I'm going to sit down to watch the rest of Audrey Hepburn presenting Gardens of the World. Or maybe read Xanthe White's book Natural Garden Design. I thought what kind of gardener I am...if you could categorise me. I don't really fit into the self-sufficency class. They're all we wannabe urban farmers. I don't have the muscle for that. I like things beautiful. I do like things ornamental, but I'm not a rose gardener - a rosarian, they call it. I'm not a landscape architect. Those people are all lawns, pavers and low-maintainence designer plants. I'm not really a collector, like those bromeliad mad people. Or a herbalist, although I like herbs. I think maybe I'm a secret gardener.
The Bog
Down the back of the garden by the fence the lawn slopes down to the border and here is the problem area. When it rains because of the clay soil drainage is not good, so puddles appear.
I am trying to remedy this but the solution is not raised beds as that would compound the problem. The most effective way is to completely dig out the area and put scoria or other rocks in and then replace the soil but that requires lots of rocks and manpower!
I figured I might just work with what I've got and plant those that love boggy, swamp like and wet conditions instead. Or those that tolerate clay soil. So..with that in mind I headed to Kings and justified my expenses of buying some more plants as that is probably cheaper than digging it all out and starting over.
I put in a blueberry that I already had, (need to get at least two more for cross pollination), a clump of wild iris, and a cranberry bush, which is a kind of ground cover. These plants are good for boggy soil. Blueberry loves peat and acidic conditions, and cranberries are meant to grow in the 'coldest, wettest' part of the garden, as in the wild they grow on moors with heather etc. Bonus is they have lots of edible fruits to make muffins, ice-cream or juice and jellies!
The wild iris too looks really good, grow in poor conditions and I think lend a touch of elegance to the garden. I could have bought flax, but, I see flax everywhere. It's kinda boring. Plus, flax is more expensive, and you do need to harvest it and cut it back all the time. I suppose if I get into basket weaving or making grass skirts, then maybe I might put one in, but at this stage, I think I'm going for the pretty flowers.
Then at the Warehouse I looked at the bulbs display stand and couldn't resist buying 100 bulbs as they were 25% off so I got some mixed Dutch Iris, to put in the sunny corner. 100 bulbs for $15! A bargain! Considering, if you just bought the smaller packets, you'd be paying lots more for each bulb. Dutch Iris is different from the iris that grows from a rhizome..so I won't plant it in the boggy area.
Anyway regarding the number of bulbs..maybe Lynda Hallinan wasn't being so extravagant when she wrote of buying 400 tulip bulbs. Speaking of the Editor at large of NZ gardener..I looked in my NZ Gardener magazine guide and subscribed to their e-zine 'Get Growing' and now get a free newsletter each Friday from them with lots of tips. Hooray!
Here's the link to Get Growing
I am trying to remedy this but the solution is not raised beds as that would compound the problem. The most effective way is to completely dig out the area and put scoria or other rocks in and then replace the soil but that requires lots of rocks and manpower!
I figured I might just work with what I've got and plant those that love boggy, swamp like and wet conditions instead. Or those that tolerate clay soil. So..with that in mind I headed to Kings and justified my expenses of buying some more plants as that is probably cheaper than digging it all out and starting over.
I put in a blueberry that I already had, (need to get at least two more for cross pollination), a clump of wild iris, and a cranberry bush, which is a kind of ground cover. These plants are good for boggy soil. Blueberry loves peat and acidic conditions, and cranberries are meant to grow in the 'coldest, wettest' part of the garden, as in the wild they grow on moors with heather etc. Bonus is they have lots of edible fruits to make muffins, ice-cream or juice and jellies!
The wild iris too looks really good, grow in poor conditions and I think lend a touch of elegance to the garden. I could have bought flax, but, I see flax everywhere. It's kinda boring. Plus, flax is more expensive, and you do need to harvest it and cut it back all the time. I suppose if I get into basket weaving or making grass skirts, then maybe I might put one in, but at this stage, I think I'm going for the pretty flowers.
Then at the Warehouse I looked at the bulbs display stand and couldn't resist buying 100 bulbs as they were 25% off so I got some mixed Dutch Iris, to put in the sunny corner. 100 bulbs for $15! A bargain! Considering, if you just bought the smaller packets, you'd be paying lots more for each bulb. Dutch Iris is different from the iris that grows from a rhizome..so I won't plant it in the boggy area.
Anyway regarding the number of bulbs..maybe Lynda Hallinan wasn't being so extravagant when she wrote of buying 400 tulip bulbs. Speaking of the Editor at large of NZ gardener..I looked in my NZ Gardener magazine guide and subscribed to their e-zine 'Get Growing' and now get a free newsletter each Friday from them with lots of tips. Hooray!
Here's the link to Get Growing
Wednesday, 3 June 2015
Four seasons, one day
Auckland weather is four seasons in one day. One minute rainy, next sunny, another windy, next thing you know it's hailing. Clouds whip by in chaotic confusion. Rainbows appear out of nowhere, then vanish just as quickly.
Today is a day like that. I have just planted my Daphne. I went to Kings Plant Barn in St Lukes as was one my way passing through and asked one of the ladies. She said definitely plant Daphne in shade. So Daphne is now in the gravel bed beside the back door. Which is under the window to the laundry. I dug a hole and found the soil surprisingly soft and also wormy, underneath all the stones. I bought a bag of potting mix which already has fertiliser in it, and it seems acidic enough with the peat in it. I was debating whether to put her in a larger pot, saw some ceramic painted pots half price there, a pink one, would go with the flowers, suggested the plant lady. But..even though the tag said suitable for pots and tubs...I thought..well, other advice given was no, Daphnes should go straight in the ground. Maybe they just suggested pots as thats a way to make more money (selling expensive pots at the garden centre). Also, I didn't really have that much money to spend. And at the back of my house no other plants are in pots except for the mint.
So that's that job done. Hooray!
Nooo, I didn't buy any more plants or even bulbs..although I had my eye on some violets. But you can go to a garden centre, have a look and ask people for advice. Which they freely give.
Then I spend $15.90 on a NZ gardener guide. It had pretty pictures and good advice. So I caved in that area. Although I'm saving lots of money in other areas. Ok it probably doesn't make sense but that's what I did.
My night scented stock is coming up with buds. And three geraniums are flowering! And nasturtiums in the hanging basket. One thing forgot to mention, I did buy gladioli bulbs one day and buried them near the back fence, near the wallflowers. One clump is 'Charming Lady' the other is 'Halley' and both are Nanus. No, I don't know what Nanus means. Ones nanas like?
I am thinking of making a sign, or maybe buying one already made, to hang on my fence, that says something witty. I already have garden and welcome signs in my baskets. I've seen one at Pak n'Save that says 'Gardeners know all the dirt' which I thought was clever. Although technically it isn't dirt if it's soil. I want to come up with something unique.
Any suggestions?
Today is a day like that. I have just planted my Daphne. I went to Kings Plant Barn in St Lukes as was one my way passing through and asked one of the ladies. She said definitely plant Daphne in shade. So Daphne is now in the gravel bed beside the back door. Which is under the window to the laundry. I dug a hole and found the soil surprisingly soft and also wormy, underneath all the stones. I bought a bag of potting mix which already has fertiliser in it, and it seems acidic enough with the peat in it. I was debating whether to put her in a larger pot, saw some ceramic painted pots half price there, a pink one, would go with the flowers, suggested the plant lady. But..even though the tag said suitable for pots and tubs...I thought..well, other advice given was no, Daphnes should go straight in the ground. Maybe they just suggested pots as thats a way to make more money (selling expensive pots at the garden centre). Also, I didn't really have that much money to spend. And at the back of my house no other plants are in pots except for the mint.
So that's that job done. Hooray!
Nooo, I didn't buy any more plants or even bulbs..although I had my eye on some violets. But you can go to a garden centre, have a look and ask people for advice. Which they freely give.
Then I spend $15.90 on a NZ gardener guide. It had pretty pictures and good advice. So I caved in that area. Although I'm saving lots of money in other areas. Ok it probably doesn't make sense but that's what I did.
My night scented stock is coming up with buds. And three geraniums are flowering! And nasturtiums in the hanging basket. One thing forgot to mention, I did buy gladioli bulbs one day and buried them near the back fence, near the wallflowers. One clump is 'Charming Lady' the other is 'Halley' and both are Nanus. No, I don't know what Nanus means. Ones nanas like?
I am thinking of making a sign, or maybe buying one already made, to hang on my fence, that says something witty. I already have garden and welcome signs in my baskets. I've seen one at Pak n'Save that says 'Gardeners know all the dirt' which I thought was clever. Although technically it isn't dirt if it's soil. I want to come up with something unique.
Any suggestions?
Tuesday, 2 June 2015
Rhubarb Crumble
Recipe from Nicole...
4 cups diced rhubarb - Put in oven proof dish
4 cups diced rhubarb - Put in oven proof dish
Crust: 3/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup oats
3/4 cup sugar
100g butter
Sift flour and baking powder, add oats and sugar, mix. Melt butter and stir well into dry ingredients. Sprinkle evenly over rhubarb.
Topping: 3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp. cornflour
Mix together and spoon evenly over the crust.
Carefully pour 1/4 cup boiling water over the top. Do not stir. Bake at 180degrees for 30 mins or until crusty and caramelised.
Field trip?
Finished reading Prince Charles' book on Organic Gardening. I had never really been into the other kind of gardening, using chemicals and sprays and artificial fertilisers. When I did my Level 3 Horticulture, one module was about weeds and we had to demonstrate proper use of weedkiller, wearing one of those boiler suits and gloves and covered footwear, and dusk mask and protective eyewear. We had to spray on a windless day, and be careful how much weedkiller we used.
Round-up causes weeds to curl up and die, but it causes all other things to die as well, as well as a possible carcinogen. So, I'm not really convinced of its use in a suburban garden.
As for pest and disease control, chickens are excellent at eating bugs and slugs and snails. As well as other birds in the garden, if you provide the right habitat (just put netting over your fruit). I've always thought why don't people keep pet sheep who can mow the lawn? If you deign to have one, that is! I never liked the noise of lawnmowers on a sunny day. Think of all the fossil fuels they consume. That is why, cottage gardens have no lawns. You can't eat lawn and you can't pick flowers from lawn. And then there's the wonder-weeder. I.e. you, and a little tool shaped like a hook that you can pull weeds out with.
There's a lot more to organic gardening than meets the eye. Compost is vital, as is feeding the soil rather than feeding the plants with chemicals. Then there's no-dig gardening which mimics the way nature replenishes the soil with worms doing the work of spades. However I have to say sometimes digging is required initially and its very hard work, when a place is weed-infested. Which is why I paid one of those garden angels to do it. Mum of course, was not happy, and said I had to do it myself, but that would have taken a few weeks at least. My garden angel could do it in an hour and a half.
I don't know..I figure if someone has the muscles and wants to show off that they can do it as opposed to me straining my back and not getting anywhere..whats the harm of paying them a decent wage for a job well done? Next thing I know she'd be asking me to build my own house. Come on, I think feminism has a lot to answer for here. Its not fun doing a mans work as well as a woman's and not even get paid properly to do it, just to prove you can (or don't need a man). But I suppose mum was brought up under a sinister regime of pseudo communist-working-class-ethic that makes zero sense to me.
Prince Charles writes in his book that Camilla spent their honeymoon planting their garden and the rest of their marriage picking flowers. I just think that's sweet. I cannot picture his first wife doing that, getting her hands dirty or talking with flowers, but then they were like chalk and cheese. I would love to visit but it's on the other side of the world!
I garden alone...so I don't really know what it would be like to have someone who would just let me buy 500 trees to plant on 3 acres of land like Bev O'Connell did in her Ayrlies garden. She had help though, a landscape designer to construct the bones of the garden, a wealthy husband, and that English garden sensibility of knowing where to put the right plant in the right place. I saw pictures of it in 50 NZ Gardens to visit book. Just looking at the pictures takes your breath away. It might help that she had interesting land features to work with rather than it all flat like Prince Charles' Highgrove garden. There's a lush waterfall, exotic ferns and autumnal trees, and plants that complement each other just so. It doesn't look like its a nursery catalogue or like someones bulldozed their way through the land, or had more money than sense. She really has an artists eye for plants. It looks so natural, lush and peaceful. I want to visit. But it's all the way in Whitford, across town.
How to get there? It costs $15 to enter. The book says it's won several international horticultural awards. I think it would be better than going to the movies.
Round-up causes weeds to curl up and die, but it causes all other things to die as well, as well as a possible carcinogen. So, I'm not really convinced of its use in a suburban garden.
As for pest and disease control, chickens are excellent at eating bugs and slugs and snails. As well as other birds in the garden, if you provide the right habitat (just put netting over your fruit). I've always thought why don't people keep pet sheep who can mow the lawn? If you deign to have one, that is! I never liked the noise of lawnmowers on a sunny day. Think of all the fossil fuels they consume. That is why, cottage gardens have no lawns. You can't eat lawn and you can't pick flowers from lawn. And then there's the wonder-weeder. I.e. you, and a little tool shaped like a hook that you can pull weeds out with.
There's a lot more to organic gardening than meets the eye. Compost is vital, as is feeding the soil rather than feeding the plants with chemicals. Then there's no-dig gardening which mimics the way nature replenishes the soil with worms doing the work of spades. However I have to say sometimes digging is required initially and its very hard work, when a place is weed-infested. Which is why I paid one of those garden angels to do it. Mum of course, was not happy, and said I had to do it myself, but that would have taken a few weeks at least. My garden angel could do it in an hour and a half.
I don't know..I figure if someone has the muscles and wants to show off that they can do it as opposed to me straining my back and not getting anywhere..whats the harm of paying them a decent wage for a job well done? Next thing I know she'd be asking me to build my own house. Come on, I think feminism has a lot to answer for here. Its not fun doing a mans work as well as a woman's and not even get paid properly to do it, just to prove you can (or don't need a man). But I suppose mum was brought up under a sinister regime of pseudo communist-working-class-ethic that makes zero sense to me.
Prince Charles writes in his book that Camilla spent their honeymoon planting their garden and the rest of their marriage picking flowers. I just think that's sweet. I cannot picture his first wife doing that, getting her hands dirty or talking with flowers, but then they were like chalk and cheese. I would love to visit but it's on the other side of the world!
I garden alone...so I don't really know what it would be like to have someone who would just let me buy 500 trees to plant on 3 acres of land like Bev O'Connell did in her Ayrlies garden. She had help though, a landscape designer to construct the bones of the garden, a wealthy husband, and that English garden sensibility of knowing where to put the right plant in the right place. I saw pictures of it in 50 NZ Gardens to visit book. Just looking at the pictures takes your breath away. It might help that she had interesting land features to work with rather than it all flat like Prince Charles' Highgrove garden. There's a lush waterfall, exotic ferns and autumnal trees, and plants that complement each other just so. It doesn't look like its a nursery catalogue or like someones bulldozed their way through the land, or had more money than sense. She really has an artists eye for plants. It looks so natural, lush and peaceful. I want to visit. But it's all the way in Whitford, across town.
How to get there? It costs $15 to enter. The book says it's won several international horticultural awards. I think it would be better than going to the movies.
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