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?
