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.
