I haven't posted here in a while.
It's too cold and muddy to be doing anything in the garden. But I did go out to Kings yesterday to buy some Sequestron, which they said was good for yellowing gardenias.
I've been watching Monty Don go round the world in 80 gardens. I have lot count of the ones that we went to, but I've so far been to ones in NZ, Australia, Cuba, Mexico, USA, India, Amazon, Argentina, Chile, China and Japan.
Virtually of course.
Ayrlies was first stop in NZ, and I do have the book which, I will get to later. I would quite like to go to Ayrlies for real, but haven't mustered up the courage to go ask Bev if I can come see it. Maybe just read her book first.
Monty talked about how the future of gardening in NZ was about appreciating our native plants. Of course. He seemed quite bemused over one of our native plants that you can bounce on like a trampoline. And tree ferns. He was like a kid in a candy store.
Huh. When do I get to go around the world looking at all these gardens?? It must have cost a bomb. I look up botanica world garden tours, and they are at least $7000. He went to Japan for a tea ceremony, but..actually the green tea there is rather awful. It seems like they mush it up to a powder instead of serving it freshly picked.
I now have his book on his garden at Longmeadow. It seems, looking up his wiki, that he suffers from SAD - seasonal affective disorder. Well, same here, a genuine mad keen gardener! Except here in NZ we get four seasons in one day, especially in Auckland, so, that means we afflicted gardeners here are even more crazy.
The other book that I have been perusing, apart from my pile of NZ gardener magazines, is Alan Titchmarsh's Secret Garden. Yes his very own. I get to see his Georgian house which has a very english style garden surrounding it. It has buxus hedges, topiary, delphiniums, lavender, pear trees, a meadow, and a greenhouse full of geraniums. Strangely, he doesn't seem to have a vege patch, but maybe that was an oversight of the photographer. No photos of compost bins either.
His lawn is neatly mowed and hedges clipped very tidy, due to his parks and amenities horticulture background.
I'm sorry I'm not much of a photographer, and have been quite deliberately not showing you my garden. Well, it isn't complete yet, its a bit of an experiment. I haven't had my first showing of spring flowers yet and who knows what is going to appear. So..maybe the big reveal will come later. I will keep you posted.
The doctor gave me Vitamin D for my affliction.
