Permie expert Cathy Angell (her real name!) aka my Garden Angel visited yesterday to give me tidings of great joy by offering mentoring/tips/advice on design and plants in my garden.
I was up all night brimming with ideas.
So after having a think about it, am going to put pencil to paper soon but here are some things that are going to be in the plan!
In no particular order, but will number them so, I can refer to them later..
1. trim box hedges so they are in proportion and to the paths
2. shape feijoas, can cut back hard
3. train wisteria along fence, cut back all suckers and top growth.
4. put permanent edging around magnolia, perhaps a brick edging to keep mulch in and plant more cyclamen as underplanting
5. plant cyclamen or hellebores under maple, and also try astelia
6. daffodils in pots also can go there
7. place fruit salad plant in Sock's bed, under feijoa
8. move azaelas and flowering shrubs like hydrangea to near wisteria
9. create a north facing flower/herbs border for birds, bees and butterflies and edge with achillea, salvias, leafy greens and parsley
10. place a low fence to stop weeds encroaching on our property
11. create native bush corner repeating manuka, carex and kowhai plantings, incorporate flax and other natives. Use a hosepipe to create the margin for easy mowing.
12. place keyhole access points and a focal feature..could be birdbath, or sundial (still hanging out for one)
13. create corner for picnic table
14. create horseshoe shaped raised vege beds next to garage
15. place a trellis entranceway to the back yard, and grow sweet peas or gourds over it
16. hedge off back entrance...using buxus..? or nandina firepower
17. finish carpet bed with more natives leptinella and pratia (might have to give up on thyme and chamomile) and have the rest as pebbles
18. hen and chicken ferns near the house on shady side
19. more hanging mangers on alcove garden
20. cut back mulenbeckia
21. plant more abutilons
22. have one more attempt at growing chatham island forget me not on south side rocky windy corner
23. forget about clianthus! (kaka beak). Caterpillars decimate it.
24. wait till the olive plant dies. Cathy didn't think it would last. She also wasn't keen on my enthusiasm for Chinese toon. Too many suckers! It doesn't grow well where I put it anyway.
25. forget about having a pond, but put oil in birdbaths so mosquitoes don't breed in them. Done!
26. think of espaliering a fruit tree against sunny north facing brick wall, a dwarf citrus perhaps
27. tack jasmine to fence using pins
28. dig out old lemon that might have had borer.
29. try growing a rata or clematis up peach tree (which is old and may die off in future)
30. keep leaves in a bucket next to compost and add a layer each time food scraps are added to keep off flies
31. move lavender to sunnier, dryer spot, perhaps near washing line
32. move lemongrass to warmer frost free spot
33. think of themes for formal English style garden at front, eg foliage bed, silver and white
34. move the remaining rose at the back with the other roses at the front
35. trim rosemary to keep it bushy
36. do little and often - don't make a rod for one's back!
By planting up more of my backyard, I may make less work for dad. He's always mowing and clipping and when the grass reaches over 10cm he gets all worried. I didn't realise that he works as hard as I do in the garden but it's not creative really its just cutting the same old lawn all the time. Also I may encourage mum to take an interest if my raised beds are just at hip height so mum won't have to bend down to do any gardening when she gets older which she threatens she will (get old I mean).
Phew. I am consulting my native planting guides and old Waitakere City Council eco-sourcing manuals. Maybe my idea of bringing back the bush (minus nikau palms) may come true after all. In return am going to do some gardening at Earthsong eco-village. So unless it's pouring with rain will be there next Monday.
