Well I've finally done it. I've got the base, mattress, and blankets, now ready for final cover and cushions - the plants!
My wisteria by the fence is losing its leaves. I've planted purple liriope along the fence line that I dug out from Sock's and Mary's bed, as well as mondo grass by the path, and around the azalea. Under the azaela I've placed a thick mulch of pine needles, scrounged from the reserve.
I've prepared the bed two ways, first dug over and turned the turves down, another patch I've not dug over and just placed newspaper and my homemade compost on top. I anticipate I may have to do some weeding in future because not all the kikuyu will die, but at least the soil is loosened enough it will be easier to weed. Plus I didn't want to lose all that lovely soil and spread weed seeds. The mondo grass did have some oxalis poking through but I've mostly removed those, so will keep an eye on it. I also added my new secret ingredient - biochar. Here's hoping it works! And of course later when things are growing I will add more CPP.
Now for the fun part, what to plant in the middle. Here are some contenders.
Ajuga - bugleweed, a purple groundcover I've now got a few of that I can divided and replant, perfect time for it is now. That will go around the azaela.
Strawberries - could make a good groundcover, but not confident Martha will scratch them out or eat them all.
Red cabbages or ornamental, purple cabbages.
Daikon radish - a clay breaker? Or would that be better broadcast to where I dug the mondo grass out?
Catmint - I'm really hoping to give it a good chance here, and the purple flowers will compliment the wisteria. It's a good edge/border plant.
Chives - perhaps a row of chives all along the mondo so it's within easy picking distance?
Purple salvia - I have two growing in tyres I could easily transplant
So many choices! But my next project to do is get some early potatoes in for summer. I have a bed prepared and need to just drop the potatoes in. It's basically a pile of clippings, prunings and fallen cabbage tree leaves. I'm going to give the gardenia a haircut as well to shape it up after its finished flowering, as it's getting leggy.
Lots of stuff to do! And only a week or so before Mum and Dad get back! We had our first frosty morning two days ago but all the plants seem to have survived that one. My arch near collapsed on that windy day and I was a bit furious with Trade Tested who sold me the product and they were absolutely no help at all. Um why don't you sell replacement screws or anchors with your product. Do you guarantee it? All they did was tell me to go to Mitre 10 or Bunnings. Well I already did and bought four rebars to pound into the ground. Try doing that single handed, well I had to as there was nobody around to help me.
Anyway the wind died down and its seems to be holding for now, but Dad did a hideous job of staking it with bright red ties. It looks frightful, and he's absolutely ruined the buxus around it. But what can you do, all of them are mere males. One learns never to ask a man to help as all they just give bad advice and don't lend a hand, or they just stick sellotape over the wound. You end up pulling out their bad fix-it job and starting all over.
Aiya. So here I am, forget about DIY. It's DIM Doing it myself. Or rather SADIFT. Sisters are doing it for themselves!
