Rambling on

Our Garden club organised our own member garden ramble so I got to visit 3 gardens yesterday and they were amazing. The ladies had showered their gardens with love and care over the years and it showed. I hadn't put mine up for a visit but could possibly do so next year? 

 Dorothy's garden was in the Peninsula on a corner section. She had some big trees on her property but had still managed to grow a semi-woodland underneath, with geraniums and bromeliads and fairy like toadstools. She had giant staghorn ferns on two of her trees, one was a albizzia, another a silky oak, and a magnolia with giant creamy flowers. Being a flower lover she also had roses, hydrangeas, fuchsias, alstromerias, cosmos, and primulas. The primulas in hanging basket chandeliers which she got the idea from one of our garden tours. She had a sunny vege patch, several fruit trees, swings, plants in pots, and a carpet rose over her welcome arch - a nice sturdy wooden one. 

 Next garden was Pat's in Te Atatu South. Pat was the winner of the sweet pea flower show and she had many growing up the walls, trellises and wig wams. She had an amazing floral and butterfly filled border between her and the neighbour's property, with every annual flower you could think of - lobelias, dahlias, tweedia, gerberas, phlox, pelargoniums, alyssum, daisies. She had gazanias at the front by the berm, and flowers by the house, down the side, and extra flowers by her vege patch.She had roses climbing the walls Many had been given to her as gifts which she lovingly tended and coaxed into flower. Some flowers were even growing in the cracks in the driveway. One tomato self seeded by her drainpipe so she left it there and gave it compost and it's going great. It was immaculately maintained and a joy to see and smell! 

 Linda's garden was a short drive away on the main road down a long drive lined with mini aggies, where we stopped and chatted for morning tea. Garden club conversation tends to be about plants, flowers, recipes and weddings and home renovations. Linda had hanging baskets of fuchsias, orcids and streptocarpus, pots of succulents, a weeping cherry tree and a mysterious 'secret garden' trail under one of her large oaks. By the sunny wall she had rambling roses, more sweetpeas, lychnis, catmint, hydrangeas, abutilons, and other flowery delights I can't pronounce (opthigian? Ornhithagalum? O-something!) 

 I didn't get time to visit Bev's terraced garden again or Thera's Glendene DIY renovation, or Sid and Janes wilderness in Swanson, as I had to rush off to work my afternoon shift at the bookshop, but there's always next time. Today is not much of a garden day being wet and cool. But I have very much enjoyed the sunny spring weather while it lasted. 

Linda said that what she wanted most for Christmas was a sack of compost but Santa never seems to grants her that request - I think what I'll be receiving this year are bars of soap, although I'd rather have a real tree (in a pot,) and no presents than a fake tree and lots of presents. So one tree please, thanks Santa. A lime tree or tree tomato, or maybe another mini apple tree.

Tauranga Covid-Buster tour

 The  Te Atatu Floral Circle escaped Auckland for the weekend on the Covid-Buster tour to Tauranga.

We saw many gardens over a the weekend from downsized ones to upsized ones, old established ones to new and trendy. The weather shone on us and was perfect.

The first three were in Pyes Pa and had staked out their new subdivision claims by going a bit crazy at the garden centre. Annuals galore, hanging baskets, and veges down the back were the order of the day. There's a lot you can do on former kiwifruit orchard on handkerchief size plots. Who needs a lawn when one can carve out  a koru water feature?

I liked the groundcover pansies, and fuschsias seemed to be the favoured foundation plant. 

In town, we visited Robbins Park Rose Gardens, which were all in bloom. But the real gem was the tropical house next door, complete with orchids in a glass case. Spectacular. 

In Papamoa, we visited a Jacobean tapestry and quilt lady. I bought some dutch iris bulbs. They had downsized to the surburbs but had bought all their favourite plants with them. Another riot of colourful flowers awaited us.

Then we upsized to a country style formal garden (big enough for a buxus edged phoenix palm driveway roundabout) that had the biggest lemon and lime roses you ever saw, the leaves super fed with fert that they were flogging to us in little baggies.  Yet another riotous bed of colour was in full bloom.

The last day we cruised on up the old Te Puna Quarry that had been transformed into a rambly garden - this one had an amazing heritage rose border with romantic favourites including stachys, sweet williams, lilies, iris and lobelias. Thanks to all the active Rose Society volunteer workers, it was heavenly to walk through.

Our final stop was the Mayward  Homestead Country Garden, which could easily qualify for the 5 star rating of National Gardens of Significance. This one had flowing waters and mystery dells, swamp cypress, azaleas, rhododendrons, wisterias, lily of the valleys, hostas and solomon's seal. The house was a romantic's dreamy backdrop, an ideal wedding venue. It all backed on to native bush and the owner was a dedicated and knowledgable gardener. We were gobsmacked that she did all this on her own.

I am sorry photos can't really do it justice, but you had to be there. 

Tauranga tropical house

Picture perfect - who needs a wedding give me a garden for life

Roses and more roses in bloom

One of many garden beds full of flowers

Bug hotel

Orchids under glass

When I got back to Auckland I was feeling a bit crowded after Tauranga's spacious suburbs and giant trees that would never be cut down for a parking lot or infill housing. They really have super giant trees there.

So I thought my solution was to convince people if they really want to live in Auckland they've got to start living in the trees instead of cutting them all down.  Thanks Tauranga for an amazing tour and the Floral Circle ladies had a great time as always! 

Garden blooming

 Time is flying by. 

Karyn got hitched...here's the evidence. It was a beautiful church ceremony that was simple yet sweet. Pierre waited patiently for half an hour past the appointed time. Some men don't. They are like - ten minutes late - missed your chance!

Is it better to be late than never? Perhaps. I know you can definitely marry too early. We showered her with flowers and she threw the bouquet. Don't worry, I did not catch it, I've got plenty of flowers in my own garden. 

This spring season has actually never been so spectacular for flowers in my garden.

I've got irises, roses, sweet peas, statice, ajugas, watsonias, lavender, daisies, pelargoniums, ivy geraniums, scabiosa, forget-me-not, salvia, nasturtiums, oxalis, abutilon, jasmine, plumbago, apple blossom, impatiens, daphne, camellia....

The Floral Circle are having the trip to Tauranga next week and this time Cenny and Marie are coming with me. When I get back I need to get into planting maybe some dwarf beans or capsicums. But I am sure I will find inspiration on my trip - as I have not been able to get out and about so much yet. Sometimes isolation and quarantine can make you quite insular and too sheltered.  Although I think doing your own thing can be very satisfying, something in me wants to reach out more and grow more and do more but where when why and how, I am not sure yet. 

Who knows what's around the corner?