Well it was a good planting day after all, the sun managed to shine for the time us Riverparkers got stuck in, along with some local board members angling for votes, and the dedicated NZ Biosecurity and Auckland Park Rangers team.
I noticed the politicians were more into chatting than actual planting though, but I ignored them and got on with the job. Mum came a bit later and helped with the mulching, where the team cleared two huge piles on the verges with four wheel barrows.
David had around 700 native plants ranging from manuka, harakeke, kowhai, kumarahou, titoki, kahikatea, kawakawa, maitai, mahoe, carex and several others I can't recall off the top of my head. Unfortunately no kauri is being planted since the rangers are still dealing with kauri dieback disease. Those of us who stuck around and braved the light showers to clear the mulch all then had a feed of sausages on the bbq.
On Thursday, finally at looong last my tiger lily bulbs have arrived, three tiger lilies and three tiger babies. I planted one tiger baby in a pot, two in the front yard, and the three tiger lilies in the back yard near the loquat and under the cabbage tree. They were already sprouting by the time I got them and they said they needed to be planted IMMEDIATELY, so I wasted no time.
Thankfully we no longer have any marauding chickens around to dig them all up.
Garden club member Karen and I are planning a flora foraging expedition in spring to use up all our petals to create pretty pictures and mandalas on club night. However, sometimes I think beauty is in the eye of the beholder for floral art. I've come across a lot of philistines who don't appreciate creativity. Oh it looks like a mess. But isn't the point of art to make a mess so you can create something beautiful?
I just wondered if people have this idea that every single thing has to look perfect ALL the time and disregard the fun of just creating it. JUST FOR FUN. I think people are too judgemental about beauty cos they obviously think they can just buy it with no effort on their part to create it and I'm totally sick of that attitude. Gardens are never made by singing "oh how beautiful" and sitting around in the shade.
Right on Rudyard Kipling!
