Frisbee Lawn Garden Tour

The Frisbee Lawn is a large, flat circular paddock surrounded by a rose-covered fence. It has its own narrow flower border, backed by deciduous trees. Roses and irises provide colour. Close by are the Stables Garden, a special Rose Garden, and two quirky little gardens built around dog kennels.

If you like throwing frisbees (or tennis balls for dogs) then the Frisbee Lawn is the perfect spot. The edge of the lawn rises to the Stables - there are no horses here, but the Stables has its own garden full of ornamental grasses.

Behind the Stables is the Birthday Rose Garden, which started garden life as a living birthday present to Daughter of Moosey. It's also home to peonies and self-sown cornflowers, and so looks very fluffy from late spring on. Enjoy your visit to the Frisbee Lawn Garden, but take care not to trip over any stray tennis balls! Rusty the dog is hopeless at retrieving them.

BambooBamboo...
Some years ago my plantsman friend gave me a couple of pots of bamboo varieties that he'd grown. He assured me they were non-invasive. Of course I believed him - he was so much more learned and wise than me. And so I planted them with an eye to enjoying their leafy vegetation.
Introducing the Frisbee Lawn GardenIntroducing the Frisbee Lawn Garden...
The Frisbee Lawn Garden started off as a narrow border ringing the Frisbee Lawn. In went rough rejects - Salvias, Dahlias, Senecios, and the like. I then started moving irises and daylilies into the sunniest places. I added a few New Zealand shrubs and hey presto! The border was full. That was easy!
Frisbee Gardens ImagesFrisbee Gardens Images...
The different areas which I've lumped together and called 'The Frisbee Lawn Gardens' have totally different looks and moods, depending on their location with respect to the irrigation. Here are some of my recent images.
The Allotment Garden Grows...The Allotment Garden Grows......
The Allotment Garden started off with a genuine allotment plan - vegetables! Tomatoes, beans, peas, courgettes, and potatoes would all grow happily in this newly created, sunny garden. Well, now the garden is three years old. All I can say about the vegetables is 'oops'.
Creating My Allotment GardenCreating My Allotment Garden...
I've always been fascinated by Allotment gardens. On holiday in Britain I've peeped over their fences when travelling on trains walking or around the streets. I love the long strips of garden and the rows of plants and vegetables. I've called my latest garden project the Allotment garden in memory.
A Frisbee Dog!A Frisbee Dog!...
Yippee! The Frisbee Lawn, named right at the beginning of my garden's history, now has an actual dog who loves to chase her frisbee. Welcome to Winnie the black and white Border Collie, who joined our family late in 2014. Finally the lawn has a Frisbee Dog.
Not working so well...Not working so well......
The Frisbee Lawn Gardens are not working so well any more. Actually they're quite disappointing. I look at the early photographs, full of dripping roses, healthy shrubs and grasses, perennials glowing with mid-summer colour, beautiful irises flowering in late spring. Humph. So what's changed? What's gone wrong?
Roses in the Allotment GardenRoses in the Allotment Garden...
I know what a traditional 'Allotment Garden' should be : a long strip of fertile land, with rows of sensible vegetables, companion flowers like marigolds, and maybe some sweet peas climbing on a home-made trellis. So what are all these roses doing in here? Oops...
Frisbee Garden BuntingFrisbee Garden Bunting...
The far corner of the Frisbee Lawn turned into a total mess in 2013 when next-door's pine trees came crashing down. My garden was damaged, and the so-called borrowed view over next-door was absolutely awful. Aargh! I didn't want to borrow it at all!
Behind the StablesBehind the Stables...
The area behind the Stables was initially difficult to garden. Next-door's huge pine plantation was close by, and there was very little sun. I did my best, planting roses along the sunnier water's edge and Camellias in the shade along the back wall of the Stables.
Spiky Pink DahliasSpiky Pink Dahlias...
Clumps of dahlias were dug out of a friend's father's garden. He was always so proud of his dahlias. Would I like them? Yes please. Would I look after them properly? Hmm...
Roses in the Stables BorderRoses in the Stables Border...
I love the look of roses growing in and around striped Phormiums. In the winter of 2013 I carefully planted some recycled roses along the front of the Stables Garden, and then crossed my fingers. Would the big Phormium hybrids be happy to share airspace and sunshine with th
Adirondack Garden SeatAdirondack Garden Seat...
I'm a great fan of Adirondack garden seats, particularly wooden ones. Then I can choose whether to let them naturally weather, or paint them an exciting colour. They are super comfortable, and their shape demands that the gardener stays put and rests awhile.
Climbing RosesClimbing Roses...
The Stables garden was dug around a hitching rail for horses. I left the post and rail in place and grew some climbing roses along it - the pink Bantry Bay and the amber yellow Maigold. They lasted well for fifteen years or so. Alas, both have now given up the struggle, probably because of my lack of watering. Sorry about that!
Birthday Garden SeatsBirthday Garden Seats...
Lucky Daughter of Moosey! For her 2010 birthday she has been proudly presented with some old wicker garden furniture - two seats and a little table. They go with her Birthday Rose Garden (2005-2008) and her Birthday Garden Mural (2009)...
Lilac RhododendronLilac Rhododendron...
Along the back of the garage is a small artistic garden, full of oddments. My pride and joy in mid-spring is a happy lilac rhododendron, growing in the company of Hebes and a juvenile green Cordyline.
Garden Lawn Rose ArchGarden Lawn Rose Arch...
The entrance to the Frisbee Lawn was one of the first places to get a rose arch. And for many years this worked really well, with a lovely white Iceberg rose trailing over the archway.
Bishop of Llandaff DahliaBishop of Llandaff Dahlia...
I inherited too many red dahlias in my garden - often they've been dug out and dumped by a fence-line, where they've continued to grow. One of the few dahlias I've bought in is the Bishop of Llandaff. I must admit to some garden snobbery here...
Early Stables Garden GrassesEarly Stables Garden Grasses...
The Stables Garden began life as a small collection of roses and irises, dug around a hitching rail. The it seriously expanded, and I filled the new spaces with beautiful ornamental New Zealand grasses.
Cabbage Trees (Cordylines)Cabbage Trees (Cordylines)...
A strong symbol of a New Zealand garden is the spikey Cabbage Tree, or Cordyline. I have an original trio of these messy tree-plants growing at the very top of the Frisbee Lawn, underneath a large Eucalypt tree. But there's more...
BirdbathBirdbath...
The only official Moosey birdbath lives in the garden area between the Stables and the water race. But would any bird be foolish enough to use it with eight house cats in residence?
Birthday Garden MuralBirthday Garden Mural...
Some years ago I dug and planted a Birthday Rose Garden for Daughter of Moosey. Since then, rather than worry about posting birthday presents overseas, I've simply bought her new roses each year. What's up for 2009? Hee hee...
Rusty DogRusty Dog's Lavender Garden...
Rusty's dog kennel sits at the top of the Frisbee Lawn. There's a sleeping compartment and a run, and I've planted a small Lavender Garden around the edges. Just what every good All Black supporter-dog wants and needs...
The Birthday Rose GardenThe Birthday Rose Garden...
The Birthday Rose Garden is now over ten years old - so much younger than Daughter of Moosey, for whom it was a special birthday present. It's planted with a stunning mixture of roses, peonies and perennials.
The Frisbee LawnThe Frisbee Lawn...
Yippee! Here's a proper photograph of this old established piece of paddock grass. The Frisbee Lawn manages to look good until summer. Then the ambience goes definitely downhill (no irrigation). It's been some years since the grass blades felt the gentle whirr of a frisbee...
Rockery by Dog KennelRockery by Dog Kennel...
The rockery by the old dog kennel was one of my early attempted artistic gardening efforts. The kennel itself is an heirloom, and the small pseudo-rockery next to it actually had some conifers planted amongst the craggy rocks. Note the use of 'pseudo'...
Safari Sunset LeucadendronSafari Sunset Leucadendron...
The evocative name Safari Sunset suits this Leucadendron well. The colour of the spring growth is quite brilliant, and it's a strong growing shrub. How hardy? Of that I'm not so sure...
Ornamental GrassOrnamental Grass...
This is one of the early ornamental grasses I introduced into the Moosey garden. I got it from a nursery, not realising it was such a compulsive self seeder. Oops!
Yellow IrisYellow Iris...
In late October and November the irises in the Moosey garden delight with their huge flowers. Strangely there are few photographs of these beautiful plants - until now that is...
Pink Nerine BulbsPink Nerine Bulbs...
The Stables Garden is one border where I can grow Nerines well. Their bulbs sit half above the ground, and get sun-baked in summer.
Early Stables Garden & DogEarly Stables Garden & Dog...
The Stables Garden started life as a fun small garden. For the first years its planting schemes changed, rather than its shape and size. By the year 2004 there was a good balance between foliage plants, perennials and roses. But these were early days...
Red & White Garden Fence RosesRed & White Garden Fence Roses...
In the early days of my garden you'd find the roses Dublin Bay and climbing Iceberg growing along the fence which enclosed the Frisbee Garden Border. They'd been planted by the previous owner, who obviously adored the contrast of bright red and bright white.
Cat On A LawnmowerCat On A Lawnmower...
Sifter the big tabby cat would pose for the camera whenever required to, so many of my early garden photographs feature him. He was discovered here sitting on the lawnmower keeping the seat warm.
Irrigating The Frisbee LawnIrrigating The Frisbee Lawn...
This picture was taken during a quite serious (for us) summer drought. Non-Gardening Partner has brought in one of the paddock irrigators to get some water on the Frisbee Lawn. You can read his irrigation page for all the technical details.
Blobby ConiferBlobby Conifer...
his conifer was planted on the edge of the Frisbee Lawn when we first arrived. It's been given 'the treatment' by the hedge trimmer, to try and contain its bulk without doing too much damage...
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