A retirement plan?
The early roses are flowering, and I start wondering about running Moosey's Gardenstay Bed and Breakfast - a retirement plan?
Saturday 26th October
It's a long weekend, so for once I have a relaxed attitude to the garden. I am almost ready for my first cup of coffee. Then we are going to visit my friend who is shifting. She has a pile of rocks and lots of plants in pots which we can take. I will also snoop through her garden and get some off-cuts of irises etc. And she has an old railway carriage which has to go...hmm... I wonder? I can see it now - Bed and Breakfast at Moosey's - charming accommodation in rustic railway cabin - I could retire from my ghastly job... Hee hee... Must stop dreaming and get started. I will be back.
lemon rhododendron in Middle Border
Hopeless - it's now just after 3pm and I have defiantly gone apres gardening. I have been watering and planting the new treasures dug from my departing friend's garden. Now Mugs the cat is sitting by me watching as I type. I still smell faintly of blood and bone, which I scattered around the driveway border in a fit of generosity. Oh well, I am allowed to be a little laid back today. I'll make a cup of tea and then wander out to shift some hoses. There are more rhododendrons and roses flowering than I'd noticed last week. Luckily for Stephen the old railway carriage at my friend's place was an old refrigerated closed-in wagon rather than a cute old thing with wind down windows. He cheered up enormously upon seeing it.
Now tomorrow has to be much much more productive. I need to be disciplined, and to not fall asleep slouching over the patio table. The hoses need to run all day - parts of the garden are so very dry. There is some terribly sensible news about the property, too. We are getting a water tank. It will go in the corner of the middle paddock, and will be apple green in colour.
Sunday 27th October
Roses, roses, roses. I love my roses. Watering, watering, watering. Some parts of the garden are very dry. It's already a time of change. I've been pulling out the purple honesty from the side Pond Border. I've been planting out the variegated pelargoniums and the purple sage plants under the new Elm tree. I've sorted out the lettuce and the red-stalked silver beet seedlings.
It must be time to plant the potatoes too - probably late. Should I plant some rows of peas? Questions, questions, questions. I will go back outside and weed by Duck Lawn (Duckless lawn, thanks to Taj-dog charging around barking). I must kill the nettles. Much to do.
Later...
I had to retreat, arms flapping, as a monster hail storm skidded by. The skies had been turning grey and thunder was rumbling quite near. I was busy weeding and doing the edges of Duck Lawn at the time - ouch, the hailstones were quite big. Then just as I emerged from the shower smelling sweetly the power went off - so much for the long awaited apres gardening cup of tea.
Today, on reflection, has been much much better than yesterday. I've shovelled a trailer load of mulch on the driveway border and widened it just a little. I've potted up all the irises. I've been happy and busy. The weather is crazy. Now all is calm and there is blue sky. I want to retire and be a full time spring-summer gardener.
aquilegias
Monday 28th October
The weather has finally cleared up, after raining and drizzling all morning. Since I claim that parts of my garden are desperately dry, I guess I should be thankful. Anyway it's now 1:30 pm and I am about to go outside. Trouble is that it will be very muddy. I might just wander around with a drink (in new cheerful yellow mug) deciding where I want to work. Hopefully I will return with long sentences of accomplishments.
I am back. I have planted peas and potatoes. I have done edges and for the first time in ages we took the dog to the river for stones. The new rose garden by the Willow tree is now edged properly. I can't write many long sentences but I have enjoyed pottering around wheeling things about. I have also weeded the vege garden/potager. Funny potager. There are two huge foxgloves growing in the middle of it, surrounded by small purple pansies and pyrethrum daisies. Two lone lettuces have grown on from the self-seeding encouragements. Pretty poor really - blame the mulch? I can't bring myself to pull out the silver beet trees.
I'm scared that by next weekend there will be millions of new things that I've almost missed. I love, love, love this garden and I can't think how I'd feel if I had to move.