Garden Journal 2002

Weather, weeds, edges, and plans for retirement seem to dominate 2002. As usual I get far too busy when the garden needs me most. The garden at Mooseys hardly notices - as usual, it has a life of its own. I'm wondering if I could be a full time gardener and not get bored...

Hope for peace and gentle gardening...Hope for peace and gentle gardening......
Many of us escaped into our gardens last year. It seemed frivolous, too, worrying about small gardening crises while there were such huge horrors in the outside world. Happy New Year for 2002, and let us all hope for a year of peace and gentle gardening...
Late JanuaryLate January...
These later days in January are spent clearing paths, weeding, and wishing I didn't have to go back to work.
ItIt's February!...
Ha! It's February, the month for major design decisions and for radical planting changes in the garden. This is the month of visible mistakes. Plants that have grown far too large for their positions, look out!
Doomed...Doomed......
I've transformed into a weekends only gardener again. I am doomed to rush around madly weeding and doing garden maintenance, dreaming of retirement.
March is my scruffy month...March is my scruffy month......
It's March. I'm not sure what usually happens in March - the seasons have been so unusual this year. Perhaps March might bring summer. A quick look around the garden, though, confirms my suspicion that March is my scruffy month.
Fourteen days gardening...Fourteen days gardening......
My Easter holidays have come and gone. I've spent fourteen days gardening. Many initial plans and resolutions were agonised over and then ignored. Many other projects just seemed to happen. As usual, I faithfully recorded every moment of self-realisation...
The colours of autumn...The colours of autumn......
The end of April brings the colours of autumn, as fallen leaves form gold and red carpets over the lawns. There is a hint of colder days. The vegetable garden lies abandoned, full of obese marrows and heirloom tomatoes which still haven't formed fruit.
May is a strange month...May is a strange month......
May is a strange month. It starts off balmy and mild, with sleeves of gardening shirts rolled up, and finishes with thermal layers, warm hat and gloves. It's the big rip-out and re-design month.
Writing impossible lists...Writing impossible lists......
My work seems to encroach more and more on my attempts to be the world's greatest gardener. And I seem to be obsessively writing impossible lists.
Suddenly itSuddenly it's winter......
Suddenly it's winter, and there are frosty mornings too cold to go into the garden, rainy days, and dark evenings sitting in front of the wood burner. Friends in northern hemisphere gardens write about summer flowers, roses, and long lazy sunny days.
Snow storms...Snow storms......
Snow storms visit the garden at Mooseys and the brittle Wattle trees do rather a lot of self-pruning. Sifter the cat starts disappearing overnight, returning only for food.
On holiday!On holiday!...
I AM ON HOLIDAY! OK, so it's Friday night. Not much gardening happens mid-winter on Friday nights, though I do have a couple of new gardening magazines that I'm saving for later.
Energy levels on full...Energy levels on full......
My holiday in the winter garden continues with all energy levels on full. I get well and truly stuck into the Hump. Sifter the cat sadly starts to spend his last days with us.
Unpredictable...Unpredictable......
Gardening in late winter is totally unpredictable. The weather could be mild and balmy, inspiring al fresco daydreaming sitting on outdoor furniture, or freezing and wet. It's also the start of serious rose pruning - where are my thick gloves?
Where is Sifter the cat?Where is Sifter the cat?...
I start off sick, home from work but too sad to garden. But my normal enthusiasm soon returns. Unfortunately Sifter the cat does not - where can he be?
ItIt's September......
It's September, and the garden is screaming to be up and moving, like a child who has lost patience with sitting still. I hope I can see and enjoy all the big changes this month, as well as the simple things like the colours of the flowers and the moods they create.
Amazing garden creations are possible...Amazing garden creations are possible......
The long awaited and desperately looked forward to Spring holidays start. Amazing new garden creations are possible. There is always a new area to develop. But who knows? - Perhaps there will just be gentle pottering with a hand digger and a good book.
New plans...New plans......
I love the spring holiday weeks! My new plans for developing new gardens over the water race are put into action. The Willow tree enters Moosey folklore as a worthy landmark.
I should be at home in the garden...I should be at home in the garden......
October is a month when I definitely should not be working. I should be at home in the garden enjoying all the changes, watching for the first flowers to appear and having too much time to notice everything.
A retirement plan?A retirement plan?...
The early roses are flowering, and I start wondering about running Moosey's Gardenstay Bed and Breakfast - a retirement plan?
I should be retired...I should be retired......
November is another month in which I should be retired. Roses are out. Plants are growing Some plants have even finished flowering and need clearing up.
The idyllic images of summer...The idyllic images of summer......
Summer, sun, hoses watering, birds gently twittering, wind gently rocking the gum trees, bees buzzing, roses everywhere... these are the idyllic images of summer at Mooseys. Seats in the shade, books to read, gardening shorts on pale legs with grubby knees...
Edges, weeding, roses...Edges, weeding, roses......
Edges, weeding, roses... and the long summer holiday days. There are no school timetables, few responsibilities apart from watering things wisely.
Top