So very lucky!
I am so very lucky! How can I ever think that even one of my little garden problems is important? Like weeds in the vegetable garden? Or not enough colour in the garden in late winter?
Saturday 13th August
I have just returned from a zooming early morning walk with puppy. We listened to the sparkling, clean water rushing underneath Car Bridge. The birds were squeaking in the trees, and I faintly heard my old rooster crowing from way across the road (one never forgets the crow of one's own rooster). Puppy zoomed around the Hazelnut Orchard chasing an irate plover bird (they're Australian, and consequently are dreadfully noisy and squawky).
Yellow Spring Colours
I skipped gracefully over the new stile by the water tank, and through the newly cleared Hen House Garden paths. Nothing was hurting or achy (for example, old knees, back, or head). So the vegetable garden is weedy again - this is a big problem? Some gardeners just need to stop their mental moaning and count their blessings! For example, there is more spring blossom showing now - the humble little plum tree (the tree which has small yellow plums) by the washing line is covered in white fluff (please, no wind). The pink Azalea in the Island Bed looks gorgeous. I can still only find small patches of yellow bulb colour, but I sense that spring is nearly here! Yippee! The rebirth of fresh, new garden greenery, the warming up of the soil so I can grow decent vegetables - Aargh! The weeds in the vegetable garden!
I have to mention the Most Valuable Pet Competition before I race outside with gloves and hand digger. OK, so I have been voting every day for the legendary Slow Puss. I'm only trying to even things up - Stephen votes for Rusty the puppy, the Moosey House Guest votes for Smoocher the little cat... What a strange family - perhaps we all have nothing better to do? I am now feeling really guilty and sorry for Tiger Puss, who is in last place. She is the cutest, prettiest cat. Back soon.
PInk Azalea
Lunchtime...
Oops. It's only one o'clock, but I am only taking a short rest. Does it matter that I weeded a different area than the vegetable garden? Nope! I've removed all the pale blue late autumn-flowering asters from Stephen's Border. I've never liked them, and each year by the time they start flowering I've lost the energy to even take a photograph. Little Tiger Puss has been darting around me - digging in the dirt, then scooting away - having fun in the sun.
Illegal Voting in Most Valuable Pet Competition
While I've been busy working the Moosey House Guest has sneakily logged onto my computer as ME - and used up MY daily anonymous vote in the Most Valuable Pet Competition. Naturally he voted for Smoocher, his favourite. Pretty presumptuous, I reckon, even if he does cook a rather mean rice risotto.
+5
So I am hereby using my powers of Head Gardener to award five bonus points to Tiger Puss - for being scatty but energetic cat-company. And I am now going back outside to prune the roses in Stephen's Border - a bright pink Flower Carpet, and the climber Westerland which leans up against the house. Then I will actually have finished off one small area of garden properly, and can face the rest of the afternoon feeling terribly mature and responsible - for once!
Much Later...
The Flowering Wattle Tree
Well, not only did I prune those roses, but I worked really hard weeding the Frisbee Garden. Tiger Puss leapt in, and out, then in and out again of a rusty brown tussock grass, while I dug out dandelions, pulled out little surface weeds, and pruned the Iceberg roses on the fence-line and the Frisbee Archway. The conifer is far too big - hmm... I didn't plant it! It now occurs to me that I probably need to prune all my roses post haste...
Sunday 14th August
I am still very lucky! This morning it's raining gently, so puppy and I walked with the big black umbrella. I found patches of miniature yellow daffodils flowering properly! What a contrast to the Wattle tree flowers, which are a harsh, citrus yellow - well, to my sleepy misty morning eyes they are - how ungrateful! And pink blossom is starting! Pink! I love pink! I'm so looking forward to my roses...
Winter Garden Colour
Stop! I think one needs to accept the scale of colour that nature and good seasonal gardening practices both provide. Wall to wall swathes of colourful brightness (for example roses) are lovely when it's their proper time.
In early spring, the smallest patch of miniature daffodils is worth just as much, and certainly worth bending over to photograph. And just imagine if the ground had been covered in white-blue-grey snow for some months, and that first spring colour was literally breaking through! My goodness!
Peony :- I'd like to have a bigger collection of peonies.
First thing this morning we are going to visit a local market (there may be a peony grower's stall there - I'm keen to expand my collection). Then the rain will have eased and I can launch forth.
I can tell from slight finger-stiffness that yesterday was a full-on weeding day. Poor thing! How sad! Let's give thanks that the problem is a small one...
Late-Afternoon...
I am so tired! I've been weeding along the sides of the pond paddock, pruning roses, and digging out escaped pieces of invasive Lamium - which I never, ever planted! The sun is shining now, and my gardener's hands and fingers are a bit sore. This weekend I have been a hand-weeding legend. I have also pruned burnt all my rubbish.
Breaking News - Rose Archways!
Thirteen arches are to be erected in a long avenue through the Hazelnut Orchard - you knew that - and the very first rose arch is built! It has been expertly welded and is standing in the middle of the driveway. Ha! And it has been officially photographed for the 'arch-ives'... Hee hee...
Non-gardening partner has decided he is not a very good welder, so some subtle encouragement is needed. He could just try the simple act of practising his welding techniques - thirteen times! He has now installed archway number one in position in the Hazelnut Orchard - I must say it looks pretty silly standing in that huge paddock by itself! But it is in the ground, and tomorrow I could have the very first rose planting ceremony.