A gardening legend...

My late spring garden is so beautiful. I'm working so hard planting new shrubs and grasses, and the results are amazing. I think I am a gardening legend - long may this optimism continue!

 As you can see, Beige-Puss is not really very beige at all!
B-Puss in the Sun

Sunday 15th October

I've spent five hot hours digging, watering, planting, and organising the Pond Garden - B-Puss (my beautiful white cat) has been watching me, seemingly puzzled by the water. Yippee - the garden is finished - apart from little extras, that is. I love it!

Giant Gunnera

There is walking space around to the back of the pond - no strict path, and things look a bit bare at the moment because the Gunnera is being quite slow to unfurl. But I have resisted the temptation - Gunnera is a sleeping giant, and quickly grows and spreads out its huge leaves. I have respected its need for space.

I've planted a little row of Munstead lavender around the corner in the sun. Tough Corokias and Coprosmas, some Bowles Golden sedges, and a broad, green Japanese temple grass are in spaces by the water. The plantings are not strictly water plants, or marginals - the soil close to the edge is actually quite dry.

And all day the drying norwest wind has blown, and the gum trees have rustled and rattled, and my age-defying sunblock has had to work hard. Rusty has been helping, standing in the shallows waiting for anything to drop in the pond. Silly dog!

The Moosey Pond :
I am very lucky to have a pond - I really should make more of this water feature.

I wonder why I've never planted this area before - gardens by water have such an easy, winning charm. The pond is covered with blown-off cherry blossom, such a lovely contrast with the sharp-edged reflections of the flaxes underneath. What a beautiful day I have had! And good, well-behaved dog-company, too - the very best.

Monday 16th October

Readers who follow detective stories might have noticed - yesterday I had a whole selection of new shrubs to plant, not mentioned in any spending spree list. Oops. That's because yesterday I sneaked a visit to yet another nursery. So today I still have roses, rhododendrons, and a red maple tree to plant. But I think I know where they're going. And I really wanted to somehow 'finish' the new garden - a visual reward for all that digging.

A New Zealand Pond

During my very first country-gardener days I looked at the pond (dim memories of twelve gardening years ago). It was an irrigation pond in a dry paddock, and I knew I had to plant it with a New Zealand flavour - no water lilies, no beds of watery irises. The original hebes are huge, the cordylines too - and the flaxes have gone forth around the pond edge and multiplied. There are native weedy reeds and carexes, too.

 I am still workng on this new garden area.
My New Garden Bench

What's the saying? It's a bit of a mess, but it's mine! The new garden bench is perfectly positioned to enjoy the water. I would even have ducks and ducklings if I didn't have such a noisy bird-chasing dog.

Right. Today in the garden all remaining plants must be installed. Then I need to clear and weed in the Hump underneath the two Kowhai trees. Another obvious fact of garden life - the snow damaged neighbouring trees, resulting in trimming and sawing. More light equals happier Kowhais. The flowers are amazing. Oops - I can hear Brewster the rooster crowing from afar. Haru the fattest New Zealand lamb is bleating. Rusty is fed and bored - he's a 'doing dog' and wants to be outside.

 But the rain is good for the garden...
Wet Chairs on the Patio

Early Afternoon...

Aargh! The southerly has struck - it's raining, and brrr.... Cold again! Silly weather. I've planted three Cistus (Cisti? Cistuses?) as well as the Lacy Lady Robinia tree (oops - that sort of sneaked into the front seat of my car yesterday) - and the red maple - all in the Wattle Woods. Unfortunately there was only time to plant one new rose - Gruss an Achen. Now I am off swimming - I will listen to the raindrops on the pool roof and think of my new little trees getting a quiet soak.

Tuesday 17th October

Today I have roses to plant, and heaps more newspaper to lay. Then I am allowed to relax and take the afternoon off. After yesterday's extreme swimming session (over one hour - my swimming buddy was very late), plus two choir practices, I feel very virtuous - and melodious! Now, concerning these bagged roses. Yesterday I was certain I knew where they were to be planted. Today I am dithering - I have seen at least three different gardens with sun and space for them. This could mean (ahem) that I need to buy some more. Eek! When will it end? The future is looking far too rosy!

 This was my 30th brthday present to the daughter of Moosey.
The Birthday Rose Garden - Nearly in Flower

Lunchtime... Rose Mania

Oh dear me. I am in so much trouble! I have found excellent spaces for at least ten more roses, and am soooooo tempted to zoom off in my car to get some. I have even started analysing and colour grouping the proposed new entrants. For example, New Rose Area no. 3 is near the water in the Dog Path Garden, where the Iris Japonica used to get bleached by the sun. This is already home to a Buff Beauty and a Colourbreak, and I imagine some extra fluffy creams and beiges.

Freisia Rose :
Freisia is a bright yellow uncomplicated rose.

New Rose Area no. 4 - at the moment there are two standards, a Freisia and a Brilliant Pink Iceberg, plus yellow summer-flowering shrubs. Maybe some more yellows and bright whites, with blue flowering perennials as softeners. New Rose Area no. 1 is a sunny fence-line border near the Crepuscules on the pergola. It's getting a row of catmint, and perhaps a couple of smaller apricot roses.

See what I mean? Aargh! I guess I could redirect the housekeeping money - c'mon, my lovely superhens, lay lots of eggs for me! I think a quiet check on the bank balance is in order. Back soon.

 A beautiful single early flowerng rose.
Fruhlingsmorgen

Oops. I am back - but only with eight roses (and another little red maple). The three standard Blushing Pink Icebergs are planted, as planned, at the back of the Willow Tree Garden. A Spek's Centennial and a Buttercup are in the Dog-Path Garden by the water - coppery blooms and arching stems of deep gold should do the trick nicely. Margaret Merrill, bless her, and a bush version of the bright yellow Freisia have joined New Rose Area no. 4 - as planned.

All roses are planted and watered. Let the afternoon's relaxation begin - I am going to read and watch a replay of the cricket. New Zealand played South Africa overnight, our time, and I don't know who won. Shush! - don't tell me!