World landscaping adventures...
I don't know whether Mr Obama is a gardener, but I wish him all the best for his world landscaping adventures. It's an exciting beginning moment, as obsessive gardeners struggle gently in their own little garden worlds.
Mr Obama has to struggle forcefully with one big world. Aargh! Take care, and kia kaha (be strong).
Three Lemon Dahlias
Wednesday 21st January
I am still sulking about my teeth. I could spend the tooth money on a garden tour around France - and eat mashed food for the next twenty (thirty?) years... However the Moosey jaw has been much admired (in X-Ray form) by the Moosey dentist - it is apparently a fine specimen of a fifty-plus jaw. This is some small consolation for the jaw-owner.
Summer Shasta Daisies
This morning apres-dentist I've been concentrating on small gardening details - trimming overhanging hebes and Pittosporums from pathways, raking up gum bark, and so on. Also I'm cheating a little - just clearing the parts of garden adjacent to the paths. After this lunch break I'm going to do some planting.
Disappearing Hens
Today I've been clearing by the Hen House. I watched two black hens sneaking off through the fence and disappearing into the mess next-door. After much searching I found an egg-stash yesterday, and now have to high-kick verrrrrry carefully (and inelegantly) over a low barbed-wire fence to collect the eggs. Such random birds - I'll need to get that part of the fence blocked.
I'm still excited about my collection of new perennial plants - this afternoon I have some ready to plant by the Koru sculpture. This sunny wee garden has space for new perennials. Some brilliant red Bergamot rescued last year from the fifty cent table is flowering here - it reminds me of the beautiful North American perennial borders I've seen, all filled with wonderful golden yellows and reds.
Red Bergamot
Much Later...
I need more stones! I've planted the Santolinas, and weeded the edge of the water race by the Darmera, and trimmed more hebes and grasses. This small triangle of garden needs building up with a small stone wall, and then I'll plant some of the Helianthemums. The new irises (I'm sure they are water-loving ones) can go on the water's edge. All this and the Koru Garden will get done tomorrow.
Stripey Hen:- My hens and their resident boss rooster do not seem to have set patterns in their lives. I blame their owner!
It is not restful being so close to the chooks, though. Every half hour or so there is nightmare shrieking from a hen, with rooster joining in. It happens when the magpies arrive to pinch the leftovers - fair enough - but it also happens for no reason. So random.
+10Fluff-Fluff the cat has been brilliant, if passive, cat company. Today he has taken his gardening duties very seriously, not moving from his place underneath the Darmera leaves. Later in the evening I had to walk over and carry him home to the house. It's OK, Fluff-Fluff - your gardening day is over.
Thursday 22nd January
I love Non-Gardening Partner's new Pump House! It is a real rustic beauty, tough, and weatherproof, and the roof has - sixty-four? - screws holding it in place. NGP says he got a bit carried away...
Today after swimming I am doing the following. Apologies for any repetition...
- Planting perennials in the Koru Garden.
- Planting Thymes and blue Convolvulus plants on the stone wall.
Then a little piece of path which used to lead down to the water and the Oak Tree Seat by the water is being - decommissioned? Anyway, it's completely blocked by foliage, and when the water race runs high (which happens often) it ends up underwater.
The Moosey Crocs :- Just in case the reader is puzzled as to what type of crocs a gardener would wear...
Paths passable only by secateur-wielding croc-wearing gardeners are simply not versatile enough, in this modern, high-powered gardening world.
And in the resulting garden, I'll build a low stone wall, fill in and level the soil (adding ash and potting mix) and plant the Darmera and the Irises on the water's edge. Then I'll plant the Helianthemums and some Thyme back by the wall. There! All organised.
Later, Mid-Afternoon...
My, it's hot! Too hot today for any cat company. That path mentioned above is now nicely occupied by a 'floating' wooden garden bench, and the new garden area is half-filled in and planted. I'm working my way backwards through my list - there are still about fifty other perennials to find places for.
Blackberry Nip Rose and Gunnera
I also have three exciting new gardening library books to read - one I like the look of is 'Alan Titchmarsh's Favourite British Gardens'. I'm in the mood for looking at pictures of the finished product, not reading some scary design principles manual.
Friday 23rd January
I'm quite cross. Rusty the dog has chased two different wild kittens up two different trees in the Pond Paddock today. I wonder if lazy neighbours may have 'dumped' the kittens here - people get to know about cat rescuers, and sometimes take advantage. One is a mini-Histeria tabby and the other a mini-Lilli-Puss grey. Hmm... I've managed to hand-feed the grey, nestled in the fork of a tree in the Jelly Bean Garden. Growl, grab with the claws, but at least one of the little ones is fed.
Sunny Red Carpet Rose
I've just about finished the little stone wall over by the Dalmera. I've planted Thyme and Symphytum, and I'm starting to shore up the edge of the water race opposite with all my hugely heavy stones. My gardening day finished with a long swim in the Moosey pond - dog-paddling round, and round, and round... Phew! I've really enjoyed my watery gardening day. The hoses are on, it's early evening, still about twenty-eight degrees - might be time for a cold beer!
Saturday 24th January
I've cleared the Wattle Woods in three hours, and I would like to say something about this feat. Only three hours! I believe this is a definite proof of the improvements in my garden. A few years ago it would have taken me all week. It shows the power of plants growing so weeds won't.
Later, Mid-Afternoon, Three Wild Kittens...
It's just been too hot. And Rusty has 'flushed out' a third wild kitten in the Wattle Woods - this one is all black. Unfortunately I had nothing appropriate on me with which to catch it (i.e. no gloves). Later Rusty 'found' (what a brilliant dog nose!) yesterday's little grey kitten hiding in the woodshed on top of the firewood. Again this kitten took food from my hand. What am I going to do? I cannot fit any more cats into my furry house...