The last March weekend...
Rhapsody in Blue Rose
Ha! It's the last March weekend, and what have am I up to in the garden? Oops... It's been the weekend of the new garden shed (possibly) and eight Rhapsody in Blue standard roses...
Saturday 27th March
Today I have kept Non-Gardening Partner company on a work-related drive to Arthur's Pass and back (about 300km). I twittered on and on about a cute kitset garden shed for us to look at - he probably wishes he'd left me at home.
It's funny how one gets silly ideas, drops them for a while, and then picks them up again. Again I'd love to have a garden shed by the pond, just big enough for a summer bed - with a verandah for a comfy reading chair. Hmm... 'But what would you do in it?' is NGP's wary response, and then he tries to distract me by talking about the excess garden seats I have in my garden. Do I have time to sit in all of them and read? Yes! Yes! Yes! This man need to read my journal...
Bags of Horse Manure
Eight standard Rhapsody in Blue roses are in the trailer, waiting to be planted. That's tomorrow morning's first job. Nine bags of horse manure are waiting to be spread out in the new garden. That is the second thing I'll do tomorrow. I'm also on the hunt for more Agapanthus - all the clumps I planted last winter (in the most inhospitable places) are thriving. There's room for more - so the big question is 'How much am I prepared to pay for them?' I should probably wait until the great Easter nursery sale, just in case I find masses in the bargain bin.
Bee on a Dahlia
Sunday 28th March
Aargh! A sleepless night, because I was busy in the headspace trying to visualise where the new roses and the new garden shed could go. I can see the roses in a gentle arc, like a little chamber choir - but where? And as for the shed - I'm concerned about it getting a view of the pond and enough sun. So it can't go in the back underneath the trees. Blast! Time to wander around and squint at different locations.
A Hopeless Visualiser
I am absolutely hopeless at visualising, even when I'm standing right on the spot - I don't have that sort of imagination.
Five Minutes Later...
All sorted! Easy! After striding out the perfect 4 x 2.5 metres area for the garden shed, I rang the supplier and arranged for NGP and me to look at one this afternoon. As for the new roses - the Septic Tank Garden desperately needs freshening up (I don't mean that literally). It's deceptively full of plants, with bulky foxglove remains, creeping violets, and random magenta dahlias. There might not be room? Ha! Not so! As soon as I've had my coffee I'll start digging.
Pelargonium Foliage
These Rhapsody in Blue roses will look good in a pink-free garden, in my opinion - here they'll get the classic country cafe colours (blue, lemon, and white) - a white Deutzia, yellow Hypericum, white Prosperity shrub roses, green ferns, blue lupins, euphorbias... Hmm... I'm picturing everything in a harmonious haze, flowering at the same time, and I know that's not what happens. But at least I can dig purposefully...
A Cluster of Prosperity Roses
Blast! My coffee's finished. Now I'm off outside to get wet and muddy (overnight rain) and do the business.
Four Hours later...
It's taken four hours to plant eight roses. Thinking of the maths - eek! But they're planted properly - five demurely sit in the front of the Septic Tank Border, and the other three around the corner of the Birthday Rose Garden. All are tied to subtle green stakes. In the Birthday Rose Garden I've shifted and divided up some blue irises and replanted pieces of purple Ajuga. I've also planted patches of mixed daffodils underneath. These roses seem more fragrant than my other Rhapsody in Blues - this is possible? Anyway, with regret I've pruned off the flowering stems.
Septic Tank Border
And now - great excitement! We are off to view the garden shed. I thought NGP would be annoyed with me, but oddly he seems quite interested. It may be the concept of a kitset version - he's spent years avoiding building me a shed from scratch. What a great day!
Much Later...
Well, well, well. The garden shed looks really groovy, the kitset price is very reasonable, and NGP has inspected the proposed site and not laughed out loud or scoffed. In fact he seems strangely silent, possibly even supportive. Perhaps we do have lift-off? The land is flat and maybe two smallish Pittosporums will have to come out. So the next step is for me to think really, really sensibly about this.
It will be my 'bach' (AKA cabin, or shack, or crib). Instead of driving for a whole day like my friends do when they go and stay at their baches, I will take a minute to travel over to the pond. The scenery is delightful, with the sound of running water - a sheltered and serene spot. Ha! I should get a better night's sleep tonight! Roses and garden sheds - both sorted out.