Feeding my birds...
I'd like to thank the birds for giving me (and my house cats) such watching pleasure. They've eaten two big feed-balls in the week since the snow, plus many bowls of apple pieces which the bigger blackbirds particularly like.
Now I've got a couple of avocados and some pineapple pieces for them to try. And a wonderful surprise (I am a novice bird feeder, by the way) - the little finches eat squishy bananas!
Birds Feeding
Wednesday 13th June
Well, well, well - today I feel much better about myself (my head cold has gone) and my garden, with the snow melting furiously. So today could be a grand day of monumental garden clean-up proportions. Cross fingers! The first thing I must do is get all the Pelargoniums out of their pots and into the glass-house. Poor things, out in the cold of winter, like me...
Wax-Eye and Crab-Apples
Later...
Hmm... I did lots of good things, honestly I did - like rescuing Pelargoniums, sweeping and raking around the top of the driveway, clearing the patios, and so on. It was gorgeous winter gardening weather while the sun was out. But that icy wind still ripped through everything, too gusty to have a bonfire, so I finished a bit early.
More snow has melted, but the garden is still very restrained in greens and white. It's an interesting, cold, quiet look, and quite minimalist for me. But wait - my newly painted garden seats look gorgeous. And the trees are really noisy with excited, squeaky birds - the garden is alive. And I must give thanks to my garden gnomes for providing such cheerful, bright colours, I reckon...
Two New Garden Gnomes
Thursday 14th June
Aargh! I'm at work in the library again. I started to write down some gardening plans, listing the typical winter garden maintenance - like the Gunnera clean-up, and the rose pruning. Specific tasks include dividing of Phormiums past their best.
Poor Rose
Moan, Moan...
Recent snow did some structural damage to many flaxes, but I've already moaned about that. Actually it gives me a great chance to create more space and light (more room for roses!). Divisions of Phormiums grow as easily as weeds and (unlike humans) they are at their most attractive when juvenile teenagers. Aargh! Enough moaning! Time to catch up on some cheery garden reading...
Friday 15th June
It's a coldish, grey morning, and I could just sit inside and watch the birds enjoying their winter bird feeders. But I have serious shredding to do today - and maybe the first apres-snow bonfire. There is much rubbish to burn, though the snow has suddenly all melted away. A restrained 'yippee' is required, methinks...
Later...
Brr - cold hands! I've cleaned up the Gunnera by the Willow Bridge, and the two trashed Phormium tenax flaxes, chopping up the flattened pieces for repotting - I have one full wheelbarrowful). These I can plant on the Wattle Woods fence-line.
Flaxes :- New Zealand flaxes, or Phormiums, are a real feature of my garden. I love their foliage, form, and colour.
I notice the big red Phormium further down the water race also needs sorting out. It's a beautiful wine red fountain shaped hybrid, which a mythical elephant has sat on and squashed flat.
Meanwhile Non-Gardening Partner did all of the shredding of smaller tree branches brought down by the snow. Well, I hope he did them all! Now, to pack for an exciting weekend away - we are going to Hanmer (renting a holiday house with friends) to enjoy the hot pools, and perhaps a spot of tramping in the mountains. There will be snow, however, and I don't like snow at the moment.
+10Little Mac the kitten goes to the local cattery, and my flute-playing friend comes to stay and look after the other animals. Ooooh! NGP and I have a social life! He is under strict instructions to wear clean shorts, and pack his jeans and a non-crumpled shirt - in case we do a spot of fine dining, hee hee.