When in doubt, do nothing?
Big Eucalyptus Tree and Small Dog
A dilemma, but a really nice one. A double row of tall Eucalyptus trees at the very back of the Shrubbery has been felled. In the aftermath there is obviously much to do. But how to do it? So far I've wheeled out all the edging-sized logs for my paths. Now I'm stuck. When in doubt, do nothing? Hmmm...
Wednesday 25th June
Here's a variation. When in doubt, make a hot coffee, finish your Peter Robinson detective novel, ring your friend, and zoom out for lunch and/or potting mix. I could even ring Non-Gardening Partner and ask his advice as to the stacking (or otherwise) of the bigger logs. But he might put me on the speaker phone to amuse an office full of underling engineers. He has done this before...
There's not much point in asking my dog what I should do. After all, he is only a dog. Sorry about that, Rusty.
A Bit Later...
Blast! I'm home with bags of potting mix, and a great mistress plan. And it's gone terribly dark and has started to rain. Phew - I rescued my camera from the silliest of random places, just in time.
I've worked out how to tackle the garden mess resulting from the tree felling. Before the rain got too blobby I did a test run - it made sense, and felt achievable. So here it is. Everything starts with the network of paths. Those I like are cleared of debris, others if necessary are blocked off, re-routed, or decommissioned. Every path gets new edges, all edge plantings are organised and trimmed, and the immediate gardens are cleaned up.
Felled Eucalyptus Trees
Memo to self - a path needs a destination, or a reason to stop. This could be a great excuse to buy a large statue of a shepherdess (eek) or a huge pot (nicer). If I can't honestly remember using a path in the last six months its validity is in serious doubt. Why exactly is it there? This could be a great excuse to buy a new garden bench...
Gnomes in the Shrubbery
At the same time (?) I stack the huge logs in situ in neat, triangular piles. Any squashed plants (I saw some Phormiums, Choisyas, and mini Agapanthuses) get dug out and popped into pots of potting mix to recover. As they will.
Dear Boys!
And while I remember, the gnomes on the big tree stump must have wondered if they were witnessing a Garden Gnome Armageddon. Dear boys, watching as the huge Eucalyptus trees crashed and thumped onto the ground around them. They seem none the worse for their ordeal...
Now the plan is to skulk nicely inside until the blobby rain stops. Then I might take my dog for a walk. Fair enough?
Friday 27th June
I'm back. Since I was here last I've done twelve hours cleaning up in the Shrubbery. I've so enjoyed myself. Those silly gnomes watch as I trudge back and forth past their pine tree stump. Load after load goes via the wheelbarrow to the bonfire, and then whoosh! The drippy wet Eucalyptus branches are red-hot in minutes.
Periwinkle Flower
No Boring Photographs...
There are no boring photographs of me doing the same thing over and over again, though. Rather I've poked around with the camera finding flower colour.
And I've taken the opportunity to work quickly along the edge of the Hump, clearing out weeds and dead wood and trimming the lawn edge. I've found (aargh!) lots of logs (from last September's storms) completely covered in Lamium. I'd totally forgotten about them. Now they're stacked underneath a Cordyline, awaiting transportation.
Back to the Shrubbery. I love this green and leafy place. My strategy for restoring order is working. There isn't nearly as much plant damage as I'd expected. I've only blocked off one path, and dragged a wooden garden bench into place to stop any further wandering. Actually, anyone who sits on the seat will get a rude shock - several of the slats are rotten. Oops. A warning sign, maybe?
Roger Hall Camellia
Just a few other random garden things to record. In return for a beefy casserole my plantsman friend has dug up some Beschorneria yuccoides for me. They're going down the driveway. Secondly, I must dig out the peony which is hopelessly stuck underneath a Phormium in Middle Garden. Thirdly, my replacement red Camellia (Roger Hall, a New Zealand variety) is now flowering in its patio pot.
A New Puppy?
And lastly... Please don't get worried, Rusty the dog. Non-Gardening Partner has been looking at black and white Border Collie puppies, and we are thinking about getting one. An addition, not a replacement, dear dog.