Garden Journal 2021

Hello, 2021. Best not to think too far ahead about you. One day at a time. I promise write lots of happy journal pages (no moaning allowed) and enjoy my garden. That means relaxing and looking, as well as working hard in it!

Happy New Year...: What a year 2020 has been! Bad for the world, good for the garden... And I guess not so bad for a moderately unsociable gardener based safely in New Zealand, oops. So what's it to be, 2021?
A messy business......: I've been thinking about the messy end of the Hump Garden, while listening to the cricket commentary on my wee radio. Very nice, very slow, very summer holidayish. But I can't decide what to do, and I've mislaid my hand digger and my spade...
Too much thinking......: There's a danger in overthinking a garden development, when there's just one of you (i.e. just me). Too much thinking takes time away from the real issues, like weeding. Too much squinty visualisation and analysis pulls focus away from soil maintenance and mulching. And too much thinking makes a simple task seem difficult...
Spread out more......: Working in one garden area for days, I lose track of calendar time. I get stuck in a rut and forget that other parts of the garden are growing madly, maybe even getting out of control. Oops. I need to spread myself out more.
Flowery trimming......: I rather enjoy a spot of flowery trimming! It can even be done successfully in a white apres-gardening cotton shirt and the wrong shoes. Much more relaxed tripping gaily around nipping at dead-heads than battling dandelions and clover.
Bad timing...: Such bad timing. Right at the end of yesterday, with no time or energy left, I went over to Henworld - a circular garden underneath huge gum trees by the hen house. I was carrying my new metal rooster, and feeling jolly pleased with my tired and gardenworn self.The idea was to pop rooster in the Agapanthus with the others...
Scruffy time......: OK. It's Scruffy Time. Hot winds, Campion and Lychnis done and dusted, time to trim them. Falling pieces of gum bark - clean them off the lawns and the gardens. Then tomorrow do it all again...
My piano is back......: Just for once, my garden is relegated to second place in my heart. Because my piano is back in my house. It has been reconditioned. It feels amazing. It feels settled, totally connected to me, and finally at peace. Wow. What a transformation.
Hot summer days......: Spent the whole morning playing my piano (washed my hands first). I love my piano, now that it is playing properly. Not that I am - have decided that my left hand fingering is too inconsistent. No wonder improvements are so slow...
Another hot summer day......: It's another hot summer's day - too hot even for the cats to come on our dog walks. And guess what, garden-wise? I've found some roses which are struggling, and I want to relocate them. Right now. There's silly, and then there's simply too silly. One does not do this in the heat of mid-summer.
Unfair!...: Seems a little unfair. We 'enjoyed' two to three days (it felt like weeks) of really hot temperatures and nasty winds. I watered my garden at night, I watered the pots on the patio, I carefully dribbled hoses onto sad trees. I thought I'd got away with it. Alas, no, I didn't, and I am only just noticing the damage.
Good morning, February......: Good morning to February, and to my singing dogs, throats stretched up to the ceiling. Oh joy! Woke up feeling dissatisfied (no reason for this), with a bit of a headache. A dog walk in the fresh air around the orchard has cleared my head. We met the Fred cats at the hay barn, with much tummy-showing and face-licking. How lucky am I!
So silly......: Am so silly sometimes. Trimming a garden on the back house lawn, noticed lots of little white specks all over the leaves. Aargh! The dreaded white-fly! Raced in to find my insect spray. Came back, looked again. Oops. Queen Anne's Lace seeds! Lovely! I love this annual - it is most welcome to self-seed for me.
Today, tomorrow......: It's so easy thinking of things to do in the garden tomorrow. Move this, tidy that, plant here, weed there... Wandering around the garden, I always see things to do tomorrow. What's so special about tomorrow? What's wrong with today?
Oops times 5...: I've just been outside with spade and diggers to shift some Pittosporums and plant the large leafed Bergenias in the Pond Paddock Garden. Have been meaning to do this for ages. This was to be the triumphant tying up of a gardening loose end, so to speak. I love the foliage plants in the Pond Paddock.
Rather nice?...: Beauty is definitely in the eye (and the mood) of the beholder. Yesterday my garden was looking rather nice - an honest, sprawling, mid-season garden. I smiled indulgently at the flopping Shasta daisies, the yellow dandelion flowers, the rose and dahlia dead-heads. Sweet things! Symbols of the ever-changing cycle of nature...
Pumpkins......: I seem to have an excess of pumpkins roaming around the Hump Garden. Daughter, who I share produce with, has even more. In her (small) edible garden vines trail up and over trellises and fences. My pumpkins have climbed all over the other plants, threading themselves through the ornamental grasses...
Anniversary......: Today is the tenth anniversary of the Christchurch Earthquake. I do my own remembrance by floating rose petals down the water race at the appropriate time, 12:51. Hopefully I get the time right this year.
Happy?...: I am very happy in my garden. But I am not happy with my garden. Areas that get irrigated are fine, others not so. Bad planting choices, lack of sensible watering plans - hoses not reaching, moisture running off compacted soil... So technically speaking I am not happy with me! Aargh!
A garden and a library......: All I need is a garden and a library, right? Yes and no. I'm going to miss singing, but choirs are super-spitty things. We have gone back up a Covid level, so I semi-lock down myself- no choirs, no Silver Swans ballet classes. I have all the time in the world to read books and sort this sad garden of mine out, yes?
Shasta trimming......: It's time to start trimming the Shasta daisies. But didn't I just do this, a wee while ago? What on earth has happened to all those months in between? Aargh! Time is getting faster, I'm getting older...
Little by little......: Little things add up to a lot, in the garden. Some days I do lots of little tasks. Insignificant by themselves, but wow! I reckon I achieved lots. Maybe not measured in hours spent, but in details taken care of. And in the distance my old green wheelbarrow covers (with me trudging behind).
In the water race......: I've spent the last few days in the water race (wearing woolly socks and crocs) clearing and trimming the banks. It's quite private in there, tucked away, down out of sight. The water comes up to my knees. Just me, on my own, sloshing about.
Write now......: There are many reasons why gardeners keep journals, or write blogs. Some want to provide nerdy information, others to simply share their love of gardening. And occasionally a gardener might think they have something new to say...
My goodness......: My goodness I have had a great weekend. Why exactly? I've enjoyed some great music rehearsals and some great gardening. The distraction of the 2000 piece jigsaw is gone - it's finished. There are some beautiful colours in my garden, and the greenery is magnificent.
Waiting......: March 2021 has stalled. It's been a month of waiting. Waiting for rain - please, some rain. We are irrigating the sheep paddocks and/or parts of the gardens every night. Waiting for the autumn leaf colour. And waiting for the fire ban to be lifted...
April......: Good morning April. No fooling around for me on your first morning. I have my Silver Swans ballet class. Then I might leap (a grand jete?) into the last stretch of water (by Rooster Bridge) to finish my autumn water race clean-up.
Never dull......: Yeay! My musical life is never dull. I have my wonderful jazz choir. I sing alto in posh Mozart Masses. And now I have been asked to perform in a Bob Dylan 80th Birthday Tribute Concert. This new venture is very exciting
Girlie Gardening...: Had such wonderful plans for today. I was going to spend the afternoon doing Girlie Gardening. Sorry, but that's what I call it. One gets out the coloured pencils, draws a wee map, and colours in everything. The path is shaded a delicate brown, miniature Agapanthus are a zig-zag of blue...
Gifted a garden!...: I love how unpredictable gardening life is. Some days can be lazy, others super-busy. For weeks it can feel like 'same old, same old' - weeding, trimming, raking... Then out of the blue a friend gifts me her whole garden (the house on her property is soon to be demolished). Wow!
No guilt......: Right. Lets get this clear. I am allowed to make mistakes in my garden. If I plant something in the wrong place, I am allowed to shift it. No regrets, no recriminations. That's life, as far as my garden is concerned.
Rain!...: Rain! Seven or eight millimeters. Yeay! We need fifty - spread out, to properly saturate the ground. But thankful for what we get, yes? Definitely yes! So that's rain, finally, for the sheep paddocks, and for the hazelnut orchard, and for the shelter belts, and - last but not least - for my garden...
My New Friendship Garden...: I'm building a new garden area for my friend's plants to live in, and calling it my Friendship Garden. Tomorrow I make my first trip into town and start digging - the first carload of many. My friend, very much alive, didn't really want it called a Memorial Garden. Fair enough!
Almost a Weeping Maiden......: Ooops. April should finish with me scurrying around with the leaf rake and the camera. Autumn leaves! But this April has limped to its end, rather like Winnie and her back leg - and me, who fell into the earth rather spectacularly, hurting my knee.
Garden-Grumbling?...: I'm not garden-grumbling (she said, definitely garden-grumbling) but autumn hasn't really done much this year. Yet! It's been very dry, so many deciduous tree leaves have barely turned colour before drying off and dying...
So sensible?...: So sensible, am I? Oh yes? Hurt my knee in a silly wee garden accident. Did all the right things - for example, no gardening, for the next three days, and minimal dog-walking. Naturally the knee started feeling better. So...
Never satisfied!...: Rain! Yeay! Cold rain. Brrr... Never satisfied, gardeners. They want rain, it starts raining, and immediately their heads fill up with imaginative, spirit-lifting gardening plans, enough to fill up the day quite nicely. But not suited to cold rain. Sooooooo frustrating!
Animals at the vet......: I have dog news. Winnie has been back to her vet for an X-ray. It is as we thought. She's booked in for cruciate ligament surgery on her other leg (one leg was fixed up last year during lockdown). This coming Monday is THE day. Just as well that dogs only have two back legs, I reckon!
Almost winter?...: The seasons they are a-changing. I reckon it's almost winter, but I've only just raked and bagged up the first of the autumn leaves. I have trimmed and dumped my first load of dead dahlia stalks. The sun is noticeably lower in the sky. The first almost-frost has been and gone...
Thinking About Cats and Dogs...: It's raining. Looovely! No gardening for me - have been to the country library instead. Then I sat in a cafe on my own having a coffee, thinking about life and worrying (unnecessarily, I know) about my cats and dogs...
Taking ages......: Funny day. One of those gardening days where it took ages to accomplish very little. It's that dratted bonfire. I worked hard at it, barrowing and burning. Just one more load, I kept telling myself. And no leaves allowed - they go in bags. Except gum tree leaves.
Severe rain warning...: A severe rain warning. A once in a decade rain event forecast for us. Oooh. Is this exciting? It is for the aquifers. Not for people living near some of the rivers. Too late for the grass growth in the paddocks. My garden will absorb it with good grace. I am blessed with free-draining soil. Hope others will be OK.
The sun is back!...: Finally the rain has stopped here. The birds know - they were much noisier and busier first thing this morning. The cats can now be out and about without getting drenched. There's actually some sunshine - and blue sky! Yeay!
An ultimatum!...: An ultimatum. I have been an indoors lazybones these last four days, poking around on my website, ogling at photographs, updating tired old web pages. Today I do some proper winter gardening. Outside! I work in the Jelly Bean Border and the Pond Paddock.
Good winter's morning......: A good winter's morning to my garden, my gardening journal, and my cats and dogs. You will not see me this morning - I am woofing and plonking. Let me explain. My friend and I (two enthusiastic, mature musicians) are playing chamber music - flute sonatas by Bach and Poulenc.
Lilli-Puss is Back!...: Something amazing and really, really scary has happened. Lilli-Puss, my grey cat, went missing six years ago. Six years. Last night a letter was popped into my letter box. Lilli is at the SPCA. The rather unfriendly generic note uses the words 'liable', 'required' and 'urgent', and quotes the Disposal of Animals Act. Eek!
Soooo wintry!...: My garden suddenly looks soooooo wintry! And it's still busy and noisy - the roof painters are painting on, while the hedge trimmer has been trundling up and down the hedges, blades whirring. I walked the dogs, then I'm sorry to say I escaped off to chamber music...
Lots of updates......: I am here. My winter garden is here. The hedge trimmer has gone, leaving lots of mess behind. I am procrastinating, naturally. But the bonfire is ready to go - sorry about this, but needs must. Aargh! Prepare for lots of tedious updates...
The rehabilitation of Lilli-Puss...: New strategies in the rehabilitation of my lost and found cat Lilli-Puss, who is shut safely in my sewing room. Naturally I am taking her reintegration into my house extremely seriously. Read on...
So much to do......: There's so much to do in the winter garden. For example, bonfiring. Blast. All those hedge trimmings, lying around on the grass. Don't really want to think about them, write about them, or do anything with them. But they have to be cleared up. And that's that!
Winter doings......: I've been burning Leyland hedge trimmings and dead Phormium leaves, while doing some pretty deep thinking about my animals. Particularly Lilli-Puss, my lost-and-found cat. She is a very sweet, loving cat, but naturally timid and cautious, and doesn't really want to come out of her room. I put on my sweet voice, I tempt her with food...
The rose pruning month?...: Good morning, July. So you're the rose pruning month, yes? Well, I've pruned one white Iceberg. Wow! Guess what? Today I'm planning to prune some more. That is, as soon as I've trimmed the remaining Gunnera in the water race, and raked up some more hedge trimmings, and planted a large green Phormium by the house. But, since it is mid-winter, I am still inside contemplating the outdoors temperature...
Trundling along......: My July is trundling along at a somewhat leisurely pace. It is an extremely measured month, full of the loveliest browns and greens, with the tiniest splashes of flower colour. Am trying to be disciplined and spend time every day in the garden, no matter what the temperature.
A bit sad......: Rule number one of garden blogging : have something garden-ish to write about. Rule number two : never blog when feeling tired, or grumpy, or sad. Oops. Am a bit sad at the moment : about the state of the world's climate, about Lilli-Puss...
Friendship plants...: Have dug more plants out of my friend's garden - her house is soon to be demolished. Was going to put them all in one area, but my garden is much more frost prone than hers. So I am going to scatter the so-called friendship plants all around my garden, according to their needs...
The socialisation of Lilli-Puss......: Oh boy! I've nearly made the biggest mistake of my pet-nurturing life. Decided, since it was such a lovely day, that Lilli-Puss should come outside and keep me company gardening. Organised a seat outside her window for her to jump onto. Things went well for five minutes. Then Buster the black cat (not known for aggression) arrived hissing and howling...
Lilli-Puss continued......: The re-integration of Lilli-Puss (my lost-and-found fourteen year-old grey cat) continues. Some days she's brave, and comes down into the main lounge room. Other days, not so. Lilli was always timid, I remind myself. She's doing her best, I remind myself. She loves cuddles, chin-tickles, and company, and shows no sign of wanting to leave us.
Tree accessories......: For ages I have been wanting to accessorise the big trees in my garden with fairy doors. Finally, I've started production. The idea (thanks, Pinterest) is to use photo frames as the door frames, then twigs (for example) for the door, and assorted oddments for door handles and knockers etc.
Fresher and lighter......: Yes, yes, yes! Lots of weeding. Planting. Trimming mess - particularly the ferns. So many ferns! Burning. Photographing Camellia flowers. Sniffing at the air. It's fresher! Marvelling at the light. It's definitely lighter!
Olympics and gardening...: I've been using good gardening time sitting on the TV couch, watching The Olympics - often sports that I don't really understand, or follow. Unfortunately my garden is slightly out of medal contention!
Where to put the fairy doors?...: What a funny day! It's been trying to snow, nothing too serious. I've been lurching around outside trying to place my first batch of newly made fairy doors for a photo shoot. Flakes of snow have been covering my camera, and my faithful dog Winnie. But no settling, thankfully. My garden does not require any snow...
Grunty gardening......: Seven hours of grunty gardening! Sore hands (wasn't wearing gloves, silly me). Happy! Proud! Worked all day in one place, in the Hump Garden. Focussed gardening! And not one little bit boring.
Decisive or dithery?...: As a compulsive self-analyst I am very experienced at evaluating my gardening day. Has the time spent resulted in appropriate progress? Have I thought things through, and made good decisions? Have I been decisive, or dithery?
Foot power...: As a compulsive self-analyst I am very experienced at evaluating my gardening day. Has the time spent resulted in appropriate progress? Have I thought things through, and made good decisions? Have I been decisive, or dithery?
Lockdown gardening commences......: Funny how gardening in a national lockdown feels different. Because it just isn't. Everything is exactly the same. Except I can't go racing off to the nursery to buy replacement secateurs - they are considered non-essential items, and the nurseries are shut anyway. But really! I should have looked after the old ones.
Lockdown gardening continues......: Good morning, Camellias. Good morning lockdown, day four. Three days of concentrated gardening (no diluted gardening allowed). Three days spent happily in my gardening bubble. Exponential garden improvement - updates daily, like the Covid numbers. Oh boy.
Six layers of dirt......: Good morning. It's Day Six of the Official Gardening Lockdown, six days during which I haven't washed my gardening jeans once. Their knees are caked with dirt, layer upon layer, hee hee. Six layers! How many more, I wonder wistfully...
What day of the week is it?...: Good morning to day eight of lockdown. Remind me - what day of the week is it? Ah - Wednesday. Would usually be going to two choir rehearsals tonight. Yippee! Can have a night at home, after another satisfying, hard-working gardening day, with no cafe lunch distractions, hee hee.
Drippy and drizzly......: It's drippy and drizzly - time for some happy indoor lockdown reflection. I am gardening-happy. I feel safe in my country, and connected to my friends and family. And it's been raining on my newly planted plants. Great timing, lovely clouds, thank you.
From the breakfast chair......: Having my breakfast sitting in one of the breakfast chairs, Lilli-Puss on my lap, planning my gardening day from this vantage point. It looks out to the Island Bed. What couldn't I see, but would like to see, now? What would I like to see further into spring and summer?
Enjoying my gardening bubble......: Am still enjoying my lockdown gardening bubble, which at this stage still only includes Non-Gardening Partner, five cats, and two dogs. Am still enjoying the timelessness of it all, but guess things could get a bit tedious if it goes on too long. Buy for now my garden is loving it!
Inspired by my gnomes......: Was busy clearing and weeding behind the pond, when I had a brainwave concerning the pond paths. The water-side path was really the only one I used regularly. It passed by the gnomes - reading, fishing, lounging about, sitting on toadstools, digging, contemplating daisies, and riding their snails. And other assorted gnomish activities.
A beautiful spring Saturday...: It's a beautiful spring Saturday, Day Eighteen of Lock-Down, and I have big plans for Non-Gardening Partner. Weekend chain-sawing! So he's decided to wash the floors and vacuum the carpets and rugs in the house. Clever man. This obviously puts me in a dilemma. One cannot redirect a man who is doing the housework.
Is this a path?...: Yesterday I took Non-Gardening Partner into the Wattle Woods to cut down some Viburnums with his chain-saw. Is this a path? he rudely asked. He did have a point - things were greatly messy. So today, some serious path action. The Wattle Woods garden needs me. And it's going to get me.
Is this a path? Continued......: While I was busy raking the path behind the cottage...
Happy Birthday to Me......: Good morning to me, and Happy Birthday! Yes! What would I like for this year's birthday present(s)? Already, the garden has accepted, on my behalf, some very welcome birthday rain. And it's given me some beautiful spring things to enjoy. Aha! A list!
The sweetest of plans......: I had the gentlest, sweetest of plans, involving seed potatoes and seed raising mix. Forward looking plans, full of promises. Perfect plans for spring. I would prepare the new potato patch in the Hump and sow my seeds...
Be really strict......: Look - I'm going to have to be really strict with myself. I MUST SOW MY SEEDS TODAY. No matter how wet (it is) or cold (it is, a bit). And no matter how tired I feel - had a bit of a wild weather night, so slept in the house. Missed my lovely cottage and Minimus the cat.
Reflection......: Reflection is a good habit, yes? Counting your blessings. Or, trying not to be too greedy, choosing three good things that happened in the day and thinking deeply and fondly about them at bedtime. If I've had a busy day on the garden I have squillions of good things to think about...
Feeling moochy......: Hmm... Am feeling really moochy. Not sure what I feel like doing in the garden. Is there any point in writing a list? Of course there is! But before I do, will change into gardening jeans and shirt. Prepare the body, and in so doing trick the mind...
Good morning to my garden...: Good morning to my garden, to the sun, to my cats and dogs (especially Lilli-Puss), and to spring. Beautiful, blossomy, colourful spring, full of little surprises. Good morning to the buzzing honey bees covering the flowering cherry tree. And the bellbirds. Love you all.
Recipe for giving thanks...: Recipe for giving thanks. First thing in the spring morning, put on extra layer of clothing and sit outside with breakfast. Listen to the birds, smell the fresh air (no bonfire smoke, please). Look around at the garden. Pat my old cat Lilli-Puss, smile at the dogs (please, dogs, no singing).
Slow and small....: Writing up my gardening journal after a slow day doing very slow things. Small things, small satisfactions, but rather nice to have a relaxed pace in the garden for once. Fixing up little things that I've been ignoring for years.
The first rose......: Yeay. The first rose to bloom this season is, as usual, the beautiful species variety called Canary Bird, with delicate ferny foliage and clear single lemon flowers. Suddenly I notice it, and my heart leaps for joy. The roses are here! The days must be getting longer, and warmer...
Oh dear......: Oh dear. Out with it. My brief pianistic affair with Beethoven (one of my old flames) is over, almost before it began. He just doesn't speak to the mature version of me. And personal communication is what it's all about, right? So I have ditched him for Schumann. Oops. Indecent haste.
A potting session is needed......: All of a sudden I need a major potting session. And this requires potting mix. I know I could create my own. Or even order in a huge truckload, to be dumped by the fence-line, potting mix for ever. But the modular (and possibly lazy) me likes to buy bags - so much easier to cart around.
Rough weeding......: Have been doing a lot of what I call rough weeding. One grabs handfuls of undesirables and pulls energetically. One also does huge horizontal slices with the spade, and then scrapes the mess up with a hand fork. Rough weeding is quite rough on the hands and fingers - whether gloved or ungloved.
Reintroduced to my garden......: After a bumper couple of days working in the garden, I've enjoyed a couple of days off, because it's been raining. This has been perfectly timed for my new plantings, and for spending time with lovely visitors. This afternoon I reintroduced myself gently into the garden...
Repetitious......: Celebrate that which is repetitious, I reckon! A garden, animals, and music stop life getting boring. Even when one keeps on doing the same things - weeding the garden, walking the dogs, patting the cats, making the same mistakes in the Schumann sonatas...
Wind in the Gum Trees......: Humph. Make that a noisy, roaring humph. Like the gale force winds which woke me up at 4am in the cottage, roaring through the gum trees above. Too noisy, too scary. Left Minimus alone to cope (as cats do). Relocated myself in the house, to the delight of Red Fred (one of my large tabby cats)...
Two in a row......: Wow. Two great days in a row, where I've gardened sensibly and thoroughly, and haven't lost my hand tools (or my oomph, hee hee). I've been working close to the water race, which makes the most enjoyable burbling sounds, like a bunch of friends mumbling encouragement. Much more encouraging than my dogs 'singing' or barking at the wind. Wind? Aargh!
Love the Wisteria......: Good morning. Have just had breakfast (even made a proper pot of loose leaf tea) on the patio underneath the wisteria. It is in flower, wonderfully fragrant, an absolutely gorgeous colour. This is why I sweep up its autumn leaves without moaning, right? Must remember that!
Planting and weeding......: Today I've promised myself I will do lots of planting. Yeay for planting! So much nicer than weeding. A great reward for all the hard weeding work I've been doing...
A fine balance......: There is a fine balance in life between the things one can do, and the things one can't do. Maybe one cannot get a really good night's sleep, but can still walk the dogs in the morning. Can't do a grand plie (a 'bend the old knees' ballet move) but can do a pretty graceful port de bras.
Blossoming, not blossoming......: The garden is blossoming with the last of the flowering cherries and the beautiful dogwood trees. My garden mood isn't blossoming at all - am busy spreading bags of horse manure on the garden. Aargh! This are making me cross - the bags are so heavy to handle. And a bit slimy. Not so pretty. Definitely not pink and white fluffy stuff.
Inspired......: Today I am inspired. Visited a sweet little garden yesterday, with lovely brick paths, and neat edges. It was a real garden, where chunky shrubs contrasted with smaller treasures. Some plants were coming on, others were finishing. This garden was full of beautiful contrasts, the prettiest pale pink rhododendron, a huge bay tree...
Fern focus...: Funny how the waterside ferns suddenly come into focus. I don't notice them for years, they grow and multiply, then boom! The day arrives when I decide they are all too messy, with far too many dead bits, and out they must all come. Poor things!
Out, out, damned fern......: Funny how the waterside ferns suddenly comeStill moochy. So I need to keep my mind and body fully occupied and challenged. Have played Bach on the piano, and am about to relaunch self into the water race. Today's challenge - the removal of yet more annoying clumps of ferns. The biggest and oldest ones. Scary...
Colours!...: Have been preoccupied with digging out waterside ferns, the living bits of which are green, the dead bits brown. This morning, out walking the dogs round the garden, I saw huge flashes of bright red. And purple. Blue - and bright yellow? Oops - some flowering broom seedlings which have got away.
What a day!...: What a day! A glorious day! There I was in my waders near the Plank, cutting and slicing, heaving ferny mess up onto the lawn above the water race. Was getting seriously puffed - the sky was blue, the garden deliciously green, the mess was very heavy.
Data base dilemma...: Yippee! The website data base is fixed - it's been misbehaving for a couple of weeks. Wouldn't let me upload my journal pages. The reason is slightly embarrassing - it thought I was using too many rude words, and so it banned me. Hee hee. Consider myself a mature, polite lady gardener, and the content of my gardening journals is anything but rude. Lily white, me...
A letter to my garden......: Dearest garden, I will not see so much of you today...
My Plan for Personal Contentment...: Right. My Plan for Personal Contentment. A lot of gloomy stuff is swirling around out there. Time to strengthen my world, fill my days with positive, loving, creative and imaginative things, always allowing time for the things I love doing.
Pull out the Forget-Me-Nots...: Enjoying my early cup of tea at the table by the pond. Busy writing my diary while Minimus my cottage cat sat on my lap and played 'Attack the Moving Pencil'. Ouch! Noticed that the forget-me-nots (many of which are in the lawn, oops) are ready to be pulled out. So that's why everything looked so super-fluffy...
Lost paths......: Right. Have just tried to walk around the rose garden in the Hump. So where were the paths? And where were the new peonies? Hidden underneath large fleshy clumps of Campion and Alkanet, and bulky Honesty stalks going to seed.
Lost rose garden......: Lost : fifty country roses - Rugosas, Hybrid Teas, David Austins, Noack Flower Carpets. Assorted colours. Last seen in the Hump Garden, all pruned, and sprouting. Reward.
The speckled cat visitor......: Still basking in the glory of yesterday's seven hour gardening clean-up. Seven hours! Gardening is brilliant for one's mental wellness. Feeling low? Try out some of that good old gardening high. Oh, ignore the sore knee, and the achy hands...
Visitors!...: Visitors are coming early next week to have a first-time look around the garden. I've worked out what I can and cannot get away with. A cleared path gets a tick and a glowing cherry red heart. Cleavers (such a naughty weed) gets a black skull and cross bones.
Refreshed...: It's been raining this morning, and all the greenery in the garden is soaking wet. But the garden looks nicely refreshed, and the garden visit is getting closer. Am trying to make things look - nice? cared for? interesting? all of the above? - for my visitors.
So much fun......: I've been having so much fun trying to get the garden ready for the visitors. It's great fun tidying things up that I've left messy for months. Silly me!
Therapeutic effects of Alkanet?...: Pulling out Alkanet provides the perfect mental backdrop for thinking deep and meaningful thoughts. I can recommend it. Grow some stimulating, thought-provoking Alkanet - the new, therapeutic strategy for the world-weary! Aargh! This is a gardening joke, right? Right!
Thankful and proud......: The early summer garden is simply beautiful. I'm so thankful. And just a little proud that some of it is of my own making. Like all those beautiful trees and big roses I planted years ago.
An iris bed?...: Have been thinking about the irises in the Allotment Garden. I know they need sun, and their rhizomes need to be almost on the surface. Have just looked them up. Blast! 'Bearded irises must not be shaded out by other plants; many do best in a special bed on their own.'
Roses 2021...: So many roses are flowering now - it's time for a dedicated rose page. Is it possible that I have too many roses in my garden? Hope not. Don't think so. No way!
Back in the garden again......: It's me, back in the garden after some days of distractions, followed by a couple of days of rain. The garden is suddenly weedy and unkempt, though it's been nicely watered. Many rose flowers are drenched, and foxgloves and lupins have flopped over.
A dollop of faith......: Even one day spent poking, pulling, and clearing makes my garden look better. It really doesn't take much. Just energy, hand tools, a chunk of time, and a dollop of faith...
Rose removal...: Rose removal : for three hours I've been using the loppers, tip-toeing around the woodshed, trying to stop any falling rose pieces from scratching me. And guess what? There are two Paul Transon ramblers. Two! I remember now - back in the day I tended to over-plant...
New flowers......: Ooh goodie. New flowers are flowering. Japanese irises which I replanted in the sun by the water race. A blue clematis, busy climbing through the grass (oops - must attach it to something). One beautiful large single pink peony - my peonies are pretty hopeless this year. Maybe the buds got ear-wigged or blown off? Not sure.
Indoor self-discipline......: When it's rainy, some indoor self discipline is required. I cannot just mooch and slouch around, or fall asleep in a chair. I have garden photographs to process, Bach and Albeniz to play on the piano, dogs to walk, cats to feed. And I've started the December jigsaw - yeay!
Tra la la......: More lovely rain for the garden, while the silly singing season (Christmas Carols, Handel's Messiah, Madrigals) keeps the gardener busy. I like being busy (though a little time spent being a busy gardener would be nice).
How to have a nice day......: I want to have a really nice day. I can achieve this is by being really kind to my cats and dogs and working hard in my garden. And perhaps putting a limit on the time spent doing the Christmas 2000 piece jigsaw.
Still trying......: Am still trying to be really nice to my dogs and my cats. Going for lots of walks, giving lots of cuddles, having interesting philosophical conversations, being a good furry role model, and so on.
A virtuoso gardener?...: It's hot again, but the wind is awful - noisy and swirly, not nice to be out in. I've made a huge promise to my garden that I can't keep. So much for being a virtuoso gardener (that's sort of what I'd promised). So much for this Christmas week's BIG PLAN.
Summer magic...: Now let me see. How many hours work in the garden can I do today? Finally the summer weather is cooler, much more pleasant. To write a list? Or not to write a list? I rather fancy flitting around like a garden fairy, sprinkling summer magic around.
Merry Christmas!...: It's Christmas Day. Merry Christmas to cats, dogs, friends, and family. And Merry Christmas to my lovely garden.
Problem solved......: There's always a reason for a garden mess. And usually there's a solution. Only occasionally the solution will be to ignore the mess, throw a mental blanket over it. And when in doubt, blame Non-Gardening Partner, hee hee...
Trim that hedge......: So it's raining and drizzling again. Funny weather, but not a problem. A bit drippy for gardening, but not a problem. Might stay inside and eat all day. Oops. This could be a problem! Too many yummy Christmas left-overs...

Garden Journal 2022 Top Garden Journal 2020

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