In the water race...
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.
Sloshing about...
Just me, on my own, sloshing about. My dogs aren't interested in joining me, and the Fred cats have other 'fish to fry' (they're spending all their days in the hay barn hunting for autumn mice). Ha! I am alone with my thoughts, as the water burbles along.
Today I worked my way downstream between Willow Bridge and Middle Bridge, mainly trimming Phormiums and Shastas. Was semi-submerged for two hours, didn't notice how numb my toes were getting. Oops!
All's well now. Am showered, warm feet in dry woolly socks, listening to Faure's piano quartet (wish I'd played it, back in the musical day), and about to sit down one of the Fred cats and read my book.
Friday 19th March
I've had another watery day - so easy, so restful, so enjoyable. I so enjoy pottering down the water race. Time floats past slowly past, hence the numb toes - again.
Brown Gunnera, Green Ferns
And today, as well as Phormium trimming, I've been cutting off water-logged Gunnera stems, then flinging them wildly out onto the back lawn. Mud splatters everywhere. Ha! A gardener's face-pack!
Clean Me Up!
Ferns, Phormiums, Gunnera...
I love the waterside green ferns, and the spiky flaxes (particularly when I've removed the dead bits and the fans that are falling over). Clumps of Gunnera grow down the race, and their leaves - so dramatic - are now a bit worn. Some are already brown (though that was sunburn, not frost). I've found lots of wee juveniles growing in other places, and I haven't had the heart yet to rip them out. Sweet little things! Ha! Not little for long.
Oops...
What I don't enjoy is cleaning up afterwards, because I heave all the mess out onto the surrounding lawns. Oops. Phormium leaves are annoying to handle, anyway, and they easily slip out of the wheelbarrow.
Apres-Gardening...
And now I've gone apres-gardening, I am far too clean, and it's far too late in the day, to go back out and scoop up messy stuff. Anyway, the big irrigation is whooshing around, watering the back gardens. We've had no sizeable rainfall for three months.
I am very, very lucky to have clean water flowing through my property. I give thanks every day for it. Even in my garden's driest moments, there's always a bucket on a rope, if the worst comes to the worst.
Hidden Water Race