Mellow May...
OK. So the merry (or rather the mellow) month of May has sneaked into my garden and my life. The autumn colours are just wonderful. I love the softer mood of the garden, and the sense of relief in the plants and trees. Phew! Almost time for our winter snooze.
Have spent the last couple of days clearing in the Island Bed, trying to rationalise its overcrowded side (which faces the driveway lawn). Have been wondering what this garden actually wants to be.
The Island Bed in Autumn
A shrubbery? A grassery? An island of deciduous trees underplanted with rhododendrons? Am completely puzzled. I know what it didn't want to be - a roses and peonies garden, and a lilac tree garden. Those were both complete failures, even though it sort of faced the sun.
Autumn Berberis Leaves
But I need to fix things. So here's a list of 'I'm not sure I should have let that grow in the Island Bed' plants :
Oops. Shouldn't have let that grow...
- The Berberis shrubs. They get too big, are impossible to dig out, and create so many seedlings.
- The Alstroemeria. It came in from a friend's garden, uninvited, attached to a rose. The rose is long gone, while the Alstroemeria has gone totally silly. It's starting to annoy me.
- The Ballerina roses I grew from cuttings. They're just not strong enough bloomers. Pity - such pretty flowers. And the roots are so hard to dig out.
Right. That's enough grumping and puzzling. Back to enjoying the subtle shades of autumn, and the stacking of firewood in the woodshed, supervised by one of the Fred cats.
Fred
Fifteen minutes later...
This is going to sound ridiculous, but I can't stack this firewood. The chunks of wood are just too huge and heavy for me to handle. Have come back inside, feeling a bit foolish. Have also got wood dust and dirt all over my non-gardening shoes.
A bit later...
I will not be dictated to by a load of firewood! Changed into my gardening boots, shifted another ten barrowfuls, and stacked it all. Ha! And have just had the most horrible revelation. I think I need to try (ha ha) and dig out all the Island Bed's Alstroemeria. Or (oops) resort to poison. I don't think I want it in there at all. Blast!