Semi-Mature Winter Gardener
Misty Cordylines
Please allow me to introduce myself : Mary Moosey, Semi-Mature Winter Gardener, Lover of the Outdoors in the Cold and the Wet, Expert Thrower of Tennis Balls for Winnie the Dog. Hee hee. And first, a quick note regarding the weather :
Winter Weather Update...
Take One : 'The rain has stopped, leaving the garden rather damp. The lawns squelsh, soggy underfoot. The greenery is wet. The winter sun is pretty hopeless. Better try again, sounds like I'm complaining.
Take Two : 'The rain has stopped, leaving the garden beautifully moist. The lawns are replenished with water, soft and lush. The greenery is fresh with raindrops. The winter sun is working hard to warm me up. There, now. Much better!
Saturday 29th July
Waited until the sun was up a bit, then worked for three hours clearing up the Allotment Garden. Sat in the dirt on a feed bag and weeded out mainly grass seedlings, also lightly trimmed the large roses along the boundary. Planted a green Phormium in one of the large terracotta pots, discovered that another pot (housing a Cream Delight Phormium) had cracked. Oops.
Another Phormium Cleaned up
Sunday 30th July
Again I started work in the late morning sun, this time cleaning up the edge of the Stables garden. Dumped the wet weed mess by the fence-line, took loads of dead Phormium leaves to the bonfire.
Stood and looked at the burning heap. Blast. Time it was burnt. Asked Non-Gardening Partner if he would help by bringing me some barrowfuls of gum leaves. He escaped.
But I got it going pretty well on my own. Because, after all, I am a Semi-Mature Winter Gardener, and such people use their own initiative and do not complain.
Monday 31st July
Have lit the wood-burner, put the milk bottles out at the gate (yes! Supplied by a local dairy farm), had a cup of tea, and looked at my somewhat foggy garden. A dog walk to take some atmospheric photographs? Good idea.
Creamy White Camellia
Oops. Not quick enough! The sun is almost shining through. But it's still a bit cold, so I'm going to hunker down with a second cup of tea and a book. Am reading a very odd and amazing book by Emma Donohue called 'Haven', more an experience than a story, if that makes any sense. Will wait for that sun to get a bit higher in the sky.
Five hours later...
Have worked really hard. Knocked down the wooden railings on the old fence by the driveway, re-dug the edge by the Driveway Lawn, totally cleaned up a striped Phormium. Cut off several back pieces and replanted them in the Island Bed near the pink Azalea. I remind myself there is never really a need to buy in new Phormiums from the nursery. Just divide and replant the existing ones!
Very caring...
All day I tried to replant forget-me-not plants that I'd dug out. Feel very caring when I manage to do that!
Winnie Looking For Her Ball
So that's that. I'm very happy with my progress. Threw Winnie's tennis ball maybe thirty times. She lost one, then found two completely different ones. What a dog!