Details...
It's true - paying attention to details stops the Messy Garden in January blues. Like noticing and removing any plant that is sulking. Trimming in advance anything that is spreading too far. And planting things in gaps! Yeay! The recipe for instant gardening happiness.
Yellow Hot Poker
Monday 22nd January
Was determined to be happy today. Worked slowly and surely in a area of considerable visible mess (the Stumpy Garden, where the big Oak trees were recently felled). Weeded, dug out seedling Oak trees (oh yes, there will be plenty of these for years to come).
Pulled out Euphorbias (uncovering patches of lovely Daylilies). Trimmed the edges, raked the lawn to get it ready for mowing, picked up loads of fallen gum bark, chopped off Oak tree sprouts. Then a spot of wonderful creativity - planted the yellow Kniphofias - Yellow Hot Pokers? Too easy!
Tuesday 23rd January
If it hadn't been drizzling steadily all day, do you know what I would have been doing? Clearing the main path through the Hump Garden. Pushed through there with my camera earlier, and there was amazing colour and beauty everywhere. Wow! Quite inspiring, very drippy. But the path was - ahem - interesting. The dahlias were threatening to flop everywhere, and oh my goodness the Campion weeds! Lush!
Wet gardening fun...
OK. At 4pm I decided to do a wet gardening hour. I wore minimal clothing, had dry gear all laid out ready inside the house. And I had such fun. Filled the wheelbarrow with trimmings, cleared about five meters of the path - such a beautiful place to be.
Favourite Dahlias
Lots of lovely colours from the Phloxes, Dahlias, and Hollyhocks, and pretty displays from pink roses Kate Shepard, John Clare, and David Thompson the new rugosa.
Wednesday 23rd January
Mooched around all morning feeling very apprehensive - Minimus my cottage cat had an afternoon vet appointment. Minimus is fifteen years old, and had lost her appetite and stopped eating. Worry, worry...
Minimus is Back
Later...
Minimus lives to purr through another day. Her kidneys were OK, most of her blood test results were OK. Hopefully I can get her medication into her and work through this.
Thursday 24th January
I have gifted myself to my garden for the afternoon only. I have the slenderest reason for not being in it this morning - a lunch date with my friends from ballet, which I have already dressed up for. Apparently I haven't heard of a quick change of clothing.
Late afternoon...
So the wind roared and the sun screamed as I cleared two barrow loads out of the Hump Garden, working around the colourful flowering Dahlias and the Hollyhocks (pink, red, dark red - all singles). The bees were very busy and buzzy around all the flowers.
Had forgotten there were green Phormiums in this part of the garden - aargh! There are Phormiums in every part of my garden. Oops. Cut down their heavy flowering stalks, pulled out Campion, picked Gladioli flowers for the house.