Too many Phormiums!
Flowering Agapanthus
Every time I go out into a garden area to do some dreamy, lightweight gardening, what do I see? Messy, overgrown Phormiums clogging up the border, flopping over neighbours, blocking paths, and so on. Please can I have a Phormium-free day?
Tuesday 16th January
Today it was pleasant outside - not too hot, and no wind. I allowed my free spirit to take over. Aha! It lead me to the top of the Island Bed, where I did the edges, weeded, and trimmed the Watsonias. Cleared two barrowfuls of mess.
I like Watsonias!
Yeay for those Watsonias, by the way. Have never liked them much until this year, earlier in spring. Now we are best friends.
Agapanthus in the Shrubbery
Then I moved over to the shade and weeded the edges of the Shrubbery. Wow - the Agapanthus were brilliantly flowering. Love them! I should plant more of them in here, underneath the feathery Pittosporums. Picked up two barrowfuls of gum tree bark.
Phormium alert!
But I wasn't spared. One very enormous Phormium in the middle of the Island Bed needed its dead leaves removed. When oh when did it get so big? And so messy? Aargh!
Wednesday 17th January
A too-hot day, so worked in the water race while listening to New Zealand win its cricket match against Pakistan. Opener Finn Allen was a legend, hitting squillions of sixes. Garden-wise I was slowly deconstructing yet another Phormium, as well as slicing out ferns and grass weeds. I was also trying behave, by carting off my mess by the armful as soon as I'd made it.
Next morning...
Puzzling over there being so many Phormiums growing along the water race. How many were here when we arrived, nearly thirty years ago? Don't know. How many of them have I deliberately planted? Some. How many have self-seeded? No idea. Aha! Will do an inventory!
Have just wandered along the water race to do a count. I've found thirty-two. My goodness.