Moosey News : October 2006
Dear Subscriber,
Welcome to October's newsletter. There are many new things happening in the garden - new trees, new chooks, new plants, new flowers... I have far too much to do, and far too much to say about the doing!
This month's features :
- Guided Botanical Gardens Tour
- Primroses
- The Merino Ram
- Sculptural Pots
- A Gardener's Journeys
Regulars :
- Plant of the Month : Graham the Rhododendron
- Animal of the Month : The New Chooks
- Garden Quote : Supply and Demand
- Garden Gallery : Canterbury Plains
- Forum Focus : The In Love Diary
- Gardening Advice : Locating Dog Mess on the Lawn
- Searching for Moosey : Lambs and Other New Zealand Natives.
- Coming up this month : Lots more flower colour, from the big mid-season rhododendrons down to the little annual blue forget-me-nots.
This month's features
1. Guided Botanical Gardens Tour
I make yet another visit to the Christchurch Botanic Gardens, with notebook and camera, ready to capture the spirit of this most lovely spring season. This time I choose a guided tour.
2. Primroses
I have finally remembered how much I love primroses, so I've been buying up pots of my favourite colours.
3. The Merino Ram
Charles the Ram has his own page, complete with the cutest family sheep portrait.
4. Sculptural Pots
While lunching recently at a trendy suburban nursery-cafe I spied two large ornamental concrete pots. I couldn't decide which one to buy for the garden - so I bought them both. Hopeless!
5. A Gardener's Journeys
On retirement I joined a local walking group. Since that happy day I've been out every Wednesday, hiking over the hills, trekking through the trees, stomping through the snow, etc. Have a look at the first published page of my journeys.
Regulars
6. Plant of the Month : Graham the Rhododendron
Graham is my newest rhododendron. He may have a very modest name, but is a complete flowery show-off.
7. Animal of the Month : The New Chooks
Since my new chooks have arrived I've been a real fan. Love the eggs, girls!
8. Garden Quote : Supply and Demand
I really must try to have the plants I need when I need them! How do home grown gardeners with little glass-houses ever manage to get the supply and demand right?
9. Garden Gallery : Canterbury Plains
One of my favourite tramping photographs is taken from Mount Alford looking across the Canterbury Plains. What you can't see is that I was in a terrible sulk - too much snow, tired legs!
10. Forum Focus : The In Love Diary
The 'In Love Diary' was started by friend Liza. We gardeners don't need an excuse to post pictures of the plants we are in love with. And the little people, too...
11. Gardening Advice : Locating Dog Mess on the Lawn
Hmm... The only way to find all the dog mess on a large lawn area is to invite a special visitor, and prepare to be embarrassed! I spend ages in private, armed with plastic bags...
12. Searching for Moosey : Lambs and Other New Zealand Natives.
- New Zealand Natives
- The phrase 'New Zealand Natives' always sounds cheeky - does the searcher mean people, or plants? I can't show any Maori hakas, but my garden gives a good home to many hybrid native plants, and in my walking journeys I see the originals in their natural habitat.
- Lambs Ears - Vegetative
- Another search which interests me is 'new lambs ears'. Here at Mooseys we like to go that extra mile (or kilometer), second-guessing what our visitors really want. We can provide the vegetative version (Stachys).
- Lambs Ears - Animal
- Or the animal version might be required - look at this journal photograph of Haru the pet lamb at four weeks!
13. Coming up this month : Lots more flower colour.
From the big mid-season rhododendrons down to the little blue forget-me-nots... My lavenders are re-growing, and the wisteria is nearly in bloom - there's a flurry of floral festivity!
Cheers,