Summer shots

13 Nov '06 6:20 am

In the above rough and tumble I nearly forgot that I want to answer the two of you as well!

Dixie - I can't wait to hear about your garden visiting trip. I will write down the names of the gardens listed in the magazine for you.

MEANWHILE HERE IS BREAKING NEWS:

I spoke to my dad on the phone yesterday (they are in Jhb -oops: I guess you don't know that means Johannesburg)and he has agreed - vital at their age where change is mostly not welcome - that I publicize the garden in a new Open gardens of the mountain publication, where a centralised office is going to arrange for garden visits. This is a very new concept still in South Africa, and I've felt for over a year that it is time to formalise things and say HEY WORLD THIS GARDEN EXISTS! I just hope that most visitors will be like Moosey and like the weeds and the dogs - especially as I don't like mown (correction: mowing/grooming/demoling/weeding/etceteraing) lawns.

I've often read about Madame Caroline Testout, but I don't think it is available in South Africa; definitely not from our top rosarian who has supplied all my roses.

As for a jazz garden - very often I think my gardening is a little TOO improvisational! But I would know how to do a rock garden Laughing

14 Nov '06 3:29 am

Wow, Jack! Excellent photography! Love every one of them, though my favourites are those with the lake and its reflections, and the ones with the burgundy-wine coloured leaves amongst the greenery! Thanks for sharing and I've link all your awesome garden shots at my blog http://www.jaycjayc.com/garden-visit-to-south-africa/ for revisits! Wink

Great news on your wonderful enterprise! Wish you all the very best and enjoyable times ahead! Smile

14 Nov '06 5:23 am

Yes - wonderful news for this special garden . I really love the cottage -with -the -curved- window scene too .I think the best gardens are those which are harmonious . As I have mentioned before - that is hard to define in words - one just 'KNOWS' and Jack ,yours has achieved that quality .I'm sure you'll let us know when the first visitors arrive !
Dixie.

14 Nov '06 11:28 am

Jack, this is brilliant news. Have you considered carefully what to wear when these busloads of retired ladies descend upon your beautiful garden? Any retired lady gardener opening her garden to the public would agonise over this decision for weeks.
And all that information to pass on... You can give them printed leaflets on the amazing history of your garden's growth. Or small books? Oops, bit cheeky....

Can you tell us honestly when you think your garden is at its most beautiful to be visited? Would it be in November? I suspect our seasons of extreme beauty might co-incide, and I would love to be one of your garden visitors at the best time. Tacking it onto the end of my next year's winter trip will not do it justice. It would be like traveling miles and miles to stare at the den of something hibernating. Would it?

And thinking of animals - leading to dogs - is the lovely Montgomery - ahem - still us? LAst tme he got a mention he was in disgrace.
Cheers, and great news regarding the official showing-off to come! Good on you.
PS Trendy denim never misses the mark, and can make even the more mature gardener look stylish.

14 Nov '06 2:30 pm

Lovely photos as always and brilliant that you're considering opening the garden to the public. They've been deprived thus far, don't make them wait a moment longer! Smile

14 Nov '06 8:43 pm

Thank you all for the positive comments - AND to Eggy for saving me from a double ID (It's so schizo!)

Moosey, my mom once laughed at me and said my favourite month is always the currrent one and my favourite plant the one I've just looked at... Seriously though, early spring is NOT my favourite: it is rather schizophrenic, all colour and no green, and if the heat has arrived but the rain hasn't, it can be the saddest period of the whole year. Yet that is the time of our famous spring fair. My favourite is undoubtedly autumn, specifically between 15 April and 15 May. Of course the roses are beautiful from about 25 October to mid November, and once the first good summer rains have fallen everything greens up wonderfully. I must admit I'm looking forward to reaching late March, a year after joining, and then looking back on what I've reported on; I think the verdict will be that every season is beautiful, at some times things just change faster than at others.

As for what to wear - no, typically male, I didn't realise that it was supposed to be an issue! Take the lawns and the gardener as you find them! (Or do I need to start worrying about mowing and wardrobes now?)As at times the tour might be rather UN-conducted, it is important that I prepare during December a short brochure as well as seasonal ones and then a longer one... not to mention the promised plan of the garden! Luckily I've thousands of words in the Moosey Forum to fall back on!

Montgomery is in serious disgrace again, having slept out two nights in a row and after a call from a neighbour at 7 this morning, which caused me to be late for school. However once he stops looking hangdog and put-upon, he will again behave like the alpha-male in the whole valley... (and let me tell you, the competition, especially from human males, is quite stiff!)

Jacqueline - how exciting, and how flattering, to realise that someone out there is being taken on a tour of my garden by you... I am really impressed by the thoroughness and style of your site - it is becoming one of the best on the web - congratulations!

14 Nov '06 11:25 pm

Jack, I've just had a chance to read through this thread and I just adore your pictures! They're so lush and green - a lovely and welcome contrast to what is happening here in England. Thank you Very Happy

.

And how wonderful that you are opening your glorious gardens for viewing by others - I would dearly love to be one of the lucky ones someday (hubby and I have always planned to visit South Africa again since our holiday there some years ago, when we stayed in Cape Town and dived/dove(?) with the Great Whites off Gansbaai).

Good luck deciding what to wear aswell!! Wink

21 Nov '06 6:53 pm

This post has been a little delaid by the rain - or rather the damp! - taking out the internet. So on a gloriously clear sunny Tuesday, a report on Thursday to Sunday!

Have I mentioned that it has hardly stopped raining for 4 days?

We started on the grade 9 picnic on Thursday in unpromising weather, got soaked walking to the farm, and still the children had immense fun. Here is a pic of an improvised tabletennis game...

And a few pics taken on Sunday of the wet...

21 Nov '06 8:51 pm

Jack, thank you for sharing these photos with your children/students having fun in your farm! Lucky students/children!! I am sure, that not all of their teachers are like you...At least, not all the teachers I have met so far ( having been a teacher myself)...Your wet Agapanthus is adorable! The second exceptional Agapanthus after Moosey's (: my avatar).

It is sunny and lovely here this morning.. I feel strange... This afternoon I'm visiting my mum at her clinic/home with Dinos... I feel happy and little sad at the same time...I don't support emotional stress lately...I've had enough...