Goose's Garden

28 Apr '07 10:04 am

Thank you all for your kind words and support.
I have been getting a few things done in the garden and as you say Mark it does bring balance and joy to my life.
I hope we are all still tending our gardens at 92, your wifes father sounds like quite a character.Wonderful.
Dixie
I planted gazanias at the front gate but even they look a bit straggly as there wasnt much rain and its a very hot dry spot. I may have to try something else, any more ideas?
Faith
Its hard to see in the photo but what appears to be a hedge is actually a wooden retaining wall covered with ficus and the hedge is above on the top level. The ficus has taken over and is in need of a tidy up. A job on the to do list.
Jack
Its great to hear your parents are still getting about, long may they continue to do so. My parents are in their mid 80's, they were just like your Mum & Dad out about enjoying trips and gardening, up till a few years ago when Mum had a fall and both of them have gone down hill fast since then. I agree old age is not for sissies.

Ive done some more work on my potager and its coming together slowly. Still some soil to move into the last bed (we ran out of sleepers so that held things up a bit)
once thats done I can get the finishing touches done and
take some photos

Must get outside now to do something or my job list will get longer instead of shorter
Great to be back

28 Apr '07 6:16 pm

For the last year or two I've felt every walk with my folks is precious. My mom has been diabetic since her mid thirties and the chance of a fall sending the diabetes spiralling out of control is now quite great. Fact is, for years she assumed she wouldn't make 70, and in July she will turn a plucky 78! And my dad is chasing his father and grandmother, who made 89 and 93 respectively.

Still - I sneaked this pic yesterday afternoon as we set off on a walk about the garden...

All we can hope, for their sakes and ours, is that our parents' ends will be relatively painless and dignified...

29 Apr '07 8:41 am

..and that pix ^^ is probably one of the most precious things they could still wish to be doing, I sure hope to be doing the same at their ages Wink

8 Jun '07 9:51 am

Gosh, I cant believe it was April when I last posted... how time flies. I have been enjoying all the pics everyone has been posting and thought it was about time I shared some of my own. I am so pleased to see so many new members, its great.
If you remember back in Feb I posted a pic of my new potager garden to be, well here are a few more pics. We still have the gates to do and we are going to put narrow beds under the fence (thats what the pile of soil will be used for)
and we are still deciding on the feature in the middle.We thought either a Gazebo with plantings around it or maybe 4 bench seats with a lemon tree in the centre and pots to decorate. Need some help here,what do you think? Still have to put the rest of the weed mat down and the white chip we were going to get is too expensive for the large area so we are having to rethink this as well, not sure what we are going to use now.

8 Jun '07 11:25 am

WOW! Have you ever got a nice spread. Love the white arches.

Seems like a big place to me. Lots and lots of plants. You have had your hands full.

Christopher

8 Jun '07 4:07 pm

This promises to become one of the more interesting potagers I've ever seen. I assume the fence is at least partly functional to keep something (kangaroos?, rabbits?) out. I am so curious what you are going to do with the white (PVC?) pipe-arches. They look great already, but are you picturing them with vines growing on them? I could also picture an open fencing to finish enclosing the garden which was flush with the outer row of arches, if you have worries about predation on your veggies. I don't have any idea what should go in the center, but I'm eager to see what you work out. I can imagine simple stone, backless benches for seating though that wouldn't invite much lingoring. Exciting start. Well done!

8 Jun '07 5:36 pm

What a lovely place you have!! It looks like a very big garden; do you use the produce just for yourself or do you supply a restaurant or something?

As for whether to have a gazebo or benches with a lemon tree in the middle, ask yourself how long you want people to linger there, and whether or not they would appreciate shelter from the sun. Since it's a potager, I assume there is a full-day sunny exposure. In that case, perhaps a shady spot in which to take a break from weeding, etc., would come in handy. A gazebo with vines climbing over it might fill the bill. However, if you think very short rests are more "de rigeur", then open benches probably would be better. Well, at least that's my opinion! Very Happy

In any case, it is certainly going to be one classy garden!!

Cheers!

gordonf

9 Jun '07 6:49 am

Yes,that would do a good job of keeping the kangaroos out I would say,Goose -I bet you haven't seen any for ages .
About the white chip -what you could do is put a base of cheaper grey chip down ,then you would need a lesser quantity of white chip to go on the top .When I visited Waiheke island I Envied the beautiful rock they have there-the colours!
Something in the centre-this will be a very interesting conversation as everyone gives their opinion.Something with height definitely.
Dixie

9 May '08 9:31 am

I didn't realise it had been so long since I posted on this thread. Jack, not much to report, the garden has been growing on its own since I broke my foot.I have done a few easy jobs but nothing much.I have managed to keep the potager looking ok and kept on top of the picking,freezing, bottling etc of the fruit and veges. I'm having physio but still hobbling around, it is improving slowly but its so frustrating, everything takes twice as long to do.
Havent been able to go for walks so no pics have been taken this summer/autumn.
The front perennial garden is such a mess, its hard to tell where the grass stops and the garden begins. I bought some old bricks (900 odd) on the Trade Me Internet auction. It took three trips for NGP & I to get them home. I have started to lay them as an edging and hopefully this will help cut down the work a bit. It will be a long slow job.
I have planted out lots of bulbs in the orchard area, so hopefully that will look great in spring. Iris, daffs,snow flakes and bluebells.
Well thats about it. Its pouring with rain again so I don't think much will get done today.

9 May '08 5:26 pm

How great to hear from you again, Goose. Hope you're well and soon will be truly back on both feet.

Do you know - perennials are funny plants. When I first 'discovered' them I thought they were wonderful. But lately I can see that many perennials make rather a lot of work. I have my favourites, but I'm not as keen on great swathes of them, in for example a perennial border, as I was. Staking, and dividing, all takes time, and trimming in autumn, etc. etc. etc.

Anyway, I'm in a spring bulbs mood. that's what I'm busy planting at the moment. You'll enjoy your new orchard delights when spring comes around! Happy gardening, Cheers, M

Goose's Garden

Taking a fall

Progress Report

Looking real nice.

Great start!

Great Potager!

wonderful

Garden Report