Roses
Winter planting
15 May 2008 20:15 Filed in: Planning
It's that time of year again; I'm planning for winter
and spring.
The broad bean and pea seeds arrived yesterday, the bulb orders went in over the weekend, and there are punnets of lettuce, rocket and onions waiting for a chance to get planted. Another silverbeet glut is only a few weeks away :)
This year the picture is added to by the chooks who are moulting and looking decidedly autumnal. They seem completely cheerful as the hoon around looking raggedy (particularly the girl who lost all her tail feathers in one go) and retain their passion for sunflower seeds and puha.
The real challenge is working out the planting plan for the mound by the pond with the nectarine. The plants need to handle clay, but won't drown as it's a mound, need to be beautiful year round as they're next to the pond, but I still want seasonal variation.
I'm thinking about a spinossima rose as I think the hips are gorgeous, but pink flowers will need some thought :)
In other rose news the Souvenir de la Malmaison growing around the compost is still growing madly; it should be gorgeous next spring, and the Graham Thomas is also holding out against winter.
The broad bean and pea seeds arrived yesterday, the bulb orders went in over the weekend, and there are punnets of lettuce, rocket and onions waiting for a chance to get planted. Another silverbeet glut is only a few weeks away :)
This year the picture is added to by the chooks who are moulting and looking decidedly autumnal. They seem completely cheerful as the hoon around looking raggedy (particularly the girl who lost all her tail feathers in one go) and retain their passion for sunflower seeds and puha.
The real challenge is working out the planting plan for the mound by the pond with the nectarine. The plants need to handle clay, but won't drown as it's a mound, need to be beautiful year round as they're next to the pond, but I still want seasonal variation.
I'm thinking about a spinossima rose as I think the hips are gorgeous, but pink flowers will need some thought :)
In other rose news the Souvenir de la Malmaison growing around the compost is still growing madly; it should be gorgeous next spring, and the Graham Thomas is also holding out against winter.
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A real Wellington weekend
17 December 2007 07:44 Filed in: Doing
It feels like the house will blow away, and I'm
worried about the damson plum in the front garden.
The roses are losing petals in small snowstorms (the
photo is my first ever Graham Thomas flower) but
there are more buds for later
The vege gardens are coming along well; the peas and beans are nearly done, the rocket is looking well, and the corn has germinated and is growing like crazy. I'm trying to wrap my head around how much change there is in the main vege gardens, they look so different week to week as I take out some big tall plants and replace them with seeds or seedlings. I kinda like this as the shape of the garden and the view on the pond will keep changing.
The pond is the big drama at the moment; today the liner is being replaced with a non leaking one, also this one will be EPDM so it should be much more robust. I ordered one group of the pond edge plants yesterday, and hopefully will order the rest in the next day or two – so the pond should be done very very shortly.
The other big changes around here are the chooks; they're loving free-ish ranging, and clearly look forward to me coming home from work and letting them out. The vege garden protection is getting more settled, the trick seems to be a visible low firm barrier (e.g. a half width of plastic mesh) coupled with a couple of wobbly looking string lines so the chooks don't feel they can land half way.
The vege gardens are coming along well; the peas and beans are nearly done, the rocket is looking well, and the corn has germinated and is growing like crazy. I'm trying to wrap my head around how much change there is in the main vege gardens, they look so different week to week as I take out some big tall plants and replace them with seeds or seedlings. I kinda like this as the shape of the garden and the view on the pond will keep changing.
The pond is the big drama at the moment; today the liner is being replaced with a non leaking one, also this one will be EPDM so it should be much more robust. I ordered one group of the pond edge plants yesterday, and hopefully will order the rest in the next day or two – so the pond should be done very very shortly.
The other big changes around here are the chooks; they're loving free-ish ranging, and clearly look forward to me coming home from work and letting them out. The vege garden protection is getting more settled, the trick seems to be a visible low firm barrier (e.g. a half width of plastic mesh) coupled with a couple of wobbly looking string lines so the chooks don't feel they can land half way.
Gold and Magenta
10 April 2007 20:33 Filed in: Planning
I’m beginning to feel that the yellow and purple
border along the path is nearly under control, the
roses and bulbs have been ordered. Almost all the
other plants have been ordered or tracked down.
The big struggle has been with how tightly I define purple and how many plants described as “purple” seem pink to me. Only two roses have made it in (Rose Marie Viaud and Cardinal de Richelieu) and lavender and irises will will carry the rest of the burden of purple.
Gold was easy, but a spread through the season will be a challenge, as well as a some roses there will be daffodils early, daylilies, dyer’s chamomile. Hopefully some variegated and lime foliage will also balance the colours and hold the intensity through the year.
The big struggle has been with how tightly I define purple and how many plants described as “purple” seem pink to me. Only two roses have made it in (Rose Marie Viaud and Cardinal de Richelieu) and lavender and irises will will carry the rest of the burden of purple.
Gold was easy, but a spread through the season will be a challenge, as well as a some roses there will be daffodils early, daylilies, dyer’s chamomile. Hopefully some variegated and lime foliage will also balance the colours and hold the intensity through the year.