Garden in December 2007

I must be an idiot, talk about ‘making a rod for your own back’, I have just ordered a truck load of rocks and will collect sleepers, pavers sand and cement on the weekend, so starts the first project for 2008.
This project will be in the front yard and will extend the front gardens quite considerably, plus another rain water tank will be placed in front of the two already in place, I am planning a trellis in front of the tank with a nice climber to hide it.
Just had a letter from ‘Burkes Backyard’ magazine who want to visit.
We have already bought lots of new plants including some nice torch gingers.
I started on digging out the area for the new tank stand and nearly suffered heat stroke, the problem is that my mind tells me I have the body and energy of a 30 year old but my body is starting to tell me I am 62, I will just have to pace myself and get things done tomorrow instead of yesterday.
Burke Backyard visited on Sunday 16th and they were very impressed by the size of the garden and the vast array of different plants we have. They took lots of photos so we will just have to wait and see what comes out in the magazine.
The garden has really suffered from heat and lack of moisture, the rain that was forecast did not arrive (same old story).
I spent Saturday mixing crusher dust and cement for the tank stand, it was very hot and I am again exhausted, anyway it’s all done and the tank arrives on 14th of next month.
I will not get a lot done over Christmas as I am only having two days off, anyway it will be nice to have all the family around and relax, oops did I say relax, did not think I knew what it meant.
To all that read this blog, a very merry Christmas and happy gardening for 2008.

November in the Garden

Well it’s all over for another year (Open Garden) and both Judy and I are ‘gardened out’.
It has been a tough year with rain on only nine occasions, gale winds, hail and the coldest winter for 50 years with about 20 Heliconias and Costus lost.
Despite all that the garden was looking great for the opening and the ‘Blood Lily' as usual were in flower just at the right time.
Saturday morning and we had a couple of very heavy showers of rain and at one stage it looked quite bad, but it fined up and visitors kept on coming.
We had a record turnout with approximately 1000 visitors in our backyard.
All enjoyed it and not one bad comment during the whole weekend.
The only bad part was when Judy noticed that her special “Hannibal Lectar’ Bromeliad was missing; someone who knew their Bromeliads stole it, ‘hope it rots on them’.
The Lions made almost $4000, which will be given to ‘Young Care’ and Norm ‘Mr Water-fork’ sold 25, which made him very happy.
I have one new project lined up and this will be an expansion of the front garden, which will help camouflage the new rainwater tank and give Judy more room to store her Bromeliads.
The back gardens need topping up with soil due to the dreaded ‘shrinkage’ and perhaps some minor changes, not a lot more that can be done in the back.
I just need to motivate this tired body again.