tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56086022501409248502024-03-05T04:22:48.543-08:00Holt Cottage GardenTheGardenGalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01256252154364676859noreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5608602250140924850.post-16740080121757358712024-02-05T17:59:00.000-08:002024-02-05T18:01:23.494-08:00Starting over again - 2024<p><span style="font-family: arial;">I have lost my way with the blog, having got out of the habit of noting things down. I have taken the photos and looking back over these will hopefully prompt me to make some notes so that there is some kind of record for the future. I feel a bit ashamed that I haven't posted anything for a whole year. Life has been happening a long with lots of gardening. Some things have died such as my beautiful <i>Ceris</i> Forest Pansy and <i>Hamamelis</i> Pallida. Unknown why they died but in the El nino weather conditions it has been extremely windy. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I have got older and celebrated a big number birthday, and the Tidy gardener has had his health challenges. We have a new fur baby Ruru (Little Owl) who just arrived a year ago, deciding Holt Cottage garden was a good place to stay........ and she keeps us well entertained BUT also catches birds. The only plus about this, is that there were fewer birds to feast on the gooseberry and raspberry crops this summer. She wants to be Rocket's bestie but Rocket is still not sure of her.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilAqFf5H_OdkktpnzYmeZEPGADmDNGji3tfW4KOyzQTAu4IpQEVRahAq9c8txCOELN1EaSkDMJH6s19WRq4kj8TdpW3jM7UJVweVJiNR465RIDGmkFS5uy0siybG_AA6ZivNuiYaBhgfvYQkK_zs3iidJRixUQVup5AMzuD2pcUcwt4uaa3YyQNZFOd5w/s667/IMG_0249%20(1)Ruru.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilAqFf5H_OdkktpnzYmeZEPGADmDNGji3tfW4KOyzQTAu4IpQEVRahAq9c8txCOELN1EaSkDMJH6s19WRq4kj8TdpW3jM7UJVweVJiNR465RIDGmkFS5uy0siybG_AA6ZivNuiYaBhgfvYQkK_zs3iidJRixUQVup5AMzuD2pcUcwt4uaa3YyQNZFOd5w/s320/IMG_0249%20(1)Ruru.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p>TheGardenGalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01256252154364676859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5608602250140924850.post-21202516673199648322023-02-06T18:06:00.009-08:002023-03-19T00:17:31.724-07:00Rain has finally arrived in February<p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: large; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6vYGdkZezc3GbQGlDqXlseVf57s8vXn15C8CULHNNN85xT9WYBkk-OJE6SVN0Sq35he6KJEFu8WHd9Ju6E1DoJnspynly3Fa0pkK_49awg7Tn8HP8HsFWlLxn_0L98IIq_r1Yv5GbeT-iSbUeXcF3RoVROvZzc_4IyzU3ifn7Dkq7nZ6b7u4MIP5n/s666/IMG_1843%20Purpledahlia.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="666" data-original-width="500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6vYGdkZezc3GbQGlDqXlseVf57s8vXn15C8CULHNNN85xT9WYBkk-OJE6SVN0Sq35he6KJEFu8WHd9Ju6E1DoJnspynly3Fa0pkK_49awg7Tn8HP8HsFWlLxn_0L98IIq_r1Yv5GbeT-iSbUeXcF3RoVROvZzc_4IyzU3ifn7Dkq7nZ6b7u4MIP5n/w300-h400/IMG_1843%20Purpledahlia.JPG" width="300" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">My favourite new dahlia grown from seed - it is almost purple and hangs it's head a little</span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">I am known for not enjoying working in the rain but the 20 mm or so we have had this month has been so very welcome. High temperatures, windy days and virtually no rain has meant a very dry garden in need of water. I have been saving 'grey' water from the sink and washing machine to help the flowers and trees along, especially those that have been relatively recently planted. As a township we have been on a sprinkler ban since December and I have tried not to use the town water for my garden in large amounts. The Tidy Gardener does water the vegetable gardens so I feel that is our share. I have used the tank water sparingly, and February's rain to date has replenished the tanks - that's a good feeling to know there is 3000 litres of saved rainwater for the garden.</span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Having had a trial run last season, I planted the special 'NZ Gardener' dahlia seed fairly early in the spring '22 and am enjoying the flowering results; again in pots dug into the ground behind the main glasshouse. There is a range of colours and after keeping my seedlings from last year don't have a lot of room for more dahlias. I have a number with dark foliage and I will keep those. I have a number of reds and yellows I don't want - a friend is happy to have those. Below are a selection </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjppFOyWG4QpiUizIJdwZLqM120sESz7RWlAEN3n1SSMv8vsWuaI3XS7s-i7oATOhSjGNbZati7NA8a_r6KVPnQ71Q3rXF7i7Fg3CRADCbR7wN-EscM0x4gy-_LD68IQGpQm9AofDDD8V6xKBVsaC4g8V7NExd1h9hB9cqFfSXXUoHpX9oHZvk_Jmch/s667/IMG_1846darkfoliagereddahlia.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjppFOyWG4QpiUizIJdwZLqM120sESz7RWlAEN3n1SSMv8vsWuaI3XS7s-i7oATOhSjGNbZati7NA8a_r6KVPnQ71Q3rXF7i7Fg3CRADCbR7wN-EscM0x4gy-_LD68IQGpQm9AofDDD8V6xKBVsaC4g8V7NExd1h9hB9cqFfSXXUoHpX9oHZvk_Jmch/w240-h320/IMG_1846darkfoliagereddahlia.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr9RKb3ggfmULqfKajP3wHkB_JD42IWNiyI2RU-3Nn-ShUf4UoPe2ku8dVfaU6ooaoLOVX62xVFlNYbgeUxMVbmwOCU0Lz_x2n3K1Aa00BUOvhEIaMQlRba4iRNKYNmSLDDtfQnodYciLEarXSAVS1geE_8GQkJKcCUlNLh4ihKeCX647oIW_6-DvP/s667/IMG_1845%20(2)redandyellowdahlia.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr9RKb3ggfmULqfKajP3wHkB_JD42IWNiyI2RU-3Nn-ShUf4UoPe2ku8dVfaU6ooaoLOVX62xVFlNYbgeUxMVbmwOCU0Lz_x2n3K1Aa00BUOvhEIaMQlRba4iRNKYNmSLDDtfQnodYciLEarXSAVS1geE_8GQkJKcCUlNLh4ihKeCX647oIW_6-DvP/s320/IMG_1845%20(2)redandyellowdahlia.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtmqTddGGeiMTztL-avHLW9m6uum2khLaIaIbnRkj90y08UQejrcViAIjgZkiqtCHcI7HRd__3k_4WZWCZfAeMpRxNEfIYV2lyK7BuOmjaYSObqJSeLCyV9pvSSJZxnJSUU4IZCpQoJBE_IEgV4E5SdG6UY7WW_I79xR68h7avZ9AO5nYrHhSMuv-f/s667/IMG_1850creamdahlia.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtmqTddGGeiMTztL-avHLW9m6uum2khLaIaIbnRkj90y08UQejrcViAIjgZkiqtCHcI7HRd__3k_4WZWCZfAeMpRxNEfIYV2lyK7BuOmjaYSObqJSeLCyV9pvSSJZxnJSUU4IZCpQoJBE_IEgV4E5SdG6UY7WW_I79xR68h7avZ9AO5nYrHhSMuv-f/s320/IMG_1850creamdahlia.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-qKLNEzJtnRhqLPyo_PzpL6Kp05hHyfikRXZkSwn8Do1CXHOdnXZRdhvk76wkYV4UKxK3aWKA_To9T4mD6VgcYaW1TTXfVugiMgprmb7RFeC_v24UdazneWmGzyt0aGuqp93uC3WvNegSvSwgmfCQETjNllJFh1VVONYZoNXoW1SML-EaU0e3DX4p/s667/IMG_1848%20(2)fadedahlia.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-qKLNEzJtnRhqLPyo_PzpL6Kp05hHyfikRXZkSwn8Do1CXHOdnXZRdhvk76wkYV4UKxK3aWKA_To9T4mD6VgcYaW1TTXfVugiMgprmb7RFeC_v24UdazneWmGzyt0aGuqp93uC3WvNegSvSwgmfCQETjNllJFh1VVONYZoNXoW1SML-EaU0e3DX4p/s320/IMG_1848%20(2)fadedahlia.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><p></p> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgIHr7GbYRKgWWDD_FVjnhtDoVzq3V4Xi6mZZVAwHlHodaIwE75FFr4W8MOcSW6t3YPFw2MCFRQ91tzF5ULGr86JKPhh3hIrhC_cyET47uZImnrz21cXE8GRyjaApX51wAwIfMlDkMkX-mCv2pU8LlY8hT9kr0-N_SdiuKlgDib-k7iJXPLq7acGd_/s700/IMG_1809%20(1)scented%20lilyPalazzo.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="525" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgIHr7GbYRKgWWDD_FVjnhtDoVzq3V4Xi6mZZVAwHlHodaIwE75FFr4W8MOcSW6t3YPFw2MCFRQ91tzF5ULGr86JKPhh3hIrhC_cyET47uZImnrz21cXE8GRyjaApX51wAwIfMlDkMkX-mCv2pU8LlY8hT9kr0-N_SdiuKlgDib-k7iJXPLq7acGd_/s320/IMG_1809%20(1)scented%20lilyPalazzo.JPG" width="240" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFjkUeaw0Q6Av5xa9E4kJyusxYxZnTP5VbPRsk-WX27GuiAEGidmtwWEWEv9hyROLYYJg-oJnjkaFayeAP0QU3Ii2tFsi_VdJp-P-W3-qIAfNM6tyy1gclLCdwI08mLJe1QtZn1v92jU1U0EGPZ3q8VIF0L0tY1HWZmzs8UyOY4aOC0ZZXDZxFd-EJ/s667/IMG_1852yellowdahlia.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFjkUeaw0Q6Av5xa9E4kJyusxYxZnTP5VbPRsk-WX27GuiAEGidmtwWEWEv9hyROLYYJg-oJnjkaFayeAP0QU3Ii2tFsi_VdJp-P-W3-qIAfNM6tyy1gclLCdwI08mLJe1QtZn1v92jU1U0EGPZ3q8VIF0L0tY1HWZmzs8UyOY4aOC0ZZXDZxFd-EJ/s320/IMG_1852yellowdahlia.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFjkUeaw0Q6Av5xa9E4kJyusxYxZnTP5VbPRsk-WX27GuiAEGidmtwWEWEv9hyROLYYJg-oJnjkaFayeAP0QU3Ii2tFsi_VdJp-P-W3-qIAfNM6tyy1gclLCdwI08mLJe1QtZn1v92jU1U0EGPZ3q8VIF0L0tY1HWZmzs8UyOY4aOC0ZZXDZxFd-EJ/s667/IMG_1852yellowdahlia.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: black;">New lily Palazzo - in the Forest Pansy Garden</span></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Mum grew the lily in a pot for me the first year (as it arrived with her bulb order) and this season planted the ground it has grown taller than me with eight flower buds. Has delicious scent - unfortunately the rain shortened the length of time that the flowers lasted.</span></div>TheGardenGalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01256252154364676859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5608602250140924850.post-45166998472279590752023-01-29T20:10:00.009-08:002023-02-06T17:52:35.160-08:00The new Forest Pansy garden<p>T<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">he new Forest Pansy garden is situated behind the garage and below the water tanks</span>. <span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The soil isn't great and it slopes down to the fence. </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> However, it is sheltered.</span> <span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Either end of the garden is a tree - the beautiful <i>Ceris Forest Pansy</i> is one end and the other end is a Tasmanian shrub/tree <i>Drimys winteri. </i>It's a multi stemmed affair and not the prettiest specimen but does retain its leaves in the winter. There is another young tree at the lowest and dampest part of the garden<i> Myrtus luma, </i>also evergreen. This was purchased as a shrub and I am encouraging it to make a leader. It should become a beautiful small tree with glorious cinnamon bark.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I have planted four roses in the bed - well not counting what I think is Buff Beauty that flowers through Forest Pansy. There is a nice contrast between the purple leaves and the apricot/buff of the rose. I usually look for what I think is the best site - colour combinations haven't featured too much in my placement decisions to date. From the Forest Pansy end there are four roses newly planted last spring - the shrub roses <i>Penelope</i> and <i>Rosy Cushion</i> - both propagated from Floral Art friend Jocelyn's garden. Next comes a new purchase with a Christmas voucher from Kaye and Robin (Lawston Farm - where I work in the spring)). <i> Young Lycidas</i> is a David Austin shrub rose, purplish pink, with a lovely fragrance. At present its flowers are bending its stems over and it might become a candidate for support. Next comes a rose that outgrew its space at friend Nikki's house. It is supposed to be the miniature orange-brown rose <i>Teddy Bear. </i> There is nothing miniature about its height and it might have been better against a fence. It had a mass of flowers early in the season and is beginning to repeat. I guess it is more of a shrub too. We are experiencing some very hot days and the roses are not lasting any time at all and in La Nina weather cycle so it is very dry too. This garden very much a work in progress and the odd dock is still coming through. </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidQ3eoKlEkbm3fmiCFDUX8mjSPxlJkyY5Qw-9NrHBR1bOcLCJvJJkFWHAHbUA31pvOlU4sHIgrOFTFnFf00I9WRocx1deq3zbDcPz--q7ot1Gt4JfioqFzBLWyB1VKt-QHgAXumXSepT9_egjJJCrBYb5B9PgOTGiUsQfugk3Au9c_og2rzZIw0g13/s700/IMG_1794Young%20Lydicas.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="525" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidQ3eoKlEkbm3fmiCFDUX8mjSPxlJkyY5Qw-9NrHBR1bOcLCJvJJkFWHAHbUA31pvOlU4sHIgrOFTFnFf00I9WRocx1deq3zbDcPz--q7ot1Gt4JfioqFzBLWyB1VKt-QHgAXumXSepT9_egjJJCrBYb5B9PgOTGiUsQfugk3Au9c_og2rzZIw0g13/s320/IMG_1794Young%20Lydicas.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><h2><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal;">Young Lycidas</span></h2></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsb5GZmRNjgAybwKpNBI1W0enDOtcOXnUhxgr0LqaSufKjcL7uBFkqMfnQ9O0m1DUhl4YeuVmED6RBwl0LW6V84dmkBAD71KHJOzF4bdVoZw331afVgol9UfFICuFa1znFxPaSKM77dm2d0SN4izH-Yz3XTLAciNnk8spz41EDxbyS99aO90IwTbP6/s3762/IMG_1064%20(2)Rosy%20cushion.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3762" data-original-width="2821" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsb5GZmRNjgAybwKpNBI1W0enDOtcOXnUhxgr0LqaSufKjcL7uBFkqMfnQ9O0m1DUhl4YeuVmED6RBwl0LW6V84dmkBAD71KHJOzF4bdVoZw331afVgol9UfFICuFa1znFxPaSKM77dm2d0SN4izH-Yz3XTLAciNnk8spz41EDxbyS99aO90IwTbP6/s320/IMG_1064%20(2)Rosy%20cushion.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Rosy Cushion</span><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVnz-UT0yH4QCTqPoi_p_w1Qs_LsnIArhD9m2Z3RQhdqhJkoF2_LREw-lX1VhNE3mBfFZBDV6jSXaWAdAGCAcRhsQwxSpq76KcFJ2QBWOWjwIaczuTNu5q5wdry31vHxnf_QYSQgDYBjK-b4i3ytqFW0bXaIo4Hbah9IkiA-4zcHfAWwQdNa0mo9PP/s700/TeddyBear.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="525" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVnz-UT0yH4QCTqPoi_p_w1Qs_LsnIArhD9m2Z3RQhdqhJkoF2_LREw-lX1VhNE3mBfFZBDV6jSXaWAdAGCAcRhsQwxSpq76KcFJ2QBWOWjwIaczuTNu5q5wdry31vHxnf_QYSQgDYBjK-b4i3ytqFW0bXaIo4Hbah9IkiA-4zcHfAWwQdNa0mo9PP/s320/TeddyBear.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Teddy Bear<br /><br /></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>TheGardenGalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01256252154364676859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5608602250140924850.post-1465670382076605652023-01-14T18:19:00.005-08:002023-01-14T18:42:26.581-08:00Starting over - the neglected blog - January 2023<div class="separator"><li style="clear: left; display: inline; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="525" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiBj5tGWM3aUqUoyro1eg95gQpUqUGCGsvVUQlZqLgZ7HvJubPtNbB9n0iLXnAWnnXW9evi2Kh4ebUsMKX-QijzM7eZHwuHjo6jm7VMPrHzE2lbaiGaKEhvY_RUlMDzVlmBslKCs0ZHxyXlT7NYfxHa1bNmY29b8eitqAOk1REUrfxdREV4_I7i65i/s320/IMG_1751Winsomeresize.JPG" width="240" /></li></div><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> My gardening</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> blog has sadly been neglected. A number of reasons, not least a Mum who is ill - but the garden here, itself is on-going and is my happy place. Time to start over and try and record what is happening at Holt Cottage. I have been making photo cards of the garden to send to Mum instead of writing the blog - so I do have the photos. A couple of plants that are flowering right now.<span> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><u>Left</u> is miniature rose </span><i>Winsome</i><span> which had a repot and move recently and has responded amazing well. A bit of care makes all the difference..... </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><u>Below left </u>is a new yarrow </span><i>Achillia millefolium Brickdust -</i><span> part of last year's birthday purchase funded my Mum. In Mum's Stoke<i> Hellebore Cottage</i> garden, yarrows did particularly well. (Past tense, as recently she has had to sell her home and garden due to her on-going health issues).</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Yarrows do well here too despite different soils and climate. The yarrow I bought previously <i>Achillia millefolium Summerwine </i>is not doing particularly well, and it may be the site or just a slow starter. It is on notice to be moved. <i>Brickdust</i> (a selection from Marshwood Gardens) is planted in a new area below the water tanks behind the garage - I guess this is called the Forest Pansy garden. There are four roses there too and some of last year's dahlia seedlings - but more on those another day.</span></p><div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy5NLJOpZtwiPolVmJaAdGdWfNeisYDhzZuuEPNoI2IWRi5wvxVWXHvXRcKzfL2t74OQoDKse4hJMyH4tYbgmg1NEDTi3Baj6AUrMKOgq30fi0Ngh8qdMyYxGfleCMSn76zLgev4cXHk00Uwg-fr84HFxFg1a2lWwo4iLI1qyq7ZSL9SHqvRpGVbtc/s700/IMG_1756Brickdustresize.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="525" height="321" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy5NLJOpZtwiPolVmJaAdGdWfNeisYDhzZuuEPNoI2IWRi5wvxVWXHvXRcKzfL2t74OQoDKse4hJMyH4tYbgmg1NEDTi3Baj6AUrMKOgq30fi0Ngh8qdMyYxGfleCMSn76zLgev4cXHk00Uwg-fr84HFxFg1a2lWwo4iLI1qyq7ZSL9SHqvRpGVbtc/w241-h321/IMG_1756Brickdustresize.JPG" width="241" /></span></i></a></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span> <span>I am out of practice setting out the blog so I should finish here for the day before there is a disappearing problem and I lose what I already have written. </span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span></span></blockquote></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><br /></div>TheGardenGalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01256252154364676859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5608602250140924850.post-13546324681579260932022-04-30T16:21:00.006-07:002022-04-30T16:45:45.437-07:00Illness and April a write off<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">A flu in late March knocked me for a six and then Covid arrived on April 6. I did however, have a fine and well day for my birthday in the gap between these two nasties. The Tidy gardener made me a lovely carrot cake and Mum was still here to help celebrate my 59th birthday. As a result, not a lot of action on my part happened in the garden nor in writing the blog, hence no April posts. I am still coughing occasionally from Covid and still not back to my usual two walks a day with Rocket.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">It has been a glorious summer weather wise with lovely fine days days one following after another. But only glorious if you are not gardening or farming through the driest summer for many years - we've never had a summer like it since moving to Southland in 2005. We started to get rain again in the first week in April and have had regular rain since. It's raining again today but still need good rains to replenish the soil moisture. Despite this the garden has looked lovely in places. The long summer has meant the dahlias have been glorious and started into flower earlier too. We have had a couple of frosts this month, but not hard enough to frost most of the dahlias - only Isla's little bedding dahlia has packed up for the season.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The apple and pear harvest was bountiful and it was so good to have Mum here to help with the fruit peeling. Restricted freezer space required bottling of the pears, but there was so much surplus that we peeled and froze for people we knew as well as gave away a couple of boxes. The main pear tree will take a lot to recover from the fruit load so I don't expect much of a crop next year BUT I must remember to thin much harder so as to have bigger pears and less of them. I had thinned but not hard enough. My thinning regime of a handspan apart for the apples really paid off - the amount of crop was similar to other years but less fruit and much bigger (approximately 16 white bins). The birds started attacking the <i>Mrs</i> <i>Peasgood NonSuch </i>apple in January so this tree had to be netted. I allowed this tree to have more of a crop than other years but the drought did limit the fruit size. Harvest started with this tree on 4th March and finished with picking the <i>Sturmer</i> apple on 29 April. Overall the codling moth infection was down but there is still a disease problem with the <i>Black Prince</i> and the <i>Holt's Chance</i> apple that I have not 100% identified. There was apple scab on the<i> Holt's Chance</i> and <i>Mrs Ryan's Hospital</i> but this seems to be only cosmetic and possibly a result of the weather conditions.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBIDB80PurKYgM2JIN0cVKO7YTJQyQIMU2SWKu10e4IHm6qCI7_m8LllYwxY5y0xaJ48vupDQ8REbpVz2QV6k6j-jZHEH0hWkcBUjk8csrxNMLU5J0fDtQuKciRRYC01xAW_ONjREyF6M5jwMOaaT3WWoi4lgwX_lb09zoWGcmSQ3WTtwhPSShZEDT/s700/IMG_2553%20(2)orangeporcupine.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="525" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBIDB80PurKYgM2JIN0cVKO7YTJQyQIMU2SWKu10e4IHm6qCI7_m8LllYwxY5y0xaJ48vupDQ8REbpVz2QV6k6j-jZHEH0hWkcBUjk8csrxNMLU5J0fDtQuKciRRYC01xAW_ONjREyF6M5jwMOaaT3WWoi4lgwX_lb09zoWGcmSQ3WTtwhPSShZEDT/s320/IMG_2553%20(2)orangeporcupine.JPG" width="240" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> Orange Porcupine calendula</span><br /></span><p></p>TheGardenGalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01256252154364676859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5608602250140924850.post-68776364008290981622022-03-26T21:53:00.000-07:002022-03-26T21:53:04.377-07:00Birthday plants 2021<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">My Mum gave me money last birthday - which of course I
bought plants with - what else would you buy as a treat!!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>11 small perennials from Marshwood
Gardens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It's almost my birthday again
and its special to have some of those plants flowering this autumn and as a
bonus my Mum is here to see them.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Six of them are growing in the wintersweet garden - <i>Helenium
Dark Warrior</i>, flowering now is a new plant for this garden and it will be
interesting to see how it performs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also
flowering late March are <i>Aster Helen Ballard</i>, <i>Campanula Kent Belle</i>
and <i>Nepta Walker's Low</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not
flowering yet, but making good growth are <i>Achillea millefolium Summerwine</i>
and <i>Miscanthus New Hybrids</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoeQIxp6CZgW2TGa-oT5BK6ozjk7ZipiwN8PyJADhMhLz9siPa9HStASnBkereD8aHuhIcbtGD_d6qcPeAxfkMZwCRPzQ-6deX9kutrG8wV2xdtjHpkFEWFOT8MhL7yT7ZP0EfKsUzdZrbj3D1CXGwe_4nTFQ-Gz1t_WX6MgFywUVCuME46UcubuNc/s667/IMG_1103HeliumDarkWarrior.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoeQIxp6CZgW2TGa-oT5BK6ozjk7ZipiwN8PyJADhMhLz9siPa9HStASnBkereD8aHuhIcbtGD_d6qcPeAxfkMZwCRPzQ-6deX9kutrG8wV2xdtjHpkFEWFOT8MhL7yT7ZP0EfKsUzdZrbj3D1CXGwe_4nTFQ-Gz1t_WX6MgFywUVCuME46UcubuNc/s320/IMG_1103HeliumDarkWarrior.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> <i> Helenium Dark Warrior</i><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">On the Cherry tree bank, planted close together are <i>Geranium
Mavis Simpson</i> and <i>Salvia verticillate Purple Rain.</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I haven't had much success with salvias to
date - hopefully I have chosen the right spot for this special one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Higher up the bank, behind the corokia hedge
is <i>Geranium Orkney Pink</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It's in
a hard spot and struggling a bit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All
have flowered this summer.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><i>Geranium cantabrigiense Cambridge</i> is a double up - I
didn't realise I already had this one. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is getting established as ground cover
under the Walnut tree.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The last plant is
<i>Geranium x oxonianum Claridge Druce</i> which had a near miss in the front
garden near <i>Rhododendron Princess Alice</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was struggling in the drought and I was watering it to keep it going
- obviously that made it good digging for the birds and they dug it out
completely!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now it's in a pot, making a
good recovery and a new root ball.<span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span> <i> </i><i><span> </span>Aster Helen Ballard</i></span></span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLDxoqmS3xQlqSY2XHrrnDCkoKVRzOTQubuQqF4f0OAEKtmza7RVAZpEwul9vFAcoLD8qsu6JlIAlPjxjSKiUPij6yApPicuuhTgDNJFJoQbZ2hoXCwaE7rm1l3X3-jEAl-B0wVhxAZLSoXw-pxw7FTj7zOsKi7xoxO5CfCKk4T3nPqr0oRH1cr5Wx/s667/IMG_1100AsterHelenBallard.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLDxoqmS3xQlqSY2XHrrnDCkoKVRzOTQubuQqF4f0OAEKtmza7RVAZpEwul9vFAcoLD8qsu6JlIAlPjxjSKiUPij6yApPicuuhTgDNJFJoQbZ2hoXCwaE7rm1l3X3-jEAl-B0wVhxAZLSoXw-pxw7FTj7zOsKi7xoxO5CfCKk4T3nPqr0oRH1cr5Wx/s320/IMG_1100AsterHelenBallard.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOvZ-RLW386pl5JVeNU7HSi_AwX-aZDFdn4l69O2uJqcjMAva_c46pYVKaJLrGvv3t_wFPOP4eTDEUkl--h71fDDozB2r4A_U98Zj7KlnzDuwe5A4PKfuNaBqbIjKJ_P7oeLOShT4nN1grLTx86EL1GRAQ4hZarDfr3YOskcwCxAn-qCVJcp3EEhTD/s667/KentBelle.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOvZ-RLW386pl5JVeNU7HSi_AwX-aZDFdn4l69O2uJqcjMAva_c46pYVKaJLrGvv3t_wFPOP4eTDEUkl--h71fDDozB2r4A_U98Zj7KlnzDuwe5A4PKfuNaBqbIjKJ_P7oeLOShT4nN1grLTx86EL1GRAQ4hZarDfr3YOskcwCxAn-qCVJcp3EEhTD/s320/KentBelle.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /></div> <span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><i> <span> </span>Campanula Kent Belle</i></span><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p>TheGardenGalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01256252154364676859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5608602250140924850.post-28969508708888403762022-02-22T18:27:00.004-08:002022-04-30T14:28:40.030-07:00Dahlias from seed - an experiment<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I have grown some dahlias from
seed this year just for a bit of fun. I collected the seed mostly at Mum’s place
last year – they are nothing fancy – just singles which are better for the bees
– they are just starting to flower. The test will be getting them through
the winter as they don’t make very much of a tuber the first year. We’ll
see what happens. I collected seeds from two different plants, both pink - one seedhead stolen from Suffolk Road - that one only gave me one plant and the rest from Mum's bright dark pink one. I have grown them in 15cm pots buried in the ground so I can lift them easily. Dahlias are not self fertile, so it has been interesting to see the results. Lots of them do have faults such as bent petals but it's been a bit of fun and if they make a tuber for next spring I will put them in the garden regardless.</span></span></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhbcdzOcXAQ5LtED4pzuQoTsHXryzeA_7dkj8G_7TmbqMYIuRbNCTRsIZ953pQioB3ZEfEy8MgO1mM1pg7YI6Sk-hlt2XnHSmnbVC9fb1CNqJdAuBbDxvesX0OImm6unJv_SYn0KUfcWsr2Gk1UyeEwp6pG_KdgUqw0zEcW7qYoVLTEeu4V1L111LQc=s666" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="666" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhbcdzOcXAQ5LtED4pzuQoTsHXryzeA_7dkj8G_7TmbqMYIuRbNCTRsIZ953pQioB3ZEfEy8MgO1mM1pg7YI6Sk-hlt2XnHSmnbVC9fb1CNqJdAuBbDxvesX0OImm6unJv_SYn0KUfcWsr2Gk1UyeEwp6pG_KdgUqw0zEcW7qYoVLTEeu4V1L111LQc=s320" width="240" /> </a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg-3LDUxD5HWEiK3Kz39iWBa4tVk42KsfK89h6BudBli4ALMQ3bujfPQz3rde8Z07E67Moi3yyR8KjLeqIvWqTX1wkT234Lcf2T15cDeSWjgTf2BjhyvlTIkMV0fM41NgtR5yShF7D46w6wBbA4YqIVf6B_qBZTwGVEs396A9dzeCpJuXupCdShRt45=s667" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg-3LDUxD5HWEiK3Kz39iWBa4tVk42KsfK89h6BudBli4ALMQ3bujfPQz3rde8Z07E67Moi3yyR8KjLeqIvWqTX1wkT234Lcf2T15cDeSWjgTf2BjhyvlTIkMV0fM41NgtR5yShF7D46w6wBbA4YqIVf6B_qBZTwGVEs396A9dzeCpJuXupCdShRt45=s320" width="240" /></a></span></div><p></p></blockquote><p><br /></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhbcdzOcXAQ5LtED4pzuQoTsHXryzeA_7dkj8G_7TmbqMYIuRbNCTRsIZ953pQioB3ZEfEy8MgO1mM1pg7YI6Sk-hlt2XnHSmnbVC9fb1CNqJdAuBbDxvesX0OImm6unJv_SYn0KUfcWsr2Gk1UyeEwp6pG_KdgUqw0zEcW7qYoVLTEeu4V1L111LQc=s666" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg38NEPUchAh3EG9fqxSGjlMCeZ1uGZXKzoctrkWRFr3P83m_KxwLLLlrT5T-KZVL4a_sOEq4eWxLF-IPDhJ_xutiUmHGXnDV6nVbZDkMqqZBevKYbfupSVxOERSMQIYxmJsFKkelyTrnqszjXeNkSOJ7EX0iDSWhbZ0c7CxpfNh8fA6UtZ4nRwS_-b=s667" style="clear: left; display: inline; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="500" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg38NEPUchAh3EG9fqxSGjlMCeZ1uGZXKzoctrkWRFr3P83m_KxwLLLlrT5T-KZVL4a_sOEq4eWxLF-IPDhJ_xutiUmHGXnDV6nVbZDkMqqZBevKYbfupSVxOERSMQIYxmJsFKkelyTrnqszjXeNkSOJ7EX0iDSWhbZ0c7CxpfNh8fA6UtZ4nRwS_-b=w242-h322" width="242" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhUbXZw2LpIkLZLN2ybfM7LeLrtP4rOhYjpN9WJ7Ix9_jYClePFBwrbTKU02SDIDCmjkkHtdS3thtca6vunAVXHWHxFKK6yZvQz1X6iALVfxs0aK_BbHrBd2fQ3p7RU5CvEsYw0Dh0xlkLl8XJkWKdLG5g5gVUtXJBj3yzgLTSbOWNUcLz1_7e4UIG5=s667" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhUbXZw2LpIkLZLN2ybfM7LeLrtP4rOhYjpN9WJ7Ix9_jYClePFBwrbTKU02SDIDCmjkkHtdS3thtca6vunAVXHWHxFKK6yZvQz1X6iALVfxs0aK_BbHrBd2fQ3p7RU5CvEsYw0Dh0xlkLl8XJkWKdLG5g5gVUtXJBj3yzgLTSbOWNUcLz1_7e4UIG5=s320" width="240" /></a></span></div><p></p></blockquote><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjbfawEBrwgsDFS051T8cFu-ewFFBFsD2iQHKhZcyQnIFSFWfLVDDPUR_2quYEH6_tPiNbGHGrsx4Mlk_HRkdYZPhwnZYK8ouu-qoYx64uVn_DZ1R1bu2xhKF7Jusgpw9bYAYL44cqsPfZK9-QauQsjCrOuOn7JWSRoayTrCXmx0s85tJ8zUTUp44Yd=s667" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg0-lDeaMjNhbhdBCedCFdyXo0YziygZWS9jC-IFNul3fl8pXPaS8B5pOWu1vAY2h5wz9KioMVtIX33MkSHRMvQl3SXWqxwfHHWf-roER__xfMdmdWjQ1L1zPkZLmhYKAb3bfJnTVI_crXp9ut7c8rIiB_aVblNRtIYuJ-tnHpb4PXtfmcwZuzWHExH=s667" style="clear: left; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg0-lDeaMjNhbhdBCedCFdyXo0YziygZWS9jC-IFNul3fl8pXPaS8B5pOWu1vAY2h5wz9KioMVtIX33MkSHRMvQl3SXWqxwfHHWf-roER__xfMdmdWjQ1L1zPkZLmhYKAb3bfJnTVI_crXp9ut7c8rIiB_aVblNRtIYuJ-tnHpb4PXtfmcwZuzWHExH=s320" width="240" /> </a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi9is_-320vCnGavb2BGMWkAGZ9vcItZmfTSNi2vG_0Qzbwqd5zXgU1EiXxABjtqBi4Vml0W-ZNBDb70ubQCC7Z_PmW_CQN4wg4cONArjvPc_gmu594196nQOIen6TGkncfCiP4G4tgNtcdBTKUWQuzu0pOACWmeMc1ZQn9GXTZ26A5ZeK2g05A8DST=s667" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi9is_-320vCnGavb2BGMWkAGZ9vcItZmfTSNi2vG_0Qzbwqd5zXgU1EiXxABjtqBi4Vml0W-ZNBDb70ubQCC7Z_PmW_CQN4wg4cONArjvPc_gmu594196nQOIen6TGkncfCiP4G4tgNtcdBTKUWQuzu0pOACWmeMc1ZQn9GXTZ26A5ZeK2g05A8DST=s320" width="240" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">NZ Gardener offered free dahlia seed to
subscribers this year from Dr Keith Hammett’s breeding programme. Mum’s a
subscriber so I sent off my stamped addressed envelope but because of lockdown
the usual process of sending out free seeds didn’t happen. I finally got
mine in December which is too late for sowing in Southland this season but at
least I have had a practice run! I expect some stunners next year. Goodness knows what I will do with all
the dahlias!!!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div></div>TheGardenGalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01256252154364676859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5608602250140924850.post-43120590314866809472022-01-08T20:48:00.005-08:002022-04-30T15:14:18.515-07:00Growing cucumbers for the first time<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This year we are growing cucumbers for the first time. I choose the heritage variety <i>Marketmore</i> because it's no burp. When the seed arrived the Tidy gardener said "I've got some cucumber seed already (variety <i>Long Green</i>)." We looked at the expiry date and it said 2014!! Not sure why he had seed but nothing to lose we put a few of each in and both varieties came up!! I sold the surplus seven or so plants for $1 each on the local Facebook page and gave a couple away too. So note to self that there is a demand for plants locally. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Two<i> Marketmore</i> cucumbers have been planted in smallest glasshouse and I constructed a climbing frame from metal mesh scavenged from the farm. The frame is proving just right. We have had a problem with some cucumbers being slightly hollow. I think this is due to not enough water. The cucumbers are an early maturing, prickly skin variety, so need to be picked by 15-20cm in length. They are crunchy rather than juicy, and I'm trying to keep a tally, as well as eat as many as I can. The Tidy gardener does not partake!!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgswXgBMmuJZu5Q8wC1Eopv1hAHVpnbU28EWEurmsXzJxUn4LjmkJNmULF_2aZgv6-SZuXyn4NrcO-n2v3PJjY0ERe0Ruob7Y16smZB-DrE2Oyun7zJ1_tsdrL7gI06cXsTcg-UlE-4ANN4mbLUiOSSZdi5mk3TIOhgOh9mnRFGOFKuoED18TwsatPO=s667" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="667" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgswXgBMmuJZu5Q8wC1Eopv1hAHVpnbU28EWEurmsXzJxUn4LjmkJNmULF_2aZgv6-SZuXyn4NrcO-n2v3PJjY0ERe0Ruob7Y16smZB-DrE2Oyun7zJ1_tsdrL7gI06cXsTcg-UlE-4ANN4mbLUiOSSZdi5mk3TIOhgOh9mnRFGOFKuoED18TwsatPO=s320" width="320" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiekxedTTKO8lzwPaeu4TGwsKnUJJgye8KmnZ5xo5bDfHepSMDYvMp57ZK2UZLBUjIGOJI55hqST782q3OHQ9n5jdDVxRxbcrDkPcDMn3wSHLWOy3A16NmAss3dGFHpzD2-oN-qNPz-83LfL4vBrt6Jb2spAZkWCvP3381IrrJip8ztBnVzBuDB5YH-=s667" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiekxedTTKO8lzwPaeu4TGwsKnUJJgye8KmnZ5xo5bDfHepSMDYvMp57ZK2UZLBUjIGOJI55hqST782q3OHQ9n5jdDVxRxbcrDkPcDMn3wSHLWOy3A16NmAss3dGFHpzD2-oN-qNPz-83LfL4vBrt6Jb2spAZkWCvP3381IrrJip8ztBnVzBuDB5YH-=s320" width="240" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></span><p></p>TheGardenGalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01256252154364676859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5608602250140924850.post-92223714685723883192022-01-04T00:35:00.004-08:002022-01-08T20:27:33.022-08:00Desperate for rain<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Less than a month ago I was writing about plenty of spring rain. Now we are desperate for significant rain after some terrible windy days, one after another. We have had some warm days too. Last Sunday, the temperature was 29 degrees celsius, which is a hot day for Southland. It is currently raining and hopefully it will continue all night and into tomorrow. (And it did - we received at least 12mm of rain).</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">My Nelson roses (as I think of them) are flowering well. I bought them as rooted cuttings from the Nelson Heritage Roses AGM in 2019. I was in Nelson taking care of Mum and had the opportunity to go to the meeting. Rambler<i> Excelsa</i> is on the hen paddock fence and nearby is the rambling moss rose<i> Wichmoss. </i>Rambler<i> Blushing Lucy </i>can cope with some shade, so she is at the back of the woodshed, in a bit of a rain shadow but seems to be happy enough there.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiWIPD7TEz2XGiQ7_y2J0Vj11nrivOVvaWoNcNlEhA72b9ZTS9te1tBcppeeqvjAfZioaQ7MAut2Em9mvgkILvFhNU5pWJY0lPgVbzPUNzq2iR_KeYoDN5stj3SNqCc7K1dU-Pg6wn6SYuiELbg0ONFIH2GB0hCbjGPED2KWsGRm8P9JZeF0V1nrE_R=s700" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="525" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiWIPD7TEz2XGiQ7_y2J0Vj11nrivOVvaWoNcNlEhA72b9ZTS9te1tBcppeeqvjAfZioaQ7MAut2Em9mvgkILvFhNU5pWJY0lPgVbzPUNzq2iR_KeYoDN5stj3SNqCc7K1dU-Pg6wn6SYuiELbg0ONFIH2GB0hCbjGPED2KWsGRm8P9JZeF0V1nrE_R=s320" width="240" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> Rambler<i> Excelsa</i><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiCuH19K3H4eO78JETmxEnnscIwwlon2p9hvFyTRm6eZpilnJo5LWP8jh1BeW-lAj5Ka6fpVtWLKj2Dmy7ez-FpsZBIhceJqwC17ZyxTjg9AYkdlqkw2fYpaNKndD2bKCjEbjMTSl1sN8wC9_-aE20PM298RzDg5ku3NZQX_bh7KlatEaZozd4GjBSz=s700" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="525" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiCuH19K3H4eO78JETmxEnnscIwwlon2p9hvFyTRm6eZpilnJo5LWP8jh1BeW-lAj5Ka6fpVtWLKj2Dmy7ez-FpsZBIhceJqwC17ZyxTjg9AYkdlqkw2fYpaNKndD2bKCjEbjMTSl1sN8wC9_-aE20PM298RzDg5ku3NZQX_bh7KlatEaZozd4GjBSz=s320" width="240" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><span> <i>Wichmoss </i>- almost finished flowering for the season<br /></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><i style="font-family: arial;">Blushing Lucy</i><span style="font-family: arial;"> is having a problem loading, so no photo. Instead, here is my other new hybrid tea rose <i>Perfume Delight, </i>with a fantastic fragrance, a beautiful bud and lovely blooms.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEirYGpt13u4ukQRw1efmTIVOxpK-1-vW-2NtrpikFDBX3cDPQy737rPWS5ukDZgbuOsvr4bNGOP1_3C3af8JMQOnvZDwPMK5q_sSTi6Tk3thAihe54xuu0I6Oc35lqjux4GGc-gBTEmoeZzQPVwcC6UgQsNvViHdgC_aA2PSja34omwYQhawYZ9Kvtp=s700" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="525" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEirYGpt13u4ukQRw1efmTIVOxpK-1-vW-2NtrpikFDBX3cDPQy737rPWS5ukDZgbuOsvr4bNGOP1_3C3af8JMQOnvZDwPMK5q_sSTi6Tk3thAihe54xuu0I6Oc35lqjux4GGc-gBTEmoeZzQPVwcC6UgQsNvViHdgC_aA2PSja34omwYQhawYZ9Kvtp=s320" width="240" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><span><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>TheGardenGalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01256252154364676859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5608602250140924850.post-21394007552075172642021-12-25T23:35:00.003-08:002022-01-04T00:39:44.642-08:00Another Christmas past<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Time continues to march onward. Weeds and growth wait for no one, but if the recent winds keep up, everything will be dried to a crisp!!! It is now dry for the time of year and the forecast rains have so far not fallen. The roses have taken a battering but yesterday there were buds suitable for a Christmas arrangement for my special friend Kay. I know progress has been made when I have enough flowers to make an arrangement - though both the rose and the conifer pre date my arrival to Holt Cottage. The roses are beginning to flower earlier in the summer - though that may be due in part to the time they were pruned.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh4wZjfS2h1iYdlBhpM0R1DkmnYhmt_M1cfQhwq6cc_oqI09Fsk1xDgO74_Ygthi-IS_yCP0LqM_D8QBQ2VhGqE9Tevog0-MweBz4HG23MJBSYePdPqNs7W0d4CwJQbKCUFBVJaCcD2308-URp6Z72hed6aYXe_VMm1P9xxYIuTA79pM9j8CKLpqSHd=s700" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="525" data-original-width="700" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh4wZjfS2h1iYdlBhpM0R1DkmnYhmt_M1cfQhwq6cc_oqI09Fsk1xDgO74_Ygthi-IS_yCP0LqM_D8QBQ2VhGqE9Tevog0-MweBz4HG23MJBSYePdPqNs7W0d4CwJQbKCUFBVJaCcD2308-URp6Z72hed6aYXe_VMm1P9xxYIuTA79pM9j8CKLpqSHd=s320" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">My special friend Rocket had a big number birthday on Christmas eve - now 11 years old. She is great company and loves the garden too. Like me she isn't that keen on having her photo taken.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhjpLq8rbPMlASt4exHGUBQ14AW7G9Z0aUJUcLVHWASDIe8MzxCyrhxmIR2rq0L1bC2lyUiuiQwS78_aiVjzMTnQtAersbUcjdBiGWP7EnFTMypRZZWavIHMRyWE7vPOfCdwA-Z5vei_-p5gkngbpGUPOFjff_j2sbQyvBPUd7pIQx-xuiGYmB_qmNN=s700" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="525" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhjpLq8rbPMlASt4exHGUBQ14AW7G9Z0aUJUcLVHWASDIe8MzxCyrhxmIR2rq0L1bC2lyUiuiQwS78_aiVjzMTnQtAersbUcjdBiGWP7EnFTMypRZZWavIHMRyWE7vPOfCdwA-Z5vei_-p5gkngbpGUPOFjff_j2sbQyvBPUd7pIQx-xuiGYmB_qmNN=s320" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>TheGardenGalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01256252154364676859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5608602250140924850.post-87808299514392400602021-12-08T14:51:00.005-08:002021-12-08T14:51:51.527-08:00The upside of plenty of spring rain<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The upside to plenty of spring rain is that the roses are flowering well. Manure
makes a big difference too!! I didn't manage to get them sprayed this spring,
and just hoping they will be ok by trying to pick off black spot leaves. The
scent from the roses and honey suckle is just glorious at present. One of my new
roses Big Purple has flowered - I am very impressed. As the buds showed their
colour, I thought oh no, it's a red rose that will age to purple. I was proved
wrong and it's that lovely colour similar to Blackberry Nip. The stems are
lovely and long and the two blooms so far have thornless stems and it smells
divine too - so very very happy with my selection especially as I 'bought' it on
loyalty points!!</span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjqo0Kxy6J4FwVZs81Q0ANdhz-LUz9EevYC1pi4D_5p7Y-piEO4KNzfHncig2nxR1NuBy6LHFRbfQTOJx0UdfUqZ24R2Pkm0Rbmcy3Gruq373thAi3nLevhgCOtRxxzFr8PLLPgGwOmDdxA4XMQs0aMZBas7beSwOt8HkqvHElH_D40po0vGH7uzLcm=s700" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="525" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjqo0Kxy6J4FwVZs81Q0ANdhz-LUz9EevYC1pi4D_5p7Y-piEO4KNzfHncig2nxR1NuBy6LHFRbfQTOJx0UdfUqZ24R2Pkm0Rbmcy3Gruq373thAi3nLevhgCOtRxxzFr8PLLPgGwOmDdxA4XMQs0aMZBas7beSwOt8HkqvHElH_D40po0vGH7uzLcm=s320" width="240" /></a></div> <span> </span><span> </span><i>Rosa Big Purple</i><br />
</span></div>TheGardenGalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01256252154364676859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5608602250140924850.post-3956073967959005172021-11-21T19:12:00.004-08:002022-04-30T15:04:43.997-07:00Looking back - making progress<p> <span style="font-size: medium;">I have just been reading back in the blog about the rhododendrons I planted last year - I haven't managed to name them all yet - I seem to be missing a couple in Corduroy's paddock. <i> R. Virginia Richards</i> is there in the back and flowered beautifully this season, so that leaves the possibility that it is <i>R. Blue Peter</i> under the ash tree. Also there are probably <i>Cotton Candy, FFP, Gwen Bell </i>and<i> Chevalier Felix de Sauvage</i>. Another late flowerer still to identify. There have been deaths -<i> R. Mother Bear</i> died and a whole group of established ones also died - these were<i> R. Bumble Bee, R. Van Dec and R. Bud Flanagan.</i> <i> R. Aunt Martha and R. Nicholas</i> (this one is nearest the neighbours @ 214 Main) weren't happy where they were, so have hopefully managed to save them by moving them to the top side of the cherry tree. Maybe they were too wet. <i> R. Blue Boy</i> is in a group with them, and while growing slowly, has flowered this year.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhC6-yL-vV0Rkw9fMykFXpinIA6-au8H8JerulL0n9i8jz7bMNQcNIj-yQlmtKg_SRM10bMpmp-35GdjlKGKeN1zOnsA63nu9EIZ7KLq2ogaSaQf7PDtHHzPFi92NwWz_7ad6vCllA2GMdSzxCUGtFQc17ZrdMWt4wr8ARxJxzSd-b9Squ6dHDG3DOD=s667" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhC6-yL-vV0Rkw9fMykFXpinIA6-au8H8JerulL0n9i8jz7bMNQcNIj-yQlmtKg_SRM10bMpmp-35GdjlKGKeN1zOnsA63nu9EIZ7KLq2ogaSaQf7PDtHHzPFi92NwWz_7ad6vCllA2GMdSzxCUGtFQc17ZrdMWt4wr8ARxJxzSd-b9Squ6dHDG3DOD=s320" width="240" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"> <i> </i><i>Rhododendron Cheer </i>- my earliest flowerer</span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjMgZLVlwfD2Nnytxrbt6iskhuPV5ANmeB11y3Ah8Z6BkPEL65J8fZGh_lyx1-sE0u85NntHKETFg6YFGSLh7fWbQ04ljKldzHt8HR6ciH-En8-9IXfnrbCGfW1UR-CV072ShBEDZLhJbB9Kge9RrF_jQpibSQNY6VkRoG4PNr-_wHSSscjm3Hn1X8P=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjMgZLVlwfD2Nnytxrbt6iskhuPV5ANmeB11y3Ah8Z6BkPEL65J8fZGh_lyx1-sE0u85NntHKETFg6YFGSLh7fWbQ04ljKldzHt8HR6ciH-En8-9IXfnrbCGfW1UR-CV072ShBEDZLhJbB9Kge9RrF_jQpibSQNY6VkRoG4PNr-_wHSSscjm3Hn1X8P=s320" width="240" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"> <i> </i><i><span> </span>Rhododendron Virginia Richards</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p>TheGardenGalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01256252154364676859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5608602250140924850.post-15687304758810131612021-11-09T23:11:00.005-08:002022-04-30T15:01:34.792-07:00Looking for momentum<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I've lost some momentum as far as writing the blog goes - calf rearing has taken a lot of hours and energy this year and is now winding down. I've been weeding the garden when I can and enjoying the glory of the spring garden. I have tried to take photos even though I haven't got to write the blog.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span>The spring was very wet with fewer frosts. The downside of this appears to be a extremely poor plum set. There was flooding in the hen paddock for what felt like weeks and all the grass has </span><span>died there - all the trees have thankfully survived. It was so wet there had to be a pallet island constructed next to the hen house to give the hens a dry place for breakfast!! Prior to the flooding I managed to shift, with the help of the Tidy gardener, Rhodendron Mrs JP Lade a couple of metres up the bank (further under the spread of the cherry tree ). She is flowering at present so I think happy with the move - she would have definitely drowned had I not moved her. On the upside there is a great set of both pears and apples and the garden is starting to look very established and colourful in places. A number of the new rhododendrons have flowered for the first time.</span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgUIbT9ATH0raMQV8emCipXpxo3y09TtXu_AjySl-Vcx2I4E9S3nc6GSKZsErKtISgb6JUferDUGJIVgcadc5viEiI-1eWa2lycWLtd33uXkMDtEmfr7vxQmNm6tdT1uwnSQBL-IE5HqhwOign-7YZAReV3IrifFZxMqJqCBO9OpgaMbVQlLqbaE3Oe=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgUIbT9ATH0raMQV8emCipXpxo3y09TtXu_AjySl-Vcx2I4E9S3nc6GSKZsErKtISgb6JUferDUGJIVgcadc5viEiI-1eWa2lycWLtd33uXkMDtEmfr7vxQmNm6tdT1uwnSQBL-IE5HqhwOign-7YZAReV3IrifFZxMqJqCBO9OpgaMbVQlLqbaE3Oe=s320" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Rhododendron Golden Gate - planted next to the path gate that divides the front garden from the back.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p>TheGardenGalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01256252154364676859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5608602250140924850.post-39969831724734096622021-08-02T00:18:00.006-07:002022-04-30T14:59:07.961-07:00It's a wet beginning to Spring<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> <span>It has been a wet start to Spring. There are crocuses flowering as well as snowdrops. I shifted some of the double snowdrops last year under the<i> Magnolia stellata</i> - I must try to spread out the clumps this year. I bought some spring bulbs in pots from a roadside stall in Nelson when I was with Mum in the autumn - one pot was labelled English snowdrops - they were in flower very early and seem very tall, so with the hope that they are different to what I already have they have been planted under the holly tree. I have some other miniature treasures from the same source that I can't wait to see flower. They're grouped together in a pot and hopefully by the time they flower I'll be able to decide where their permanent home will be.</span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV7tSebmRewVP2rONftyvX7Hs6Dwbtx4tEugzY7ZVWFXuCs9HYr5j-38jNJbc_5v6bW-Fga_qNDbukB3Lr3byqp0ZC0p8amsdOLPht0rwvhztWtkCkTYwfoKBKdxN723O9VVh8MIX5N1c/s700/IMG_0173resized.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="525" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV7tSebmRewVP2rONftyvX7Hs6Dwbtx4tEugzY7ZVWFXuCs9HYr5j-38jNJbc_5v6bW-Fga_qNDbukB3Lr3byqp0ZC0p8amsdOLPht0rwvhztWtkCkTYwfoKBKdxN723O9VVh8MIX5N1c/s320/IMG_0173resized.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span>Floral art for July was a design to showcase the beauty of bark</span></span><br /></span><p></p>TheGardenGalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01256252154364676859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5608602250140924850.post-29703082274717741942021-07-05T01:37:00.004-07:002021-07-05T01:42:43.843-07:00Two new roses<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">June has been decidedly wet and cold and gardening has not been top priority. Now it's July and two fine and warm days have meant the urge to get outside in the garden has been strong. I have managed to get my two new hybrid tea roses in the ground - in the warmest sunniest spot still available in the garden. I was luckily enough to use my Nichols loyalty points to buy <i>Big Purple</i> and<i> Perfume Delight. </i>I have chosen these two as they meet my criteria for perfume, as well as they have long stems, so should be good for cutting. The downslide of the chosen spot is that the neighbour's raspberries have migrated to our side of the fence. I have dug down and made a barrier of corrugated iron to stop any more coming through but time will tell whether I have got all the roots out!!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I find early winter is often a depressing time in the garden. Things look drab, leaves are rotting and there looks like there is not a lot to see. It is a good time to see if the structure could be improved; if there are enough evergreen plants versus deciduous ones and if there are some special interesting plants for the winter season. I took a walk around the garden looking for leaves that were interesting in mid June and I was pleased with how many I was able to find. There is room for more ever greens. I know some patience is required as once the rhododendrons grow and establish, they will become more dominant. Additionally, I have buxus cuttings that I can use to make more box balls. Once the hellebores start to flower (and there are at least four flowering now) and when bulbs start to shoot, then then things start to become more interesting. The winter sweet and the witch hazel are also just starting to flower. I bought plants from Marshlands Nursery at the end of May - these were a birthday treat from my Mum. Some of these have been planted and some repotted awaiting a decision on the best place to plant these. The list will be for another post.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div dir="rtl"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihvD2QZI-j00UgvGzPBHd6Ak6UuF_rrlCf255wf3_wCT3F24e9kHCu6s9NuYAdS0IP9G8r0ZvVT8jfIqsJwADCYNHSwzs2LGhHotdReLTZBXl95EyfYGwTg7e0DhXbH8C5yiYyoQ-Zzp4/s700/IMG_0018resize.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="525" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihvD2QZI-j00UgvGzPBHd6Ak6UuF_rrlCf255wf3_wCT3F24e9kHCu6s9NuYAdS0IP9G8r0ZvVT8jfIqsJwADCYNHSwzs2LGhHotdReLTZBXl95EyfYGwTg7e0DhXbH8C5yiYyoQ-Zzp4/w150-h200/IMG_0018resize.JPG" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJUJ7fqofAonPC4XfK7P2c3eoTjKZKVBIDbHdVRDCW6oJtx9n6baaA2iSI21iHc5XUBVO9_b6dE08b_8ckKzjQP0HWFAIG6tIWhr199thy3qBWBSejl7UXBzdqMnaKcnmWc_qyx6WbxVM/s700/IMG_0024+%25282%2529resize.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="525" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJUJ7fqofAonPC4XfK7P2c3eoTjKZKVBIDbHdVRDCW6oJtx9n6baaA2iSI21iHc5XUBVO9_b6dE08b_8ckKzjQP0HWFAIG6tIWhr199thy3qBWBSejl7UXBzdqMnaKcnmWc_qyx6WbxVM/w150-h200/IMG_0024+%25282%2529resize.JPG" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic-yXpgsAv17KuXjT-KSrX_vwQMXm8TUrw9Rs-5COhcnOuMGHrxGXA12dXWgVn0GtPrXnx-7ztg5tA1gVEfMANswB8yX80ca8WZelQpNcNVKxEzKwjFLIMYtS4hYHL9ZtW59BUKye1V7A/s700/IMG_0029+%25282resize%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="525" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic-yXpgsAv17KuXjT-KSrX_vwQMXm8TUrw9Rs-5COhcnOuMGHrxGXA12dXWgVn0GtPrXnx-7ztg5tA1gVEfMANswB8yX80ca8WZelQpNcNVKxEzKwjFLIMYtS4hYHL9ZtW59BUKye1V7A/w150-h200/IMG_0029+%25282resize%2529.JPG" width="150" /></a></div><div dir="rtl"><br /></div><div dir="rtl"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6BKbUMvuRNB-rAUB55E2ei2OaRdKWb7cK8owNYwbsMyAPMyIMgMzx60hQ9AvLXshyphenhyphenHXAv3BLcs2KbkreHIROejwjws7ojH9rX5LK7zlgU7jLujVgwzf0UstMEBvjTE33WXJh64tloOwQ/s700/IMG_0032+%25282%2529resize.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="525" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6BKbUMvuRNB-rAUB55E2ei2OaRdKWb7cK8owNYwbsMyAPMyIMgMzx60hQ9AvLXshyphenhyphenHXAv3BLcs2KbkreHIROejwjws7ojH9rX5LK7zlgU7jLujVgwzf0UstMEBvjTE33WXJh64tloOwQ/w150-h200/IMG_0032+%25282%2529resize.JPG" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjibwkI-DAYR7BT7aObXliBbFn-51qGu3wt5aNq1XZ_BJxdbBhNlhJASZTiw3yO35sQqZjQZMPLZB5SducVJPYlJymd7lxrXNtuTWGqkUe7MHpHwQet3vgGJMnS5G9px6Qm8R4HRyA2Oik/s700/IMG_0042resize.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="525" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjibwkI-DAYR7BT7aObXliBbFn-51qGu3wt5aNq1XZ_BJxdbBhNlhJASZTiw3yO35sQqZjQZMPLZB5SducVJPYlJymd7lxrXNtuTWGqkUe7MHpHwQet3vgGJMnS5G9px6Qm8R4HRyA2Oik/w150-h200/IMG_0042resize.JPG" width="150" /></a></div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDvppTm0Hk3-EwAAzgVIAC4ajUE-eB_FGo4DJ8qne4T-h7swTERkS5XkhkSqGMhR5JDyNWHr66QSvxwHoF5Vth6D5ovyLQXaaHmHBa6ardNlM2dyOUEYQUc-bV9Mua5hCQUUJ2NTcwmTU/s700/IMG_0043+%25282%2529resize.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="525" data-original-width="700" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDvppTm0Hk3-EwAAzgVIAC4ajUE-eB_FGo4DJ8qne4T-h7swTERkS5XkhkSqGMhR5JDyNWHr66QSvxwHoF5Vth6D5ovyLQXaaHmHBa6ardNlM2dyOUEYQUc-bV9Mua5hCQUUJ2NTcwmTU/w200-h150/IMG_0043+%25282%2529resize.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqDw_UPVzdFjlBnbZJLzvr5Kff9e329Sb85sWBejrX1Ga8WWMf-SFsJMuCHg2zxz050-bZ1mSdBcGd9S7KyhkgmsIS5RyqCrdlmHY2WnweyaaE3k-EAn96rc9D0jlhxRbTfrBUVIHqn0Q/s700/IMG_0051+%25283%2529resize.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="525" data-original-width="700" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqDw_UPVzdFjlBnbZJLzvr5Kff9e329Sb85sWBejrX1Ga8WWMf-SFsJMuCHg2zxz050-bZ1mSdBcGd9S7KyhkgmsIS5RyqCrdlmHY2WnweyaaE3k-EAn96rc9D0jlhxRbTfrBUVIHqn0Q/w200-h150/IMG_0051+%25283%2529resize.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE6iNIsIKxdlt4LkXgV4dmwknrX_wPQL7MspbTIWvu4Kyt6PuyCz85qbMhn4v2IWcygex2dWNK3wpDMx-va1eHO8WK7n4yt30ZAufHd56KNAE9-8XjHmQPS7Yd4Bv4JuSgs4jSFPKaFAE/s700/IMG_0033resize.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="525" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE6iNIsIKxdlt4LkXgV4dmwknrX_wPQL7MspbTIWvu4Kyt6PuyCz85qbMhn4v2IWcygex2dWNK3wpDMx-va1eHO8WK7n4yt30ZAufHd56KNAE9-8XjHmQPS7Yd4Bv4JuSgs4jSFPKaFAE/w150-h200/IMG_0033resize.JPG" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxIWFGHXRdV1vd6cuKltZBNm-gFLfTKsCDavwnuc81dUZuIbdzCE3xOZO8kYLz_zksV-f7AIe201XK3QBiDRr6LZuR2sHEfQqX8eupBtkkSmbQRP50vNODODOYeesHYkkVX2aDNGWTB8E/s700/IMG_0041+%25283%2529resize.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="525" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxIWFGHXRdV1vd6cuKltZBNm-gFLfTKsCDavwnuc81dUZuIbdzCE3xOZO8kYLz_zksV-f7AIe201XK3QBiDRr6LZuR2sHEfQqX8eupBtkkSmbQRP50vNODODOYeesHYkkVX2aDNGWTB8E/w150-h200/IMG_0041+%25283%2529resize.JPG" width="150" /></a></div><br />TheGardenGalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01256252154364676859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5608602250140924850.post-67869241645693666542021-06-05T01:08:00.004-07:002021-07-05T00:37:47.328-07:00Yummy Feijoa jam<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span>I forgot to mention feijoas in my last blog post – they are
a definite positive in a warmer climate.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span>I keep hoping my </span><i>Unique</i><span> feijoa will grow huge and the fruit will
ripen before the frosts hit – but unless the climate warms up dramatically, I just can’t see it happening!!</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I will just make note of the recipe I used to make the jam I
returned home with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I made it in two
lots so the recipe should be halved – it sets quicker doing it this way.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">3kg peeled feijoas, one fresh pineapple, 2 cups of water, 1
cup preserved ginger chopped up, 4 tablespoons lemon juice, 2kg of sugar, ¼
teaspoons cardamon – cook fruit pulp until soft before adding the sugar –
yields approximately 13 small jars.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s
real yummy!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Talking about yummy, I’ve also made a sort of conserve with
feijoas in the past. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">1kg feijoas, 750g fresh pineapple, one sweet orange using
both rind and flesh, 150g crystalised ginger, one cup of water and sugar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cook pulp for 30 minutes, then measure pulp
allowing ¾ cup of sugar to each cup of pulp, then boil a further 30 minutes
until setting point is reached.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">It has been great to reconnect with my floral art friends
now I’m home again. This last month we
had a workshop ‘Fun with flax’. I know
the garden is improving when I can find foliage for arrangements, even if
flowers are lacking at this time of year.
The red dogwood <i>Cornus alba sibirica</i> is getting quite established
and it’s good to utilise the red twigs in arrangements. Note to self - to cut it back in early spring
to as low as 8cm to encourage new fresh growth – at the moment it is heading
into a tree – I’d like to keep it a little more under control!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidpU47Ljt-VFrGiKzDMY0nUg2MftTXeMHyEqoo9UcD2DQbaqU-RYm6B3S5-aubhJjsCTqo3v39Gif7ArEHa4WARHip4VbykO1MpgZWhMg5OuN3vGDqQFDaXjfzkbNyhIsZgOUWdR_5pbg/s700/IMG_2939resizeMay2021.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="525" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidpU47Ljt-VFrGiKzDMY0nUg2MftTXeMHyEqoo9UcD2DQbaqU-RYm6B3S5-aubhJjsCTqo3v39Gif7ArEHa4WARHip4VbykO1MpgZWhMg5OuN3vGDqQFDaXjfzkbNyhIsZgOUWdR_5pbg/s320/IMG_2939resizeMay2021.JPG" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Foliage design in a tall tapered container using <i>Yellow wave</i> flax (<i>Phormium</i>), red dogwood twigs, <i>lophomyrtus Red dragon</i>, <i>Pittosporum Elizabeth</i>, conifer and ivy leaves with three<i> Black Prince</i> apples - all from the garden!</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>TheGardenGalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01256252154364676859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5608602250140924850.post-88249886552996226502021-05-23T01:44:00.006-07:002021-08-01T01:30:14.685-07:00Gratitude<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I have been away for a few weeks caring for my Mum.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">It’s not easy abandoning the garden at Holt
Cottage but there are positives.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">I got
to work in my Mum’s garden.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">I find
working in someone else’s garden makes you really appreciate things in your own
garden.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Mum downsized and moved to a little house on a flat section
four years ago. The little courtyard
garden was lovely (and still is) but as time has gone on it has been
interesting to see the plants that have not survived due to a lack of water,
unsuitable plants and overplanting. I did remove a few plants too that Mum had
decided just had to go due to their size or failure to thrive.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">It is very pleasant living in a warmer climate, but the
downside is that more water is needed, especially, if the plants in the garden
are not well adapted to living with minimal water. Water is metered and you pay
for what you use. Mum has a water butt
and is great at saving grey water but this has not been enough to keep many of
the rhododendrons and azaleas alive. We
are fortunate that we have an abundance of rain here in Southland and additionally
have more ability to save and store water on our bigger property.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The poor soil in the garden at Hellebore Cottage is
unbelievable and Mum really does her best to mulch. This year pea straw was $19/bale delivered –
almost double the price here in Southland!! I weeded – trying to get rid of as much of the
oxalis as I could before applying sheep and poultry manure pellets, layering
with sheets of newspaper and finally pea straw.
A big job even in a small garden and thank goodness I don’t have oxalis
at Holt Cottage. I try to be very
careful with any plant material I bring from Mum’s garden.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkSCo9oSqS_68JQocTX5brdCl_6cegGGX0KsIRmkvVpPk-tCi0Dg77o_yEYYYuxSL6BKEm1oDlVUdn_9yv1TAPDgGAcS5AFRYWQJo_7ssXhqVi5k54UgKoCCLdhwbK5I7y8B3MqpHhTVU/s700/IMG_2911.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="525" data-original-width="700" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkSCo9oSqS_68JQocTX5brdCl_6cegGGX0KsIRmkvVpPk-tCi0Dg77o_yEYYYuxSL6BKEm1oDlVUdn_9yv1TAPDgGAcS5AFRYWQJo_7ssXhqVi5k54UgKoCCLdhwbK5I7y8B3MqpHhTVU/s320/IMG_2911.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I found a very cute little fairy house while out walking near Mum's house. It made me consider there might be room for a fairy house or two in the garden here.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">It was very special to see the king fisher sitting on the
powerlines in Nikau Street, however I am thankful we have no powerlines to mar
the view from the garden here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite
the weed growth, and the catch up required, it is so good to be back home with the
tidy gardener.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He did a great job
keeping lawns mowed, raking leaves and putting on frost cloth in my absence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did bring home some new plants too ……. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>homes need to be found for these!!</span><o:p></o:p></p>TheGardenGalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01256252154364676859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5608602250140924850.post-86206119422997351442021-03-22T01:11:00.003-07:002022-04-30T14:47:51.006-07:00March is apple and pear harvest month at Holt Cottage<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">March is apple and pear harvest month at Holt Cottage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve just been looking back at the dates I
recorded last year and they are fairly consistent with this year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We picked the big pears from main pear tree
(unknown variety) 28 February and finished off picking the ones we left behind
on the 17 March.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The small ones grow a
lot in the couple of weeks when the load is removed from the tree.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This year there is a much smaller crop after
an enormous crop last year, so much so that I haven’t bottled any but frozen
them instead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The <i>Doyenne du comice</i>
pear we picked on 14 March.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last year I
learnt about the need to let these mature in cool storage and so they sit in
the fridge for almost a month.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
allows them to become sweeter and less coarse.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span>Apple<i> Mrs Peasgood Nonsuch</i> was picked on 3 March
followed by the eating apple (which I’ve nick named <i>Red 218</i> – this was grafted
from one of the existing ringbarked trees in the garden when we first arrived)
on 5 March.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I let the birds tell me
these are ready even if the pips are not quite brown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My young apple trees <i>Monty’s surprise</i>
and <i>Mrs Ryan’s Hospital</i> (grafted from local historic garden) had a
handful of apples (second year fruiting) and were picked 12 March<i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Holt’s chance</i> (grafted from local roadside
tree) and <i>Yorkshire G</i></span><i>reening</i><span> were picked 19 March.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i>Black Prince </i><span>on the 21 March.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span>Leaving only the </span><i>Sturmer</i><span> to
harvest.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span>This season I used a biological
control agent <i>Madex 2 </i></span><span>to see if I could start to reduce the amount of codling
moth.</span><span> </span><span>Except for the </span><i>Black Prince </i><span>tree,
which was badly affected, I think there is less damage.</span><span> </span><span>It was supposed to be applied at three weekly
intervals but due to weather and being away, I only managed one application.</span><span> </span><span>I also thinned all apples this year and that
has resulted in more good-sized apples.</span><span>
</span><span>I estimate the crop is about 140kg and of course, that is far in excess
of our needs.</span><span> </span><span>I am not sure what I was
thinking planting so many trees, except that I wanted to make sure the varieties
were saved for another generation.</span><span> </span><span>Next
season, I need to thin much harder and also try summer pruning to reduce the size of
some of the trees. Perhaps we can utilise the excess fruit somehow in the future. Apple pie production maybe??</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span><span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX9hLetYcepDGfS_x1oHdh444HGjvQd-GNVhoeS813hWIuUUjVcfmNI6nhWWxyu5nPLYdUeyPEsfUQLgRpGxrHXNK9goql_4LZN0f3UHRVqXqGUaB1S2jBvutgKWH8u4rysoTlRwdfoQs/s700/IMG_2808+%25282%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="525" data-original-width="700" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX9hLetYcepDGfS_x1oHdh444HGjvQd-GNVhoeS813hWIuUUjVcfmNI6nhWWxyu5nPLYdUeyPEsfUQLgRpGxrHXNK9goql_4LZN0f3UHRVqXqGUaB1S2jBvutgKWH8u4rysoTlRwdfoQs/s320/IMG_2808+%25282%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>TheGardenGalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01256252154364676859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5608602250140924850.post-84213632000346697642021-03-06T19:50:00.003-08:002021-03-06T19:50:54.920-08:00It's been a great plum crop this year<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">It’s been a great plum crop this year. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The birds were helping themselves so I think
we picked during the first week in February. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, a meagre harvest on the yellow plum – I
think a lot were lost to the wind and none at all on the Purple King.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kay’s red fleshed plum had a great crop, so
much that there were enough plums to give some to friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I managed to stew and freeze about 19 1kg
containers, make plum and apple chutney and some plum sauce – both new
recipes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course, I wrote down what I
modified from the sauce recipe as I felt it has too much sugar, but now I can’t
find my notes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I modified the Plum Sauce
recipe from the book <i>In a Pickle by Kirsten Day</i> – I’m sure I reduced the sugar
to one cup per kg of plums.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will have
to see if it affects the keeping quality. Maybe my notes will turn up.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSzYjfNSO4MPc0q5znebekDsRLmM8bQMOpmyhjcA9O0A1VC9HvcQcWGuk58F_P5tKzoCvbDwOmrJTVWpUoZ27zac-FljnlbiGCd6vq1jcp9DjV__TxMdGWfFKBGRT6wPrfP23KbmHoqRM/s700/IMG_2702resizeplumsauce.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="525" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSzYjfNSO4MPc0q5znebekDsRLmM8bQMOpmyhjcA9O0A1VC9HvcQcWGuk58F_P5tKzoCvbDwOmrJTVWpUoZ27zac-FljnlbiGCd6vq1jcp9DjV__TxMdGWfFKBGRT6wPrfP23KbmHoqRM/s320/IMG_2702resizeplumsauce.JPG" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p>TheGardenGalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01256252154364676859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5608602250140924850.post-67615610632593650332021-02-16T00:45:00.004-08:002021-08-01T01:33:42.716-07:00Hardy geraniums<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I was given a couple of hardy geraniums by friends in Scotland, to take back to my first garden with flowers in North Wales more than 20 years ago and I've been in love with them ever since. Gradually, I am amassing any hardy geraniums I can find to grow in Holt Cottage garden.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM0VaVX50MLag2cMLdHqo8wTOSOh5aD2nkkgVQEm3UJpnczmd1ZcMtbyPT_oL6AtU2bh86eauS6OJOdLuHyMMOUkYS3RgrKOs7SaLl7-kQs1kmeAXiF8lFbUkBhs1bVbxNl70EsviBBJA/s700/IMG_2562+%25282%2529billwallis.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="525" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM0VaVX50MLag2cMLdHqo8wTOSOh5aD2nkkgVQEm3UJpnczmd1ZcMtbyPT_oL6AtU2bh86eauS6OJOdLuHyMMOUkYS3RgrKOs7SaLl7-kQs1kmeAXiF8lFbUkBhs1bVbxNl70EsviBBJA/s320/IMG_2562+%25282%2529billwallis.JPG" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><i>Geranium pyrenaicum Bill Wallis</i> has tiny but bright flowers and is beginning to self seed. I have established it either side of the gate between the pear orchard and the walnut tree garden.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi-qfHxya-tY4na5emIjyHUZ7aAUi1oz8MvgJDUk0QE60a1r6x4f7fW3Vyfrbr6dgxMOZucclPUW9m5gIk3JM9O8uMq6N6QHV6YU9dHpF_AgsKNaRHJUlEeOM2nN76FjuEzN7Zf6p8QW8/s700/IMG_2563+%25282%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="525" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi-qfHxya-tY4na5emIjyHUZ7aAUi1oz8MvgJDUk0QE60a1r6x4f7fW3Vyfrbr6dgxMOZucclPUW9m5gIk3JM9O8uMq6N6QHV6YU9dHpF_AgsKNaRHJUlEeOM2nN76FjuEzN7Zf6p8QW8/s320/IMG_2563+%25282%2529.JPG" /></a></div><i>Geranium oxonianum Katherine Adele</i> is a groundcover near <i>G. Bill Wallis</i> and under the sweetheart rose <i>Bloomfield Abundance.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi-rY4NPQ8wBNCB6-AXk8aJrPnijqhvKZ2DF9FXmyVFBEe3y2qh1RGrcaWNx4fL9VOfxT0SkySbHjU7VFlVqQ0zRV-crsGXSBdkTCIJmOkJRk_lKydP9Z3290UuDGMj60jq6M_-Vz6Z64/s700/IMG_2564+%25282%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="525" data-original-width="700" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi-rY4NPQ8wBNCB6-AXk8aJrPnijqhvKZ2DF9FXmyVFBEe3y2qh1RGrcaWNx4fL9VOfxT0SkySbHjU7VFlVqQ0zRV-crsGXSBdkTCIJmOkJRk_lKydP9Z3290UuDGMj60jq6M_-Vz6Z64/s320/IMG_2564+%25282%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Geranium oxonianum Pearl Boland</i> is a mass of beautiful flowers along side the fence close to <i>Ceris Forest Pansy</i></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNXKZQfEPLznR56SmXrttlWMG181xU3wNNazsssWtmIPFJYi20EVEa8hKpSA5k2Ojr9F200o87RIjlujf2GBhKce_8-j7BCbUFgErmmE4RW4bZzs6KjDWL6u4BN-gyK7EOAwf3_RTUS7I/s700/IMG_2565+%25282%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="525" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNXKZQfEPLznR56SmXrttlWMG181xU3wNNazsssWtmIPFJYi20EVEa8hKpSA5k2Ojr9F200o87RIjlujf2GBhKce_8-j7BCbUFgErmmE4RW4bZzs6KjDWL6u4BN-gyK7EOAwf3_RTUS7I/s320/IMG_2565+%25282%2529.JPG" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><i>Geranium himalayense hybrid Rozanne </i>has flowers from spring until autumn, growing near <i>Rhododendron Cory Koster</i></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNULVYl3u3JYOf7vRYDQBFaFaDOMlXewIx9FfVY6B3uSKXzus89bXChh48FIg5jAWhuwyZb3DEwSrJrEPFXJ63H3D_Oa8uqF1EFQ0E3LowLkeQeG0TOP6NoOZ6Xq454Dyqho-apyEBvEU/s700/IMG_2567.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="525" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNULVYl3u3JYOf7vRYDQBFaFaDOMlXewIx9FfVY6B3uSKXzus89bXChh48FIg5jAWhuwyZb3DEwSrJrEPFXJ63H3D_Oa8uqF1EFQ0E3LowLkeQeG0TOP6NoOZ6Xq454Dyqho-apyEBvEU/s320/IMG_2567.JPG" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><i>Geranium wallichianum Buxton's Variety has trailing flowers - it disappears in winter - planted in the Cherry tree garden near to Pseudowintera Lime light</i></span><p></p>TheGardenGalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01256252154364676859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5608602250140924850.post-85277910195309092022021-01-22T00:37:00.004-08:002021-01-22T00:38:09.552-08:00Gooseberry with pineapple and ginger<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Jam time – this year I’ve tried something slightly
different.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gooseberry with pineapple and
ginger, in an effort to make use of the gooseberries in the freezer from last
year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Winged it a bit as I didn't have an exact recipe. </span>It took a while to set but I think
that was partly due to the size of the batch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Just over 3kg gooseberries, one fresh pineapple, one cup of water and
one cup of preserved ginger meant the pan was fairly full.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Added an extra cup of sugar (11 cups in
total) and a tablespoon of lemon juice in order to help get it to set.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is a good consistency so I think the
cooking time was about right. 13 jars total - I will need to gift some of it as that's an awful lot of jam!</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcoGwHWajNwzklm60R8rzjf38w4ZDT2VGUoM4oJc54hBosc1Sx5Nu4Enh_4h7meX7sSmua7xk7oipEPjMRRp4uBkCOZoYNzhL4EwcnDnFHyD0bOR8VmlXeP61LM7I4ofsh6EKIrWaZbXs/s700/IMG_2569+%25282%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="525" data-original-width="700" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcoGwHWajNwzklm60R8rzjf38w4ZDT2VGUoM4oJc54hBosc1Sx5Nu4Enh_4h7meX7sSmua7xk7oipEPjMRRp4uBkCOZoYNzhL4EwcnDnFHyD0bOR8VmlXeP61LM7I4ofsh6EKIrWaZbXs/s320/IMG_2569+%25282%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p>TheGardenGalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01256252154364676859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5608602250140924850.post-45301918534317336092021-01-18T23:36:00.003-08:002022-01-04T00:46:36.197-08:00New plants for the garden<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Back in the first week in November 2020 I planted more small
rhododendrons from Jayne ex Myross Bush nursery with the idea of trying to
extend the flowering season of the existing varieties. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have made a row up the front path on the
edge of the Red tussock garden.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
existing <i>Black Sport</i> nearest the letterbox has been joined by <i>Furnival’s
Daughter </i>(pink); <i>Olin O’Dobbs</i>, which flowered late - one glorious burgundy
bloom; <i>Bumblebee </i>(purple) and just for a bit of contrast <i>Golden Gate</i>
(next to the gate), which is I thought would be orange but is not!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eventually they will encroach on the path; I’ve decided I’ll deal to
that problem when that happens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i>Rhododendron
Sunspray</i> (yellow) will hopefully make a big shrub between the ceanothus
(end of Holly garden) and the apple row.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Tucked into the ceanothus not far away is a new <i>Clematis Jackmanii </i>which
is flowering right now; purple of course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In Corduroy’s paddock three new rhododendrons join those already
there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are<i> FFP</i> (purple), <i>Cotton
Candy</i> (pink) and <i>Cerise Queen</i> which is also pink.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A frost tender <i>Michael’s Pride</i> (white)
is in a pot (an old aluminium semen bank) tucked in beside the water tanks
behind the garage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is just an
experiment to see if it will survive in a pot in the most sheltered situation I
can find.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It may need to be tucked up in
a frost blanket in the winter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The tidy
gardener and I have made a couple of trips to gather pine needles to mulch all
the rhododendrons and camellias and they are settling in well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sadly, <i>Van Dec, Bud Flanagan</i> and <i>Mother
Bear</i> have all turned up their toes this spring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span>I built a memorial arch at the entrance to Corduroy’s
paddock in December 2020 to commemorate my dear friend Sue who died in April
2020 in the UK. She wasn’t a gardener but always wanted honeysuckle around the
door of her home.</span><span> </span><span>I don’t know if she
ever fulfilled this wish but I have planted </span><i>Honeysuckle Graham Thomas</i><span> on
one side and the blousy peachy pink climber </span><i>Rosa Souvenir de Madame Leonie
Viennot</i><span> on the other.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU1IyUtWL3qETkB17jvmuMl46DUwv20UyoSQAIZUkO8thFfI1a6UoPXhdNrttgEEFE0bkxc4VrK77iS9im7Hd-IRqQ1MD4xCvsgIdBtFhIVfxYOGkHJrVmtzWig3Y2l8KJtCbtO4cV-1M/s700/IMG_2541+%25282%2529bluepotsresize.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="525" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU1IyUtWL3qETkB17jvmuMl46DUwv20UyoSQAIZUkO8thFfI1a6UoPXhdNrttgEEFE0bkxc4VrK77iS9im7Hd-IRqQ1MD4xCvsgIdBtFhIVfxYOGkHJrVmtzWig3Y2l8KJtCbtO4cV-1M/s320/IMG_2541+%25282%2529bluepotsresize.JPG" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The blue pots are home to bright pink geraniums and purple
petunias this summer while I have pondered as to what should go in them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lesson learnt, that I have put too many plants
in the pots (three plants of each) and in the wet not enough air was getting to
them. I think I have made my decision
and once the bedding is finished, I will plant variegated box (to shape into a
ball) that are in pots waiting for a home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I propagated them from cuttings from my neighbour and from my Mum’s
Waimea Road garden years ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Originally,
they were part of my driveway hedge but when the driveway was widened, they
were lifted and have just been waiting for a permanent home since then.</span><o:p></o:p></p>TheGardenGalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01256252154364676859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5608602250140924850.post-44015191342122804102021-01-18T00:48:00.007-08:002021-08-01T01:46:05.548-07:00Summer cuttings of heritage and climber roses<p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This last week I have made lots of summer rose cuttings of
climbers and heritage roses using semi-hard wood from stems that have flowered
this season.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank you to Joyce from
Tudor Park garden at Ryal Bush and other friends for allowing me to take
cuttings from their treasures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have
only ever grown roses from hardwood cuttings so I am going to be interested in
how many take root.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I won’t count my potential
roses until they have roots on them!!!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><o:p><span> </span></o:p><span>While we have had a week of fine weather, I have managed to
get some hedges trimmed and today started on tidying up the flaxes (harakeke).</span><span> </span><span>I love flax for many reasons.</span><span> </span><span>They are relatively cheap to buy and once established
they give height quickly and look good all year round.</span><span> </span><span>I feel they come into their own in the winter
especially, when they become focal points when there aren’t a lot of bright
spots.</span><span> </span><span>Some years they flower in summer
and then, their nectar brings bellbirds and tuis to the garden.</span><span> </span><span>They provide shelter and great leaves for
floral art.</span><span> </span><span>I love the variety of
colours they come in and have flax in several areas in the garden.</span><span> </span><span>There is a dark bronze one that I think is possibly </span><i>Rage
</i><span>and a variegated one </span><i>Golden Ray </i><span>in the Holly garden that I see each
day from the kitchen table.</span><span> </span><span>An unnamed
pink/grey stripe flax is establishing in the front garden as well as a smaller
red one that is struggling a bit.</span><span> </span><span>The
pink one reminds me of my sister who grew these up her West Coast driveway.</span><span> </span><span>In the Red Tussock garden there is a variegated
</span><i>Phorium tenax</i><span> as well as </span><i>Yellow Wave</i><span>.</span><span> </span><span>In the Wintersweet garden to the north side
of the house I have </span><i>Peach Angel</i><span> and </span><i>Yellow Wave. </i><span>Maybe there will
be room for another at the other end of this garden that is still to be
developed.</span><span> </span><span>Along the street frontage I
planted flaxes initially to provide shelter – these are in some shade now.</span><span> </span><span>These are an original plant of </span><i>Yellow Wave</i><span>
and some species <i>Phorium tenax</i> and a flax from the Chatham Islands grown from
seed by friend Cathy.</span><span> That seems a</span><span> lot of </span><i>Yellow
Wave</i><span>!!! </span><i> </i><span>I have grown it from divisions – I love it! </span><span> </span><span>I feel it has an unfortunate name.</span><span> </span><span>I have seen it look quite yellow in other
people’s garden but here it is beautiful shades of green.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSmFglfYvaQW_GcAPOW3dRDeInEwoBKhjUN16L3izwzHY_55lzB_2CCCXuLxHvoH1bawcWez2fesg5gqx2bT5ZbZ80H-6TORBo_xg-XVH_0NAoSgPyF3QIvzwbMmRP2Q-UgyKNbKED2Bc/s2048/IMG_1896July20.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSmFglfYvaQW_GcAPOW3dRDeInEwoBKhjUN16L3izwzHY_55lzB_2CCCXuLxHvoH1bawcWez2fesg5gqx2bT5ZbZ80H-6TORBo_xg-XVH_0NAoSgPyF3QIvzwbMmRP2Q-UgyKNbKED2Bc/s320/IMG_1896July20.JPG" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Winter arrangement utilising flax leaves (<i>Rage</i> and <i>Yellow Wave</i>) </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">and other greenery with no flowers</span></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>TheGardenGalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01256252154364676859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5608602250140924850.post-89720152368668115322020-12-31T13:36:00.002-08:002021-01-17T20:31:49.310-08:00Happy New Year 2021<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Happy New Year 2021.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This year I’ll try to write more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> My</span> first year of writing the blog was a learning curve, but I am so proud of
myself that it didn’t fizzle and die, though it is now over two months since I
posted last.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fifteen weeks of not a lot
of weeding caught up with me; of which, I completely absent for three weeks due
to the death of my Aunt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p><span> </span></o:p><span>My priority now, is just to keep as many of the weeds from
seeding as possible.</span><span> </span><span>The main culprits
are a myriad of grasses, cleavers, vetch, sow thistles, dandelions and
docks.</span><span> </span><span>I pull and dig these and bag them
up for the green waste.</span><span> </span><span>I always feel a
bit guilty about this, as I try as much as possible to keep what grows in the garden,
on the property.</span><span> </span><span>Santa delivered and assembled
a new chipper shredder this year.</span><span> </span><span>It is
a completely different beast to my little electric machine.</span><span> </span><span>From my trial run, I can see it will require
a method of drying branches and spent plants, as it stalls easily on too much
green and soft material.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p><span> </span></o:p><span>Back to my last post, the end of October, I want to mention
pink purslane or </span><i>Claytonia sibirica. </i><span>Some
regard this as a weed – in my garden it is a welcome delight.</span><span> </span><span>It is a relative of miner’s lettuce and according
to google is edible. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjGBkV2DzDidc8uuaoABNlPuYlB1bFGLvcmGVtHvHO9lrYDHjrdetfXUyMaLGGJbkT3GhFuG6BrqVYVrgqWZR8Hwy_xLX3PyQ5PLW8j6404sdGSlZhvlQUfEOi8MLbptPdT9gnJTbHWCM/s700/IMG_2155+%25282%2529resize.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="525" data-original-width="700" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjGBkV2DzDidc8uuaoABNlPuYlB1bFGLvcmGVtHvHO9lrYDHjrdetfXUyMaLGGJbkT3GhFuG6BrqVYVrgqWZR8Hwy_xLX3PyQ5PLW8j6404sdGSlZhvlQUfEOi8MLbptPdT9gnJTbHWCM/s320/IMG_2155+%25282%2529resize.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>TheGardenGalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01256252154364676859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5608602250140924850.post-50405393094277765292020-10-28T23:54:00.004-07:002021-11-02T00:27:58.376-07:00Miner's lettuce<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: medium;">Calf rearing
has been a priority as it’s my paid job for the spring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The down side of this is that all other
activities, including writing the blog take a back seat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Weeds take over the garden and jobs just
don’t get done, as feeding the calves is a twice a day for nine weeks, an every
day of the week job and I have only a certain amount of energy.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">I have eaten
Miner’s lettuce (</span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Claytonia perfoliata</i><span face="Arial, sans-serif">) almost every day over
spring.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">It is a great self seeder but
easy to remove and is summer dormant.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">I
am happy for it to appear almost anywhere in the garden as it is such a great
fresh green for sandwiches and is high in Vitamin C and omega 3 fat. The weather has been wet and fairly cool so the leaves have kept growing. Now the tidy gardener has cut and come again lettuces in the glasshouse amongst the tomatoes that are ready so my lunchtime sandwich is changing to lettuce.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigBD-dxAi1CQfzUUxdwSMttcASf8Yy85cKS_hnwLxW-GzHW6k4jZZ-aEWO2BiLJaYhE_hUt8QnXUd3fv8R_11aCNNMJPYAyHLEPsaIiJEMldDWS6W3QYWN-qiMOTGI5Ie1p_O5r7r8kq0/s667/IMG_2040minerslettuceresize.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigBD-dxAi1CQfzUUxdwSMttcASf8Yy85cKS_hnwLxW-GzHW6k4jZZ-aEWO2BiLJaYhE_hUt8QnXUd3fv8R_11aCNNMJPYAyHLEPsaIiJEMldDWS6W3QYWN-qiMOTGI5Ie1p_O5r7r8kq0/s320/IMG_2040minerslettuceresize.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><br /></span><p></p>TheGardenGalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01256252154364676859noreply@blogger.com0