The past few days have been productive in the garden. I have had a few sporadic moments of getting stuck into getting rid of things that have been a nuisance in the garden. Japanese Irises and more ivy, ivy the bane of my life grrr. The japanese irises though had been left to multiply for years and became floppy and unattractive looking. So yesterday and today, in between other things that I had to do, I got into the garden and started ripping them out. Some were really in deep and it took a lot of energy to pull them out.
Simplifying the garden has not been as easy as I had hoped. I have to tackle it in short bursts or I end up sore and out of action for a few days. But when I get the gardening bug I just have to get out there and do something. Taking advantage of the weather too. Mind you this morning was minus 6.6 degrees, so I waited until it was warmer before getting out there. Three trash packs full of green waste over the past three days and there is still work to do. Hubby ripped out some overgrown potato jasmine that was growing up the side of the garage on a trellis, and we discovered some young bulbs that were planted years ago with some hellebores. The potato jasmine had covered these and what could be blue bells coming up.
I need to rethink what I want to do for a low maintenance garden with a sort of natural feel, using masses of scented violets, hellebores and agapanthus. Springtime bulbs with blue bells, snowdrops, daffodils, hyacinths and jonquils, muscari or grape hyacinths all naturalising. Simple flowers that are appealing to the eye and smell divine.
It hasn’t always been successful through the years, so I give plants a chance to grow and look good but if it doesn’t work then out it comes, free to a good home for a neighbour. It’s been a learning curve for me for sure. Learning from scratch and trial and error, I missed my vocation as a horticulturist but ended up as a clairvoyant lol. No matter, I still love the pleasure of gardening and on my terms. I am not one to stick to the rules in gardening. Now that old age is creeping up on hubby and me, I mean to keep the hard work out of the equation too as neither of us have the health.
I have a nice patch in the upper part of the garden that I am trying to make a romantic statement piece using Cosmos, Babies Breath and Roses as the back bones, and Amaryllis, Nerines and Agapanthus in season. Hopefully a splash of Love in a mist and blue Cornflowers and Queen Anne’s Lace in season too. It sounds nice, but ambitious though. I am a stickler for cottage gardening, but in the Australian climate it is not always possible due to the heat and water consumption must be rationed. So I have to fudge it somehow to make a dreamy looking garden. Something that makes you just want to stay there all day and ignore the world. Bliss to me is an entire day of sitting in the garden and doing absolutely nothing all day.
Springtime is just six weeks away and I am looking forward to seeing flowers in bloom again along with a visit to Tulip Tops garden just outside of Canberra for my yearly visit. That place fills me with joy seeing the brilliant mass displays of colour and the delightful classical music played through speakers in the trees as one wanders around taking in the sights and sounds of spring.
I come home exhilarated and want to recreate a miniature version of Tulip Tops in my garden. And just immerse myself in a dreamy private heaven of my own. Maybe one day I will get to do that but in the meantime a garden evolution is in progress, emerging into who knows what. I just hope that I get it right and get to enjoy time doing nothing other than sitting there enjoying the view and serenity sipping a cold glass of cordial or a lovely cup of tea. Just delightful and a perfect way to unwind.
