SoS 30/10/21
It’s so long since I contributed to SoS and to be honest, after yesterday’s 40 Days and Nights rain, I didn’t think it’d be an option today. However, the sun’s shining, but because the ground is knee-deep in moisture, I’m mixing it up a bit with our tiny town patch and the bigger home garden, all pics bar one taken before the deluge.
Firstly, early in the day on Friday when the big garden began to flood. By dusk, the water had flooded back from the drains that criss-cross the property and was sitting neatly at the top of the raised path.
Two days before, in blazing sunshine on one of the 3-4 days of sun we’ve had this month. The veggie garden is starting to reward us, with copious snowpeas, potatoes, broadbeans, bok choy, swiss chard and garlic all looking good. (wondering if garlic will rot as rain has been so horrendous through winter and spring). This day, we planted radishes, carrots, beetroots, eggplants and zucchinis. The last two under plastic cloches for protection from the weather for a couple of weeks.
The perennial garden starting to push to its heyday. But if you look closely you will see circlets of wire everywhere to protect young cosmos from the rabbits we seem to be getting in the garden. The Jack Russell terrier needs to earn his keep! Behind the windshield fence is what we call the orchard (it used to house 28 apples and pears) but which is slowly becoming more of an arboretum. More trees yet to plant.
In town, remember the winter-bare left side of the back path? The Solomons’ Seal is up and showing off.
My one rhododendron flower of the year. I do hope this shrub learns to be less shy as the flower is lovely. But I’m worried about the mottled spotting on the leaves. Any suggestions?
And what a fabulous Saturday I had last week! Tasmania’s one and only auricula breeder is retiring and had a clearance sale with emails sent to her loyal customers. I bought seven (some people bought car-loads!!!!). My choices were shades of soft greys and blackish-purples, except for this one vivid green which I have long admired. Here’s just a sample – you may be familiar with the names.
And finally, sneaking an extra pic in. Found this delightful crewelwork kit online two days ago which will exactly echo the colours of my auriculas. Can’t wait to stitch it!
As usual, do go to Mr.P’s SoS account and enjoy the global gardens on display in the comments.
Cheers and happy gardening!
What a delightful stylised embroidery kit Prue. I can see you designing others to show some of your other auriculas, and you can then have an all year stage with no dormant period on some wall in your home.
Noelle, the company that designs and sells the kits has a collection series – tulips, narcissi, snowdrops and auricula. They have lovely stuff that I would certainly like to stitch.https://melburyhill.com/collections/the-collectors-collection
Pretty embroidery, I did so much as a child and have tray cloths in abundance. Your Solomon’s Seal are in such a perfect place along the side of that path.
Thanks Granny.
Lovely post Prue!
Thankd Barbara. Are you getting all this rain?
Auriculas are very beautiful flowers, I don’t have any and you were lucky to take advantage of this bargain! There are pretty blossoming things in your southern hemisphere garden at this season… Take care
They are very graphic and lovely flowers, Fred and I just hope I can keep them growing.
Your garden looks fabulous Prue, after this mornings torrential rain, which was coming down sideways, we now have blue skies and fluffy clouds. at least it enabled us to dig up and repot a holly that was in the wrong place, and I potted up some cuttings I have taken earlier on in the month 🙂
It is looking lush, Libby, but we can’t get into it to start pulling out weeds etc. We would pull more mud than weed and then leave deep muddy tracks through the lawns. One day, I guess the weather will turn back to El Nino and then the poor garden and gardener will struggle on a different front. But I think that’s the beauty of a garden – it’s always a challenge, always manages to produce pockets of sheer delight no matter what and has the kindness to be cyclical which is inevitably very reassuring … and hopeful.
Oh Prue – what lovely auriculas and that embroidery will be stunning. I’m wondering how the auricula breeder is feeling – either completely liberated or bereft?!
Probably both, Katharine. She and husband are moving to a smaller property and whilst I didn’t ask (it was very busy on the clearance day), I suspect she will still be taking her favourites with her and will still be able to put on quite a show. Old gardeners never retire, do they? They just bend lower and lower to the ground… 😉
Your garden is looking good despite the miserable weather. You must be very pleased with those bargain auriculas. They are gorgeous, as is that crewelwork kit.
Thank you re the garden. It’s our ‘English’ weather that’s carried the garden to a peak. By now normally, things are starting to fry off but the weather pundits tell us we’re in for another wet summer as La Nina hasn’t converted to El Nino. That’s two years running!!! I’m desperate for long days on the beach swimming.
How lucky with the auriculas! I like your windshield, very clever.
Anything to stop the weather here, Megan! 😉
I envy you your Solomon’s Seal, the sawfly found mine every year so I gave up. Beautiful Auriculas and a beautiful embroidery.
Touchwood, Ann, no sign of sawfly!