First Entry

Have been thinking for a while of having a garden blog, like a garden diary to write down when I've done what, and projects I'm thinking of .. so now I have one.

Today - 26 September 2004
Gardenias
Repotted the gardenias that have been very sickly with damn mealy bug. Gave them a re-furbish type prune (ie very savage). Be interesting to see if they come back, doesn't matter really if they don't.

Rear Downchains
Thought of putting pots under the chains, but have decided to use a pile of rocks instead - the water will splash off them more gently into the lawn/garden. Also considering developing that further into a creek bed type thing, which will be damp during winter and dry during summer. Appropriate plants need to be considered - grassy types I guess.
Could also then grow the creek bed across the back to end in the kind-of defunct pond.
Big project, but can be done in small stages - the rock piles will be the starting point (once I manage to get some of the concrete slabs out of the way.

Lawn
Mowed the back lawn with the electric mower. Probably wont have a petrol mower before it needs mowing again . Verge needs doing but the electric wouldn't cope with it I don't think, so will leave it be and wait until I have a petrol one.

Hippies
Budding their heads off - have 9 buds, some will be open in the next few days methinks.

Tulips
Waste of time, only two plants reared their heads, made leaves only a couple of inches tall and have now died away. No doubt the bulbs are exhausted - think they will be bin material. Remember NOT to bother with these next year.

Runnunculas
Did/doing very well - plant these again.

Mango
Starting to blossom.

Planting of the Fernery

(click on the pics for a bigger picture)

Start with one large pot of Fish Bone fern - trick number one was to get the fern out of the pot without breaking it! Much straining of muscles and sweat later....



Remove ferns into separate plantlets - hmm that's a lot of fern!



Plant ferns into ground and hope like hell they live! There's no reticulation where they are now planted, but this fern is very hardy and I doubt even I can kill it!



Hmmmmm, now what to plant back into the now-empty pot? Left over ferns of course!!

The fernery about 3 weeks later. Some are growing, some don't look crash hot and some are dead. I think it will end up ok.

Update: The fernery got moved - details in this post.

Installing the Soakwell

(click on the pics for a larger pic)

Start with one soak well kit:



Select a site:



Objective: remove pile of lawn clippings, remove sand, install soak well:



Result - not much of a hole due to too many tree roots! Time to call a Jim.



Jim sucessfully installs the soak well:





Now all that is required is some cement handywork at the drain

(Time passes ...)

Handywork on the drain done - not by yours truely though :(

The Entertaining Area

Outdoor 'Beautification' Project.
(Click on any of the pics to get a bigger picture)

It was a long time 'dream'/goal to change the ugliest part of my garden into an outdoor entertaining area. Whilst the 'grand plan' that used to exist has been trimmed down considerably (due to changes in my life) I have made a small beginning.

This has been a plot of typical Perth grey sand for quite a while, other than sometime-use as a vegetable garden. Poppies come up self-seeded here, as do some freesias.

Long term plan is to eventually have some kind of permanent shade structure - maybe a bali hut, for the interim I have a tent-type gazebo if extra shade is required. The paved area received shade from the lemon tree in the morning and from the liquidamber in the afternoon.

Current plan is to place an above ground pond, built from limestone blocks and pond liner, in the far left corner - running parallel to the paving. Gardenia between the bore pump and fence (right hand side of the pic above), ferns under the large tree (it's a liquid amber - right hand side of pic). Perhaps a privacy screen across the top of the fence. Retic running from the tap (which is attached to the bore). Rest of the plants are as yet undecided - maybe kangaroo paw, lavendar, rosemary; all I know at this point is I want it to be low maintenance.

Commenced the groundword for the fernery:

Click here for Part Two - Planting The Fernery


Click here for Part Three - The Fernery Relocates and Paving Cemented In.