Moan, Moan, Moan - 2011

[angie]

My mother announced
"I hate this garden. I would like to see the beauty of the plants but all I can see are flowers. I want to see soil between the plants"

Only a mum could say that    my dad always used to say to me can't you find anything else to do than gardening. He just couldn't understand that me and my mum could spend everyday in the garden.

Angie

Angie

[Lesley Cox]

We mothers cans be contrary people Mark. You just have to smile tolerantly, and hope no-one notices us.

[Hoy]

A gardening group came to see my garden yesterday. It is looking good right now but some rain would be good. Spring bulbs are over but early Geraniums, Iris and alpines are looking great.

My mother announced
"I hate this garden. I would like to see the beauty of the plants but all I can see are flowers. I want to see soil between the plants"

Mark, I do not agree with your mother! I would love that garden! I hate to see bare soil between the plants - or rather I see the bare soil as an opportunity to squeeze in more plants

[Anthony Darby]

Oh to have some bare soil! Our house is rented so I'm stuck with the plants I have. Between the lollipop bushes (worse than lawns as they are three dimensional and an invention of the devil sent to torment me) and jade plants (another useless plant) is black matting covered with gravel. If I want to plant anything I have to scrape away the gravel, cut the matting and dig through the clay underneath, assuming their's not an ants nest to deal with. The matting and gravel seems an ideal covering for the ants homes!

[Maren]

Hi Anthony,
how long do you intend to stay at your rented abode? I think you miss a garden. You could have tubs, big ones??

[angie]

Hi Anthony,

Just to make you feel better your Cypripediums are doing really well. It's been great seeing them flourish.
Thanks for them. I just love them, bought another one at the conference.
What's Jade plants, can you post a picture.

Angie

[Anthony Darby]

Lovely to hear the cyps are doing well Angie. I'll take some better pics tomorrow, meanwhile here's our front garden with a jade plant either side of the front door and a variegated one by the letter box - another annoying object - when it rains the mail gets soaked and if you are away for a day the slugs eat your mail! There are 10 more jade plants round the back! Those yellow bushes under the lounge window must rank among the most boring plants on the planet. They have the odd tiny pink flower, but apart from that they are round green weed balls that need trimming. I have 7 of them! That number may be reduced as a couple look as if they might die sooner or later?!

[t00lie]

Anthony
Those yellow bushes under the windows look like Coleonema pulchrum 'sunset gold' (a.k.a 'breath of heaven') --a wonderfully scented plant -----(crush/rub the leaves) with a mass of small pink flowers in the spring.

When allowed to grow in space ,(without the need for regular trimming   ), makes a low wide spreading ground cover.

You'll see it used all over NZ.

Cheers Dave.  

[Maggi Young]

Now I see that "jade plants" are Crassula ovata... or "money plants".... may be a good omen, Anthony? 

[Anthony Darby]

Those yellow bushes under the windows look like Coleonema pulchrum 'sunset gold' Anthony --a wonderful scented plant -----(crush/rub the leaves) with a mass of small pink flowers in the spring.

When allowed to grow in space ,(without the need for reqular trimming   ), makes a low wide spreading ground cover.

You'll see it used all over NZ.

Cheers Dave.  

I suppose it will make a pleasant change from the smell of cut grass in my garden bin Dave? Ground cover is not something I would ever contemplate in a garden; it may have its place where no gardening is done from one month to the next, but to my mind it's a waste of space? I haven't seen it in the spring, but it seems to have little pink flowers on it now. They are so small and insignificant I need to be up close and have my glasses on to see them!

[Anthony Darby]

Now I see that "jade plants" are Crassula ovata... or "money plants".... may be a good omen, Anthony?  

I would have called them money plants Maggi, but they seem to be sold as jade plants over here. We had one in the work base at school back home. Couldn't kill it!

It's taken me a long time to notice this is a parasite growing on a hebe in the back garden. Must be getting doddery in my old age?

[Anthony Darby]

Hi Anthony,
how long do you intend to stay at your rented abode? I think you miss a garden. You could have tubs, big ones??

Hi Maren,
at least a year. So far a couple of planters and one half barrel pond. One of the planters has a silver fern (Cyathea dealbata); the other some bedding plants (not my idea).

[angie]

Hi Anthony

I like the thought of money plants. It looks nice where you are, the blue skies look good to me.
Nice to see how the other side of the world looks.

Angie

[Lesley Cox]

So everything in Auckland is not perfect Anthony?

I am looking for a house myself lately, FOR myself and Teddy, and a month ago found the truly perfect place. Only half the distance to work and town but the house itself had been beautifully renovated with new everything - carpet, curtains, paint and paper, fridge, washing machine and dryer, complete new kitchen and bathroom, 3 bedrooms and a long conservatory which SA bulbs would have loved. The place was about 1/4 acre and mostly well kept lawn but delightful landlord and wife said I could do whatever I wanted, dig up as much for garden as I chose and even  were happy to gravel part of it for my little nursery. Only fly in ointment was rent price. I could do it while still working but since I expect that won't be for more than a couple of years now, I would have had to move out then and as I said to landlord, I wanted somewhere until I die and not another move anywhere. It would have suited them too, a young couple who expect to sell the house when THEY retire, in 20 plus years. So still looking.

[Anthony Darby]

Here's the promised pics of the jade plants and lollipop bushes.