XMAS FLOWERS FROM THE GARDEN

I was delighted to be able to pick my own Christmas selection of flowers again.  The red and green Alstromeria's have only just begun to flower due to the colder than normal weather we have been experiencing.  To complete my arrangement I have added Queen Anne's Lace (choosing a combination of fully out blooms and green flowers), white Agapanthus and the flowers of Sacred Bamboo.

ORIENTAL POPPIES

One of natures surprises is to spread one's own home made compost onto the garden and then be amazed when plants that you haven't seen in the garden for years appear again.  Having extended a garden bed this spring I added compost to the clay so that the Japanese Maples that are new to this garden would get the best start.  We are now enjoying several poppies of differing shades filling the garden whilst the bordering box plants are young and insignificant.

UNFORTUNATE SPLIT

An unusual spate of wet windy weather has caused havoc throughout the nation.  Our own garden has experienced 77mm of rain over the last week.  Yesterday the combination of wind and rain were just too much for our Manchurian Pear and it split at a major fork.  If not for our deck, which fortunately has not suffered, the tree would have snapped off completely.  Fearing that the wind might snap the remaining half we had to leave it overnight, planning to carry out repairs the next day if it should survive.  Relief when morning revealed the remaining portion of the tree still to be standing.  Rod set up a system of rope and pulleys to pull the fallen portion back into place.  A section of steel rod inserted at the break was to act as a hinge, to safeguard the break from separating completely.  With both Aly and Jenny pulling on the rope and then holding fast, Rod drilled 3 holes through the breaks and secured it back together with bolts and nuts.  Finding an old hessian bag (a rarity these days) it was cut into strips and wound around the break and secured with a stocking.  Finally a feed of Seasol and a good hug will hopefully see this beautiful tree pull through and delight us for many more seasons.

3 TONS OF GRAVEL

This area that we created some time ago has been waiting for us to revamp the driveway ready for gravel to see it finished.  As an attempt to save us ongoing maintenance we have raked back all the existing gravel, put down black plastic and re spread the old gravel.  A delivery of 3 tons of new gravel has spruced up two driveways and this extended garden featuring Aly and Alex's trees.  Working as a awesome team Jenny shovelled the gravel whilst Rod raked it smooth. Rain has now washed the gravel so that it is looking very smart, set off with all the green foliage. 

CLEMATIS Kiri Te Kanawa

Rod gave me this Clematis for my birthday and I have been waiting for the buds to open, wondering if the blooms will look like the photo on the swing tag.  The actual flowers are more stunning than anticipated.  The colour is a deeper purple which I am very happy about.  The Flower Garden at Nairne has a great range of Clematis.  Well worth a look, but be warned it is hard to resist.