Ohhh I’m Dry?! I was away recently soaking in some wonderful gardens and had a fabulous time. During the weekend I was down in Blenheim at the NZ Gardens Trust Conference I had a major epiphany and to be honest I’m a little shocked I never realised it. While the weekend was decidedly soggy with more rain than they’d had in a year falling in …...
Today is Earth Day. I live on earth so I guess I should join in the celebrations. When you stop taking life for granted and hop off the treadmill that is our rat race and look about there are so many elements of the world around us that can make us stop and catch our breath. The wonder of a seed germinating, the glorious colour …...
Soaking in Wonderful Gardens – Part Three. This was only supposed to be a two-part story, sharing all the wonderful things from my incredible weekend away with the New Zealand Garden Trust. But in the words of my favourite 17th century Philosopher Blaise Pascal, “If I had more time, I would have written you a shorter letter”. But it isn’t just the time, I don’t …...
Soaking in Wonderful Gardens – Part Two I’ve saved the exciting bits of the >New Zealand Garden Trust< Conference down in Blenheim until last. Telling you all about the gardens. I hinted at them on my social media, but you don’t get much of a word count there and certainly a limited number of photos you can post there. I took a squillion photos (well …...
Soaking in Wonderful Gardens – Part One I have been away again. And of course there were gardens involved. And really nice gardens at that. Although when is a garden not a nice garden I was invited to attend the New Zealand Gardens Trust Conference which was held in Blenheim this year. The NZGT is a fabulous organisation that curates and rates all the best …...
Thoughts and Prayers Nothing bad has happened, but lately my routine has fallen out of sync with my intentions and the most the garden has received recently has been thoughts and prayers. My mind is rampant and full of ideas and improvement opportunities. My notebook is bulging with possibilities. I have lists upon lists. Some of the ideas are major projects that will take large …...
Room Three has Begun The Autumnal equinox is on us and going forward things are only going to get colder and bleaker. It sounds quite doom and gloom and this season, although we aren’t having the rain we had last year, the ordinary gentle descent into the cooler weather has been more of a rapid plunge! It hasn’t been as dramatic as flipping a switch, …...
Watermelon Jam I recently pulled the plug on my melon garden. The melons were ready, and the plants were exhausted from their efforts. It didn’t help that this was one of the most windswept garden beds with sightlines to the ocean through the front gate. I have a stable door style gate with windbreak on the top half, although it isn’t often closed and the …...
Making the hard chop In the old garden I used to have an amazing orchard. There were about 30 now mature fruit trees. I had the space, so I just planted what I wanted without too much thought and consideration. Although I did have a ‘do or die’ philosophy, which is quite self-explanatory. A tree would be popped in a hole and left to fend …...
Best Valentine’s Day ever! I’m honestly not sure how we are going to top this, and it all revolved around the garden. I have been on a mission to showcase the vegetables I grow in the meals I make. I’m a gardener well ahead of being a cook in terms of priorities, passion and ability. I revel in bringing forth life from bare soil and …...
The giant list of things that need to be done. After yesterday’s declaration of good intentions >Yesterday’s post< I took a moment to write down everything I need to do. And now I see why I kept it in my head and just procrastinated as a coping mechanism It is a tad daunting. But it is what it is, and is what I got myself …...
Good Habits start today. This is just a quick post and a public declaration, that I will be getting stuff done or be publicly shamed. The recent short weeks combined with a new ‘no back to school’ empty nest thing has really thrown the start of my February into disarray. I feel like I’ve been waiting for some kind of normal to kick in but …...
Heroes and Superstars. The garden has really been pumping out the harvest. Everyday there is something new to deal with, on top of the things already overwhelming my harvest basket. It can be so easy to just take yet another zucchini for granted or leave it languishing on the plant a little longer in an obstinate attempt to delay the inevitable, which ultimately results in …...
Ohhh I’m Dry?! I was away recently soaking in some wonderful gardens and had a fabulous time. During the weekend I was down in Blenheim at the NZ Gardens Trust Conference I had a major epiphany and to be honest I’m a little shocked I never realised it. While the weekend was decidedly soggy with more rain than they’d had in a year falling in …...
Today is Earth Day. I live on earth so I guess I should join in the celebrations. When you stop taking life for granted and hop off the treadmill that is our rat race and look about there are so many elements of the world around us that can make us stop and catch our breath. The wonder of a seed germinating, the glorious colour …...
Soaking in Wonderful Gardens – Part Three. This was only supposed to be a two-part story, sharing all the wonderful things from my incredible weekend away with the New Zealand Garden Trust. But in the words of my favourite 17th century Philosopher Blaise Pascal, “If I had more time, I would have written you a shorter letter”. But it isn’t just the time, I don’t …...
Soaking in Wonderful Gardens – Part Two I’ve saved the exciting bits of the >New Zealand Garden Trust< Conference down in Blenheim until last. Telling you all about the gardens. I hinted at them on my social media, but you don’t get much of a word count there and certainly a limited number of photos you can post there. I took a squillion photos (well …...
Soaking in Wonderful Gardens – Part One I have been away again. And of course there were gardens involved. And really nice gardens at that. Although when is a garden not a nice garden I was invited to attend the New Zealand Gardens Trust Conference which was held in Blenheim this year. The NZGT is a fabulous organisation that curates and rates all the best …...
Thoughts and Prayers Nothing bad has happened, but lately my routine has fallen out of sync with my intentions and the most the garden has received recently has been thoughts and prayers. My mind is rampant and full of ideas and improvement opportunities. My notebook is bulging with possibilities. I have lists upon lists. Some of the ideas are major projects that will take large …...
Room Three has Begun The Autumnal equinox is on us and going forward things are only going to get colder and bleaker. It sounds quite doom and gloom and this season, although we aren’t having the rain we had last year, the ordinary gentle descent into the cooler weather has been more of a rapid plunge! It hasn’t been as dramatic as flipping a switch, …...
Watermelon Jam I recently pulled the plug on my melon garden. The melons were ready, and the plants were exhausted from their efforts. It didn’t help that this was one of the most windswept garden beds with sightlines to the ocean through the front gate. I have a stable door style gate with windbreak on the top half, although it isn’t often closed and the …...
Making the hard chop In the old garden I used to have an amazing orchard. There were about 30 now mature fruit trees. I had the space, so I just planted what I wanted without too much thought and consideration. Although I did have a ‘do or die’ philosophy, which is quite self-explanatory. A tree would be popped in a hole and left to fend …...
Best Valentine’s Day ever! I’m honestly not sure how we are going to top this, and it all revolved around the garden. I have been on a mission to showcase the vegetables I grow in the meals I make. I’m a gardener well ahead of being a cook in terms of priorities, passion and ability. I revel in bringing forth life from bare soil and …...
The giant list of things that need to be done. After yesterday’s declaration of good intentions >Yesterday’s post< I took a moment to write down everything I need to do. And now I see why I kept it in my head and just procrastinated as a coping mechanism It is a tad daunting. But it is what it is, and is what I got myself …...
Good Habits start today. This is just a quick post and a public declaration, that I will be getting stuff done or be publicly shamed. The recent short weeks combined with a new ‘no back to school’ empty nest thing has really thrown the start of my February into disarray. I feel like I’ve been waiting for some kind of normal to kick in but …...