I’ve been away again. But the best kind of away. I put on one of my favourite hats to do my job as a Botanical Tour Guide for Botanica World Discoveries. I hosted a bus load of garden tourists across New Zealand over two back-to-back tours. Firstly, it was the NZ Taranaki Garden Spectacular and Private Gardens Tour followed by the NZ Private Gardens and … Continue reading I’ve been away again.
October is such a gauntlet to run for us. With birthday’s, school holidays and then the obligatory back to school haircuts, stationary kit refresh and new shoes, the garden can become a little neglected. Not intentionally, but life can get in the way which can be quite challenging as we are in the heart of spring and things need to be done. Fortunately, I’ve been … Continue reading Queen of Hearts
‘… with pretty things all in a row…’ Well maybe not all in a row, but there are a lot of pretty cool things in the garden right now. Check them out: Come again soon – it feels like the garden is changing every day. Sarah the Gardener : o) NB: click on the images for the chit chat about them. Continue reading ‘How does your garden grow….’
Day one of a new season and it feels like an opportunity for a fresh start of some sort, so long as I get off on the right foot. I always start spring on the 1st of September as it feels right for the weather conditions – although parts of the south woke up to snow today – but that is more of an anomaly … Continue reading Let the Spring Begin
Here I am on the doorstep of yet another season and I wonder, where does the time go? Sometimes I think it would be nice to have hobby that wasn’t so time stamped, as the passing of the seasons is so entwined with the happenings in the garden. For a non-gardener, the crossing of August into September is just another ordinary day – no different … Continue reading See Ya Winter
Wow, we are now into the growing season. It was a busy first day, but I managed to find some time to sow my tomato seeds. It is hard to believe in less than two months I’ll be planting them out in the garden. I have so much hope for this this year. It is about time we had a good one. Come again … Continue reading I declare this spring officially open
With 9 days left of winter, you would easily believe spring is already here. The weather has been settled for over a week, with gentle frosts most mornings, and balmy afternoons that almost have you shed your jumper in favour of a tee-shirt. It is taking all my self-control not to get started and fill my greenhouse full of seedlings. But we are still in … Continue reading Spring has come early
I can be a bit forgetful at times, which is why I try to be so good with my plant labels and by writing down what I’ve done at the end of each day. When I’m not using my automatic water distributor and want to perk up one crop I set the alarm on my phone or that garden can be watered rather more than … Continue reading Blast from the past: Summer is a white rabbit.
And so we have come to the final day of winter. When it comes to the spring and summer I prefer to go by the calendar as it brings the desirable seasons to me quicker. However for Autumn and Winter, if we go with the equinox / solstice system, then I can kid myself the good times last longer. I play it free and easy … Continue reading Signs of Spring
Well… not exactly. I have enough thyme. It is just it has been in the ground for so long now that the centre is dying out, despite the lush growth and the frequent clippings I’ve been giving it. It tastes so good in all my hearty winter dishes. Even with its bald patch in the centre, it seems determined to take over my herb garden, … Continue reading I’m running out of thyme
